Guitar Hero 3 announcement.......

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Due in the fall on all consoles.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=161588

[Mustang]

They could just do an expansion packs.

Guitar Hero 3: Metallica edition, all Metallica songs.

I'm sure they'd sell a few units...

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

They could just do an expansion packs.

Guitar Hero 3: Metallica edition, all Metallica songs.

I'm sure they'd sell a few units...

It's not hard to read the writing on the wall as far as that stuff goes. There will be expansion packs like that, but it will likely be downloadable content. They can make a larger profit with minimal costs by doing it online.

[DanGarion]

It's not like this wasn't seen as coming. GH2 was one of the more anticipated games on the 360 so far this year and I'm sure it exceeded the numbers they wanted it too the past 2 weeks.

[MikeVic]

Well, I guess I don't have to rush out and buy a 360 now. I was hankering for Guitar Hero again, but don't own it... or a system it is currently on. I can wait until the fall to play on my Wii. :)

[PackerFanatic]

Glad to hear they are still releasing it for PS2, since I am too much of a cheapass at the moment.

[PackerFanatic]

dola, being a college student (for another 5 weeks!), buying a house, needing to buy a car, and a baby on the way will do that to you...

/end whine

[Ksyrup]

After playing to mass audiences at sold out shows around the world in Guitar Hero II™, 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."<!--QuoteEnd-->

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Another good piece of news from Wednesday is that Pelican is coming out with an adapter that will allow PS3 owners to use their guitar peripherals on the PS3. Glad I can play the old PS2 games now without having to rebuy everything to play them on the PS3.

[Mustang]

The initial list of finger-melting tracks includes:

I Ran (by Flock of Seagulls)


Yes, you too can play like Paul Reynolds


http://www.multinet.no/~jonarne/Hjemmesia/Favorittartister/a_flock_of_seagulls/paul_reynolds.jpg

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Yes, you too can play like Paul Reynolds


http://www.multinet.no/~jonarne/Hjemmesia/Favorittartister/a_flock_of_seagulls/paul_reynolds.jpg

They had him on that show where they brought back past start to compete for another shot at fame. He still had terrible hair, except he was 20 years older.

[DanGarion]

Great, maybe GH2 will be actually back in stores by then too...

[MikeVic]

Awesome. So is this going to be released on PS2 and the 360?

I'm getting impatient waiting for it to be released on the Wii...

[spleen1015]

Only been confirmed for the PS2.

[Pyser]

yes, yes, yes, YES!

a thousand times yes!

[sterlingice]

I'm game for it, definitely.

SI

[Ksyrup]

More info on the 80s GH game:


<TABLE style="MARGIN: 0px 13px 13px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=499><TBODY><TR><TD class=gy12>Encore Details for Guitar Hero 80s

Slight name change and several new songs announced

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=gy12>Activision (http://www.activision.com/) today announced additional details regarding the latest Guitar Hero entry. Now called Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s, the game will be available exclusively on PS2 in Summer 2007. Originally announced (http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/news/?id=16107) earlier in May, the game will feature 30 songs from the titular decade.

Among the new songs are 18 and Life as made famous by heavy metal act Skid Row. Glam metal groups Poison and Extreme contribute Nothing But a Good Time and Play With Me, respectively. Bathroom Wall as made famous by hard rock band Faster Pussycat also appears. Finally, pop rock artists Billy Squier, Eddie Money and the Police Lonely donate the songs Night, Shaken, and Synchronicity II.



Hell freaking Yes to Bathroom Wall and Play With Me. PWM is a bizarre song off of Extreme's first album - the entire album is built around a grade school concept, and PWM is basically a song naming a bunch of kid's games (Duck Duck Goose, etc.) while Nuno shreds. I bet it will be a high difficulty song.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Fonzie]

I'm not a fan of 80's glam metal (in fact, I pretty much hate the stuff) but I'll be tempted to buy this just for Synchronicity II. That song is teh shiznit.

[Ksyrup]

Only been confirmed for the PS2.

According to the article I just posted, it is exclusively for the PS2. Or is that exclusively on PS2 for release in the summer, but at some point after that for other platforms?

[MJ4H]

I had never played guitar hero until one of my students brought it to school on the last day of classes (kind of a tradition here that we just play video games all day on the last day of school). We spent a lot of the day playing Wario Ware and Wii sports, and then we hooked up Guitar Hero.

