Beyond Clone Hero - What's next for Guitar Hero games?

[@acai28]

Perfect video for this Jason. Please do more video essays like this!

[@JasonParadise]

Absolutely planning to. Thanks, dude 🙏

[@killacondor]

Totally agreed

[@imbabaganoosh]

Couldn't agree more, this was a fantastic breath of air into the community in general. Really shows off the fact that the games aren't getting stale, and innovation is constantly happening. Looking forward to what else you have to show for us!

[@FunctionallyLiteratePerson]

wish it got into more of scorespy vs cloehero stuff, but couldnt agree more. Im definitely looking forward to rhythmscape and hope development goes well.

[@jellybIood]

So which one of you two would win in a GH face-off battle??

[@henrath]

Trombone Champ of course.

[@Legoman99573]

Just bought it. I think it's hilarious game 😂

[@mardukas13]

I was to comment this. Thank you, king

[@uncommon_shadow2742]

Guitar Hero on the PlayStation 5 that will be up next

[@uncommon_shadow2742]

Of course I am talking about a reboot

[@Legoman99573]

@@uncommon_shadow2742 With thousands of ads and microtransactions on a mobile device 💀

[@TheJazzKillers]

The one thing missing from all these indie games is the whole character system. I love seeing the characters/avatars from the old Guitar Hero and Rock Band games. I know it's much more complicated than just making some notes go down a land, but man, that's where a lot of charm of the old games comes from.

[@streetxjammingdualxscreens9228]

Check out a mod called Guitar Hero World Tour Definitive Edition!!

[@IAmValefree]

This. Man I miss the characters and the connection you have w them and the stages and animations and *everything.*

[@loficovers_]

100% agree. I've downloaded and synced all the videos from the GH and Rockband games just to get more of the nostalgic feel when playing.

[@CAPTAIN_CLOCK]

Was looking for this comment!!! The one thing, apart from the setlist, that made me even get Warriors of Rock was the characters, and how each had their unique powerup and transformation. I'm thinking that if characters can't be brought back (the Guitar Hero characters themselves like Axel, Judy, Echo, Casey etc are probably under IP protection so those specific characters are definitely not coming to fan games), maybe at least those wacky powerups can be brought back. It was so fun playing WoR with the x24 multiplier, star power generator, streak guardian, etc. But seeing your character rock out with their specific animations and the outfit you chose was what kept me on Guitar Hero for so long instead of moving to Clone Hero.

[@inventionscreator8875]

​@@loficovers_thats like 200gb 💀

[@Frif]

Loved the video Jason! FretSmasher looks WAY more appealing than the last time I saw it, it's wild the devs have got so far with it

[@JasonParadise]

Thanks, Frif! Appreciate what you do for the community too. 🙏

[@tirx1210]

It's very interesting to watch this in a post-festival world and right after the un-aliving of ScoreSpy.

[@gamerperson2294]

and also rhythmscape

[@marie0llie]

and also after watching half these projects slowly die out and yarg rise (mightve been my fault LMAO)

[@Cloxer]

In all honesty i am so happy this video exists, especially when get to learn that alternatives exists that is not just being on Clone Hero only Thanks for making this video dude!

[@JasonParadise]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks! 🤘

[@noitibmar]

I love rhythm games so much. No other genre of games is fueled so much by the fans, whether it's making custom songs, making entire games to replace old or regional arcade titles, to even making custom hardware. Modded plastic guitars, DDR platforms and whatever other weird controllers we need. For a genre that often feels incredibly niche, the people that care put in so much love and effort and I love it dearly.

[@3nertia]

Many hobbies are like this. Drone hobbies, various games have followings, etc. Almost as if humans are social creatures ...

