Guitar Hero gives air guitar run for its money
Photo courtesy RedOctane
RedOctane’s unique controller is what really makes Guitar Hero what it is. Nothing makes a man feel like Eddie Van Halen quite like wailing on the wammy bar during a 45-second held note.
Ever want to play guitar like the guys in Franz Ferdinand, Boston or even Ozzy Osbourne? While Guitar Hero may not let you do that, it will let you get as close as you can with a mock-up, plastic guitar. Harmonix--the musical masters behind other music games like Karaoke Revolution and Amplitude--bring this unique experience to the PS2 with help from RedOctane and their special controller.
The game plays similar to other games of its kind, where you have to play along with the music, but the mechanics are more like a guitar. You hold down one or two of five fret buttons on the neck and move the strum handle up or down to play a note, and there is also a whammy bar to bend the pitch of long notes. People who already know how to play a real guitar might possibly have an edge, but the difficulty level is easily adjustable, so anyone can pick up and play it. Still, there are songs that can give even veterans a challenge.
This may seem similar to another game out there, Konami’s Guitar Freaks, which is only available in Japan and a few U.S. arcades, but this game incorporates real guitar playing techniques like hammer-ons and pull-offs.
Also, Guitar Hero’s song list is much more acceptable to the general American audience. With over 30 licensed covers of popular songs from every genre of rock and several tunes made just for this game, there is something for everyone, from “Spanish Castle Magic” to “Ace Of Spades” to “Higher Ground.”
Game modes include Career, where your character starts in a basement and ends up in a huge stadium, Quick Play and Multiplayer, where two people trade off playing parts to compete for the high score. The graphics in this game are clever and well done.
The menus all look like posters in some back alley, and the venues of performance are well animated and pleasing to the eye without being distracting. Player characters are nice and interesting too, and the game has a selection of real Gibson guitars for them to play.
Overall, Guitar Hero can be great however you play it. Pulling off crazy runs can be fun by yourself, but it’s even better with friends or at a party. Just don’t get so into acting like a rock star that you miss too many notes. Or smash your controller when you finish. Those can be moderately expensive.
