Guitar Hero 3 (Overview)
Welcome ladies and gents to another game review. Today we have a rather old game, but it was requested by a friend of mine. I want to test my writing prowess and get outside my comfort home, so I figured why not. This is Guitar Hero 3 for the PS2, Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii. I've only touched the Wii version, but the other ports aren't that bad. Guitar Hero 3 was developed by Neversoft and published by Activision- Guitar Hero 3 is one of the best classic best selling rhythm games of all time back in 2007 (at least in the west. Japan has some pretty good rhythm games too, but we're not talking about those today). I know Guitar Hero is obsolete these days. Especially with games like Beat Saber basically becoming the staple rhythm game these days. I still would like to talk about this classic in hopes that we get that experience of couch co-op rhythm games with plastic instruments again. It was nostalgic, to say the least, and there was something about it that is kind of hard to explain. Ah well, allow me to give this game justice.
Story and Characters
Needless to say. Guitar Hero 3 had an unexpected story mode. It's called career mode. This mode is in other games, but this is the first game that features a full-length story mode which is portrayed by animated cartoon scenes. It's simple, but fitting. You play as a small-time neighborhood band that tries to make it big. Eventually, they find themselves in the eyes of a gruff looking music producer, and from there, things happen. All tropes of being a band happen here: they make it big, the band brakes up at one point, people think they washed out, the devil is involved at one point. You know, stuff like that. The story sounds small, and that's because it is. It isn't the main focus here, but it was a very nice addition that fans remember fondly.
As for character design, each character has a unique design that just screams rock and roll (which is the idea). Characters from past entries make a return too such as Axel Steel, and Judy Nails. Each version of the game comes with their own exclusive characters like the Wii coming with metalhead while the PS3 version has the Grim Reaper and so forth. These characters are memorable in their own right and very cool to play as in-game.
Gameplay and Features
If you never play a rhythm game before. You can't go wrong with Guitar Hero 3. It was one of the classic pioneers of the genre, and one of the easiest to learn and pick up.
Using your controller peripheral. It's a simple matter of pressing the right buttons at the right time the prompt appears on the screen. Occasionally you'll perform more unique button presses like two-to-four button prompts. That's pretty much it. The goal of the game is to achieve a high score in each track you play. There are also moments in a song where you can activate Star Power which can be achieved by building up the Star Power while getting star notes. While Star Power, notes you get right is doubled on the score multiplier. Sounds easy right? That's the beauty of rhythm games. Low skill floor, but a very high skill ceiling. Songs get harder on the more difficult modes, and pressing the right beat at the time becomes a matter of skill and truly tests how good you are at the game.
The next question your probably asking is "Do I need a guitar controller?". The short answer is no, you can play using a regular controller. The preferred way is to play using the guitar, and it's quite arguably the definitive best way to play the game. I, however, understand that these aren't easy to get anymore depending on where you are.
There's also a very competitive multiplayer mode and a local co-op mode that adds so much fun to the game. There's nothing like being side by side with a friend, rocking out together or competing against one another. I can't imagine these types of games without them.
Lastly, this being an old game. It's not succumbing to the stupidity of microtransactions. Songs and characters can be unlocked through the game. There are additional soundtracks you can download and purchase, but most are free and not all are necessary unless you really like the song. All in all, it's just nice to see and a breathe of fresh air compared to the modern era of gaming. The only thing I have complaints about is exclusive soundtracks. There were a couple only exclusive to the 360 version. All this exclusivity is very annoying, to say the least. It just isn't fair to people who can't afford multiple consoles. Ah well, this is an older game so I can't complain much.
Song Selection
Normally I play a sample of the music, but that isn't necessary here. The songs found here are rather popular, at least for those that are fans of the rock genre. Their songs by famous bands such as the Sex Pistols and Tenacious D. If you count the number of tracks offered in-game (including bonus tracks) there are almost 100 tracks. Song variety is very important to rhythm games, and the choices here are both memorable and perfect for this game.
There's even a modding community to add custom songs on the PC version should you decide to give it a look see.