[@TCMusicMashups]

Incredibly well done Jason. Your narration and formatting throughout the entire video was done so well. Keeping what matters most as the focus throughout the video was excellent, and showing off everything in the future to come is really eye opening. I can tell all the work went to good use with this video. Absolutely fantastic job! Also, I made a quick joke during the premiere, but I would genuinely love an e-book narrated in your video essay voice. That shit was SMOOTH. LOL

[@Partyboi_XT]

I love that you added the clip from me working on the pause menu for downbeat, definitely have talked about keeping it as a cheat as well 🤣

[@JasonParadise]

Please do! The clip is great. Can't wait to see how the game turns out 🤘

[@jadonherr6469]

Jason's laugh is so contagious, I actually started doing it.

[@mattr071]

I STARTED DOING IT TOO FOR LIKE A YEAR STRAIGHT BECAUSE OF JASON LMAO

[@actuallyasriel]

ME TOO LMAO one of my partners even pointed out "oh god you have the jasonparadise laugh"

[@Ph0ton]

Excellent video, Jason! I’m a big fan of video essays, and would love more of this kind of content if it’s something you wanna create

[@MicronOnline]

JasonParadise got a good voice for long form content like this.

[@JasonParadise]

Appreciate it! Definitely stepping into uncharted territory here. Looking forward to doing more like this 🤘

[@AblissMusic]

As someone who made a song that's a part of the official Fret Smasher setlist, I got early access to the game, and I gotta say it's a really interesting game and a great alternative to Clone Hero. Id definitely recommend it to those that wanna try something new!

[@kriijan3747]

This video is amazing. I spent most of my childhood playing GH3 on my brother's Xbox 360, which he one day just sold. When I discovered a few years ago that people were STILL playing GH/RB styled games despite the lack of official titles, I was blown away. I downloaded clone hero and my favourite tracks from GH3 and I was hit with nostalgia as soon as I started "strumming" with my keyboard. Knowing that whatever happens to Clone Hero/Strikeline, there are passionate and dedicated people that are ready to do everything they can to keep this community alive fills me with unbridled joy. Thank you Jason for randomly popping up in my youtube recommendations when you did.

[@Stacko1515]

Fantastic video, Jason. I just recently got into Clone Hero (Put 1000+ hours in almost every GH & RB game back when they were relevant), so I've still got a lot of great stuff to play and stream. One thing I would say is really important to me going forward, would be the presentations going on in the background. Although having 3D models synced up with every single custom would be amazing (just not realistic), even things as simple as a music video go a very long way for me. Some of my favorite downloads are anime OPs with video backgrounds of the openings. I think GH WT DE did a good job reminding everyone how fun the little things besides the 5 fret gameplay were. Creating your custom characters, making your instruments, earning $ while playing to buy new clothes, venues, etc. All of this stuff was always a blast to mess around with. I really hope we see this again in a future game.

[@metalli3212]

9:26 Momma, I'm on a certified hood classic video!!!! Thanks Jason for playing my chart. That made me so happy :)

[@EternalxHero]

Te quiero mucho metalli

[@metalli3212]

@@EternalxHero yo también bbto

[@djentleetv]

I've only been a part of this community for 2 and a half years and it's cool to see where things started, and how they have progressed. I started when Clone Hero already existed and never played GH3 with customs, but I'm glad to be a part of it now. This video is great dude, would love to see more!

[@thegamerguy1823]

i immediatly asked for fret smasher access after this video, thanks alot for the wonderful info jason!

[@IsaiahW]

Holy fucking shit. I just recently got back into the scene with Clone Hero. I had no idea how far they've come with this series!!!!!!!!!

[@joshgriffin46]

10/10 would watch again. For your first time I thought it was really well made and your topics of conversation articulated fantastically.

[@JasonParadise]

Thank you! 🤘

[@Gardelias]

I've always observed Clone Hero from afar exactly because a controller is so tough to get, even though the game looks cool and the community's content creators always find new ways to make it interesting to watch, like you, Acai and charters/mashup creators and even composers like CosmicLatte, Jarvis and others. That's kind of why I also hope for an eventual, more accessible reboot of GH. Either way, great essay!

[@FunctionallyLiteratePerson]

Ive been playing CH with my (typing) keyboard and it's pretty fun. I was able to land a controller but sadly have to wait for a raphnet adapter to come back in stock for me to use it since apparently other adapters suck ass. Hopefully a reboot or sequel can get more controllers out there, as well as adapters - unless new ones would just be USB.

