Guitar Hero / Rock Band

[David]

my dad just got a PS2 the other day. hes already gotten battlefront and we have been playing it like crazy. he played guitarhero2 at my aunts house before, and really wants it for his PS2. hasnt gotten this game yet. i know little about it, though.

[Madcow]

Damn, there's barely any love in here for real guitars.  So I'll show ya mine! 

Don't worry Nick, I've got love for real guitars. I've been playing Guitar and Bass for about 10 years now. Currently my arsenal is a Warwick FNA 4-string, Ibanez 4-string, Fender Acoustic 4-string. Ibanez acoustic 6-string and Fender Strat 6-string...

I love the first GH but haven't gotten around to picking up the second. As to whoever said playing GH wouldn't help you on guitar, I beg to differ. While it may not teach you chords or proper fingering technique, it WILL teach you the most important aspect of guitar playing, rhythm. You can have all the training in the world but if you don't have rhythm, you don't have a leg to stand on. GH is all about rhythm and timing which are extremely crucial in playing music...

[Nicklab]

Oh, don't worry about me.  There's more.  And more.  AND MORE! 

[Matt]

As to whoever said playing GH wouldn't help you on guitar, I beg to differ. While it may not teach you chords or proper fingering technique, it WILL teach you the most important aspect of guitar playing, rhythm. You can have all the training in the world but if you don't have rhythm, you don't have a leg to stand on. GH is all about rhythm and timing which are extremely crucial in playing music...

That's a good point and something I was thinking about the other day.  I do think there are probably some aspects of GH that would help out in playing a real guitar.  Rhythm and timing, as you mentioned, along with the sheer mechanics of training and coordinating your fingers (on both hands) to work together.  I still don't think it's any kind of substitute for picking up a real guitar and taking a lesson, but it certainly doesn't hurt anything, either.

I finished through Medium on GH1. I'm just not quick enough for anything more, which is fine.

The game's got a good learning curve and what seems impossible at first gets easier and easier the more that you practice/play.  I remember the first time I played the first game, also on Medium, thinking how incredibly difficult it seemed.  Then when I got the second game, I blew through Medium in just a couple of days.  So, the more you play, the better you get.

(I say this knowing full well that never in my life will I be able to five-star Buckethead's "Jordan" on Expert.  Yeesh.)

[Darth Slothus]

HaHa ..my kid-brother is good and even HIS hands cramp up playing that damn Jordan song.

[Matt]

I played the first one at a friend's earlier in the year and absolutely loved it.

Said friend's PS2 recently took a dump, and instead of replacing the system, he decided to just get rid of everything, so he sold me his copy of GH1 (along with the black guitar controller) for a song.

So I thought I'd try my hand at customizing the guitar.  Cracked it open the other day, and put it back together as soon as I realized that--hey--I didn't know the first thing about customizing up a plastic guitar.  Plus, I don't know what kind of design I want in the first place.  So I'll think about that, and when I decide on something, maybe I can hit up one of those guys from the GH forum I linked to earlier, to do it for me.

Anyway, I went back and played the first game some, to tackle all the songs that were giving me fits the first time through, and I wound up breezing through pretty much everything except for the last few songs on Expert.  So it's either that I've gotten a lot better since then, or that GH2 is much more difficult than the first game.

I think it's the latter.

Lot of fun, though.  While the second is technically the "better" game, in nearly every aspect, I think I still have more fun playing the first one, for some reason.

---

And in other GH news, the packaging for the 360 version of GH2 was recently unveiled:



Looks pretty spiffy.  And the rumors going 'round are that the "additional songs and downloadable content" will be the songs from the first game, which would be pretty cool.  It would also mean that there'd be very little reason to keep the PS2 version, if you have a 360. . .

[Matt]

And the rumors going 'round are that the "additional songs and downloadable content" will be the songs from the first game, which would be pretty cool.  It would also mean that there'd be very little reason to keep the PS2 version, if you have a 360. . .