The difference was like night and day in the room. When we were playing the Wii everyone was laughing and joking around. When we were playing Guitar Hero, actually more people were watching but everyone was sitting there staring slack-jawed at the screen. I was very struck by the difference. Not that that matters, just an interesting observation.

That said, I was surprised at how much I didn't like Guitar Hero. I tried to get into a PC clone of it because I refuse to drop $100 on the game, but I only thought it was "ok." Guitar Hero itself was actually a let-down. I expected more, frankly, from all the hype about it.

I know it's a popular game, but it doesn't seem like it's for me. I may give it another try when it comes out on Wii and one of my friends picks it up or something.

[Ksyrup]

From another board....


First few songs announced for Guitar Hero 3. I guess the 360, PS3 and Wii will also be getting a wireless Les Paul controller with a "new button color design," whatever the hell that means. PS2 also gets a Gibson Kramer, but who doesn't already have a guitar for the PS2 version?

"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) <!--IBF.ATTACHMENT_378939-->

[Celeval]

Quality stuff. We've still only got the original GH, but looking forward to songs in both of the new releases. The biggest question will be to stick with PS2 or go Wii for GHIII - if Wii allows downloading new songs, that might do it.

[Ksyrup]

I've still only got GH1 as well. In fact, I haven't played it in months. I probably need to get back into it at some point, but I've spent most of my gaming time on either NCAA Football or OOTP. Only so much time in the day.

[flounder]

Heat Of The Moment (as made famous by Asia)


You know how I know Red Octane is gay? They listen to Asia.

[DeToxRox]

18 and Life? What a blessing, and I won't even get in to the awesomeness of Cult of Personality.

[Ksyrup]

18 and Life? What a blessing, and I won't even get in to the awesomeness of Cult of Personality.

Different games, though. 18 and Life is on the 80s version, and Cult of Personality is on GH3.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Different games, though. 18 and Life is on the 80s version, and Cult of Personality is on GH3.

Yeah, the 80s game kind of got mashed into this thread. Here's some more info which came out today on GH III.....

Other announcements for the game include 'a new multiplayer action-inspired battle mode, grueling boss battles, a bevy of exclusive unlockable content and authentic rock venues', as well as online play. The game will take advantage of RedOctane's partnership with MTV by including a large number of original tracks, rather than covers.

Tracks mentioned thus far:

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)

[Ksyrup]

That was my fault. I didn't feel like GH needed another thread.

[DeToxRox]

The teases! Regardless I am sure in time I will acquire both, though GH III looks far superior so far in listed tracks.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

That was my fault. I didn't feel like GH needed another thread.

Probably doesn't. I think people's heads just started spinning with thoughts of hair bands and they couldn't control their excitement. :)

[Pyser]

gh3 already has the best tracklist of any version of the game. amazing.

[Pyser]

muse and cult of personality? come on!

[Phototropic]

Cherub Rock FTW!

[Vince]

Paint it Black = win.

[cartman]

Paint it Black = win.

I especially like that it does not have "as made famous by" after it!

:D

[SackAttack]

I got confirmation from RedOctane, guys.

The 360 version will not only have a wireless controller this time around, but it will be integrated in nature, same as the regular wireless Xbox 360 controllers.

[Ksyrup]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/939144_86743_front.jpg/423px-


ACCEPT's "Balls to the Wall" is among the latest songs that will be featured in Activision's special 1980s-themed Guitar Hero title, dubbed Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s. The last game in the series to be developed by now-MTV-owned Harmonix will ship for the PlayStation 2 this summer.

Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s tracks so far:

ACCEPT – "Balls to the Wall"
ASIA - "Heat Of The Moment"
BILLY SQUIER - "Lonely Is The Night"
BOW WOW WOW - "I Want Candy"
DIO - "Holy Diver"
EDDIE MONEY - "Shaken"
EXTREME - "Play With Me"
FASTER PUSSYCAT - "Bathroom Wall"
FLOCK OF SEAGULLS - "I Ran" (original recording)
OINGO BOINGO – "Only a Lad"
POISON - "Nothing But A Good Time"
QUIET RIOT - "Metal Health"
RATT - "Round And Round"
SCANDAL – "The Warrior"
SKID ROW - "18 And Life"
THE POLICE - "Synchronicity II"
TWISTED SISTER - "I Wanna Rock" (original recording)

[spleen1015]

I like that cover.

Any news on this coming to the 360?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

I like that cover.

Any news on this coming to the 360?

80's version is PS2 exclusive. My guess is that they'll likely provide those songs for digital download as part of GH III when it comes out for the 360. You'll probably end up paying a pretty penny, but will be able to get those songs.

