Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol is a prime example of how to use a license correctly. It’s astonishing that there haven’t been more titles like this one; especially given the glut of rhythm-action games we’ve seen recently. All the clichés about things you put together — Batman and Robin, chocolate and milk, Wii and Xbox 360 — do a fantastic job of illustrating just how naturally this property fits with this series. A few hiccups and lack of innovation keep this from setting the standards in karaoke gaming, but the small additions hint at where the series should head in the future and the awesome track list make this a worthwhile title for fans of the series and karaoke in general.
Karaoke Revolution’s gameplay hasn’t changed in any way since I started with Karaoke Revolution Party in 2005, so don’t expect anything new in terms of what you’ll be doing. You still have to sing the notes to covers of famous pop songs. You’ll still know if you’re correct if the vocal pitch arrow on screen is in the right spot. You can still sing whatever words or noises you want as long as your pitch is in the right place. This game falls into the "if it’s not broke don’t fix it" category, so the familiar style of play is hardly a bad thing. I can’t imagine any sort of innovation that could make this a more accurate karaoke simulator besides finding a way to measure whether the correct words are being performed, though, that might take some of the fun out of more "creative" performances.
"... a prime example of how to use a license correctly."
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The presentation, however, is where this title shines. Using the "American Idol" license was nothing short of inspired. It’s not just because the property is so popular that this was a good move, though. The tournament style career mode that simulates the program adds a lot of life to the single-player aspect of what was previously a multiplayer centered game, especially since the three infamous judges (well, sans Paula) rate you after every performance. Simon is as turgid and pompous as he is on the show, Randy is as clueless and aloof as normal, and, uh... "Laura" is the overly nice-yet-knowledgeable airhead we all know her to be.
The best part is your performance determines what they’ll have to say. Sure they’re picking from a predetermined pool of responses that eventually get old, but it sets up a lot of potential for future entries. Once in a while the judges will completely contradict themselves — once Simon told my friend he was horrible, and the only good news he had was that he was going to be eliminated. He then said "We’ll see you in the next round." This inconsistency adds humor (albeit for the wrong reason), but it’s something that should be ironed out as this idea develops.
Character customization, something I found in previous installments to be practically worthless, has found its niche due to the license as well. Personalizing your experience has become something integral to performance based gaming, so playing dress-up with a polygonal model is an important detail to include. You could use a stock model, but wouldn’t you rather have something that better represents you prancing around on stage, flatly singing to a panel of washed-up judges?
"Character customization ... has found its niche..."
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In the end, however, it really comes down to the song list, and rest assured they’ve knocked this one out of the park. Winners like Tom Jones’ "It’s Not Unusual" will have you dancing around like honorary white boy Carlton Banks, and "Total Eclipse of the Heart" is a sure bet if you have a group of drunken friends over looking to sing their brains out. Of the forty songs available, there aren’t very many clunkers, so rest assured that you’re getting a big bang for your tone-deaf buck.
So while Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol doesn’t reinvent the wheel, its additions and charm are enough to recommend a look for fans, or those who have been looking for a suitable jump-in point. Sure the dialogue can get repetitive, but it’s hard to get tired of hearing Simon tell you what an exquisite job you did on a song.
