Guitar Hero Aerosmith
A Review - By Gaetano Prestia
For those still reminiscing on fond memories of classic rock, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith should bring a tear to your eye. While Aerosmith isn’t a band that will send Gen X’s and Y’s into a frenzy, those who grew up in the 60s and 70s - as well as those with a strong knowledge of classic foundation rock- should find plenty to get excited about with this latest addition to the popular music game franchise. We’ve seen plenty of Guitar Hero games released over the past few years, with three in very quick succession available on the XBOX 360. While GH:A doesn’t have quite the same amount of variety as “full-blown” GH games, it still provides plenty of genuine rock-out moments that should please even the most modest of rock n’ roll fans.
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith is a relatively difficult game to rate. That’s because it can either be very appealing or rather pointless, depending on your situation. If you consider yourself to be a hardcore GH gamer, then you probably won’t see much point in buying this game, especially considering the fantastic track lists available in GH II and III. If you’re a novice GH gamer and haven’t played the franchise in a while, GH:A should fulfil your cravings for a solid music-rhythm game. Finally, if you’re a fan of Aerosmith, then chances are that this game will rock your socks off.
If you’ve played Guitar Hero III, then expect pretty much the same feel from this title. It looks, plays and presents exactly the same as its predecessor. Most of the animations are the same, most of the characters are the same and a majority of the guitars are the same. Fortunately, there are Aerosmith-centric features, such as character models of the band as well as DMC, a Joe Perry-modelled guitar collection and a whole bunch of interesting video interviews that give you an insight into Aerosmith’s beginnings and history. When you bundle all of that with a pretty awesome Aerosmith track list, you have a pretty decent GH title.
There’s about 40 tracks all-up in career mode, 31 of which are available as you progress. Each set-list has three Aerosmith tracks as well as two from other rock bands. Other classic tracks from Aerosmith and Joe Perry are available as unlockable and purchases. What’s disappointing is that this a full priced game and there won’t be any future DLC available for it.
Most of the non-Aerosmith songs are covers but like in previous GH games, they’re done with enough class and perfection that they get the job done. While no where near as powerful and rocked out as the original versions, Activision have once again done a good job of sourcing out good covers.
While Guitar Hero: Aerosmith won’t offer anywhere near as much variety as the other games in the series, it will definitely satisfy those with a fascination for Aerosmith. The game successfully captures their emotion and direction and most of the tracks included make for some good ol’ fashioned lounge-room rocking. The older Aerosmith songs are well and truly above and beyond the newer ones, which are more toned down. What’s rather enjoyable is that the game also gives you some impressive interviews with the band. Each performance in career mode is split up into their history, with their first ever performance at Nipmuc High being the first location in the game. There are some nicely edited and speedy interviews with each band member that give an insight into their rise to fame.
There is a bit of a catch-22 situation when it comes to the games difficulty. Overall, the difficulty level is significantly lower than previous GH titles. This may be a bit of a deterrent for veteran GH gamers, however it should be an attraction for those new to the series. You can rock out to awesome Joe Perry guitar riffs with ease on Medium in this title, whereas a similar track in GH III may have been impossible for a new player to the series. Therefore, anyone who is familiar with the GH universe might fly through the track-list with ease.
Overall, Guitar Hero III: Aerosmith is a fun game, but all GH games are. It doesn’t offer anything new and is basically Guitar Hero III with some Aerosmith songs and new character designs. It probably isn’t worth it for hardcore GH folk, but if you’re new to the franchise, this game is probably the way to go. It’s the most accessible of the series and still has plenty of great tracks and guitar riffs on offer.
Gameplay
8.0/10
It’s the same old Guitar Hero gameplay that everyone has come to love. Hopefully the series can go in a new direction soon, though. GH:A is also very accessible for those new to the series.
Graphics
6.0/10
This isn’t the type of game you look at for graphics. Steve Tyler and Joe Perry look OK, but everyone else looks like robotic clay figures. It’s been the same in every GH game, though.
Sound
8.5/10
If you like Aerosmith, then this is the game for you. It has a wide range of songs from the band from different eras.
Value
5.5/10
40 songs with a confirmation of no future DLC. Expert players will breeze through this title with absolute ease.
Overall
7.0/10
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith is a solid music rhythm game that is accessible and fun, particularly for those new to the Guitar Hero franchise.