The Guitar Hero III vs. Rock Band Thread

[areaseven]

In late 2005, Harmonix and RedOctane rocked the gaming world with Guitar Hero, which has gone to sell over 1.5 million copies and win numerous awards. A year later, after RedOctane's acquisition by Activision, Guitar Hero II was released. It went on to sell more than three million copies on both PlayStation 2 and XBOX 360. And the game was followed by the spinoff Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s, which didn't really improve much to the gameplay and was criticized for its high retail price.

This year, things have changed. Upon its acquisition by MTV Networks, Harmonix parted ways with RedOctane and Activision. As a result, Guitar Hero finally has something it was missing over the past two years: competition.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock

Neversoft/RedOctane/Activision, 2007

For the Sony PlayStation 3/Sony PlayStation 2/XBOX 360/Nintendo Wii/PC/Macintosh

Rated T (Teen) for mild lyrics

With Harmonix out of the picture, RedOctane and Activision commissioned Neversoft (Tony Hawk series) to develop the newest Guitar Hero game. While GH3 plays like its predecessors, the visuals are very different. The Rock Meter and Scoreboard look more organized, which somehow take away the soul of the game. The Star Power meter bar has been replaced with blue "Christmas" lights, which can be both very confusing and frustrating.

While GH2 introduced the two-player cooperative mode, GH3 takes it up a notch with a career mode. In addition to the traditional Face Off Mode, Battle Mode puts a new twist on the Star Power feature. Using Star Power enables you to disrupt your opponent's guitar solo and gain the upper hand. Attacks include Amp Overload (which causes your opponent's chord bar to flash), Broken String (your opponent must tap the broken fret button), Whammy (your opponent must use the Whammy Bar rapidly to get their notes back in alignment) Double Notes, Lefty/Righty Flip and Difficulty Up (not effective on Expert Mode).

And then, there's the playlist. RedOctane and Activision have managed to secure more original songs for the game. This means less covers and more of the real thing. Fans of Aerosmith, Rolling Stones, Iron Maiden and Metallica will certainly jam on this game. And just for this game, Bret Michaels (Poison), Sex Pistols and Living Colour have re-recorded their songs. GH3 also features guests appearances by Michaels, Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave) and Slash (Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver). (Bret Michaels' performance and likeness are not available on the PS2 version.)

Guitar Hero III comes bundled with a wireless Gibson Les Paul guitar controller (Kramer Striker for the PS2, wired Gibson Xplorer for the PC). The Wii's controller requires the Wiimote to play.

While it's not as memorable as the first two, Guitar Hero III is still an enjoyable game on its own. Just try and play DragonForce's "Through the Fire and Flames" on any mode.

Rock Band

Harmonix/MTV Games/EA Games, 2007

For the Sony PlayStation 3/Sony PlayStation 2/XBOX 360

Rated T (Teen) for mild lyrics

Harmonix succeeded in making the most popular guitar game series in history, but were they going to stop there? Absolutely not.

Rock Band is seen by many fans as both a worthy successor and the evolution of Guitar Hero. Not only do you get to play guitar and bass, but you can also play drums or sing lead vocals. Up to four players can jam on one song at the same time.

Gameplay is similar to GH, only that it uses bars (similar to Konami's music games) instead of buttons as notes. Seasoned players may take a while to get used to the game's new layout. The graphics on the background feature realistic-looking people as opposed to GH's cartoonish characters, but the framerate is rather low.

For the songs, Harmonix went all out. Five record labels have supplied master recordings for the game's 45 original songs from The Ramones, Bon Jovi, Rolling Stones, KISS, The Clash and more. Plus, you'll be able to download complete albums from Metallica, Grateful Dead and The Who.

While GH retains the Gibson license for their guitars, RB uses long-time rival Fender for theirs. Unlike GH's Gibson controllers, RB's Stratocaster controller features five additional frets and an effects pickup switch; not to mention that it looks more like a real guitar. The drum kit is similar to Konami's DrumMania, wherein it consists of four pads and a kick pedal. And if you're a fan of Konami's Karaoke Revolution (which was developed by Harmonix), you'll most likely be familiar with RB's USB-powered microphone, which also doubles as a tambourine or cowbell on non-vocal parts.

