Guitar Hero- PS2

[Calis]

Has anyone else picked up this sucker?

Was hanging out with a few people this weekend, and we got bored and ended up at Best Buy, which usually means money is going to be wasted on something, and this time it happened to be Guitar Hero for the PS2, a rhythm-like game where you use..you guessed it, a guitar for your controller. I'm not usually big into this games, but they have their merits.



This game however, is awesome. A little pic of the controller there, it's actually a Mini Gibson SG, which is amusing in itself.

We put in about 7 straight hours on Sunday, and I've been fighting the urge to play it all week. It's pure genius. The difficulty ramps up nicely, easy mode is really easy, it's all on three buttons and there's seldom any chords, normal mode tosses in a 4th button and is when it starts to get tricky. Advanced mode I've just got into and it's really starting to shine there actually, it's hard as hell, but it's added in the 5th button and it really feels like you're playing guitar then.

The soundtrack is perfect also, the only thing I could wish for is more songs. It's got it all, 70's, 80's, 90's, and a couple 00's songs. Here's the song list, there's truly 30 songs, and then there are some unlockable lesser known ones that you can purchase after completing some of the other ones.

Crossroads by Cream is completely kicking my ass right now on Normal, so much so that I just moved up to Advanced to get away from it, damn you Eric Clapton!

So far my personal favorite to play is Ziggy Stardust, and it's probably the easiest, I 5-starred it on my 2nd try in Normal, and I keep on going back to play it again, fun stuff.



# Motorhead - "Ace of Spades"
# Ozzie Osbourne - "Bark at the Moon"
# Audioslave - "Cochise"
# Pantera - "Cowboys From Hell"
# Cream - "Crossroads"
# Sum 41 - "Fat Lip"
# Edgar Winter Group - "Frankenstein"
# Blue Oyster Cult - "Godzilla"
# Burning Brides - "Heart Full of Black"
# The Exies - "Hey You"
# Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Higher Ground"
# Joann Jett - "I Love Rock and Roll"
# The Ramones - "I Wanna Be Sedated"
# Bad Religion - "Infected"
# Black Sabbath - "Iron Man"
# Queen - "Killer Queen"
# Boston - "More Than A Feeling"
# Queens of the Stone Age - "No One Knows"
# ZZ Top - "Sharp Dressed Man"
# Deep Purple - "Smoke on the Water"
# Jimi Hendrix - "Spanish Castle Magic"
# Incubus - "Stellar"
# Megadeth - "Symphony of Destruction"
# The Donnas - "Take It Off"
# Franz Ferdinand - "Take Me Out"
# Stevie Ray Vaughn - "Texas Flood"
# White Zombie - "Thunderkiss 65"
# Helmet - "Unsung"
# Judas Priest - "You Got Another Thing Comin"
# David Bowie - "Ziggy Stardust"
# Acro-Brats - "Call Out"
# Anarchy Club - "Behind the Mask"
# Artillery - "The Breaking Wheel"
# Black Label Society - "Fire It Up"
# Count Zero - "Sail Your Ship By"
# Din - "Fly on the Wall"
# Drist - "Decontrol"
# Freezepop - "Get Ready 2 Rock"
# Graveyard BBQ - "Cheat on the Church"
# Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives - "Hey"
# Made in Mexico - "Farewell Myth"
# Monkey Steal the Peach - "Theme from Guitar Hero"
# The Bags - "Caveman Rejoice"
# The Model Sons - "The Story of my Love"
# The Slip - "Even Rats"
# The Upper Crust - "Eureka! I Found Love"
# Shaimus - "All of This"

The songs are all covers, but they're VERY good for the most part, so much so that you'd swear it was the original on some of them.

I highly recommend it though, most fun "party" game I've played in quite a while, and it does a great job of making you feel like you're actually a kickass guitarist.


Guitar Hero Gamespot Review

There's a review for anyone who wants some more in depth info on it. I highly recommend it.

[Hurst2112]

I don't see Dream Theater's 'Dance of Eternity'...hehe. That's a shredfest. I think the controller would break.

Also, no Nitro songs. Same reason probably.

[MizzouRah]

I think it's time I get this. I've heard it's really addicting and fun when friends are over.

