As a child of the 90s, Synth Riders’ 90s Rock Music Pack has a great selection of tracks to reminisce and think back to the days where we listened to cassettes and CD-ROMs. Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” and The Presidents of the United States of America’s “Lump” translate perfectly into the VR rhythm world. This expansion is a must have if you’re a fan of 90s rock and want additional music to listen to when playing on your PSVR2.
Are you ready to rock out wearing your PSVR2? Good. Developer Kluge Interactive has treated every 90s kid’s eyes and ears with their newest Synth Riders expansion: The 90s Rock Music Pack! I had the pleasure of reviewing it on my PSVR2 for the past few days and I’m pleased to report that it surpasses the vibe check with some excellent rock tracks I grew up listening to on my Walkman.
For $7.99, The 90s Rock Music Pack comes with five tracks:
- Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Give It Away”
- Blur – Song 2
- Soundgarden – “Black Hole Sun”
- Radiohead – “Creep”
- The Presidents of the United States of America – “Lump”
When I think of 90s rock tracks and/or bands that defined my childhood, several of these above bands come to mind. Blur (which exposed me to Damon Albarn before he went off and formed Gorillaz with Jamie Hewlitt), Soundgarden (which got me hooked on Chris Cornell, Audioslave, and Rage Against the Machine), Radiohead, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers (Flea is Love; Flea is Life). The Presidents of the United States of America is a surprising addition here, as I would have assumed something from Weezer, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters, or possibly No Doubt (I love me some classic Gwen Stefani).
I’m fine with The 90s Rock Music Pack’s song collection, though. I’ve listened to all of these songs growing up so they’re easy to get into to play in a rhythm game. I’m thrilled that Kluge Interactive licensed the music so that new listeners can get a taste of some excellent rock music.
How do these songs translate into Synth Riders’ gameplay? Pretty dang well.
“Give It Away” is a fantastic first track for a music pack, as it introduces players to the RHCP’s notable drums and funky grooves. The inputs on Medium and Expert is where the movements really shine. “Song 2” is an excellent track to include in a rhythm game because of its high BPM and its catchiness. Most of its notes felt intuitive, but I kept expecting more of a synced “oomph.” It seems like it was constructed more around the drums/baseline instead of the vocals/melody. “Black Hole Sun” was my favorite track to play (especially in the VOID level) – its transitions translate exceptionally well in a rhythm game setup. “Creep” and “Lump” had well-matched movements and felt good to listen/play, and it felt satisfying to move along to these tracks’ beats. Most 90s kids would think that “Creep” is a must-play, but “Lump” surprised me the most.
Compared to some of Synth Riders’ previous expansions, The 90s Rock Music Pack is a big step in the right direction for expanding the game’s library of tracks beyond EDM, some light rock, and other pop music. I would have loved some more tracks beyond these five, but I’m glad to see more licensed music get incorporated into Synth Riders’ tracklisting.
This expansion’s most disappointing aspect is that it lacks an “Experience” level to drive home what it means to be a 90s rock fan. It’s a shame, really, as Kluge Interactive has already given us a taste of some 90s alt-rock with The Offspring’s “Come Out and Play” Experience, and it’s a perfect synthesis of The Offspring’s motifs and Synth Riders’ flowy gameplay. Adding an Experience to this pack would give us another nostalgia bomb of the grunge that manifests in Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun.”
As a child of the 90s, Synth Riders’ 90s Rock Music Pack has a great selection of tracks to reminisce and think back to the days where we listened to cassettes and CD-ROMs. Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” and The Presidents of the United States of America’s “Lump” translate perfectly into the VR rhythm world. This expansion is a must have if you’re a fan of 90s rock and want additional music to listen to when playing on your PSVR2.
