I Wanna Rock And Roll All Night....and Play This Everyday! (Guitar Hero 3: Legends Of Rock (Xbox 360))

Member Name: BTlover

Product:	Guitar Hero 3: Legends Of Rock (Xbox 360)
Date:	21/12/07 (68 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Impressive songlist, online play.

Disadvantages: No multiplayer for the Wii versions.

Music has been with us forever, even since the ages of hard rocks. (You may kill me with a stone for that joke) So far, video games have given us the options of dancing, bongos and drums, but the most popular version of music so far has been that of the guitar. The Guitar Hero series is known for the fact that, in order to play the games, you must have a guitar controller to plug in to your game console. In the beginning, it was the lone PS2 that played Guitar Hero. When the sequel came out, both the PS2 and the Xbox 360 carried it, as well as new controllers. However, the newest version, Guitar Hero III, is enlisting guitars to the PS2, Xbox 360, PS3, PC and Mac, and even the Nintendo Wii. Of course, there are some console exclusives as well, with the Xbox 360 and PS3 getting exclusive characters, and the PS2 and Wii getting exclusive characters as well. Also, the Wii technically has an exclusive guitar because of it requiring the Wii-mote. And how does it fair as a game all it's own? Well, there's no better time than now to find out.

You are the lead guitarist in a band, as you and your band perform at different locales, growing from a garage band to having gigs at a club/bar to full-on concert tours. That's the basic gist of career mode, at least. Honestly, did you expect much depth from a game with a guitar? "I will beat you with my rock music! CHA!" "GAH! You are too strong for me! CURSE YOU!" ................ahem, moving on. ^_^

Now, seeing as the game is on multiple systems, I thought I'd try and look into all of the versions' graphics.

PS2 - Rather similar looks to its predecessor. Almost seems pointless to include on the PS2 when it's higher-up, the PS3, has a version all it's own.

Xbox 360 - Awesome graphics, might be the best of all versions.

PS3 - Whoops, I spoke too soon. The PS3 graphics appear to be the most realistic looking.

Nintendo Wii - Wow...what a difference. Compared to the other versions, the graphics for this game are the worst of all versions, but, depending on how you see it, it doesn't exactly say much.

Tweaks and blips all around, this game is a MUSIC game and is a powerhouse, absolutely. 71 songs, in all, for you to play to your heart's content. Amazingly, only 10 of the songs are cover versions, everything else being a master copy (in other words, the original song by the original band). That's right, you've got songs like "My Name is Jonas" (One of my own favorite songs), "Cliffs of Dover" (wonderful instrumental piece of music), and even "Welcome to the Jungle" by Gunz and Roses. You really feel like you're playing the whole music with a guitar thanks to awesome soundtrack and additional sounds you have to make. For example, the whammy bar changes the pitch of the long notes you play. One other thing is that, in the Wii guitar controller, because the guitar utilizes the Wii-mote, the speaker within it will make scratchy guitar sounds if you're not playing the game right. It does tend to get a little annoying with the noise, but that push only makes you want to finish "Knights of Cydonia" properly. Wonderful sound, completely matches this game.

Gameplay: For those who have never played the series until now, you have a guitar controller. There are 5 fret buttons on the handle, which you must press to select a note and, in combination with the strumming bar, allows you to play the note. There are short notes, for quick strums, and then there are long notes, allowing you to use the whammy bar whilst holding the fret button for bonus points. Hammer-ons and pull-offs can be made, simulating a guitar as much as possible. If you miss a note, you lose part of your performance meter, gaining a lot of 'BOO's from the crowd. If you continuously miss notes, causing your performance meter to drop, you lose the song. However you have a trick up your sleeve, and that is your multiplier and Star Power. Star Power is gained through hitting notes with starred notes. If you get it high enough, you can activate it, doubling your multiplier score and reducing the amount of performance you may lose from hitting a note. In other words, when Star Power comes around, use it for the really rock-hard moments.

As for options for the game, you have career mode (which you must go through entirely in order to unlock all the songs and characters), co-op career mode (you and a friend play the lead or bass/rhythm guitar and proceed through career mode again), quickplay mode, and finally online play. Yes, there is online play for the Wii, but it is a friend-code system once again. To play online play properly, you will need to practice from easy to expert difficulties immediately because Guitar Hero experts and enthusiasts are going to be dominating the entire stage. But, these options certainly give a replay value out of the game

But, my big iffy with this game is that it is bundled with a game, yes? Then, good luck finding some guitars to use for the game. It truly is difficult to find a Wii version guitar, so you can only play single player for now. Oh well...

Overall, I am amazed with the song list for this year's version, though it's possible that other players may find some songs easier than the previous game's songs. However, I give this my sharp recommendation for a holiday gift.

Summary: For the holiday season, and with families gathering, this will be one of the life's of the party.