Makes me think of the movie, "School of Rock", which I loved.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I played something very similar to this (maybe the same thing) at a GameWorks arcade in Las Vegas last summer. I'm much more of an XBox guy, but I may get this game and bring out the PS2 to play it.

I had just pledged not to spend any more "fun" money for at least another week, too.

[Ksyrup]

.

[kingnebwsu]

I can't wait to get this game. I was strong and I put it on my X-mas list from my girlfriend. Come Dec. 25, I'll be rockin' out!

[Calis]

Get it, I can't stress enough how great this game is.

To further clarify it's greatness, I had a mini-family gathering over at my place last night.

My Grandma played Thunderkiss '65 by White Zombie..that's a picture for the ages. It's great stuff though, I still can't beat Crossroads, but I beat the other song that had stumped me and was able to move onto the next level, where I just played Texas Flood by SRV which was a blast. I moved on to Cowboys From Hell and Bark at the Moon and was promptly kicked in the ass, those two are tough.

Fun stuff, and it only gets better as you move up in difficulty. I can't wait to grab a 2nd guitar so 2 people can play.

[kingnebwsu]

Time-stamp bug is great lol

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

.

thank you K

[stevew]

Donkey Konga was pretty fun as a party game as well.

[Ksyrup]

That band was insane. Lilke Vinnie Vincent Invasion on steroids. If that's possible.

Did you check your PMs?

[Calis]

I should add, there are amps on the loading screen before starting a song.

They all are turned to 11.

[Ksyrup]

They just don't make bands like this anymore. I guess that's probably a good thing.

When Nitro vocalist, Jim Gillette, set out to shatter crystal goblets with his voice during the video shoot for the band's first single, "Freight Train," director John Seay was not quite prepared. The camera angle was perfect, the goblets exploded, but Gillette's voice was so powerful it also shattered the camera lens. Nitro is now thinking about printing a disclaimer on their concert tickets stating, "We like to shatter no glass before its time, but if we do, there ain't nothing you can do."

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

That band was insane. Lilke Vinnie Vincent Invasion on steroids. If that's possible.

Did you check your PMs?

yes i did. thanks for the vid. audio wan't mixed that great but the imaging was above par.

[heybrad]

This game is awesome.

I had my brother staying with me over Thanksgiving. We made a trip to Best Buy for him to get a microphone so he could start adding audio for The Movies. We saw the demo of Guitar Hero, worked are way in to try it and had to buy. We got the last one in the store. We played it for 3 days straight. We're currently stuck on the medium level trying to complete "Bark at the moon". That hasn't stopped us from going back and spending countless hours perfecting the songs we've already opened up.

This game is a blast. Even my wife got into it and is perfecting Killer Queen. I've become quite good at Iron Man (on medium level). We've got the rhythm part down on most songs but its those friggin solos that throw us off track.

[tanglewood]

How close is this to actually playing guitar?

[Calis]

Originally Posted by heybrad

This game is a blast. Even my wife got into it and is perfecting Killer Queen. I've become quite good at Iron Man (on medium level). We've got the rhythm part down on most songs but its those friggin solos that throw us off track.

Killer Queen was pretty tough I thought. Ziggy Stardust was the first song on Medium I consistently got 5 stars and 100k points on, I just love playing that one. Did you beat Cowboys From Hell? I'm having a harder time with that than I am with Bark at the Moon, and Crossroads is STILL kicking my ass. I've just completely skipped it for now.

Texas Flood is my new addiction though. I love those moments in this game when you just completely zone out, and don't even realize you're hitting every single note on some crazy solo, of course when you do notice you fall to pieces.

As for it being like a real guitar, I'd say not very. I mean, it'll help you with the dexterity as the hand placement is the same and moving frets, but beyond that I don't think it's too close, but my guitar knowledge stops at playing Mary Had a Little Lamb. You sure feel like you're wailing on a guitar though.

[tategter]

Is there a lefty version of the controller or do us southpaws have to play it upside down (Jimmy Hendrix style)

[heybrad]

Originally Posted by Calis

Did you beat Cowboys From Hell? I'm having a harder time with that than I am with Bark at the Moon, and Crossroads is STILL kicking my ass. I've just completely skipped it for now.