Set for release on November 20 (December 18 for the PS2 version), Rock Band retails for $169.99 ($159.99 for the PS2 version) and will come bundled with a guitar, drum kit and mic. And with both RB and GH3 in stores for the Holiday season, it'll be very hard to leave home this Christmas.

Edited December 22, 2007 by areaseven

[Smiley424]

I think I've decided to spring for the PS2 version of Rock Band as I've yet to go next gen on my gaming system, and keep plugging along with the PS2. And now hearing about the microphone can double as a tambourine or cow bell, SOLD!

Needs more Cowbell

[Apollo Leader]

I got Guitar Hero III last Sunday and I love it so far. Still debating on if I'll just get Rock Band the game so I can just play the guitar parts or if I'll go full bore.

BTW, on South Park on Wednesday, they're going to be tackling the Guitar Hero phenomenom with an episode titled "Guitar Queer-o".

[Apollo Leader]

I think I've decided to spring for the PS2 version of Rock Band as I've yet to go next gen on my gaming system, and keep plugging along with the PS2. And now hearing about the microphone can double as a tambourine or cow bell, SOLD!

Needs more Cowbell

Of course what this thread needs is more Southern Cross.

[areaseven]

Last week, I went to Best Buy and tried out Rock Band. Playing the guitar section is no different from Guitar Hero. The drums, on the other hand, are pretty difficult (unless you really know how to play drums) - even on Easy.

Here are some sample videos:

Official Trailer

"Wanted Dead or Alive"

[Batou]

You know, it's funny: I keep going back and forth on getting this since everyone keeps raving about it. I can kind of see the appeal.

On the other hand, I have a small home recording studio, 5 guitars and a host of other instruments around the house. The thought of me playing a video game involving playing an air guitar with colorful buttons when I've played the real thing since I was 15 seems a little too ironic to move past.

[UN Spacy]

GHIII is on the Wii. Rock bank isn't.

GHIII for me.

[Ghadrack]

<------ Not a karaoke fan.

Just to throw it out there too, the singer feature in these games is often truly torturesome. Have you ever played the wii game Boogie? If the person isn't in to the song it is a lot harder to just plod through to unlock something that you will like than it is to strum through and try to get perfect scores with the guitar controller.

GH 3 for me, I don't need any more bad singers within earshot.

[areaseven]

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock ( ギターヒーロー3 レジェンド オブ ロック )

Neversoft/Budcat Creations (PS2)/Vicarious Visions (Wii)/Aspyr Media (PC/Mac)/RedOctane, Inc./Activision, 2007

For the Sony PlayStation 3/Sony PlayStation 2/XBOX 360/Nintendo Wii/PC/Macintosh

Rated T (Teen) for mild lyrics.

(Review based on PS2 version)

Lowdown

The most popular music game out there is back, but with a new twist. A major shakeup occurred when original developer Harmonix was acquired by MTV networks. As a result, Harmonix parted ways with the Guitar Hero team to create Rock Band. In response, Activision commissioned Neversoft (Tony Hawk series) to develop Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Not only do you rock to a killer playlist, you get to jam with master guitarists Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave) and Slash (Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver). In addition, PS3, XBOX 360 and PC/Mac versions feature Poison's Bret Michaels as a guest vocalist.

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock comes bundled with a wireless Gibson Les Paul controller (wireless Kramer Striker for the PS2; wired USB Gibson X-Plorer for the PC and Mac). Now get ready to rock!

Gameplay: A-

If you're a veteran of the Guitar Hero series, then you already know the basics of this latest iteration. You simply play the song by matching the frets and strumming along to win the crowd. If you fail at the song, the crowd will boo you out of the stage. (At least they won't throw rocks at you like they did to Nickelback.) However, even the most experienced shredder may get frustrated the first time around. Most of the songs are much more difficult to play. There are probably a couple of songs described by many as impossible to play on at least Medium difficulty, such as DragonForce's "Through the Fire and Flames."