[@beardalaxy]

@@FunctionallyLiteratePerson honestly, just get a wiimote and bluetooth dongle for the time being. it's really not that bad.

[@beardalaxy]

there are a lot of different options for guitars! you can get cheap amazon ones and just swap out the parts with custom ones that the community has made. you can 3D print them. stopping by your local thrift shops and smaller local game stores, they usually have some in stock. ask around within your family and friends, there's bound to be someone that still has a dusty guitar sitting somewhere (that's how i got my drums). or there are the people who refurb guitars and spiff them up with mechanical frets and then sell them again, like 760creations. that'll definitely run you a premium though and they aren't often in stock.

[@toshineon]

I'm so glad to see this genre still alive and (mostly) well. The Guitar Hero, and later Rock Band, series of games have been a huge influence on my music taste. I still vividly remember going to the mall with my grandpa back in 2007 to pick up a shiny new guitar + game bundle of Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80's after watching a friend play it. I didn't have a PS2 before that, but as luck would have it a friend gave his old PS2 to me so that I could buy and play the game. I remember competing against a friend every weekend, we were both at about the same skill level, and neither of us improved drastically over the other, which made our competitions so fun and intense. Some of the best memories I have. I fell in love with the series and that style of game, and that's a love that lasts to this day.

[@sawstice1286]

you got the perfect voice for this kind of video, looking forward to more

[@JasonParadise]

Thanks! Next one is a few days away

[@zakk219]

You have a great voice and cadence for video essays. This was really well done. I got into Clone Hero watching your videos years ago. I hope we get some kind of update on what's going on with that game soon but it's good to know that there are alternatives out there to explore.

[@schmutz06]

Top video. I'm confident everything will reach new heights because there is so much stuff with this game that just hasn't been invented yet.

[@JasonParadise]

Appreciate this, Schmutz. Agree things still have a bright future, especially with the talent in the community 🤘

[@secretivesolitude8233]

Yes!! Completely agree! Also the legendary Schmutz has spoken 🙏

[@Techghoul23]

i honestly found this really cool, i honestly had no idea for these other games that were either in the works or out. this was super enjoyable, good stuff man

[@LMBECIL]

Jason you were one of my inspirations to join the clone hero community, streaming, make videos and started charting and this video is the most informative about the community right now, it was great, please do more! Really impressed that you are so talented to speech. Thanks a lot!

[@JasonParadise]

Thanks so much🤘

[@JustinCH]

Fantastic video, really well done, hope to see more like it soon!! ❤

[@guitarherorobloxgod]

Let me just say bro, I didn't even know Fret Smasher existed until you brought it up here. I've been playing it for the past few days and I've been absolutely loving it so far! You are the best!

[@ArenEternal]

Jason, this video was amazing!!! I love the optimistic ending, it's nice to have a feel-good ending to an essay like this c: Also - You may not be aware, but I was the main force behind writing the blog posts back when I was a community manager in the CH team. I'd be happy to talk more about them / my knowledge of the inside workings of that team, though it's been a couple years since I stepped down. If you ever want to revisit the CH / StrikeLine topic specifically, feel free to hit me up :)

[@mattr071]

Okay, I absolutely LOVE your voice during this, and the funny parts really hit too, you absolutely should make more video essays like this. If there was one more thing I would’ve like you to mention, it would be GHWT:DE, that’s would’ve been nice, and just throw in Trombone Champ at that point, that would’ve been funny. Thanks for making this video, Jason. It came out at the perfect time for the community.

[@paulfountain2531]

This is the most thorough and current information I've seen about the state of RB/GH style rhythm games all in one place. Excellent video, I'll be linking all my music gamin' friends!

[@Bradmasta]

AMAZING video Jason! Definitely well thought out and researched :) I truly believe, with the reach we have thanks to CH and those that helped spread the word, that 5 fret rhythm games (and the communities within) wont be going away! Also, thank you so much for the mention :D Truly didnt expect it, and it really is an honor to have been a part of the ground that was broken for GH and eventually CH streaming :)

[@zerostarstudios2943]

14:00 They predicted Fortnite Festival

[@afkid0223]

And here we are, one year later, with the biggest update (I know of) is the fortnite rhythm game from harmonix..

