[BLOG] Guitar Hero: World Tour
I've had a few days to let the game sink in, so I thought I would continue the trend of game reviews by reviewing Guitar Hero: World Tour. I reviewed this game on PS3, so bear in mind that there may be some differences between the PS3, 360, PS2, Wii, and PC versions.
First thing I noticed was the price. For the current-gen consoles, the game runs 180 USD for the game disc, guitar, drum kit, and mic, which is what Rock Band 2 comes with, but for almost 50 USD cheaper. I can only assume the price difference is because the Guitar Hero equipment is wireless.
Once I bought the game and brought it home, I unpacked the box. The game came with 2 packs of 2 AA batteries, one for the drums and one for the guitar. These batteries are lame, however, because they seem to be half dead when you put em in. The drum set itself is very different than the Rock Band one, as it has 5 pads. It has 3 on the base, and two triangular raised ones that function as cymbals. Also, there is nowhere to secure the pedal (which is significantly stronger than the Rock Band stock pedal), but this is fine because the pedal stays still because it has both pads and velcro on it.
The guitar is pretty much unchanged from the Les Paul, with the exception of button location and shape. The biggest difference is the inclusion of a slider bar, where you can play special solos, strum, or modify the wah on sustains.
I did have problems with the drum set, however. The pedal would register a kick when I lifted it up and several times when I put it down, which is a major let-down because now I have to send it back and wait to get a new one. Also, after about 4 hours, the yellow pad stopped working, but once I pushed the plug in hard enough, it began to work again.
Gameplay is very much like Rock Band, but the diffuculty seems to be higher. If you (for some reason) need something easier than easy, a 'beginner' diffucluty has been added. The game has songs from many generes, including 'Santeria' by Sublime, 'Trapped Under Ice' by Metallica, 'Sweet Home Alabama' by Lynard Skynard, 'Band on The Run' by Wings, and 'Hotel California' by The Eagles.
One of the most unique parts of the game is how you are evaluated as a band. Instead of someone losing out and beinging the whole game down for their friend, like in Rock Band, when a bandmate enters the red in Guitar Hero, he gradually brings down the overall Rock meter untill it fails. This gives the failing badmate a chance to pull from the band wide Star Power pool to save themselves.
On the topic of Star Power, every instrument (other than guitar) activates star power differently than in Rock Band. A drummer needs to hit both cymbals at the same time and the singer needs to smack his mic. This will pull a bulb from the Star Power pool, and since activating Star Power pulls only a bulb and not the whole meter, it can be strategically saved and used more often, when it is needed.
DLC seems good, but it looks like Activision is going to milk you for it. So far, you can't buy any songs in a pack seperately (so far the only pack you need to pay for that are out are the entire 'Death Magnetic' album by Metallica and a classic rock pack), forcing you to get the whole pack for a single song.
Overall, the game is fun, but if you are planning to buy, wait a month for Activision to clear up all their hardware issues and buy the good stuff. I give it an 8 out of 10.
First thing I noticed was the price. For the current-gen consoles, the game runs 180 USD for the game disc, guitar, drum kit, and mic, which is what Rock Band 2 comes with, but for almost 50 USD cheaper. I can only assume the price difference is because the Guitar Hero equipment is wireless.
Once I bought the game and brought it home, I unpacked the box. The game came with 2 packs of 2 AA batteries, one for the drums and one for the guitar. These batteries are lame, however, because they seem to be half dead when you put em in. The drum set itself is very different than the Rock Band one, as it has 5 pads. It has 3 on the base, and two triangular raised ones that function as cymbals. Also, there is nowhere to secure the pedal (which is significantly stronger than the Rock Band stock pedal), but this is fine because the pedal stays still because it has both pads and velcro on it.
The guitar is pretty much unchanged from the Les Paul, with the exception of button location and shape. The biggest difference is the inclusion of a slider bar, where you can play special solos, strum, or modify the wah on sustains.
I did have problems with the drum set, however. The pedal would register a kick when I lifted it up and several times when I put it down, which is a major let-down because now I have to send it back and wait to get a new one. Also, after about 4 hours, the yellow pad stopped working, but once I pushed the plug in hard enough, it began to work again.
Gameplay is very much like Rock Band, but the diffuculty seems to be higher. If you (for some reason) need something easier than easy, a 'beginner' diffucluty has been added. The game has songs from many generes, including 'Santeria' by Sublime, 'Trapped Under Ice' by Metallica, 'Sweet Home Alabama' by Lynard Skynard, 'Band on The Run' by Wings, and 'Hotel California' by The Eagles.
One of the most unique parts of the game is how you are evaluated as a band. Instead of someone losing out and beinging the whole game down for their friend, like in Rock Band, when a bandmate enters the red in Guitar Hero, he gradually brings down the overall Rock meter untill it fails. This gives the failing badmate a chance to pull from the band wide Star Power pool to save themselves.
On the topic of Star Power, every instrument (other than guitar) activates star power differently than in Rock Band. A drummer needs to hit both cymbals at the same time and the singer needs to smack his mic. This will pull a bulb from the Star Power pool, and since activating Star Power pulls only a bulb and not the whole meter, it can be strategically saved and used more often, when it is needed.
DLC seems good, but it looks like Activision is going to milk you for it. So far, you can't buy any songs in a pack seperately (so far the only pack you need to pay for that are out are the entire 'Death Magnetic' album by Metallica and a classic rock pack), forcing you to get the whole pack for a single song.
Overall, the game is fun, but if you are planning to buy, wait a month for Activision to clear up all their hardware issues and buy the good stuff. I give it an 8 out of 10.
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