There are numerous additions in the gameplay. First off, Career Mode can be done either on solo or co-op modes. Second is the introduction of Guitar Battle Mode. In Solo Career Mode, you are challenged by Tom Morello, Slash and Lou (an original boss character). The objective is to make your opponent fail by using Battle Power attacks such as Amp Overload (flashes opponent's frets), Broken String (opponent must tap a broken fret button rapidly) and Whammy (opponent must push the Whammy bar rapidly).

In the past two games, Career Mode was simply about you playing guitar and sending your band to superstardom. In Guitar Hero III, though, there is a story. You answer a classified ad posted by a band looking for a guitarist. You prove yourself at a small night club before a music producer named Lou signs you a recording deal. You and your band tour around the world and sell millions, but find out that you're royally screwed by Lou, who turns out to be the Devil. As a result, your band must battle Lou in his backyard in Hell for your souls. A game like this doesn't need a storyline, but this one actually works out fine.

Most of the characters from the first two games return for this installment. Gone are Clive Winston (the British guy), Eddie Knox (the tattooed rockabilly) and Pandora (the Goth chick). Midori, a Japanese chick, is a new character that's playable in all versions of the game. Each system also has a different set of unlockable characters. The Wii and PS2 versions have Metalhead (an alien robot) and Elroy Budvis (a washed-up Elvis impersonator). The PS3 and XBOX 360 versions have the God of Rock and the Grim Ripper (originally from the first two games).

Perhaps one of the biggest annoyances in the game is the unnecessary product placements. Brand names such as Axe Body Spray and Pontiac have no business in this game at all.

The new wireless controllers are a huge improvement over the old SG controller and RedOctane's Guitar Hero II wireless controller. They use less batteries (two AAs instead of RedOctane's three AAAs) and look more like real guitars. (Of course, Rock Band's Stratocaster controller annihilates them in detail and accuracy, but its poor quality kills it.) Those who have the Les Paul controller can customize theirs with detachable faceplates. A notable feature is the detachable neck, which makes the guitar more compact to store on the go.

Gameplay-wise, it does take the difficulty level to 11, but doesn't improve much to the original formula. Nevertheless, it's still a fun game to Rock and Roll All Nite and party everyday.

Graphics: B-

Guitar Hero III sports more polygons than its predecessors, but is marred by cheesy-looking character designs. Also, the layout is somewhat disorienting compared to the previous games. A Streak Counter has been added to the scoreboard, which is darker and not as legible as the old one. The Rock Meter functions as it should, but the Star Power meter is replaced by glowing blue Christmas lights. Even more frustrating is the fact that Star Power wears out faster - even on full capacity.

Soundtrack: A

What's Guitar Hero without a rockin' playlist? For Guitar Hero III, more original songs appear on the playlist than its predecessors. Yes, there are still a lot of cover songs, but that doesn't compare to shredding to original versions of Aerosmith's "Same Old Song and Dance," Muse's "Knights of Cydonia," Metallica's "One," and Guns N' Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle." And just for this game, The Sex Pistols returned to the studio to re-record their legendary smash "Anarchy in the U.K."

PS3 and XBOX 360 versions have the advantage of online access to downloadable content. Gamers can purchase songs by Foo Fighters, Velvet Revolver, Marilyn Manson and Linkin Park and test their skills with them. XBOX 360 owners can also jam to the Halo theme (Mjolnir Mix, as performed by Steve Vai).

The Bottom Line

Rock Band may have more bells and whistles, but Guitar Hero III is still the music game everyone's banging their heads to.

Links

Official Guitar Hero Homepage

Reference

Wikipedia

Edited February 26, 2008 by areaseven

[mikeszekely]

Rock Band, hands down. I've already posted about this in another thread, but I'll spell it out again.

Guitar Hero III just doesn't have the heart that the Harmonix ones did. You can follow the formula to a T and still not capture the same soul... those of you who played both KOTOR games know what I'm talking about. The game plays the same, but something intangible is missing, and you're left with the feeling that Neversoft just doesn't get the music like Harmonix does. Not to mention that the track list is still hit or miss, the new character models are beyond ugly, the new star power meter is awful, and pop-up messages about your current note streak are distracting. The bottom line is that you're not playing bad game, but you're missing some of the magic that made the original Guitar Hero such a classic.

