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While the original title might not have held the spotlight for long, Chime Sharp hits all the right notes to make the sequel recommended. It’s a no-brainer for those who liked Chime, and those looking for a new puzzle experience and are willing to put a short amount of time into learning the game will get a solid game experience for about the price of a music CD on a store shelf.
Overall, Dance Magic is a solid title - what it offers is satisfying in bursts of gameplay, but nothing it does excels over similar rhythm game titles. It’s actually fairly involved for a rhythm game at this price point, but, at the end of the day, it is a three-year-old game and its longevity might be questionable for seasoned players of the genre. It can easily scratch the itch of someone looking to sink 3-5 hours into a reasonably-priced music title, but don't expect Dance Magic to shake up the genre.
So, overall the gameplay of Amplitude has been quickly and easily transported to the new generation, with some nice new touches added in by Harmonix. Gamers who loved the original will be re-addicted quite quickly, but one thing will nag at the back of their mind the whole time, and that is that the songs brought in the new version of Amplitude are simply not up to par with what we've seen before.
Guitar Hero Live introduces some really interesting ideas to the stagnant plastic-guitar genre, but the completely baffling refusal to offer piecemeal track/album/pack purchases and a reliance on a free-to-play model with, at best, rentals of songs brings it all to a screeching halt. Rock Band 4 might be more of the same, but it's the same functional, music-filled game we fell in love with. The gutted Guitar Hero Live, on the other hand, is considerably less of the same.
The entire package seems like a bold statement by Harmonix and Mad Catz. From the superior quality of the equipment to the shocking level of support for their past offerings, Rock Band 4 makes it very clear that the music genre can still shine as much as it did in its inception.
A solid effort with a lot of style, weighed down by a repetitive(if occasionally engrossing) story mode and an ill-suited but flavorful OST that can wear out its welcome way too fast. Very enjoyable while it lasts, but lacks lasting appeal.