For fans of rhythm games and iconic titles like Guitar Hero, the arrival of PlayStation VR2 brings a new dimension to musical gameplay. Among the exciting launch titles is Unplugged: Air Guitar, a unique VR experience that lets you shred iconic songs without needing a plastic guitar. Having spent considerable time with the PS VR2 version, here’s a detailed look at whether Unplugged: Air Guitar strikes the right chord for your playlist.
Unplugged: Air Guitar, developed by Vertigo Games and Anotherway, takes the core concept of Guitar Hero and reimagines it for virtual reality. Instead of strumming a physical controller, you use the PlayStation Sense controllers to become an air guitar virtuoso. The game boasts an impressive setlist of over 45 songs spanning various rock genres, featuring hits from legendary bands like Jet, Rush, Ozzy Osbourne, Steel Panther, and The Offspring. These tracks are playable across four difficulty levels, catering to both beginners and seasoned rhythm game players. Adding to the authentic rock experience, Satchel from Steel Panther serves as your in-game mentor, guiding you through the nuances of air guitar mastery.
Gameplay in Unplugged: Air Guitar is intuitive yet challenging. The Sense controllers track your hand movements, allowing you to simulate fretting and strumming. You can choose to play seated, standing, or utilize room-scale VR for a more immersive performance. While the tracking is generally reliable, mastering the strumming technique requires practice, especially for higher difficulty songs reminiscent of the challenging tiers in Guitar Hero games. Buttons on the Sense controllers correspond to fret positions, while the other hand acts as your pick. Timing is crucial – hitting notes precisely earns you higher scores and fuels the virtual crowd’s energy. Global leaderboards add a competitive edge, encouraging players to climb the ranks and showcase their air guitar skills. As you progress and improve, you unlock new guitars, venues, and additional songs, enhancing the overall experience and providing a sense of accomplishment akin to unlocking content in classic Guitar Hero titles. The game gradually introduces advanced techniques like vibratos, pull-offs, and solos as you increase the difficulty, mirroring the skill progression found in Guitar Hero and other similar rhythm games. Successfully executing these complex maneuvers is incredibly rewarding, offering a genuine sense of rockstar achievement.
From a visual perspective, Unplugged: Air Guitar is adequate but could benefit from more dynamic environments. While the stages are functional, they lack the visual spectacle and energy that would truly immerse you in a rock concert atmosphere, a feature often celebrated in Guitar Hero games for their vibrant venues and engaging stage presence. However, the audio mixing is well-executed. The song quality is excellent, and the crowd reactions and sound effects effectively contribute to the overall audio experience. For trophy hunters, Unplugged: Air Guitar offers 18 trophies to collect, providing additional challenges and goals, though it lacks the coveted Platinum trophy found in many PlayStation titles. While the base game includes a solid number of songs for its price point, the absence of downloadable content (DLC) at launch and any announced future DLC plans is a slight drawback. Expanding the song library post-launch would significantly extend the game’s longevity and appeal, especially for players eager for more tracks to master, similar to the extensive DLC support that enriched the Guitar Hero experience over the years.
In conclusion, Unplugged: Air Guitar delivers a fun and accessible rhythm game experience on PlayStation VR2, capturing the essence of Guitar Hero in a unique VR format. Its intuitive controls, diverse song list, and challenging difficulty levels make it enjoyable for both casual players and rhythm game veterans. While the visuals could be more impactful and the content library could be expanded, Unplugged: Air Guitar offers a solid foundation for a virtual air guitar experience. Hopefully, the developers will consider post-launch support to further enhance this promising VR music title, adding more songs and features to solidify its place as a standout rhythm game on PlayStation VR2, and a worthy addition for fans seeking a Guitar Hero-esque experience in VR.
