“Extra, extra, read all about the best burgers in town from all around, people from around world come and get it; the line goes around like a merry go round”

That hopefully has caught your attention. Some of you gaming geeks out there will recognise these lyrics from the popular cult game, Parapper the Rapper 2. You should also remember that Parappa is a rhythm game. The Parappa series gained a cult following which I am secretly a member of so it only seems fit that I am reviewing a game that has just as big a following. The game I am talking about is… Gitaroo man, Publisher Koei’s first foray into the Rhythm game genre.

The story is centred around a shallow nob-head who calls himself U-1, a translation from the original Japanese name, Yu-ichi. The plot involves guitars that save the world, a love triangle, a mad bastard hell bent on world-domination… you get the picture. Also there’s an archetypical “cute” sidekick animal, with an annoying voice (Which is strangely reminiscent of Inspector Gadget’s - Ed), helping/hindering you along the way.

First impressions are good, with a wacky intro the sort you’d expect from a game strictly aimed at the Japanese market, similar to the like of Parappa, Um Jammer Lammy (which came from the creators of Parappa) and We love Katamari. The style is similar to Parappa, with a more Anime/Manga advertising edge. The game throws you straight in at deep end with a brief tutorial, then pack your bags and off to your first opponent.

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It seems to me, or to anyone with half an ounce of intelligence, that the computer games industry is still putting far too many sequels out on the market. Take the most recognised video game whore of them all. Mario (if we are to believe Wikipedia) has been flashing his portly Plumber money-maker in over 200 titles alone. Mario Kart on its own is soon to be on its 8th title. Are we really going to see anything that’s going to set it apart from racers before it? Well it’s a racing game, so no prizes for what the aim of the game is there, it’s got Mario who is sure to be followed by every Mario game character there has been and his/her mate, with lazy variations of new characters like baby peach, Skeletal Bowser, inside-out Luigi… yawn! It’s just the same shit, except you play against other suckers like you, who also shelled out loads of money for the privilege of being beaten by someone that’s not in the same room in the same predictable situation. But enough Mario bashing (even though if I could I’d strangle the fucker with the hymen of Princess Peach… come on as if she touched that fat fuck’s stubby torque wrench).

I really think, like in the films industry, that original ideas are far and few between these days. My taste in films has also gone back to a time when computer games had more original concepts.

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