Conclusion
I know this review was rather short compared to my other ones, but there isn't a whole lot to talk about here. The game is simply a masterpiece and there's no wonder that arcade machines can still be found with this game across the world. It's a shame that the series fell so hard with the future entries, eventually being part of its inevitable downfall. Shame too. It isn't all bleak, however. The rhythm game genre is still going strong with games like Beat Saber or Persona Dancing All Night. Perhaps Guitar Hero will revive one day and become the rock legend it was meant to be.
Still, this was the arguably the best game in the series. It was everything the series was about. Style, humor, awesome music. It was a cult classic that everyone should try. Since it's an old game. It isn't too hard to pick up if you're able, or simply give it a shot at your local arcade if you haven't yet (god knows they need the business).
All that being said, I hope you enjoyed today's review. Be sure to comment on what you think of the game and tell me what I should review next. Ciao my fellow peeps!
(I don't own any images in the review. All rights go to Activision and Neversoft. Please support the official release).
As for character design, each character has a unique design that just screams rock and roll (which is the idea). Characters from past entries make a return too such as Axel Steel, and Judy Nails. Each version of the game comes with their own exclusive characters like the Wii coming with metalhead while the PS3 version has the Grim Reaper and so forth. These characters are memorable in their own right and very cool to play as in-game.
Gameplay and Features
Using your controller peripheral. It's a simple matter of pressing the right buttons at the right time the prompt appears on the screen. Occasionally you'll perform more unique button presses like two-to-four button prompts. That's pretty much it. The goal of the game is to achieve a high score in each track you play. There are also moments in a song where you can activate Star Power which can be achieved by building up the Star Power while getting star notes. While Star Power, notes you get right is doubled on the score multiplier. Sounds easy right? That's the beauty of rhythm games. Low skill floor, but a very high skill ceiling. Songs get harder on the more difficult modes, and pressing the right beat at the time becomes a matter of skill and truly tests how good you are at the game.
The next question your probably asking is "Do I need a guitar controller?". The short answer is no, you can play using a regular controller. The preferred way is to play using the guitar, and it's quite arguably the definitive best way to play the game. I, however, understand that these aren't easy to get anymore depending on where you are.
There's also a very competitive multiplayer mode and a local co-op mode that adds so much fun to the game. There's nothing like being side by side with a friend, rocking out together or competing against one another. I can't imagine these types of games without them.
Lastly, this being an old game. It's not succumbing to the stupidity of microtransactions. Songs and characters can be unlocked through the game. There are additional soundtracks you can download and purchase, but most are free and not all are necessary unless you really like the song. All in all, it's just nice to see and a breathe of fresh air compared to the modern era of gaming. The only thing I have complaints about is exclusive soundtracks. There were a couple only exclusive to the 360 version. All this exclusivity is very annoying, to say the least. It just isn't fair to people who can't afford multiple consoles. Ah well, this is an older game so I can't complain much.
Song Selection
Normally I play a sample of the music, but that isn't necessary here. The songs found here are rather popular, at least for those that are fans of the rock genre. Their songs by famous bands such as the Sex Pistols and Tenacious D. If you count the number of tracks offered in-game (including bonus tracks) there are almost 100 tracks. Song variety is very important to rhythm games, and the choices here are both memorable and perfect for this game.
There's even a modding community to add custom songs on the PC version should you decide to give it a look see.
Conclusion
I know this review was rather short compared to my other ones, but there isn't a whole lot to talk about here. The game is simply a masterpiece and there's no wonder that arcade machines can still be found with this game across the world. It's a shame that the series fell so hard with the future entries, eventually being part of its inevitable downfall. Shame too. It isn't all bleak, however. The rhythm game genre is still going strong with games like Beat Saber or Persona Dancing All Night. Perhaps Guitar Hero will revive one day and become the rock legend it was meant to be.
Still, this was the arguably the best game in the series. It was everything the series was about. Style, humor, awesome music. It was a cult classic that everyone should try. Since it's an old game. It isn't too hard to pick up if you're able, or simply give it a shot at your local arcade if you haven't yet (god knows they need the business).
All that being said, I hope you enjoyed today's review. Be sure to comment on what you think of the game and tell me what I should review next. Ciao my fellow peeps!
(I don't own any images in the review. All rights go to Activision and Neversoft. Please support the official release).
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