Or, the additional songs could be these:

* Billion Dollar Babies (Alice Cooper)
* Dead! (My Chemical Romance)
* Hush (Deep Purple)
* Life Wasted (Pearl Jam)
* Rock N Roll Hoochie Koo (Rick Derringer)
* Possum Kingdom (Toadies)
* Salvation (Rancid)
* The Trooper (Iron Maiden)

Along with two, as-of-now unrevealed titles. . .

[Matt]

Activision Pays Homage With Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80s

Guitar Hero Fans to Get New Axe-Shredding Experience With Tracks From Classic Era

SUNNYVALE, Calif., May 10, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today announced they will be paying homage to a classic rock era with Guitar Hero(TM): Rocks the 80s(TM), available exclusively on the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system. After playing to mass audiences at sold out shows around the world in Guitar Hero II(TM), fans will once again be able to whip out their Gibson-shaped SG guitar controllers and shred to their favorite rock tracks, as the critically acclaimed franchise is scheduled to go on another highly-anticipated world tour this summer.

Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80s will feature visually stunning retro rock venues and hipster characters, unlockable guitars, intense game play modes, and most importantly 30 awesome new songs to experience the ultimate rock star fantasy. The initial list of finger-melting tracks includes:

    *  I Wanna Rock (by Twisted Sister)
    *  I Ran (by Flock of Seagulls)
    *  Round and Round (as made famous by Ratt)
    *  I Want Candy (as made famous by Bow Wow Wow)
    *  Metal Health (as made famous by Quiet Riot)
    *  Holy Diver (as made famous by Dio)
    *  Heat Of The Moment (as made famous by Asia)


"The 80s features an amazing variety of rock genres from hair metal to punk to new wave, and our dedicated Guitar Hero fans will definitely appreciate the opportunity to play all the new and exciting content we've added," said Dusty Welch, head of publishing at RedOctane. "As we delve deeper into the history of rock, we'll continue to offer a fresh experience and even more explosive tracks with the Guitar Hero franchise."

Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80s, published by RedOctane(R) and developed by Harmonix, will be available this summer for the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system. For more information, please visit the dedicated community site www.guitarherogame.com.

[Darth Slothus]

Thanks for posting that Matt, awesome news it sounds like.

[ruiner]

Holy Diver.  Nuff said.

[Madcow]

Holy Diver.  Nuff said.

Amen to that brutha!

I'm excited for this. My wife and I are HUGE fans of the 1st and 2nd game...

[evenflow]

I heard this may get released on the wii, i hope so beucase i think its a great game.

[Matt]

Activision Shreds New Details on Next Guitar Hero(TM) Game

Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Come Out, the Third Installment of Guitar Hero Rocks to a Whole New Level

Activision Shreds New Details on Next Guitar Hero(TM) Game

SUNNYVALE, Calif., May 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- After warming their amps in the basement garage to rocking sold out shows at Stonehenge, fans of Activision, Inc.'s (NASDAQ: ATVI) wildly popular Guitar Hero(TM) franchise will now be able to shred like never before with the next iteration of the game that will be available this fall. The new game will be released on the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system and PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360(TM) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Wii(TM) video game system from Nintendo.

Turning it up to 11, Guitar Hero fans will channel their inner rock god using Gibson Guitar's Les Paul and Kramer models as the industry standard. In addition, players will experience an incredible number of newly added features and explosive content including a new multiplayer action-inspired battle mode, grueling boss battles, a bevy of exclusive unlockable content and authentic rock venues. Expanded online multiplayer game modes will also allow axe-shredders worldwide to compete head-to-head for true legendary rock status.

While continuing to retain all the key features from their prior legendary performances, fresh downloadable content will be offered on multiple platforms, and players can now shred to a killer set list from many of the gnarliest rock songs ever recorded. Delivering more master tracks than ever before, strategic partnerships have been secured with all the major and independent music record labels and publishers to allow unrivaled access to their deep history of music catalogs, along with supplying artists' original recordings for even greater authenticity.

