7.5

Karaoke Revolution

Karaoke Revolution is the latest singing game to land on the PS3 in a probable attempt to knock Singstar from its perch. Like the karaoke games before it, the title uses a tried and true formula in terms of gameplay with the words being displayed on screen as the player attempts to match the words of the original artist with their voice. With 75 licensed tracks available, the set list of Karaoke Revolution targets mainstream gamers from songs such as Sex on Fire by Kings of Leon and I Kissed a Girl by Katy Perry. Not bad? Not bad indeed! But unfortunately, Karaoke Revolution by Konami feels a little dated and too lack lustre in certain elements.

Features

• 75 all-new licensed master tracks

• Party Mode: Multiplayer game mode for up to 16 players

• Career Mode

• Multiple Venus

• Compatible with existing library of 200+ songs in additional to all new downloadable content

• Compatible with both wireless microphones and USB microphones

• Improved scoring system and technology that accurately recognises and scores vocal pitch and rhythm

As with Singstar or LIPS, Karaoke Revolution uses the same method of awarding the player points on how well they sing with the original song and the more in time you are with this, the more points you will be awarded. Words are displayed on screen and there are pitch and timing bars to assist you in matching up your voice. If you do well, you are awarded Star Boosts which increases your points for those achievable high scores. Thankfully the gameplay doesn't try to reinvent the wheel and can be played by gamers of all levels and ages.

Even though Karaoke Revolution does play it safe with the track listing, we were rather impressed with the content and with 75 tracks, it's nothing to scoff at. The following tracks are included with the Australian release of Karaoke Revolution;

The game supports a variety of gameplay modes in both single and multiplayer, ensuring all facets are covered. The menu is really dated and allows you to access Sing (main game), Create (design your avatar), Music Store (online purchases) and options to tweak and fiddle. For the crux of the gameplay it includes quick play, custom play, career mode, duets and party mode. In relation to career mode, it's a little strange as you sing through a variety of challenges and set lists. Although not a real career mode per se, this mode is more a collection of challenges which is a shame because the potential of a career mode in a singing game like Guitar Hero would be very entertaining.

As briefly mentioned, the game has the ability to create your own avatars in the game with a considerable amount of tweaking given to the player such as the obese rockstar or the super sexy nymphette. The only issue we found with our in game avatars is that their lips are a little stiff when the singing does start but it's definitely a step in the right direction. As you do progress, you are awarded little bonuses for your avatars plus other unlockable goodies.

Another interesting aspect of the game is the ability to host games online which in turn allows  you sing with other people from around the world. For local multiplayer, Karaoke Revolution features up to 16 players which is more of a pass the mic experience but definitely one for parties. Good for party games! One thing that I did notice about Karaoke Revolution is that the game feels  more accurate than Singstar. That is, mumbling little kids could score perfectly in Singstar but in Karaoke Revolution, timing and  pitch is more important and if you can master that, you will be rewarded very well with scores. 

Graphically, the interface of Karaoke Revolution is not as slick as Singstar nor LIPS and feels a little too much like a third party game which it is. The menu system is easy to navigate but it's lacking the professionalism compared to the aforementioned titles, hence creating a dated appearance. You can even use your PlayStationEye to scan yourself into the game and there is plenty of bonuses to unlock such as new clothes and accessories.

In conclusion, Karaoke Revolution does offer PlayStation 3 owners something different than just Singstar and even though that is the dominant karaoke style of game in the console world, it's good to see other developers attempt something different in terms with avatars. With a very strong track listing and some interesting multiplayer options, Karaoke Revolution will definitely gather some fans. The biggest shame is the career mode which is a little lacklustre and the graphics are a little dated but given the impressive 75 songs included, that's pretty hard to ignore. Definitely a game for the casual gamer, tween or teen!