Rock Band, on the other hand, brings a lot of the magic back. It doesn't just look nicer, it takes the idea of co-op and runs with it. Instead of failing a song because your partner sucks, only your band mate fails. You can quickly bring him/her back with Star Power if you have enough, and if you don't, the timer's ticking. Of course, if you don't have any friends, there's supposed to be a solo career for each instrument, so if you get tired of playing the guitar solo in "Wanted Dead or Alive" for the umpteenth time, give the drums a whirl. Getting back to the guitar, for a moment, the Fender Strat that comes with Rock Band is a lot nicer than the Gibson SG for the PS2 or the Xplorer for the 360 (haven't gotten my hands on the Kramer or the Les Paul yet, but I'm pretty sure the Strat still wins). It's closer in size and feel an actual Strat (I'll have a better chance to compare when I'm at my parents' house for Christmas and I can size it with one of my dad's Strats). It also has more detail, right down to the cord for the 360 connecting to the guitar in the same metal groove an actual Strat would plug into the amp at.

And the end of the day, you have a choice. You can either stick with the franchise and play a game that follows the original formula so closely it's obvious that the new developer is afraid of doing anything to rock the boat, or follow the developers to a game that's the logical evolution of Guitar Hero's tried and true gameplay.

Or get both. I mean, I just finished Guitar Hero III for the PS2, and my preorder's already down on Rock Band for the 360, and when I have some extra cash, I may very well pick up Guitar Hero III for the 360 with the Les Paul, and I already dumped my second SG to be replaced with a Kramer later.

<------ Not a karaoke fan.

Just to throw it out there too, the singer feature in these games is often truly torturesome. Have you ever played the wii game Boogie? If the person isn't in to the song it is a lot harder to just plod through to unlock something that you will like than it is to strum through and try to get perfect scores with the guitar controller.

GH 3 for me, I don't need any more bad singers within earshot.

Then just do the guitar, bass, and drum careers, and never let your friends play with the mic. Or just play the guitar career. You're still getting a better game than Guitar Hero III.

You know, it's funny: I keep going back and forth on getting this since everyone keeps raving about it. I can kind of see the appeal.

On the other hand, I have a small home recording studio, 5 guitars and a host of other instruments around the house. The thought of me playing a video game involving playing an air guitar with colorful buttons when I've played the real thing since I was 15 seems a little too ironic to move past.

The ability to play the guitar is always something I've envied. My dad started playing when he was around 12, and I grew up around guitars. I've tried to learn several times before understanding that I failed to inherit any of his musical talent. Harmonix has already said that games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band aren't meant for people like you (although I certainly know a few guitarists who have enjoyed the games), they're meant for people like me, who love music but probably won't ever get closer to playing it that "air guitar with colorful buttons."

[kanedaestes]

You know, it's funny: I keep going back and forth on getting this since everyone keeps raving about it. I can kind of see the appeal.

On the other hand, I have a small home recording studio, 5 guitars and a host of other instruments around the house. The thought of me playing a video game involving playing an air guitar with colorful buttons when I've played the real thing since I was 15 seems a little too ironic to move past.

I have always felt the same about Dance Dance Revolutiuon. I can dance and i go to competitions and stuff so playing a game which simulates it bores me.

[Apollo Leader]

I would say my biggest gripes with GHIII right now are 1)The change in artwork and character design 2) The look of the star power and rock meters (though I do love that you now get a note meter showing your total of notes you have going) 3) Some of the achievements are ridiculous and 4) Some songs are just ridiculously difficult. Other then that, I am loving this game so far. Last night I opened Through the Fire and Flames when I beat Easy. When I played it on Medium, I only got like 76% of the notes. This song is tough!

As for Rock Band, it looks like its going to be great and with it providing competition to Guitar Hero, both series will continue to flourish as they try to top each other. The main things for me right now is I have plenty of video games right now I'm trying to work on, heck I took The Orange Box and Bioshock back this weekend because I have no idea when I'll try those out, and secondly my space is kind of limited and with all the other guitars, Hori flight stick, and other game stuff laying around, I'm running out of room!

