MUSYNX: RETURN, a new entry in the indie rhythm game series, has been announced for PC via Steam, featuring classic gameplay, realistic instrument sounds, multiple difficulty levels, 4K visuals, and ongoing content updates, though a release date has not been specified.
Aaero 2, a highly-rated rhythm game, has received a new 'Black Razor Edition' on Xbox, adding new tracks, levels, and environments, making it a worthwhile upgrade for fans of the genre, especially given its positive reviews and affordable price.
Suri: The Seventh Note, an indie rhythm game developed by Tathvamasi Studios as part of Sony's India Hero Project, showcases impressive gameplay with a focus on haptic feedback and multi-sensory experience, set for release on PS5 and PC in 2026.
RedOctane Games, a new studio within Embracer Freemode led by veterans of the rhythm game industry including former Guitar Hero developers, has been established to focus on advancing the rhythm game genre, with a debut game expected in 2025, and features advisory input from the original Guitar Hero founders.
The PS5 remasters of Patapon and Patapon 2 fix previous issues like input lag and improve textures, offering the best versions of these PSP classics with responsive controls and new difficulty options, though they retain some grindy elements and lack quality-of-life improvements. Overall, they provide a definitive experience of these quirky rhythm and RPG titles.
Bandai Namco has released a new overview trailer for the upcoming remaster of the PSP classic rhythm game Patapon 1+2 Replay, set to launch on July 11th for Switch, showcasing gameplay, controls, and new features like the Drum Command Always Display, with the original team working on a spiritual successor, Ratatan.
PDP has unveiled the Riffmaster guitar controller, compatible with PlayStation and Xbox consoles, boasting a 36-hour battery life and foldable design. It will work with Rock Band 4 and, in the future, Fortnite Festival. No price has been announced yet, and the last Rock Band 4 DLC was released recently, with support for RB4 instruments coming to Fortnite Festival.
Bushiroad International announced the global release date for Love Live! School Idol Festival 2 Miracle Live, but also revealed in the same tweet that the game will be shutting down on May 31, just a few months after its launch. The sequel to Love Live! School Idol Festival will support microtransactions despite its short lifespan, prompting frustration and confusion among fans.
Love Live! School Idol Festival 2 MIRACLE LIVE!, a mobile rhythm game, announced its global release in February 2024, but also revealed that it will shut down in May 2024, sparking confusion and disappointment among anime fans. The decision to close the game just four months after its release has left many baffled, with some questioning the rationale behind launching a game with such a short lifespan. The announcement has led to a mix of disbelief and disappointment among the community, as fans express their concerns about the game's longevity.
Love Live! School Idol Festival 2 MIRACLE LIVE!, a free-to-play rhythm game, will end its service on March 31 in Japan and May 31 worldwide, just three months after its global release in February. The game features over 500 songs, heartfelt stories, stunning illustrations, and multilingual support, allowing players to immerse themselves in the world of school idols before it shuts down.
After eight years of weekly releases, Rock Band 4's DLC support will end next week, with the last batch of songs arriving on January 25th, marking the conclusion of an era. Harmonix assures players that the existing library of nearly 3000 songs will remain accessible, but no new releases will be added after this month. The developer is shifting its focus towards supporting Fortnite Festival, a Rock Band-like mode within Fortnite, while continuing to operate Rock Band 4's rivals seasons and online servers.
After 16 years and approximately 2,800 downloadable releases, Harmonix is ending Rock Band's regular DLC song releases on January 25, but previously purchased songs will remain playable in Rock Band 4. Despite the decline in popularity of plastic instrument games, Harmonix has continued to release new downloadable tracks for Rock Band 4 every week since its 2015 release. The community behind Clone Hero, a PC-based rhythm game, has also recently hit an official Version 1.0 release. Harmonix, now owned by Epic, is working on integrating Rock Band 4 instruments into Fortnite and will continue to offer a rotating selection of free-to-play songs in the game.
Fortnite Festival, a rhythm game embedded in the Fortnite ecosystem, falls short of its potential as a fun and social music game. It lacks local multiplayer and singing features, and its focus on expensive digital purchases and service game tactics detracts from the overall experience. The game offers two modes, Main Stage and Jam Stage, but both have limitations and fail to provide a satisfying progression or sense of engagement. The high prices for songs and the absence of karaoke support make Fortnite Festival a disappointing offering in the rhythm game genre.
Fortnite Festival is a new rhythm game from Harmonix, featuring two modes: Festival Main Stage for performing songs with a band, and Festival Jam Stage for jamming with friends. Players can choose from various instruments, customize skins, and set emotes. In Jam Stage, players can create mashups, adjust tracks, and perform in different locations. The game will feature songs from different artists, with updates to the playlist.
Samba de Amigo: Party Central, the new music rhythm game from Sega launching on the Nintendo Switch, successfully resurrects the quirky Dreamcast classic. However, the game lacks the joyous shake of real maracas in your hands, as it now relies on Joy-Con controllers instead. While the new controls work fine, they feel less precise and miss the charm of the original maracas. The game features a mix of classic and modern songs, with plans for DLC songs after launch. It also offers various offline and online modes, including a battle royale mode called World Party. Overall, while the game captures some of the original's spirit, the change in controllers makes a significant difference.