Remember the days of shredding on plastic guitars, becoming a rock legend in your living room? Guitar Hero was a cultural phenomenon, and many gamers, especially those on PS5, are eager to relive those glory days. If you’re wondering whether you can plug in a guitar and rock out on your PlayStation 5 with a new Guitar Hero game, or any game at all, let’s dive into the current state of rhythm games on PS5 and explore your options.
The Guitar Hero Void on PlayStation 5
For long-time fans, the absence of a new Guitar Hero title on the PlayStation 4 and now the PS5 is a significant disappointment. After years of enjoying titles like Guitar Hero 2 and dominating expert mode, the landscape shifted. The last major Guitar Hero release, Guitar Hero Live, attempted to innovate with a new button layout and a first-person perspective, but it alienated many dedicated players who had invested years mastering the classic five-button system. This departure, along with the rise of Rock Band, marked a turning point, and official Guitar Hero support waned.
While Rock Band 4 emerged during the PS4/Xbox One generation, offering a familiar rhythm game experience, Guitar Hero remained absent. For PS5 owners, this means there’s no official Guitar Hero game designed for the console that utilizes guitar controllers. Finding compatible guitars for these older games has also become a challenge, with used instruments often being expensive, damaged, or missing essential wireless dongles.
The PDP Riffmaster: A New Hope for PS5 Rhythm Gamers
The good news is that the rhythm game spirit is not entirely dead. A new guitar controller, the PDP Riffmaster, has emerged, offering compatibility with current-gen consoles like the PS5. This wireless guitar is designed to work with Rock Band 4 and, surprisingly, Fortnite Festival. Obtaining a Riffmaster can still be tricky due to demand and scalpers, but it is possible to find them at market price, typically around $130-$150.
For PS5 owners, the PlayStation version of the Riffmaster is the ideal choice. It’s not only compatible with the console but also works seamlessly with Macs, offering versatility for different setups. While the Xbox version is geared towards Xbox and PC, it lacks Mac compatibility. Currently, Rock Band 4 is the primary rhythm game on PS5 that fully supports guitar controllers like the Riffmaster. Fortnite Festival also offers guitar compatibility, but it may not scratch the itch for those seeking a classic Guitar Hero experience.
Clone Hero: The Ultimate Guitar Hero Experience on PS5 (and PC/Mac)
If you’re specifically yearning for the Guitar Hero gameplay you remember and love, and want to use your PS5 compatible Riffmaster, there’s an incredible community-driven solution: Clone Hero. This free game is a labor of love from fans and essentially emulates the Guitar Hero experience, supporting not just the gameplay but also custom songs and even older Guitar Hero guitars.
Clone Hero allows you to import song charts from Guitar Hero games and even download countless custom songs created by the community. Imagine playing through the setlists of every Guitar Hero game ever released, plus DLC tracks and fan-made songs, all within one free platform. While Clone Hero isn’t officially available on PS5 as it’s a PC/Mac application, the beauty is that the PDP Riffmaster, being Mac compatible, can be used to play Clone Hero on a computer connected to your display, giving you a very close approximation of a Ps5 Guitar Hero experience.
Setting up Clone Hero is straightforward, and the compatibility with older Guitar Hero guitars means you might even be able to dust off your old controllers. With features like offline and online co-op, Clone Hero truly revives the social and competitive aspects of Guitar Hero.
Conclusion: Guitar Hero Spirit Lives On
While there isn’t a dedicated, new Guitar Hero game for the PS5, the combination of the PDP Riffmaster and Clone Hero offers an incredible pathway to relive those rockstar dreams. Whether you choose to shred through Rock Band 4, explore Fortnite Festival’s rhythm stages, or dive into the expansive world of Clone Hero on your PC or Mac using your PS5-compatible Riffmaster, the music game genre is still alive and kicking. Dust off your axe, or grab a new Riffmaster, and get ready to rock once again!