Edited November 6, 2007 by Apollo Leader

[Hikuro]

Guitar Hero 3 has kept me very entertained in the last 24 hours, while I like the inovated thinking that created Rock Band, I'm just not pleased that there's no Wii variation of the game, I sort of call that a bad move on either the distributors or Nintendo for not dipping in.

Thus GH3, will be my game of choice for rocking out.

[Doktor Gonzo]

Amusing anecdote here:

This past March, I did some freelance animation work in a NYC production house, on a project code-named "Harmonix". Though the prooject leads were very cagey, it was kind of obvious what this must be, given the name and the fact that we were working with mocap data of singers and guitarists, so finally one of 'em admitted, "yeah, dude, it's Guitar Hero 3."

So I've just assumed for six months that that's where my work wound up.

Nowadays I'm working at Viacom, and the Harmonix PR crew works down the hall (though not development, they're in Boston. ) Anyway, I chatted them up yesterday, told them about the work I'd done and the timeframe, and they corrected me - nope, the title that work was for was Rock Band, NOT GH. Apparently at that time they weren't ready to tell their contractors about their publisher split or new title.

So long story short, I guess my preference has changed since yesterday, for entirely egocentric reasons!

[Gaijin]

BOTH. WHy do you have to pick? I am Guitar heroing now and will rock the bands later.

Edited November 6, 2007 by Gaijin

[mikeszekely]

BOTH. WHy do you have to pick? I am Guitar heroing now and will rock the bands later.

That's not a bad answer, and it's essentially what I'm doing. But you can have both and still think one is better. I like Guitar Hero III, but not as much as the original or II, and I'm thinking Rock Band will turn out to be better. Didn't stop me from having my brother over to finish the co-op career so I could unlock all the songs.

But, just to add more fuel to the fire, Activision is apparently using the same 3 song in a pack model for Guitar Hero III that they used in II.

Not a Who fan, so I can't really say that Rock Band's method of whole-album content will be better or not, but I'm still crossing my fingers and hoping that Def Leppard's Hysteria album turns up for a Rock Band download.

[Apollo Leader]

but I'm still crossing my fingers and hoping that Def Leppard's Hysteria album turns up for a Rock Band download.

Mike, you are my kind of man. If they did do that, there would have to be an extra achievement tacked on for if you successfully play the drums with one arm and two foot pedals.

[TheLoneWolf]

Amusing anecdote here:

This past March, I did some freelance animation work in a NYC production house, on a project code-named "Harmonix". Though the prooject leads were very cagey, it was kind of obvious what this must be, given the name and the fact that we were working with mocap data of singers and guitarists, so finally one of 'em admitted, "yeah, dude, it's Guitar Hero 3."

So I've just assumed for six months that that's where my work wound up.

Nowadays I'm working at Viacom, and the Harmonix PR crew works down the hall (though not development, they're in Boston. ) Anyway, I chatted them up yesterday, told them about the work I'd done and the timeframe, and they corrected me - nope, the title that work was for was Rock Band, NOT GH. Apparently at that time they weren't ready to tell their contractors about their publisher split or new title.

So long story short, I guess my preference has changed since yesterday, for entirely egocentric reasons!

That's awesome! Are you going to be listed in the credits for Rock Band?

[Doktor Gonzo]

That's awesome! Are you going to be listed in the credits for Rock Band?

Man, that'd be SWEET, but I very much doubt it -- they'll probably list the contractor (Curious Pictures) but not the staff there. My experience is that any time I've gotten a pro credit (all 3 of 'em ), I've had to sign an affadavit agreeing to my role and credit - nobody passed me anything like that here.

On the plus side, I'm hoping to hop on an employee incentive prog for RB when it streets - can you say "major discount"?

[Steve68]

What is the learning curve like on these? I haven't played any of them, but I must admit that I am intrigued. I saw some kids at Fry's playing GH2 a while back, but I noticed that only 1 of them was any good. Is it really that hard to pick up?

