For the uninitiated, Guitar Hero is a rhythm-based game, much like Dance Dance Revolution, which utilizes an interesting input device – a guitar in lieu of a standard controller.
The guitar controller sports unique features, such as colored “fret” buttons, which are used in conjunction with the “strum bar.” For a minimalist and simplistic version of a guitar, it works surprising well to simulate playing one.
By Kevin McGinnis,
Contributor
For the uninitiated, Guitar Hero is a rhythm-based game, much like Dance Dance Revolution, which utilizes an interesting input device – a guitar in lieu of a standard controller.
The guitar controller sports unique features, such as colored “fret” buttons, which are used in conjunction with the “strum bar.” For a minimalist and simplistic version of a guitar, it works surprising well to simulate playing one. The guitars available vary depending on which version of the game you purchase; Xbox 360 features a wired and wireless guitar controller, whereas the PlayStation 3 and Wii both utilize wireless technology. The new guitars packed in with the game are modeled after Gibson’s famous Les Paul model and feature changeable faceplates for user customization.
Guitar Hero III takes everything from the past two games and cranks it up to 11 (if I need to explain Spinal Tap, you shouldn’t be playing this game). Career mode and multiplayer feature a new mode: Battles!
Battles pit one guitarist against another, and in single-player you must battle Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine and Slash of Guns N’ Roses, as well as a final confrontation I won’t mention here. Single-player career boats a bevy of songs, ranging from Santana’s “Black Magic Woman,” and The Scorpion’s “Rock You Like A Hurricane” up to and including The Killers’ “When You Were Young,” Slayer’s “Raining Blood” and Metallica’s “One.”
Some songs can only be unlocked by completing certain requirements, such as playing co-op career mode or finishing the game. For those who embrace their inner rockstar enough, they are granted the ultimate prize upon completion of the game; DragonForce’s “Through the Fire and Flames,” a seven-and-a-half minute rock epic that combines ‘80s metal, with grunge…and Pac-man sounds.
Run, do not walk, and buy Guitar Hero III, which is available now for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 for the Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $99.99, and for the Wii and PlayStation 2 for the MSRP of $89.99.