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Guitar Hero III Review for Xbox 360 (X360)

Guitar Hero III Review for Xbox 360 (X360)

Gods are Born, Legends are Made

When the first Guitar Hero came out, I have to admit I was bit skeptical of how the game would feel. I hated the notion that a video game was taking something that took me a while to learn and making it look easy. Thankfully, I was quickly relinquished of this inaccurate belief, and I, much like the rest of the world, succumbed to the power of Guitar Hero. So much that when the second installment came out, I raced to the store at the midnight release of the game, and dominated the track lists of the second installment not once but twice, the PS2 version and the Xbox 360 version. Even though the wait has not been that long, I felt myself itching for newer, greater songs to shred. Well, the wait is finally over for the world, and rock is stronger than ever.

Guitar Hero III screenshot

First things first, Guitar Hero 3 marks the first true offering of the series on a next gen console. Now, before anyone tries to claim that the inception of Guitar Hero 2 on the Xbox 360 was the first, I’d say they were sort of right. Despite the graphic update from the PS2 version of the game, there was really nothing that made it fresh or new. That has all changed now. The characters look fully realized and sleek. The bands are more animated, and most look like they really are a part of a musical number instead of just going through the motions. The fan favorite guitarists including – Judy Nails, Jonny Napalm, Axel Steel, Casey Lynch, Xavier Stone, Izzy Sparks, and a few others, now more than ever appear to play the chords in unison with the song, as opposed to the air guitar motions of the first two installments.

Continuing the cosmetic side of the game, the fret board is sharper and has several new designs for you to glamour over. The score box has been tweaked and looks like an amp, and the addition of the streak indicator is a nice plus. The rock meter also has been refashioned to meet the new sleek design. However, my favorite thing has to be the various audience members, ranging from stage divers to devilish vixens dancing to your music, occasionally stealing the limelight away from the guitarists and other band members. I know it may be a small thing, but it is the small things that really shine in this volume.

Guitar Hero III screenshot

The gameplay modes are the same with a couple exceptions. The biggest exception is the co-op career mode. It plays just like the standard career mode with a few variations. Instead of the same track sets you played on your own, you will face a different order when with friends, debatably a more appealing order. Other than this, the co-op play is just as it was previously. The other new gameplay mode that is a great addition is the battle mode. Instead of the star power that you acquire to save you from failing a song, you collect weapons. Guitar inspired weapons like broken strings, double notes, and lefty flips, to name a few. You activate these wondrous things the same way you do star power, but they mess with your opponent quite nicely. This will keep you playing even after you have perfected the songs on expert because you never know what kind of “devil” you are playing.

Another addition to the game is that instead of just playing track after track, you will have an actual story arch to follow. Granted, it is not all encompassing, but the humorous animated cutscenes in between sets is a great addition that any fan of the series will enjoy.

Guitar Hero III screenshot

For those wanting to play with a friend, the cutscenes will be slightly different so you will honestly want to play through this mode as well in order to get the full experience. Speaking of the full experience, you had better find a friend to accompany you in the career co-op mode. Otherwise, you will not be able to unlock certain songs, such as Sabotage from the Beastie Boys and Suck My Kiss by Red Hot Chili Peppers, to play in quickplay on your own. This was a bit of a nasty move for those of us who don’t play well with others, but it is worth it in the end. While this is irritating, you also cannot play co-op in quickplay. You have to play it in the career mode designated for co-op. This is a small thing, but irritating nonetheless.

Guitar Hero III screenshot

While the updated graphics, slicker gameplay modes, and online gameplay are great additions, it is the song selection that makes Guitar Hero 3 worth picking up. With such titles as Metallica’s One, Pearl Jam’s Evenflow, Stevie Ray Vaughn’s Pride and Joy, and a rendition of The Devil Went Down to Georgia that will either break your fingers or make them so numb you won’t feel anything leading the charge, there’s no reason for anyone to not find a handful of song’s they enjoy. The battle tracks with Slash and Tom Morello are truly entertaining instead of the feared let down they could have been. The best thing that could have happened to Guitar Hero is the original master track of the songs being played instead of sometimes questionable covers, and here there is an abundance of these beautiful original recordings. Even, for the most part, the covers are handled nicely and are never truly disgraceful to the original source.

As I previously stated, this is the Guitar Hero to have. While it may not be a true revolutionary step forward, it does take its strides towards what I one day hope the Guitar Hero series will achieve. With a difficulty system that will progressively prepare you for the next levels, and a track list of over 70 songs with more to come, Guitar Hero could be the franchise that is returning rock to the spotlight it seems to have been slightly vacant from for a few years. I could not be happier to see these Legends of Rock finally getting the recognition they deserve in all forms of entertainment. Prepare your devil horns, and deliver the axe shredding you know you are destined for.

Features:

  • Become a Legend Face off against guitar icon Slash and others in insane boss battles featuring original tracks recorded exclusively for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.
  • Rock Out Defeat opponents to achieve legendary status in head-to-head competition including the all new guitar battle or share the glory with a friend in the new co-op career mode.
  • Fully Immersive Concert Experience Realize a true rock concert experience with all new venues, incredible lighting effects, authentic instruments, and sick character moves.
  • Incredible Soundtrack Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock features over 70 of the biggest and loudest songs ever compiled in a game! Rock out to songs such as: Welcome to the Jungle, Rock You Like a Hurricane, Sabotage, Suck My Kiss, Cherub Rock, and Mississippi Queen.
  • Screen Resolution: Up to 1080i (Standard HDTV, Widescreen).

    RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 4.2 Graphics
    The new sleek look of the characters and background animations look top notch, but they do tend to distract away from the playing of the guitar. 4.1 Control
    Better guitar manipulation helps you on your way to becoming a true legend. 4.8 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
    The best soundtrack to date, the addition of several original master tracks will please any music fan. 3.8 Play Value
    The rapid play through is a bit disappointing, but the new co-op career mode and online play keep you going even with bruised fingers. 4.1 Overall Rating – Great
    Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

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