[@JasonParadise]

...and here I am looking to wake up at like 6am tomorrow to stream it at launch. Oh god, the way things turn out 😅

[@mineturte]

we NEED more content like this!! you are filling a gap in the 5 fret community that i didnt know we needed!!

[@DJCosmicLatte]

Please do more video essays, this is fantastic

[@JasonParadise]

Absolutely will. Always loved sharing song playthroughs, but making a fully produced work like this is a completely different joy. Something more than "hey watch me play this song" and then it's done.

[@DerekHartley]

Somehow really late to watching this, but just wanted to all the positivity about this video. For your first video essay I'd say you knocked this out of the park. Silky slick presentation, one heck of a narration voice and frankly a really engaging story to tell. I hope you do more of these in the future. And on the content side, it's good to see the genre isn't going away any time soon.

[@ImmortalBacon]

If only he knew that the answer was fortnite

[@dodobrain1506]

I have such a history with the Hero franchise. From starting on GH2 at a friend's house on his PS2 to me owning most of the games and 400+ DLC songs on Rock Band. My house became the party house growing up for video games and Guitar Hero and Rock Band played a huge part. As we all got older, people stopped coming around as much due to life and jobs and school but with the introduction of Clone Hero and all of the meme charts that came out it sparked a new way of looking at these types of games and we all got curious at the wacky chart people made. Now, in 2022, because of Clone Hero, my childhood friends and I started dusting off my old Xbox 360 to have nostalgia trips down memory lane playing Rock Band like how we did years ago while spouting off Clone Hero memes.

[@bart8097]

Videos like this are amazing Jason! Thank you so much

[@MatteoGodzilla]

❤ need more essays

[@JasonParadise]

Would love to keep making videos like this. Feedback so far has been great. 🤘

[@Bimbus225]

Amazing video essay! Please continue to do more. Also as an aside, can we get a laughter compilation? Hearing you at 9:25 was awesome LMAO

[@rivxrd7697]

This video is very well made. Nice job Jason

[@osutuba]

This was quite insightful. I don't play rhythm games because I don't have the equipment, but I love watching people like you and Acai playing them.

[@paulfountain2531]

One thing I'd like to add about Rock Band 4, something that I never see mentioned in these type of videos or articles/posts. It was said that Harmonix continues to release new songs for RB4 every week, and this is true and an absolute privilege for the community, considering the economic state of things surrounding these games. But perhaps even more important (and what I never see mentioned) is the fact that Harmonix continues to operate and support the RB4 Rivals competitive online mode. IMO this is what keeps the RB4 community engaged even to this day, 7 years after the game's initial release. And there are certainly costs to Harmonix in terms of servers to calculate the leaderboards and support the mobile app, and staff to continue producing new content and manage the Rivals seasons. Bravo to Harmonix for sticking with it, and I hope someday they and the community will be rewarded by getting the chance to make RB5.

[@TheUltimateMemegod]

I can’t believe your changing content,I’ve been watching your videos for decades now! I love you Jason! Keep up the work!

[@gatordude1097]

Jason you totally nailed the format, topics and pacing of this video! Please do more essays! This was so well done 🤘🏼

[@Venerabela]

This video is absolutely beautiful, well organized, and relatively succinct, and I also applaud you for expressing yourself neutrally with regards to the drama that happened. The 5-fret rhythm games will never die. Not so long as we have the tenacity to keep them alive with whatever means necessary.

[@Caphaldor94]

Love it, really well done Jason. Thanks for keeping someone like me, who is not really active in the GH/CH scene in the loop. Keep up the good work!

[@vandorb12]

Missing a big piece of history with FoF, FoFiX, and Phase Shift (and the unwritten drama behind their Steam release). Good work for your first video essay!

[@RustyShackleford556]

Steam release drama?

