‘Guitar Hero Live’ brings vocals to the game

Fans of “Guitar Hero” may be delighted to know that the developers of FreeStyleGames will allow players to sing their hearts out with a vocal module for the upcoming game “Guitar Hero Live.” This is going to be a new take on the franchise, for when it first launched in 2005, the game focused on guitars only while later titles allowed for a full-band experience.

FreeStyle Games created a developer diary which shows how the singing part will be incorporated in “Guitar Hero Live.” The developer revealed that the career mode will give players a first-person experience while playing. To achieve this, FreeStyle Games recorded a live audience for career mode so players will get a firsthand account of what it’s like to truly be a rockstar. Furthermore, developers also added that the game will always be on Guitar Hero TV component.

To sing in the game, users only need to plug in a microphone. From there, a lyrics module will appear on top of the in-game interface, just above the note highway. Gamespot noted that no specific microphones were mentioned for the game, and based on the video, any microphone will be compatible.

When asked for further details about the singing module, publisher Activision said that the game will score vocals just like it does with the guitars. However, to ensure that things run smoothly, the vocals will not affect the guitarist, and both scores are separate.

“Guitar Hero Live” is set to have a tracklist that will have music from varying genres as well as mainstream and indie bands. Some songs for the upcoming game are “The Lazy Song” by Bruno Mars, “When You Were Young” by the Killers and “Bangarang” by Skrillex.

It has been five years since the latest “Guitar Hero” game, with the most recent being 2010’s “Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock.” Previous titles starting from 2008’s “Guitar Hero: World Tour” offered players the chance to play other instruments such as drums, bass, and vocals, but the next entry in the series will only include guitar and vocal gameplay. The game's primary competitor, “Rock Band 4,” on the other hand, will still maintain the franchise’s full-band experience which was first introduced in 2007.

"Guitar Hero Live" is slated for release on October 20 on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. It is also coming to select mobile devices.

Contact the writer at feedback@ibtimes.com.au, or let us know what you think below.​