[Apollo Leader]

Guitar Queer-o

[mikeszekely]

Mike, you are my kind of man. If they did do that, there would have to be an extra achievement tacked on for if you successfully play the drums with one arm and two foot pedals.

Hey, what can I say? Lately I've been listening to a lot of teeny-bopper bubblegum pop (Jimmy Eat World's new album's pretty good), but Hysteria is still one of the best rock n' roll albums off all time.

I got a chance to play the drums today on Rock Band (as well as have another go on the guitar without a group of kids breathing down my neck for their shot at it). It totally reinforces my notion that Rock Band is a better game than Guitar Hero III. I wasn't very good, but I remember when I played Guitar Hero for the first time, I wasn't any good at that either. But I played well enough to finish Paranoid, tapping my foot as I drummed (which is good, since the real drum controller is supposed to have a foot pedal) and, despite the notes I was constantly missing, feeling for all the world like I was really playing the drums. It totally recaptured that magic I felt when I first played the original Guitar Hero.

Going back to the guitar, I was again struck by how much better the Rock Band Strat is than the Guitar Hero controllers. The paddle is thinner, so it feels more like picking than pushing a paddle. The second set of buttons at the base of the neck are closer together and allow for faster play than the ones at the top.

When playing solo, either with drums or guitar, at some point in the song it'll look like a rainbow is coming down at you. This is your cue to play whatever you want as fast as you can to build up a bonus. There's a catch, though... immediately at the end there will be some real notes again, and if you miss them, you lose your whole bonus.

Seriously, November 20th can't come fast enough.

[mikeszekely]

Timmy & the Lords of the Underworld is a Rock Band Bonus Track.

It looks like a lot of the other tracks are from guys who did bonus tracks in Guitar Hero I and II.

[Roy Focker]

I ain't buying it till they have Reach for the Skyler.

[Apollo Leader]

Timmy & the Lords of the Underworld is a Rock Band Bonus Track.

It looks like a lot of the other tracks are from guys who did bonus tracks in Guitar Hero I and II.

No way! Actually that had been on my personal list of songs for either GH or RB that I thought would be cute if down but never thought anyone would do it.

Now someone has to pick up the rights to the Team America theme song (granted it would probably be heavily censored or the game would be rated M).

[Apollo Leader]

I ain't buying it till they have Reach for the Skyler.

Probably future DLC.

[Phyrox]

If I wanted to play the guitar for fun I would...you know, play a guitar for fun.

I don't understand how playing a Dance-Dance-Revolution version of music making could be fun.

Edited November 13, 2007 by Phyrox

[areaseven]

For those playing GH3, what character & guitar do you use?

Currently, I'm using Axel Steel and the GH black controller.

[mikeszekely]

If I wanted to play the guitar for fun I would...you know, play a guitar for fun.

I don't understand how playing a Dance-Dance-Revolution version of music making could be fun.

As I said earlier in this thread, if you're blessed with the talent to play a real guitar, good for you. A lot of us aren't, but we still love music and wish that we could interact with it in some other way than singing along with the radio on the way to work. Harmonix is a studio comprised of people who love music, and unlike DDR (which feels more like stomping than dancing, if you ask me), as someone with zero actual musical talent, playing Guitar Hero (and later Rock Band) made me feel like I was playing music.

What I don't get is why guitarists feel the need to go into threads about a game they won't/don't/haven't played to tell us they'd rather play a real guitar.

For those playing GH3, what character & guitar do you use?

Currently, I'm using Axel Steel and the GH black controller.

You mean the SG that came with the original, right? I was using the SG, but I got a used Kramer (the wireless one that came with Guitar Hero III). And I was playing as Midori. Since I've got Rock Band reserved, I'll just need the wireless Les Paul that comes with the 360 versions to one of each guitar controller model.

[areaseven]

What I don't get is why guitarists feel the need to go into threads about a game they won't/don't/haven't played to tell us they'd rather play a real guitar.

You mean the SG that came with the original, right? I was using the SG, but I got a used Kramer (the wireless one that came with Guitar Hero III). And I was playing as Midori. Since I've got Rock Band reserved, I'll just need the wireless Les Paul that comes with the 360 versions to one of each guitar controller model.

