First Look:
Guitar Hero III
I hated the very idea of this game to start with. Being a jaded and somewhat angst filled, failed punk rock superstar, I immediately looked down my nose at those who had to live vicariously through the console instead of hitting the jam space in person. I’m glad I got over myself.
The skies darkened considerably as the throng of punks and skins edged towards the front of the stage. A sickly, fetid breeze wafted across the the hills and became recognizable as smell of hardcore. Amps crackled, the double bass began it’s gattling gun assault and the screech of a pick groaned along the fretboard of the cherry red-Gibson semi acoustic hollow bodied guitar. Muscles tensed and tattoos danced as the crepe soled creepers came high off the floor and a snarling distortion pedal chokes out the haunting opener of Holiday in Cambodia. Creeping and spinning with the accuracy of a high altitude gunship, peppering the senses with punk rock napalm. The numbers swell and I ........DAMMIT, go and answer the door.
This game really is that good though. I initially paid it no mind as I couldn’t find any cinematic or design merit in such thing. It was a gimmick I thought. Just another way to keep kids from being productive. But Hell it is so very addictive and it keeps you OFF your seat. The song selection is pretty diverse but I’ll touch on that later. What I am really impressed by is the artwork done by the guys over at Neversoft. Certainly no strangers to the punk rock genre, they have assembled some of the finest poster art I’ve seen. Comparable to Gelnn Barr and Frank Kozak, the little background pieces and animations are absolutely inspiring. The Art of Rock and Roll.It is alive and well in this gem. Mixed with a wretchedly, self denigrating sense of humor, this game had me just lurking through all of the screens enjoying its character.
Simple to use, and with many custom add-ons, this would be a fantastic item as a prop in film/tv. It is has become a household name and digital gaming icon. Geek toy or rock ‘n’ roll rail gun, the game runs the gamut from Pat Benetar to Social Distortion, to the Stones and even Slayer. I plan to grab art asap to show but if the guys over at Activision are reading this...PLEASE-make the artwork available somehow.
Gaming
cinematic experience:85%
audio:90%
video:90%
overall design: 95%
sets:90%
characters:90%
story:n/a
play:90%
replay:100%
next gen ranking:85%
AS IT STANDS:
9.5/10