[@vandorb12]

@@RustyShackleford556 the current known reasons behind the delisting of the PS Steam release is hearsay; there isn't any documented evidence on the dwsk website or forum stating the actual reason from the developers themselves. There are theories, but discovering them I leave as an exercise to the reader.

[@KanzRedDusk]

Excellent video, would love to see more essays! Rock on

[@AblissMusic]

Also, I really enjoyed this style of video and I'd love to see more!

[@Cryptrik]

I love the way this was formatted! You do excellent research!

[@anthonycousineau5205]

I would said the same as your video about competitive Guitar hero, I love this format! Your voice and the editing is top notch! Keep it up!

[@snfreweh6894]

This is some banger content Jason. You can really feel your passion for this community, and desire to drive things forward

[@ChezTikkesi]

Guitar Hero and DJ Hero were a huge part of my life and I still play Clone Hero and occasionally DJ Hero to this day. Even ordered a custom guitar controller for the future. I honestly hope this these games never die. This community will continue to rock on for even more generations to come.

[@Hello-It-Is-I]

absolutely fantastic video, opened my eyes to a lot of things that i never knew existed. it's healing to see just how passionate so many people are about keeping this genre alive!

[@carlossap]

Great video! An addition to the subject could’ve been the RB3/RB4 customs as they provide a better experience to play co-op with friends and family locally if you know how to jailbreak your console. Unfortunately the developer working on the RB4 customs tool passed away a couple of years ago but I hope someone can pick up the project and continue developing it.

[@zero28ism]

Amazing video Jason, a very nice summary of the situation regarding the 5 fret scene, very tightly constructed and easy to understand. Thank you for this kind of video

[@SuperJxl]

id love a game that has support for guitar drums keys and turntable so that you can enjoy all the instruments as they were intended

[@SuperJxl]

also i would love for 6 fret support too.

[@NonTwinBrothers]

thanks 4 the captions jason love u

[@leandrometfan]

Love long format videos like these, keep them up Jason! Also, thanks for showing other alternatives for Clone hero, I wasnt aware of them and probably wouldn't even try to find them if CH were gone.

[@KalamShellaby]

I own a Mac, which means I'm base CH until the end of time.

[@JonahUniverse]

Great video, love this format! You nailed it

[@OMGJoel]

really well made video, i didn't know about a lot of the alternatives to clone hero and I am excited to see what the new games offer

[@dirtyconsole2247]

That was a really good video essay. It was informative and entertaining to listen to. Great presentation. I think you got a thing for this style of video.

[@sora845180]

I would love to know if the devs of these upcoming games have any interest in producing more guitar and drum controllers. I still have some of my old ones lying around, but I know I'd like the option of more updated models. Plus, people who want to get into the hobby this late have either no options or super expensive ones.

[@Belks1453]

I would actually love a new Guitar hero game centred around dragonforce, would be the ultimate loveletter to fans

[@quantumLocked033]

10:40 You do not realize how close to actually making a pog face I came when I heard "keyboards ... turntables" in that list

[@metalman20]

Firstly, that laugh was freaking legendary. Secondly, I hope a new GH/RB game gets made cause I would love to get a new controller and start playing again. And finally, I loved this style of video and I would gladly watch more videos of this style!!!

[@Anonymous51365]

Good video Jason. Your narration really kept me engaged for the whole thing. You should definitely do more videos like this. In terms of the future, I hope Clone Hero is around for a very long time to come. I remember 2 or 3 years ago, I went out and bought my first gaming PC for the sole single reason to play Clone Hero and dive head first into the community. In the time since I have found a home in the Clone Hero “world.” While 1 or 2 of these projects do indeed have potential, I hope clone hero stands tall and strong. 🤘🏻

[@TehBunjee33]

This was a very interesting video to watch, thanks Jason!

[@OldManWithAGuitar]

I started out on the original guitar hero and rock band. I'm now up to 2,500 hours of learning guitar on Rocksmith. I'm legitimately surprised that there's nothing really standout for the future. I have rock band 4 which I'll be using to get at least a small handle on my singing voice, but I'm truthfully surprised that there's no teacher style game for drums or keyboards. It's frustrating to see this absolute vacancy. Thank you for this Jason.