Actually, what I meant was that after scoring some cash in the game, I went to Guitar Center to unlock the red and black SG controllers. I also unlocked Slash after beating him in Battle Mode.

[Phyrox]

What I don't get is why guitarists feel the need to go into threads about a game they won't/don't/haven't played to tell us they'd rather play a real guitar.

You have me wrong. I don't play the guitar. If I was inclined to interact with the music in some way, I can't imagine that I would rather play this game than grab a real instrument (a cheap one) and try to play along with my favorite songs.

In the same amount of time, I would hear the same great music, but might actually learn something about real music making. All while having a good time.

[mikeszekely]

Actually, what I meant was that after scoring some cash in the game, I went to Guitar Center to unlock the red and black SG controllers. I also unlocked Slash after beating him in Battle Mode.

Oh, in game. I was using the powder blue SG, I think. The guitar one, not the controller one. I was really disappointed with the selection in GHIII. They replaced a lot of guitars and paints from GHII with shills like the Axe guitar.

You have me wrong. I don't play the guitar. If I was inclined to interact with the music in some way, I can't imagine that I would rather play this game than grab a real instrument (a cheap one) and try to play along with my favorite songs.

In the same amount of time, I would hear the same great music, but might actually learn something about real music making. All while having a good time.

If only it were that easy. My dad's a guitarist, and I've tried to learn the guitar from him several times. I never managed to play more than scales, and slowly at that. Almost anybody can play Guitar Hero on Easy and pass a song on their first try. Even if you're blessed with more musical talent than I (and honestly, who isn't?) I think you'll find it takes a lot more time and effort to learn the guitar than Guitar Hero, and you might find that you're never any good at the real guitar (sigh).

If you've never played a Guitar Hero game, I really do suggest that the next time you're at Best Buy or Wal-Mart or somewhere with a Guitar Hero demo, you give it a try. Harmonix are developers who are obviously deeply passionate about music, and they tried to bring us a music game that feels more like playing music than stomping on random arrows. I don't know if it's the same for everyone, but the first time I played Guitar Hero, I felt like I was actually playing music. When I tried the drums in Rock Band, I felt the same way. If you still don't like it, that's fine, heck, I don't like Ocarina of Time. But at least you gave the game a fair shake instead of writing it off.

I'm not saying, BTW, that Guitar Hero is better than a real guitar, just that GH is easier to pick up and play and that I think it's a fun game. Learning a real instrument can be a wonderful and rewarding pass time.

[mpchi]

In another words, Dance Dance Revolution players should go to learn how to dance for real instead... Hope that doesn't apply to shooters LOL.

Sorry, can't help it. Hehe.

Edited November 15, 2007 by mpchi

[Apollo Leader]

Rock Band DLC better priced then Guitar Hero II/III DLC. hope this is a wake up call to Activision and Red Octane.

As for the Guitar Hero haters out there, it's just a game. It's meant to be fun. Heck it's even put in the seed in me to maybe try the real thing.

[mikeszekely]

In another words, Dance Dance Revolution players should go to learn how to dance for real instead... Hope that doesn't apply to shooters LOL.

Sorry, can't help it. Hehe.

Well, I don't think it's that DDR players should go out and learn to dance for real. In fact, I've seen serious players who do dance when playing it. And good for them. And I'm not saying that people shouldn't play DDR, I just don't feel like defending it the way I do Rock Band or Guitar Hero. For me, it's more like a stomping game than dancing. I see an arrow, and I stomp on it. I don't get it. But I don't go around to DDR threads, post about how I don't get it, and go on to tell DDR fans that I'd rather dance for real. And yet, in Guitar Hero threads throughout the web, we get people posting about how they'd rather play a real guitar. Why? Do they feel a need to belittle a videogame because they see it as an inferior to the real thing? Are they coming with genuine hubris to try and understand why people like it? If it's the former, condensation isn't going to convert people who enjoy the game, and if it's the latter, nothing we say is going to help them get it. All they can do is play it and see for themselves, and if they still don't like it, then it's just not their thing. You can't please everyone, right?