Yea, we beat Cowboys from Hell. Not with a great performance but we got through the song. I tried multiple times again last night on Bark at the Moon, but damn, that song is hard. There are times I don't even make it out of the opening to the first chords (like 15% of the song).

Having mastered 5 star performances on Iron Man I'm now working on Symphony of Destruction.

[Lonnie]

I had some leftover birthday money, so I picked this up last night. Oh my... I stayed up until 3 am jamming my ass off. I do play guitar and agree it's not very much like the real thing, although if you do play guitar you will probably be better at using your pinky and performing the hammer on/pull off combos that help with the faster solo sections. Alternate picking comes in very handy as well.

I'm stuck on the last venue of the medium difficulty right now as well. Cowboys from Hell, Bark at the Moon, and Crossroads are all ass kickers. I only made one run through each and decided I better try to get a few hours of sleep. I cleared CFH, but was only a low 3 star. When you get off just a bit in a fast section it is very hard to jump back in. I think I only made it 27% through Bark at the Moon before I was booed off stage. I was even worse on Crossroads, but think I was a little too tired at that point anyway.

One hint: manicure your pick hand thumb nail nice and short. I already started wearing through the gloss on the pick mechanism.

[Ksyrup]

I'm having a hard time understanding what this game is like, except that it appears to be the Wayne's World version of those stupid ass dance video games I see at arcades these days. That whole scene was WAY after my time.

[Lonnie]

Originally Posted by tategter

Is there a lefty version of the controller or do us southpaws have to play it upside down (Jimmy Hendrix style)

There are options in the menu to change the guitar to lefty. So you have to flip it over Jimi. I think the only weird part would be the whammy bar will be on top. The fret buttons would be the same. I guess the display on screen would switch to the first fret being on the right side of the screen when you switch the options in game.

Ksyrup, that is exactly what it is, just less exercise. If you watch the video review at Gamespot it sums it up pretty well and has in game footage.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Ugh. I want this game so badly. Can't afford it yet.

[Calis]

Originally Posted by tategter

Is there a lefty version of the controller or do us southpaws have to play it upside down (Jimmy Hendrix style)

I'm a Southpaw myself, and I haven't had any problem playing it right-handed, but if you have experience playing guitar left-handed I could see how that would be confusing.

Really I think it's pretty handy having your dominate hand working the fret buttons. I haven't tried switching it over yet, probably hurt me more than help at this point.

[Ksyrup]

I have experience playing air guitar left-handed.

So much so, that when I made an aborted attempt to teach myself acoustic guitar a few years ago on a right-handed guitar, I was pretty much limited in what I could do. Pplaying the other way just felt so much more natural and comfortable. I wish I had bought a lefty guitar, but I was going for cheap since I wasn't sure if I was going to follow through with it. Which I didn't. But probably because it wasn't left-handed.

[Hurst2112]

there are several guitars players out there who play a right handed guitar, left handed. Koko Montoya (John Mayall's Bluesbreakers) does this particularly well. Its basically strung as a right hand, but flipped upside down. Low e is on the bottom. Very strange to see and your chords would be all inverted and backwards (if you were a right hander playing it).

guys like Hendrix played a right handed guitar strung in reverse. That's easier to do on a guitar rather than a bass because of smaller guage strings and the nut at the end of the neck.

so there.

[Ksyrup]

For someone teaching himself, I wasn't about to try to learn that way, or try to re-string a guitar. No, I've found that my guitar is much better as a dust-collector sitting near one of the walls of CDs I have. Kinda reminds me where my place in music is.

[Calis]

This is probably a horribly obvious question, but why a right-handed guitar set-up the way it is? I would think you'd want the dominant hand on the frets.

Is it a matter of rhythm being better in your dominant hand?

[Ksyrup]

That was (one of) my (many) problem(s). I had a hard time playing rhythm with my right hand. The fretwork wasn't that much of an issue (not that I played anything remotely strenuous - basically just learned some chords). Playing left handed is much smoother and naturally fluid for me.

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by Calis

This is probably a horribly obvious question, but why a right-handed guitar set-up the way it is? I would think you'd want the dominant hand on the frets.

Is it a matter of rhythm being better in your dominant hand?

yes.

got to realize that when the guitar was invented, the more intricate playing was with the dominant hand. as shredders came alone, they started to use their left hand more, but you aren't gonna change hundreds of years of guitar technology.

