The guys over at IGN have posted their review for the new Wii exclusive Wii Music. The game receives a fairly poor score and an overall feeling of "Meh". Take a look:
You can read the full review here.
Wii Sports, with its simple, but fun (and in the case of bowling, surprisingly deep) control mechanics, has proven a runaway sensation for Nintendo. I still pick up the compilation now and again, especially when I've got some friends over, and bowl a few rounds or even hit some virtual tennis balls back and forth. And I have supported the developer's innovative exercise program, Wii Fit, since it was first unveiled; it is another piece of software that I continue to use -- it has, in fact, become part of my weekly workout regiment. On the other hand, I've remained outwardly skeptical of Wii Music since its unveiling because, for all of Nintendo's demoes of the title, I've never really been convinced that there is an interesting or fun mechanic to playing the wide assortment of instruments housed within. And disappointingly, my extended time with the finished product has not wiped away that skepticism. If anything, it's only confirmed my suspicions, specifically that Nintendo's first step into the music / rhythm genre is actually a misstep, one resulting in a product so unsophisticated that it practically plays itself.
Before we even get to the gameplay breakdown, though, take a second and think about what you might value in a game dedicated to music. I imagine a robust roster of popular classic and contemporary songs tops the list for obvious reasons. What about an assurance that the songs included will be presented in the highest audio quality possible. I mean, people went nuts when they found out that the musical tracks in the Wii version of Guitar Hero were outputted in mono and for good reason: we expect a certain caliber of presentation from today's software. Unfortunately, with Wii Music Nintendo has demonstrated that it doesn't care to satisfy expectations. Not only are most of the 50-plus tracks lifted from the public domain -- such timeless hits as Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, O Christmas Tree, My Grandfather's Clock and Bridal Chorus -- but they are also rendered in archaic, amateur MIDI. I've heard some good MIDI renditions in my day and let me tell you, you won't find any of them in Wii Music. It is a good thing that Beethoven is long dead because he would not ever wish to hear the game's lifeless version of Ode to Joy.
Before we even get to the gameplay breakdown, though, take a second and think about what you might value in a game dedicated to music. I imagine a robust roster of popular classic and contemporary songs tops the list for obvious reasons. What about an assurance that the songs included will be presented in the highest audio quality possible. I mean, people went nuts when they found out that the musical tracks in the Wii version of Guitar Hero were outputted in mono and for good reason: we expect a certain caliber of presentation from today's software. Unfortunately, with Wii Music Nintendo has demonstrated that it doesn't care to satisfy expectations. Not only are most of the 50-plus tracks lifted from the public domain -- such timeless hits as Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, O Christmas Tree, My Grandfather's Clock and Bridal Chorus -- but they are also rendered in archaic, amateur MIDI. I've heard some good MIDI renditions in my day and let me tell you, you won't find any of them in Wii Music. It is a good thing that Beethoven is long dead because he would not ever wish to hear the game's lifeless version of Ode to Joy.
You can read the full review here.
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