There's a feature up at GameCareerGuide.com that provides a nice rundown of a variety of titles in the of-the-moment rhythm-action genre. It's a touch dry; Some University of British Columbia grad wrote it (my rants about how the current crop of college grads possesses no independent thought when it comes to writing don't belong on this blog). Still, real thorough. [Update-- as one of the readers pointed out, FAIL for missing Beatmania and Taiko]Perhaps the whole doctoral dissertation flavor of the piece only stands out to me because rhythm-action is such an all-out freakin' joyfest in terms of the experience of play and its mass appeal. I was actually just thinking about it this morning-- miraculously, I'd managed to put Elite Beat Agents down for a couple months and just picked it back up again the other day.
Whenever I play that game, it takes about three minutes tops before I'm grinning like a total idiot and actually laughing out loud. I've played it a million times, and yet every time, it never fails to flip this switch in my head. I'm convinced there's something fundamental about playing that type of game that turns on certain brain areas, releases certain neurotransmitters, whatever. Like, I think that so many people love Guitar Hero not only for the living-my-childhood-dream phenom (which Jason Killingsworth's awesome article in Paste last month, sadly not online yet, illustrates), but for some fundamental chemical reward that takes place in the brain when you hit that zone and get it right.
Know what I'm talking about? Scalp chills, right?
And, before you comment, I know-- Ouendan's better, it has better music, et cetera. But part of that toothy expression frozen on my mug when I play is owed solely to the hyperbolic comic-book ridiculousness going on in the background. I dunno if I'd get so much out of the game if I couldn't read what they were saying. (YOU SELL THE OASIS! IT BECOMES A WATER PARK!)
