Comments on: Guitar Hero Mania!!!

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 21:28:13 +0000

Well, the first downloadable content for GHII 360 supposedly came out today, and it sounds like a major rip off to me (as I feared). There are three song packs containing three songs each at 500 points apiece, and the songs are only retreads from the original GH. That’s crap man, 6 bucks for three songs that aren’t even brand new is way too much. $6 should be enough to get like all three song packs. The value per song should be cheaper than that of iTunes given the songs are for a game and aren’t even the real bands. Man, I’m really starting to hate what’s happening with the GH series…

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 10 Apr 2007 15:42:02 +0000

Man, this shit is starting to get ridiculous. According to RedOctane’s FAQ page (http://www.redoctane.us/support-center/index.php?x=&mod_id=2&id=96) a Guitar Hero 3 is coming out this fall for the 360, PS3, PS2 and Wii. GHII just came out on the 360 for crying out loud, and now the next game is coming only a few months later. Now I love the GH series and it’s cool to get confirmation of PS3 and Wii games in the series (as if they were doubted), but this is quickly becoming overkill for me. I’m so tired of what the industry has become now, I don’t need a new game (with only minor upgrades) in a series every fucking year (or within the same year for the 360 lol). Plus with Rock Band coming out in the same time period, there just isn’t going to be anything special about the series/genre anymore, at least not for me. I knew once Activision took over they were going to milk GH dry, but they’re doing it faster than I thought lol.

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 06:13:18 +0000

The song list is my main problem with GHII. It’s good and all, but compared to the original GH I just didn’t find GHII’s songs nearly as memorable or fun to play. And in comparison of time spent with each, I played GH for months and months, but with GHII I went through all the songs and played for about a week, and other than to test out the wireless guitar that came thereafter I haven’t touched it since. There just aren’t that many songs that grabbed me into replaying them over and over like the first game had.

And yep, that’s good to hear that the 360 GHII guitar will work with Rock Band, that’ll definitely help save some cash for those that buy both.

By: jakob187

jakob187 — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 00:22:12 +0000

Zach, that is a very comprehensive look at GHII for 360. I got to play the demo up at Best Buy, and here’s a couple of things I’ll throw in for you, since I have played the PS2 version.

First off, the graphics are actually improved. I could tell the HD and next-gen graphical gleam in the game, and even on the HD TV it was displayed, there was no lag to the game. I asked an attendant if they had to do a lag configure for it, and he said no, the game comes like that. Then again…Best Buy people aren’t the most reliable source for video game info (I used to work there, before you people start bashing me for bashing Best Buy).

Second, the songs on there are the same notes, as I was able to breeze through “Them Bones” and “Beast and the Harlot” (to much reluctance on the A7X song, at that) just fine. As for the jut on the left side (top) of the guitar, that’s just you, man. I’ve been playing real guitar for years, and even owned an Xplorer at one time, and the thing is that it isn’t meant to be played like that at all. You can’t rest your arms on a guitar if you are a rock star!!! You gotta rock out with your proverbial…well, you know what I’m gonna say there. Anyways, it’s just something you gotta get used to. Think like Hetfield, man.

I DID notice, while playing the demo, that whammy bar issue you were talking about. I’ll have to find out if it was the same model, but when it happened, I actually thought it was lag. Good to know it was not. However, I will say that I found the response time on the pick to be a little off. I know I was hitting those notes right on time (again, I’ve played guitar in real life for almost 12 years, I have damn good timing, and Guitar Hero since it came out as a franchise), and they weren’t going. It’s also a little stiffer, which is nice for durability sakes, but I’m not sure how well it would work for those clankers that play on Expert. God, I hate when people play on Expert…can’t even hear the song!!! LOL Also, note to RedOctane: PLEASE PUT THE START BUTTON BACK WHERE YOU HAD IT!!! Sometimes, I get messed up if I move the guitar for Star Power, so the start button is helpful and convenient for some of us clumsier people!!!!!!!!!!

I only got to play one of the new songs added “Life Wasted”, and it was pretty well done. Still, I have to agree with a lot of the original PS2 reviews in saying that the song list just isn’t as solid as the first game was. While I like The Sword and The Living End, I don’t think they were needed on this game. The encore songs are still WAY too long, and you’ll always get that smartass that is like “just one more song and then picks fucking “Free Bird”. Grrrr…. I also miss having the blues on there, as Stevie Ray’s “The Sky Is Crying” was BEGGING to be put on this one, or even some Fats Domino or some B.B. King. On top of that, it would’ve been nice to get a better Rush song than “YYZ”…maybe “Limelight” or something, I don’t know.

But those are a lot of minor things that’s across all versions really…I’m a rock encyclopedia, and would’ve loved to see some different song choices, but still…kudos for having Shadows Fall and All That Remains, even Every Time I Die (which if you haven’t played any of those three hidden songs, do it now, Zach…Shadows Fall is tres bon!!!).

As for Rock Band supporting the 360 controller, that’s nice to know. That actually gives me even MORE reason to pick up a 360 elite bundle when it comes out along with GHII. As far as the downloadable content, from what I’m to understand, there isn’t any main basis for how soon the content will be available, but I do remember hearing that some of the content won’t always be new songs. As long as they add good songs, though, I think it’ll be truly enjoyable (*cough* METALLICA’S ONE *cough*).