SingStar is one
of those franchises you either love (though you are loathe to admit it in
public) or you avoid like the plague. It takes a certain boldness to stand up
and risk your pride by caterwauling a popular song, showing the world you may –
in fact – be tone deaf, scaring the cats and small children and basically
violating noise ordinances.
But come on,
regardless of how good or bad you sing, chances are (if you are reading this
review) that you do enjoy singing. After a successful run on the PlayStation 2
console system, SingStar is making its debut on the next-gen machine, the
PlayStation 3. And if merely singing the songs for possible public humiliation
were not enough, you can incorporate the PlayStation Eye to capture the video
from your performance and put it up on the PlayStation Network where the world
can see it.
SingStar has
evolved well beyond the high-def resolution output and crystal clear sound. The
game is incorporating SingStore, which will have songs available for purchase
and download to add to your library of karaoke favorites. That, in itself,
almost negates the song list included with the release. But be that as it may,
the existing song list is important. So here is what comes with the PS3
iteration:
-
Amy Winehouse
– Back to Black -
Beck – Loser
-
Blind Melon –
No Rain -
Blink-182 –
All the Small Things -
Brittney
Spears – Toxic -
Coldplay –
Clocks -
Corinne
Bailey Rae – Put Your Records On -
Dave Matthews
Band – Crash into Me -
David Bowie –
Let’s Dance -
Faith No More
– Epic -
Franz
Ferdinand – Do You Want To -
Jane’s
Addiction – Been Caught Stealing -
New Found
Glory – My Friends Over You -
Ne-Yo – So
Sick -
Outkast – Hey
Ya! -
Pixies – Here
Comes Your Man -
R.E.M. –
Losing My Religion -
Radiohead –
No Surprises -
Ramones – I
Wanna Be Sedated -
Scissor
Sisters – I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ -
The Automatic
Automatic – Monster -
The Cardigans
– Lovefool -
The Killers –
Mr. Brightside -
The Pussycat
Dolls – Beep -
The Rolling
Stones – Sympathy for the Devil -
The Smashing
Pumpkins – Today -
U2 –
Beautiful Day -
Warrant –
Cherry Pie -
Weezer –
Buddy Holly -
Wolfmother –
Love Train
It is a pretty
impressive list, incorporating new tunes as well as older songs. Some of the
songs include some rap elements, but for the most part, this collection is
upbeat and should have broad appeal.
The PS3 version
of SingStar works just fine with the PS2 microphones. In fact, the mics never
sounded better. They deliver a louder sound blaring from the 42-inch Bravia, and
make each sour note cringe-worthy throughout your neighborhood.
Ok, for those
who don’t know what SingStar is – think of it as a karaoke machine. You pick a
song, just a difficulty setting (after you pick the game mode, but will get to
that in a moment), and then sing the words as they are highlighted in the bar
across the bottom. The video plays in the background, and it is overlaid with
bars that show whether you are on key, flat or sharp. By riding that bar, you
score points and afterwards, the game judges your performance. Once you complete
the song, you can listen to the playback or use the PS Eye to record up to 25
seconds of video of you performing (now there’s a scary thought). If you have a
master account on the PSN, you can upload your performances to your online My
SingStar profile and share them. The online profile will show off not only your
scores, but also have some pertinent info about you, like your favorite band and
such.
This is,
perhaps, the most vibrant element of the game. Sure, you can play the game modes
(sing solo, battle, duet, pass the mic and practice) but once you connect to the
SingStar community, you have truly taken a leap of faith forward. But if you
already have a friend’s list attached to your online account, the new feature in
SingStar allows you to expand that easily by finding profiles and performances
and adding them through the game. It’s all rather easy.
As for the
SingStore, there are already 200 titles online and ready for download – at $1.49
a song – and Sony plans on continuing to add up to 50 titles per month. Is there
a need for another SingStar expansion? Not really, not with the robust online
store that will allow players to totally customize their gaming experience.
The user
interface for this game is really remarkably easy to use. From the game set-up
to the online components (sorry, no online battles or duets), to the modes,
sound and visuals, this is a major step up.
Dipping back to
the sound and visuals for a moment, SingStar for the PS3 represents a leap
ahead. There was not a lot of room to move forward, but somehow the dev team has
managed to improve the look by going high-def, but has also raised the sound
quality to another level. The game even has a component to synchronize the game
tighter so you will hit the song lyrics as the highlighter hits them, and not
have to anticipate.
All in all,
SCEA has taken the franchise and driven it forward nicely. If you were wondering
how SingStar would be embraced by the next-gen console, wonder no more – this is
a great experience.
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Gameplay: 8.5
The user interface
is easy to use and the options – with the online components – are very solid.
The world of SingStar has expanded nicely.
Graphics: 8.0
We’re talking 720p
here, and spread out on a big screen, it looks great.
Sound: 8.2
Crisper tones and
the microphones pick up much better through the PS3.
Difficulty: Easy
The game is set
up to be easy, the tough part is singing on key.
Concept: 8.4
Even the SingStore
is populated with a lot of bands I’ve never heard of, this is still a great tool
and the potential is amazing. The My SingStar element is also very nicely done.
Multiplayer: 7.5
The My SingStar and
online profiles are great. About the only thing left to do is allow players to
hook up online to battle or sing duets.
Overall: 8.2
A major step forward
for the SingStar franchise, the PS3 version of the franchise is well-conceived
and nicely handled. If you are a fan of the franchise, and have a PS3, owning
this is a no-brainer.
