Guitar Hero III Legends of Rock Xbox 360 Review

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November 18th, 2007 Rich Reed Leave a comment Go to comments

If you have listened to our podcasts, you know we have been talking about GH: III and what to expect. Personally, I had a feeling with the added wireless guitar and online play, the game was going to be a good title. I also saw the song list has a wide variety which was another benefit for someone who liked Guitar Hero II. My main concern was that another title is right around the corner from the original developers, Harmonix, and that the game would be in the hands of Neversoft.

The game has been out for a week and is a hit for Activision as you can see from our recent news post. Even Matt and Trey are airing a special South Park episode around the game. So it looks like everyone loves Guitar Hero III Legends of Rock. The real questions remain: how did Neversoft handle the game and is it worth buying the new wireless controller? Read the full review and find out.

GamePlay

Right away GH: III is impressive with over 70 songs and a lot of them done by the original artists this time instead of sound alike bands. Then there is the wireless guitar which is great and I’ll cover that in the control section, but it is worth mentioning as it adds to the gameplay. I want to be honest while I always try and keep an open mind, I could not help but look for changes due to the fact Harmonix was not making this game. I started the single-player mode first and liked what I saw. While the boss battles are interesting, once you learn the right weakness to throw at the boss, it’s not really that hard. The overall format has not changed, but I did notice that the easy mode seemed rather too easy.

The next level up is significantly more challenging. It seemed a bit unbalanced. The great thing about GH: II was the levels were balanced and seemed to make sense. At times the hardness jumps way up and may cause younger players to get a bit frustrated. The game has a steep curve when it comes to each level and I think this is something that should have been tweaked, but again the game keeps you entertained and that’s why you’re playing the game. Of course die-hard fans will like the challenge.

Ok, so the levels are harder this time and the boss battles are a bit easier than I thought. Overall the game is great. The song list includes something for everyone’s taste and are all done very well. The story of the young band and the cut-scenes are nice but you know where it’s heading. So after comparing the two games, I just played it to enjoy it and I must admit the game is fun and challenging. I also liked that they added a deeper tutorial to teach the basics of the game. Once you start playing the game, time passes by quickly and the game draws you in and that is a compliment. I still noticed a few things missing from the Harmonix team, but I also thought what Neversoft and redOctane added made up for those small things I was used to.

Once you beat the easy mode, the credits role and you start playing the song Through Fire and Flames by Dragonforce. The song is insane and is a finger breaker but I loved this. No score, the credits are rolling and I am sitting there trying to beat this song. It sets you up nicely for the next difficulty level. The old characters are back along with the shop to buy new tracks, guitars, outfits and finishes as well as a few videos featuring Slash, Brett Michaels and Tom Morello. You get sucked in and that is the most impressive part of the game. While the core game has not changed, they made it so you want to keep playing. Overall the single player career is solid and well done.

Control

The question I am getting the most is on the new wireless Les Paul that comes in the bundle. Yes, the guitar is sweet and feels almost real. It has the weight added and unlike the wired guitar does not feel like your going to break it. Of course the added faceplate switching is nice, but that is really just bells and whistles added. My main concern was if it would be responsive, if the headset would be easier to use, and the length of the battery life. You will notice a big difference talking with the headset with the wireless Les Paul. I did not have any issues with the two piece design or any buttons not responding. If I had any complaint, it was they did not have it fit the Xbox 360 battery pack, so I opted to use AA batteries.

Battery life is impressive and if you want to spend another $15.00-$20.00, I suggest buying a rechargeable battery pack and charger. Life span is about 20 hours and connecting and syncing the guitar is simple. Impressive is the only thing I can say and it really gives the gamer the feeling of a real guitar. Sadly it won’t fit in the bag made for the wired guitar but this is to be expected. The buttons seem more responsive and a bit more solid. This is the perfect addition to the game. Also it is easy to navigate through friend’s lists messages etc. I will suggest going to the options and calibrate the guitar and whammy bar after a few sessions to avoid missed notes.

Xbox Live

I wanted an online mode and I know every fan of GH II wanted the same. While GH: III offers online play, it does not have a full online career mode. I don’t know if time would not allow it or if this was something they wanted to test but it is missing. You can battle, compete and play Co-Op, but it’s limited to 7 songs per session. While some are disappointed with this, I enjoy it with the option of finding a ranked, battle or just setting up a private room and jamming with a friend. Online I notice little lag although at times missed notes will happen. It is just due to the fact the game requires precise timing and online there is always a chance of a small delay. I would not be doing my job as a reviewer if I said the missing online career mode is a bit of a downer. Then again you have several online options, so I think this may be a trial of things to come. Online is solid and fun but not as deep as some expected.

Graphics

Guitar Hero III Xbox 360 Screenshot

Graphically the game looks really good. They added some new animations and effects. The star power effect looks great and the close- ups of the guitars and special finishes are outstanding. The trouble is at times you may want to see the venue or the solo close-ups and stray away from the fret board costing you to lose a note or two. I was a bit disappointed with Brett Michaels’ look in the game. It just seemed to look a bit too cartoon-like. Slash looks real and Tom as well so maybe they went for the glam rocker look with Brett.

Guitar Hero 3 Xbox 360 Screenshot

There are a few issues with slowdown but not enough to say it affects the gameplay at all. I could have done with a few less commercial tie-ins, but I know they wanted to feature real gear from companies. Overall, the game looks great and I was surprised at how Neversoft pulled off the whole game.

Guitar Hero 3 Xbox 360 Screenshot

Audio

The songs even from sound alike bands sound good and are crystal clear. I even got the bonus download pack with AFI, FlyLeaf and Marilyn Manson and was impressed at the quality. The only song that sounds a little off is Paint it Black by the Rolling Stones, but after listening to the track again, I think this is the original version and that may explain why it sounds distorted. The added voiceover’s and added effects helps created the rock experience gamers are looking for and I had no complaints in this part of the game.

Replay Value

Guitar Hero: III Legends of Rock offers a lot of replay for those wanting it but you have to play through each career mode and the online mode to get the most out of it. Also with downloadable content soon on the way “depending on the price”, it seems the game will always offer more replay value. I also like the stats kept online and I know some had trouble linking their tag at first. RedOctane sent word no one should have trouble now and the stats are slowly showing up but still a bit behind. The online aspect also adds more replay value since now you can jam with a friend for fun or try and take on someone in a battle and see who is better.

Bottom Line

Overall Score: 8.4/10

Additional Comments

I could go on about this title and I know I only touched the surface but the game is really good. I think if they would have added the full online career mode, it would have made it a great game and hard to beat. As it is, Guitar Hero III shows off a lot and offers plenty for the fans of the series. There are a few issues and it was expected to a point, but it looks like the franchise is still going strong. I am interested to see if they decide to restructure the downloadable content prices. If they drop them, the game is certainly off to a great start.

XBox Solution