[@JasonParadise]

There's always a chance for a Rocksmith piano add on in the future. There was a job listing for piano which was filled according to Ubisoft's website. Suppose we'll see

[@zdoesgame]

Great video! It was you who got me into charting and playing Clone Hero.

[@KaneyoriHK]

Strange but not unwelcome, I always like to see more JasonParadise

[@CosmicBrucey]

YOU SAID TURNTABLES ON FRETSMASHER?? LETS GOOOO

[@ItsWrightyyy]

Great video dude! I loved guitar hero back in the day and after discovering Clone Hero this year it’s been a game changer!! Excited to see what the future holds!

[@Pyromaster_]

I love listening to these types of videos, and you do a fantastic voiceover

[@GeekMasterGames]

I am a huge, huge fan of both this genre of games, and of video essays. Bless you JP

[@Retrosparks]

Please make more videos like this, I just simply love this 🤩❤️‍🔥

[@demitrigraziano2886]

Loved watching this video. Gonna make a grown man cry and go through so many emotions here. I appreciate you giving us some info on things. Keep it up ❤️

[@sugarrats666]

Nice piece, very thought filled and thought out. Cheers man, more uploads of you playing please - your, infectious, laugh makes my partner so happy.

[@jqreal0172]

This essay was great, Jason. Thanks dude :D

[@ChloeASMR91]

I would love to see a Guitar Hero 3.1 Legends of rock but fill the game with over 1000 songs to choose from from rock to heavy metal to pop that be cool

[@caseydale5862]

I just got access to Fret Smasher earlier today! Loving how the game plays a lot, and how customizable it is just from the default without downloading anything, and of course the song chart drag and drop is always of course a huge convenience, allowing to simply copy/paste your clone hero library to Fret Smasher with no issue

[@l0nkruelz13]

Great video, I really enjoyed it and it was honestly very informative. Props to you!

[@PiterMashup]

Dude! You said this was your first video essay format, but made it like you knew how to do it! You should make more videos like this! Great job man!

[@JasonParadise]

All that time watching SuperEyepatchWolf and similar folks sorta paid off? 😅 More will happen🤘

[@Spyro2990]

Simply beautiful vid Jason. Keep up the outstanding work man. Very proud of you and this community as a whole 🤘

[@zephyrion]

Yo Jason, loved this video / format dude! I don't normally consume your CH content, but this was interesting af. Thanks a lot for making!

[@jaytorakk4271]

Awesome vid Jason, keep it up, I had no idea bout any of the future past clone hero. Super informative!

[@NevilleTheDevil361]

Damn. I’ve casually been a fan of Acai and you, so I had no idea the grand scale of Clone Hero stuff going on, good and bad. Great work, my guy. Brought me up to speed, and had me looking to the future. Now, to get a damn controller.

[@JarbasTardo]

This is seriously good stuff, even more so being your first video essay!

[@qwasedral]

Why does nobody ever mention frets on fire or phase shift? Everyone acts like clone hero was the first fan made PC clone with drag and drop custom songs. I have really fond memories of phase shift and fof

[@Bangaudaala]

He finally did it! Proud of you Jason!

[@rockingamer100]

I wish these games would add a singing option similar to or just like guitar heros or rock bands I'm not the best singer but after GHWT and rock band came out I started to sing more than play guitar and it was always a fun way to relieve stress I know there are some options out there but they definitely don't match guitar hero or rock bands singing mechanics

[@RockyLobster25]

I extremely loved this video ♥️ I'm really looking forward to more videos like this!

[@Vulporium]

Yo this was super entertaining! I would love to see more content like this from you Jason, you have the voice for it too. :D

[@lilliannastilesmc1144]

TBH it's wonderful to see such drive and spark with passion that these developers have that allows all of us to have more of a chance to play more rythm games

[@adtpg1348]

Fantastic video, enjoyable and informative all the way through. Loved it and hope you're able and enjoy making more similar content!