The music game genre is becoming closer and closer to taking it’s seat next to the dinosaur. Extinction! Plastic instruments are currently collecting mass amounts of dust,  and  the slumping sales are causing publishers to wonder if  the gravy train is near the end of the line. Activision, or the new E.A, decided to bet the house on music game sales of 2009 and evetually conceded defeat. Guitar Hero 5, Guitar Hero: Metallica, Band Hero, DJ Hero.  Really Activision? Their music games made a decent amount of sales, but nothing close to expectations. Bundle sales we’re down %50 from the previous year, and purchasers of Guitar Hero 5 received a free copy of Guitar Hero: Metallica. This trend is reminiscent of fighting games in the 90′s. Hopefully, these games don’t nearly become extinct like fighting games.

Rockband 3 is slated to release fall 2010. News of the next wave of Guitar Hero’s haven’t surfaced yet, but I’m sure we will hear about 3-4 music sku’s from the Activision camp soon.  The lack of announcement is obviously due to Activision  weary of giving too much time for people to find reasons  why they don’t need another plastic guitar and a live version of “Sweet Home Alabama.”

There are many reasons why these games are on the decline, but it’s not the game itself.  It’s the same music being repackaged and recycled.  Does “Celebration” and “Y.M.C.A.” have to be on every game? Why do these games only center around Rock Music?  I love rock music too.  I’m listening to “Bohemian Rhapsody” as I write this post.  Before someone scream out “DJ Hero,” I will explain. DJ Hero is a fun and engaging game, but it doesn’t convey the concert feeling like the plastic guitar. Some credit goes to LIPS. There is a Lupe Fiasco rap song on lips, which is one of the reasons that inspired me to write this article. Why can’t the focus of these games go from rock to rap.  A Jay-Z version of LIPS would be a Day 1 purchase.  Before someone comments that content of the music would be a deal-breaker, go play Sublime’s  Santeria  on Guitar Hero: World tour. Rock Music is great,  and the genre has produced some of the greatest songs.  Rap has been one of the more popular genres in recent history, and the excitement of rapping a song has yet to be discovered in these games. There are so many classics; Slick Rick’s “Children’s Story,” Jay-Z’s,  “Big Pimpin,” Dr. Dre’s “Forgot about Dre”  “Gin and Juice,” Tupac’s “Only God can Judge me,” Snoop Dogg, Nelly, old school Hip Hop, Sir Mix-a-Lot “baby got back.” The list goes on and on. Harmonix and Activision haven’t announced what’s in store for the upcoming music games, but hopefully, they will focus more on Rap music.

SyFy is doing a special on Mass Effect 2. Here is a trailer to kick things off. Don’t worry, No spoilers here for those of you who are on a ME2 blackout.

Fighting through endless hordes of the undead dead. Watching his friends die horrific deaths, only to come back alive and attack him.  These are challenges that our tragic-heroine, Isaac Clarke, faced on the USG Ishimura. After defeating the Necromorphs he took a breather to recollect on the experience.  As soon as he put the plasma cutter down,  his H.U.D. displays a message from E.A. saying it’s time to gear up for, Dead Space 2.

“We’re thrilled to jump back into the series, making the next chapter in Isaac’s journey. The infection continues to spread throughout space and our hero Isaac Clarke is the only person able to contain it. There are still loads of necromorphs that need killing!” said Steve Papoutsis, Executive Producer of Dead Space 2. “In Dead Space 2, not everything is exactly as it seems. Expect plot twists that will surprise you and a huge cast of twisted, disgusting monsters that are sure to scare the daylights out of you.”

Isaac’s journey is just beginning!

Source: EA press Release

GameCrazy has some great deals going on starting today. One of the biggest deals is Infinite Undiscovery for Xbox 360 for $4.99. Click on the picture links to look at the pages. Happy Shopping!