REVIEW: Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock
By Shaun Hatton - February 7th, 2008
Faces only groupies could love. Xbox 360 version reviewed. Also available for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and Wii.
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It’s a game that brings out the inner guitar god, and it doesn’t take a lot of effort or talent to play on the easier levels. Perhaps it’s this fact that makes some people who actually know how to play guitar thumb their noses at the game. Not that I have ever cared about what they had to say, but those people just need to learn to have fun.
So I suppose one might wonder why it took so long to get this review done. The answer is simple. First, we’ve been way too busy playing Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock to realize that time had passed. Second, we wanted to wait till we reviewed Rock Band before getting to the meat of Guitar Hero 3. After all, both games offer users a similar, though different enough, experience.
Each game has its pros and cons. Is it fair to review GH3 in light of the mammoth that is Rock Band? Probably not. But it’s also not fair to you if you have to choose between the two. This is where we come in.
You’ve probably played a Guitar Hero game before. In this respect, you’ll know what to expect. Notes scroll along a vertical fret board and you have to match them by holding down the coloured keys and strumming when they pass by the time marker. Simple enough for most people to pick up. The fun really kicks in once you boost the difficulty past the easy mode. In fact, don’t even bother playing easy. It’s a cakewalk and the only real reason to play through on that level is if you absolutely must get every achievement. On the medium difficulty setting, the game presents a very comfortable learning curve.
The song selection in GH3 is my favourite among the four installments of the series (Don’t forget the Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s title [though you may have wanted to]) and features many original-version tracks along with very well-performed cover tunes. It doesn’t take long to find your groove and rock out to “My Name is Jonas” by Weezer, “Paint it Black” by the Rolling Stones, and “Cherub Rock” by the Smashing Pumpkins, to name a few (not to mention my personal favourites).
The Gibson Les Paul mini-guitar included with the Xbox 360 version is both responsive and comfortable. As a plus, it can also be used with Rock Band.
And on that note, how does it compare with the nearly double-priced Rock Band? Quite good, in fact. Guitar Hero 3 is one hell of the deal and definitely worth getting for any rock fan who’s dreamed of stardom. It’s also easier to find and afford, making it an easy purchasing decision. Ideally, though, you’ll want to pick up both.
Score Breakdown:
Graphics: 8
Sound: 10
Control: 10
Fun: 10
Replay Value: 10
OVERALL SCORE: 10/10
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5 responses so far:I actually play the guitar, and I think that these types of games are immensely fun. :)
There is something to be said about being on a virtual stage with a “responsive” audience.
If you like the guitar, and only the guitar, and you play mostly alone, Guitar Hero is the series for you.
However if you at all enjoy playing with other people, you just can’t go back once you have played Rock Band.
I’m curious to see what Activision brings to the table with Guitar Hero IV.
They’ll put 2 blow-up dolls called “groupies” in there that will blow you to get backstage.
Seriously.
I don’t know how they will top Rock Band without starting to include more instruments or at least some interesting mini games.
I own all 4 titles in the GH series, bought a PS2 just to play GH, actually, and we have a ball with it on my ship. And while some of the people who actually play real guitar have trouble with it at first (their instinct is to try and play all the notes that they KNOW are there, not just what’s given to play on the screen), they all have fun with it. I get calls all the time to bring my “Game Bag” down to the staff bar to get some GH going.
Guitar Hero is still immensely fun despite now having to exist under Rock Band’s shadow.