Since its release in 2005, Guitar Hero has become quite the success. With a sequel in stores, both on the PS2 and the 360, and plans to expand to just about every other console under the sun, it's pretty safe to say that the Guitar Hero franchise is here to stay. As a hardcore Guitar Hero fan since day one, this is all but bad news to me, but I will be the first one to admit that there a couple things about all of this that concerns me. I remember a time not too long ago, in a land not so far away, arcades were buzzing with those Dance Dance Revolution games you've probably heard so much about. Flash forward to modern day, and the old DDR franchise just isn't the same beast it used to be. What happened here?

This is what worries me. While I love Guitar Hero as much as the next guy, I'm extremely worried that the franchise is going to wear itself out. The property isn't very old, and already we've seen several lawsuits and companies throwing money everywhere, trying to get themselves a slice of the pie. I'm not sure about the rest of you, but this really turns my stomach. With a third Guitar Hero around the corner, and various news articles bounce around the Internet about games like Rock Band, and other possible games branching off from the Guitar Hero property, I have a genuine fear that this all is going to become very old very fast. I personally don't want to see that happen.

I could be getting a bit ahead of myself, as Guitar Hero II is still very fresh, but I think my concerns are pretty justifiable. Even now, I find myself a bit bored with the recent installment of the game. The songs list was far less interesting this time around, with the exception of a few tracks (WOO! FREEBIRD!), but overall, I was just bored. The first game seemed to have a more diverse list of songs, where as this one seemed to focus on songs that were just more loud and ...loud. I love hard, loud fast guitar riffs just as much as the next guy, but a little variety would've been nice. Though, with the 360 offering downloadable content, maybe I'll find a greater variety in the form of downloadable song packs.

Anyway, I really hope I'm wrong, and maybe all of this will only get better and better. Maybe I'll enjoy spending $70-$90 every time a new game with its own new fancy peripheral comes out. Maybe I won't be tired of the genre by the time Guitar Hero the Movie, The Awesome Rock n Roll Adventure!, hits theaters. Who knows?

-UPDATE-

After look a little closer at the recent installments set to release within the next few weeks, I'm really beginning to feel like my predictions may come true. Guitar Hero III looks awesome, but for some reason, I'm just not excited. Maybe it's because so many other great games are being released around the same time, but I'm just not excited ... though Rock Band does seemed to make my fingers tingle with excitement. October 28th is slowing creeping upon us, so I guess I'll be able to make a final judgement sooner than later.

You guys make video blogging look fun.  I'd join in on the fun, but I really don't have the face for tv ... or the Internet.  Bah, the Hell with it.  I think I'll take a stab at it...

Holy crap. Why are there nearly 500 different Tony Hawk games, yet I can't manage to get a third Shenmue?

Damn it! Can a brotha get something? Anything? A demo? A video? A comic book? Something!? I refuse to stop believing. I will sit, and I will keep my fingers crossed. I will throw every penny I can find, into my magic wishing well. I won't lose faith.  I can't lose faith...

Damn it!  Even Spyro had atleast three games! Spyro the effin' Dragon!  Come on!

Damn it!

Damn it!

...meh.

...when he must BLOOOG!

(Mortal Kombat!) :o

I've probably wasted your time, haven't I?

If you haven't noticed, this whole console wars thing? I think it's pointless. What makes me laugh is, the fact that people actually have this idea in thier minds that one is actually better than the other.

"OMG! Playstation 3 has the ability to turn into a rocket ship, and fly its user to the moon! Can your stupid 360 do that!?"

Well that's great and all, but if I want to play Gears of War ... that neat little feature isn't going to do much for me, is it?

"But dude! The XBox360 has the ability to transform into a giant mech, and you can use it to battle against your other friends in mech vs mech combat! Can your stupid PS3 do that!?"

Wow. Now that's just impressive ... but what do I do if I want to play Super Smash Brothers? Oh, it doesn't play Super Smash Brothers? Well that doesn't do me any good ...

"Pftt, please dawg. The Nintendo Wii cures cancer, **** Cancer. That's right. Not only that, but it also cures the common cold, and they're also working on a patch for herpes."

A console that cures diseases!? Holy crap! So I must be able to play Metal Gear Solid 4 with it, right!? No? Well, how lame.

Console Wars are stupid, and if you're supporting it, you're stupid too. You can sit and argue about which company makes the better console, but I think I'd much rather spend my time just playing good games.

December 25th, 1989.  One chilly Christmas morning, who would have thought I would be waking up to a day that would change my world, for the rest of my life.  I placed my bare feet onto warm, carpeted bedroom floor of my families new apartment.  I was only five years old, and you've ever been a five year old, you should know how big of a deal Christmas morning is.  I crept down the hallway steps, and to my surprise, under the brightly lit Christmas tree, a brand new Nintendo Entertainment System.  I'm sure all of you reading this right now have experiences this magical moment.  It was as if time stood still, as I gazed at the neatly wrapped package, pretty and shiny, topped off with a big red bow.  As I quickly drifted back into reality, I darted toward the tree, at full sprint, and clung to that box as if my life depended on it.  Those were the days.

That was the day that my entire life changed, and I found myself in a whole new world.  A world of plumbers that saved the day, princess kidnapping apes, and warriors of might and magic.  My first Nintendo.  I remember it like it were yesterday.  There are very few moments in my life that can live up to the day I ripped open that box.  As pathetic as that may sound, it's very true!  I'd probably place it right up there with my first real kiss, and my ... many other firsts in my lifetime.  Those days, it was all we needed after a long day of reading and writing.

A few years later, we were introuduced to a new generation of video games.  Ah, the wonderful Super Nintendo -- but wait, what's this?  Sege Genesis, you say?  Well that sounds amazing!  It was a welcomed competition.  I, myself, had the Super Nintendo.  No reason, it was just what I was familiar with.  My friend Christopher down the street, he had his Sega.  There was never any problem.  We played all of our favorite games, we laugh, we had goodtimes.

I've rambled on enough here.  The point I'm trying to make here is, what happened to the gaming world?  Where did the fun go?  These days, youc an't enjoy a good game anymore, because everything has turned into a gigantic competition.  It's not even about the games anymore, it's about who can push the most units, and I am getting tired of it.  It's taking the fun right out of video games.  Back then, we didn't have to worry about who had which system.  The games were ported onto all the popular systems, and there were never any arguments.  Today, everything has become a war.  And what bothers me the most is, so many of these so called 'hardcore gamers', have actually chosen sides.  How ridiculous is that?

Am I the only person alive who just wants to sit back, and enjoy a good video game?  These days, I have to be a millionaire just to be able to play my favorite games.  And not only that, but I have to deal with lip from these, as the gaming community refers to them, fanboys, who don't know what they're are going on and on about half the time.  What has gaming turned into?

Will we ever see a return to the good old days, where it was just about having a good time, playing a good game, and escaping from reality for a couple hours out of the day?  Becasue right now, it's all not even worth it.  I applaud the handful of people and companies out there, that still believe in the spirit of gaming.  It's people like you, that keep this industry interesting. 

Just play the games, and shut up.  We've got a good thing going, here.  Atleast we did.  Don't ruin it any further.  Stand up, and let good gaming take over, again.