The next two months leading up to the holiday season will be full of kids kicking and screaming at the stores, begging for toys and video games. Fortunately, the gaming industry knows what kids want: bright lights and loud sounds.
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (GH3), released on Oct. 28, is ready for the demand of the customers seeking an interactive music marvel.
With the third full installment of this insanely popular Guitar Hero franchise, there is no doubt that it will live up to its name.
While the original Guitar Hero was something completely new, its ingenuity praised by the video gaming community, the newest product is going to add just a little bit more.
GH3 offers incredible new hardware. The newfangled controllers look and feel great. The graphics are not quite as good as Guitar Hero II on Xbox 360, but this is due to the new developer, Neversoft, taking a different art direction.
Xbox 360 and PS3 hold the definitive versions, but the Wii and PS2 still have the same great game-play.
Neversoft took some big steps in the right direction; they improved on the already successful formula by adding some much-needed features like online multiplayer modes and new boss battles.
"It's a good thing there is online multiplayer this time around because the career mode is short," said Steve Hibit, a junior media studies major. "The game is still fun but nothing too different except for the online."
The difficulty in Legends has been increased and, while veterans to the franchise will welcome the change, new players will more than likely be frustrated.
"It seems as though there is bigger room for error when hitting notes," Hibit said. "This does not mean the game is easier than Guitar Hero II because 'expert' is absolutely insane this time around."
The song "Through the Fire and Flames" by Dragonforce on expert difficulty will surely make even the most polished players cringe.
"The boss battles are really awesome," said Michael Jacobson of Orchard Park. "I am a huge Rage Against the Machine fan, so to play against Tom Morello then unlock him as a character was a huge plus for me. I just wish there were more than just Morello and Slash for the bosses."
While the soundtrack will not appeal to some, with more than 70 songs including exclusive downloads for Xbox 360 and PS3, there is something for almost everyone.
The biggest problem with the soundtrack is that the tracks are inconsistent with the name of the game. While bands like Aerosmith, The Who, The Rolling Stones and Black Sabbath are undeniably "legends of rock," the game contains many who are not worthy of this title.
Bands such as The Killers and A.F.I. may be very good, but they are far from being immortals in their genre. This is the problem that plagues the companion pack soundtrack, which can be purchased separately from the game.
The companion pack has 11 total tracks but really fails to showcase the many legendary performances that the game has to offer. True classic rockers would trade Queens of the Stone Age and Sonic Youth for bands like Metallica or Alice Cooper.
The main reason fans will even consider buying this companion pack, which retails for $13.98, is the three exclusive Xbox 360 downloadable tracks from A.F.I., Marilyn Manson and Flyleaf.
Even with the appeal of a few extra songs, it is hard to justify the cost of buying the companion pack. If the songs are truly that important to the gaming experience then Xbox Live will more than likely have them for download in the near future at a cheaper price.
Anyone who plays video games should at least try this game, and for fans of the previous installments, this is a must buy. Guitar Hero III retails for $99.99 on Xbox 360 and PS3, while the Wii and PS2 versions go for $89.99. Rock on and rock hard.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