  The initial list of face-melting awesomeness includes:

  *  Paint It Black (by The Rolling Stones)
  *  Cherub Rock (by Smashing Pumpkins)
  *  Sabotage (by Beastie Boys)
  *  The Metal (by Tenacious D)
  *  My Name is Jonas (by Weezer)
  *  Knights of Cydonia (by Muse)
  *  Rock And Roll All Nite (as made famous by Kiss)
  *  School's Out (as made famous by Alice Cooper)
  *  Slow Ride (as made famous by Fog Hat)
  *  Cult of Personality (by Living Colour)
  *  Barracuda (as made famous by Heart)


For the first time ever, Guitar Hero fans will also be able to thrash and burn with new wireless guitar controllers available for each platform. The exclusive Gibson guitars will include innovative features such as removable faceplates that will allow fans to later personalize their guitars and make it their own, and a new button color design that will be integrated for an even greater authentic feel and rock experience. Gibson Guitar's Les Paul model will be the battle axe of choice, and an industry standard for all rock gods on the Xbox 360(TM), PLAYSTATION(R)3 system, and Wii(TM). After much anticipation, PlayStation(R)2 system fans will also be receiving a new exclusive shape as well, the classic Kramer guitar, also a Gibson brand, popularized by hard rockers and known for its body design, pickups, electronics, and construction for furious finger fretting.

"The development team at Neversoft has been exceptional, and we've been able to incorporate a host of fresh new online and multi-player game play modes, along with exciting content into this version of Guitar Hero that our fans have been asking for. Also, many of the top bands and songs we've tried to get in the past are now on board, and we've definitely got some giant aces in the hole to say the least," said Dusty Welch, head of publishing at RedOctane. "In addition, offering a new line of Gibson wireless guitars for each platform is going to truly add to the authentic rock star experience like no other."

Thoughts: 

I'm in love with the song list already.  Cherub Rock?  Sabotage?  The D?  My Name is Jonas?  Knights of Cydonia?  (I've been addicted to that song as of late--listened to it a couple of times just today.)  Cult of Personality?  (I've been hoping for that one.)  Barracuda?  (Oh, hell yeah--I hated that they went with "Crazy on You" for GHII, and thought that they should have gone with Barracuda instead--and now they have.  Awesome.)  That list already kicks ass--and there's still probably thirty songs left to announce. 

The only dud so far?  Paint It Black.  I was hoping they'd save that for Sitar Hero instead.  (groan)

And I've been speculating/hoping that GH3 would be packed in with wireless controllers for all platforms--and now it will.  Fantastic.  And I've been speculating/hoping that they'd do a Les Paul model--and now they will.  Terrific. 

Wireless Les Paul guitar controller.  I think I just creamed my jeans.

And there were a few more songs that were recently revealed for the "Rocks the 80's" game:

    * "18 and Life" - Skid Row
    * "Bathroom Wall" - Faster Pussycat
    * "Lonely is the Night" - Billy Squier
    * "Nothing But a Good Time" - Poison
    * "Play With Me" - Extreme
    * "Shakin'" - Eddie Money
    * "Synchronicity II" - The Police

Forget Halo 3, and GTA 4, and Metal Gear, and Mario Galaxy, and whatever else--I think Christmas 2007 is gonna belong to the Guitar Hero franchise. . .

[Matt]

Oh, and tracks from Queens of the Stone Age and The Revolvers (Is that what we're calling them?  The Revolvers?) are also confirmed to be in GHIII--although it's not yet known exactly what those tracks will be. . .

[Diddly]

Looking forward to both new games, and I'm very glad to see they're still pumping it out for PS2. The wireless guitar should be awesome too, now people coming in my room won't trip over the controller when I'm playing.