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

That was (one of) my (many) problem(s). I had a hard time playing rhythm with my right hand. The fretwork wasn't that much of an issue (not that I played anything remotely strenuous - basically just learned some chords). Playing left handed is much smoother and naturally fluid for me.

nothing is too intense for mr batio

[McSweeny]

Originally Posted by Calis

This is probably a horribly obvious question, but why a right-handed guitar set-up the way it is? I would think you'd want the dominant hand on the frets.

Is it a matter of rhythm being better in your dominant hand?

this is excatly why i play a left-handed guitar even though i am right handed

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by McSweeny

this is excatly why i play a left-handed guitar even though i am right handed

so do you play inverted or switch the strings?

[Hurst2112]

Dola,

When I drummed, I always ate and shook hands with my weaker left. Got that from Gene Krupa.

Didn't help that much but people would question it sometimes.

[McSweeny]

Originally Posted by Hurst2112

so do you play inverted or switch the strings?

well no

what i mean was, i'm right-handed. however i play a left-handed guitar. my dominant hand does all the fret work and i do the strumming with my left hand

[sterlingice]

I so want to try this game out but I don't have a PS2 or $70

SI

[thesloppy]

Originally Posted by Hurst2112

Also, no Nitro songs. Same reason probably.

HOLY CRAP! Did somebody just mention Nitro on FOFC? Hurst and Ksyrup, you are both outfuckingrageous in my book.

[kingnebwsu]

Got Guitar Hero from the mall tonight...for $80 But, my girlfriend bought it as an x-mas present. Hope I can open it early!

[gkb]

Picked this up on the way home from work tonight, based on this thread. It's a lot of fun...I spent several hours playing tonight.

[tategter]

Originally Posted by thesloppy

HOLY CRAP! Did somebody just mention Nitro on FOFC? Hurst and Ksyrup, you are both outfuckingrageous in my book.

This pic reminds of Poison. When I first saw their debute album I thought they were an all girl band.

Sorry to threadjack....carry on...

[Ksyrup]

Bobby Rock played drums for Nitro, Vinnie Vincent Invasion, AND Nelson.

It's no wonder he calls himself "a modern day renaissance man."

[Lonnie]

I've progressed to Hard mode and am now stuck on venue 5,Queen's of the Stone Age's "No One Knows". It sure gets tough when they through that 5th fret in. In hard mode you have to clear all 5 songs from each venue before the next one opens up. Sure is cool rocking out as the Grim Reaper.

[Lonnie]

Dola,

I don't think this thing has been off much in the past three days. Everyone in the family has been playing it. Very much a recommended Christmas gift for anyone that has a PS2. I'm ordering a second guitar so that we can play multiplayer!

[Hurst2112]

"drugs are for dumbfucks. don't be a dumbfuck"

liner note inside Nitro's O.F.R. cd...hehe

[Pumpy Tudors]

I just got this game tonight and started playing half an hour ago. I can't help myself when I'm playing. I find myself jumping around all over the place, just like my character onscreen. My wife is playing right now, but she's sitting down. Something just seems wrong with that. You should be on your feet when you're rocking!

[Raven]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

I just got this game tonight and started playing half an hour ago. I can't help myself when I'm playing. I find myself jumping around all over the place, just like my character onscreen. My wife is playing right now, but she's sitting down. Something just seems wrong with that. You should be on your feet when you're rocking!

Like I said, Pumpy owns every game ever made!

[Raven]

dola


Are you guys still playing this, or is it beginning to get old? I have it on my christmas list, and if I don't get it, I'll be picking it up on Dec 26th.

[Lonnie]

Just played it some more today. I've gone about as far as I can go career wise. I can't finish Cowboys from Hell or Bark at the Moon on expert. So I've given that up. Now I just do quick play alot and try for high scores and see how many songs I can get 100% on. I still want another guitar to play multiplayer, but think I will wait until they get another model besides the SG. I'd love an Explorer!

[heybrad]

I'm still playing. The timing of getting this has been great for us. We have a lot of people come over for the holidays and it's been a great party game.

[SackAttack]

Snagged it at Best Buy with gift cards tonight. My brother disdained it as "ridiculous"...

and promptly spent four hours tonight playing it