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Guitar Hero: Aerosmith Review for the Nintendo Wii

Guitar Hero: Aerosmith Review for the Nintendo Wii

There are a ton of excellent bands out there that would be perfectly suited to have their music featured prominently in a stand-alone Guitar Hero game. The concept is a good one, though it has the potential to alienate players who might not particularly enjoy the group in question. Given the choice, classis rockers Aerosmith would not have been among my first pick of bands for such a venture – my short-list would likely include the Pixies, Dillinger Escape Plan, Sonic Youth, Rush, and perhaps some ridiculous 80’s cheese metal bands thrown-in for good measure. Regardless, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith is indeed the first of what will hopefully be many more spinoffs in the killer franchise to heavily feature the work of specific artists.

Guitar Hero: Aerosmith screenshot

Over three decades of churning out their own brand of blues-inspired rock hits has earned the band its rightful place among the great rockers of our time. It’s hard to imagine someone who hasn’t at least heard of Aerosmith; it was virtually impossible to escape their tunes, if you happened to listen to the radio or watch MTV in the late 80s and 90s. I was never a hardcore fan, but many of their catchy hits have peripherally chiseled their way into my psyche. A few songs into the game, the reasoning behind the decision to go with Steven Tyler and “the Bad Boys from Boston” as the headlining act becomes increasingly apparent. Simply put, these guys know how to rock.

GH: Aerosmith is not the band’s first foray into the realm of video games, but it’s easily their best. The group was featured in the 1994 arcade light gun game Revolution X and the rhythm-game Quest for Fame the following year. Neither was particularly noteworthy. The band’s integration into Guitar Hero is virtually seamless and, as expected, extremely thorough. From the ridiculously over-the-top stage backdrops and elaborate custom guitars to the band’s signature moves and smokin’ licks, this game is a must for Aerosmith fans. Fortunately, you don’t have to worship the group to be able to appreciate the rock-solid gameplay the title lays out.

Guitar Hero: Aerosmith screenshot

The core gameplay from Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock remains virtually untouched. Virtuosos will find plenty of challenge on Expert, but the overall difficulty level has been scaled back from Legends of Rock. This might be disappointing to the few souls on earth who can survive Through the Fire and the Flames on Expert, but it’s less of a punch in the face to the rest of us. Any other noticeable differences are primarily cosmetic, though the track listing and structure does divert slightly from the standard formula. The six tiers set in various venues from the band’s past each features two non-Aerosmith tracks performed by the stock opening band (now featuring a second guitarist). Once the stage is warmed up, Aerosmith pops up with great fanfare to rock through two songs and an encore before moving on to the next venue. Thankfully, there’s only a single guitar battle in the entire game.

There are 31 songs in the Career Mode and 10 bonus unlockable songs in the vault. The bulk of the tracks are comprised of a decent mixture of classic and lesser-known Aerosmith tunes. Hits like Sweet Emotion, Dream On, Livin’ On the Edge, and Walk This Way (with Run DMC) pack-in the nostalgia factor, while other oldies like Toys in the Attic, Pandora’s Box, and Kings and Queens are fun and challenging to play. All the band’s songs are engaging, thanks to lead guitarist Joe Perry’s penchant for lots of frequent chord changes and fast-paced rifts. The other groups featured in the game were hand picked by the band. The tracks by Cheap Trick, Ted Nugent, The Cult, Joan Jett, and a few others are good, but the overall selection and variety is rather poor.

Guitar Hero: Aerosmith screenshot

The percentage of Aerosmith tunes to other tunes is about a 60-40 split, which is a disappointment considering the majority of the opening band songs are way too easy in comparison. The difficulty and complexity of these songs is noticeably less than the headliner’s cuts. My suspicion is this is something either done at the band’s request or by the developers to ensure the band got proper rock star treatment. After all, folks tend to get pissed when they’re outshined by the opening acts. You certainly won’t find that here; everything was clearly done to ensure Aerosmith came out on top.

Guitar Hero: Aerosmith screenshot

Career Mode follows the band’s rise to stardom, beginning with their first gig at Mendon Nipmuc Regional High School in 1970 and progressing to other notable stops along the way to their induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. A bevy of local and Wi-Fi multiplayer options stretches the rock further, which is a necessity in this case. The main game is unfortunately shorter than most players will like. It’s an excellent supplement for Wii owners who already own Legends of Rock and are looking for more tunes to rip through, but only hardcore fans of the band will find it worthwhile to pick up the game and guitar peripheral for the first time. Even so, the smaller number of tracks makes the cost feel even steeper.

The Wii’s meager graphical capabilities are not pushed much farther than they were with Legends of Rock. Some shots of the crowd are oddly pixelated, though the camera angles have improved. Otherwise, the game looks good and the band members appear surprisingly close to their actual likenesses. All other areas of the game are plastered with Aerosmith-themed menus and visual elements. The handful of goofy, cartoonish animations scattered around are over-the-top, but the behind the scenes interviews with the band that kick off each new venue make up for this. Players will learn some interesting and humorous tidbits about their history, but it all focuses on the group’s positive aspects rather than on their other issues.

This is a game serious Aerosmith fans absolutely shouldn’t do without, but I’d also argue it has plenty of appeal to the general gaming public – at least Wii owners who have more limited Guitar Hero options than other console owners. On higher difficulty settings, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith is a blast to play. The group’s music is a great fit for the gameplay. Most players will ultimately derive a good deal of enjoyment from bashing the band’s tunes on a fake plastic guitar, even if it is a short-lived experience.

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 3.7 Graphics
A few visual quirks show the Wii’s limitations, but the whole package looks pretty good. 4.8 Control
Playing Rock ‘N Roll with a piece of plastic remains a solid and highly entertaining experience. 4.3 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
High-quality tracks and original recordings abound. 3.6

Play Value
A short set-list, but there’s a lot of fun to be had with most of the tunes here. The lack of difficulty in the opening band tunes is shameful.

3.8 Overall Rating – Good
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

  • Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, the first game built around the legendary music of America’s Greatest Rock ‘N Roll Band: Aerosmith.
  • This latest installment from the franchise with the #1 best-selling video game in 2007, puts players in the shoes of Perry (guitar), Whitford (guitar) and Hamilton (bass), as they rock out alongside frontman Tyler and drummer Kramer.
  • Gamers will experience Aerosmith’s GRAMMY winning career, from their first gig to becoming rock royalty, in a way that no other entertainment vehicle offers.
  • As fans progress through their careers in the game, they can rock out to scores of Aerosmith’s greatest hits, as well as songs from celebrated artists that the band has either performed with or has been inspired by in some way.
  • Venues from historical moments during the band’s illustrious career offer the experience of “sweet emotion” and further capture the essence of the band’s rise to fame.

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