 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Power Gig: Rise of the Six String
- Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
- Price: $59.99 (game only)
- Genre: Music
Common Sense Media says
Fun but flawed music game that supports a real guitar.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Power Gig: Rise of the Six String is a fairly tame "Teen"-rated music game. There's not much to worry about here aside from some lyrical references to sex, drugs, and alcohol, and some female characters with low-cut tops. The few songs in the track list that feature profanity have been censored.
What's it about?
Newcomer Seven45 Studios is joining the music game craze with POWER GIG: RISE OF THE SIX STRING, an ambitious offering that tries to differentiate itself from the pack with a guitar controller that doubles as a real six-string electric guitar. While the game will work with existing Guitar Hero and Rock Band guitar peripherals, you can buy the guitar-plus-game bundle for $180 or a complete "band in a box" (with drums and microphone, too) for $230. When you're not playing the game you can plug the guitar into an amplifier and play for real. The game also includes songs from high-profile artists such as Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews Band, and Kid Rock who offer their classic music -- tracks like "Layla," "Tripping Billies," and "All Summer Long" -- in a rhythm game for the first time. Other bands that help fill out the 70 tracks available at launch include Bad Religion, Queens of the Stone Age, Living Colour, Black Sabbath, and Three Days Grace.
Is it any good?
This game is pretty tough to play – even for seasoned music game fans. The wider fret spacing of the stringed guitar feels very different -- unless, of course, you're a real guitarist. On that note, the game has two ways to play: the standard mode (press a colored fret while strumming any string) and the power chord mode that has you play using real chords and demands specific finger placement on the strings.
It's worth adding that it has some graphical issues. Frankly, it looks like a PlayStation 2 or original Xbox game rather than something in line with the current generation. Plus, the "fret highway" has notes cascading down the screen rather than towards the player (it's also off to the side, which is okay for multiplayer but not ideal for solo playing). Consequently, Power Gig might be best be played first as a weekend rental to see if you like its look and feel.
Online interaction: The game publisher says players could download additional tracks after the game launchers, but there is no online multiplayer mode.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about whether one can actually learn to play a real musical instrument from a game. Did you find that this music game helped teach you how to play a guitar? Does it make a difference that it supports a peripheral that doubles as a real guitar?
Families can also discuss the game's track selection. Are the songs suitable for a teen audience? Could the game's authentic rock and roll atmosphere have been preserved had its designers excluded songs that reference alcohol, drugs, and sex?
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title below.
| Platforms: | Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Music |
| Release date: | October 19, 2010 |
| Price: | $59.99 (game only) |
| ESRB rating: | T for Mild Lyrics, Mild Suggestive Themes |
Contact us to give us more feedback on our learning ratings.
Review It
Screenshots
1 of 5
2 of 5
3 of 5
4 of 5
5 of 5
Tell us what you think about our new Learning Ratings. We value your feedback.
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
Already played it? What do you think?
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