[Fonzie]

EDDIE MONEY - "Shaken"

I always thought it was "Shakin'."

*shurg*

[Ksyrup]

It is. They cleaned up some of the typos from the original report, but not that one.

Now we can pretend to sing "Her tits were shakin' [we did some shakin'] 'til the middle of the night" while we play! I always loved that song because of that line - he mumbles through it, so it sounds far dirtier than it is. Wonder if my wife will notice?

[Lorena]

Stupid question: Is there a soundtrack I can purchase for any of these games? I don't own any of these (hell we don't own a console), but I'd love to listen to them on CD.

Thnaks in advance.

[Fonzie]

It is. They cleaned up some of the typos from the original report, but not that one.

Now we can pretend to sing "Her tits were shakin' [we did some shakin'] 'til the middle of the night" while we play! I always loved that song because of that line - he mumbles through it, so it sounds far dirtier than it is. Wonder if my wife will notice?

How could she notice? I assume you'll be getting the PS2 Tricked-out, Drag-racing Car Accessory Set, so she'll be too busy bouncing up and down and watchin' her own boobies shake to notice the lyrics.

[Draft Dodger]

Stupid question: Is there a soundtrack I can purchase for any of these games? I don't own any of these (hell we don't own a console), but I'd love to listen to them on CD.

Thnaks in advance.

the songs do make great mix CDs. I think you have to make your own, though

[Ksyrup]

You don't want the soundtrack. Nearly all of the songs are not the originals. That's starting to change, but that's still the case for the vast majority of what's been released so far. There are sound clips at http://guitarherogame.com/gh80s/. Just listen to 18 and Life - Sebastian Bach shits the singer they have doing this song in the game.

[Draft Dodger]

I should have said the real versions of the songs make great mix CDs

[Fonzie]

Let's get back to discussing boobies, please.

[Draft Dodger]

ok. I like them

[Fonzie]

Me too.

This is more like it.

[Ksyrup]

Guitar Hero III Preview from IGN...


Guitar Hero III Hands-on
The rock fest continues with Neversoft at the helm. First look at the wireless guitar and screens are here.

May 30, 2007 - There was no way that the Guitar Hero franchise could continue to break all sales expectations and not get noticed by the big dogs of the business world. RedOctane and Harmonix, the two teams responsible for the hit franchise, got snatched up by Activsion and MTV respectively thus ending their partnership for future Guitar Hero games. Of course, we haven't heard the last of Axel Steel or Johnny Napalm. Activision put the development in the able hands of Neversoft, a team best known for the Tony Hawk series.

Neversoft's driving philosophy behind Guitar Hero III (http://xbox360.ign.com/objects/899/899096.html) is a simple one: Give the fans what they want. That means the development team won't rock the boat too hard, staying true to the gameplay first laid out by Harmonix. But it also means that more of the songs and features we've all been clamoring for will finally make it in.

The song list has been carefully picked to meet the wishlists that have littered the internet since Guitar Hero was first released on PS2. More of the songs will be master tracks rather than covers. New multiplayer modes have been confirmed. A wireless controller is on the way. In short, you can put your fears aside. This is the same Guitar Hero we've all come to know and love. It looks a little different and has a few new fancy bells and whistles to get you excited all over again, but it's still Guitar Hero.


<!-- start image div -->http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/792/792801/guitar-hero-iii-20070530022511639-000.jpg (http://media.xbox360.ign.com/media/899/899096/img_4585758.html)
<!--- end image div -->Since Harmonix is now owned by MTV and hard at work on Rock Band, Neversoft wasn't given access to the code from previous Guitar Hero games. That means Guitar Hero III is being built from the ground up. Even so, the basic gameplay is identical so the learning curve should be nonexistent. When we first jacked in ready to rock, we were met with instant failure. With Neversoft and RedOctane folks all around, awkwardness abounded.

You see, the timing window for when you can hit a note is not quite the same as Guitar Hero I and II. Not to worry. Neversoft is bringing in testers regularly to get their opinion on timing (amongst other things) and are constantly adjusting the window to nail the sweet spot. Even without being used to the timing on this early build, it only took about 2 minutes before we were ripping out fast licks with precision. After the opening miscues and adjustment, the game felt like the old glove it should and the fun kicked in. It only took a minor adjustment on our part and there's no reason for us to believe that Neversoft won't have the timing nailed down to perfection by the time the game releases this fall. For those that worry Guitar Hero III will be too hard (and let's face it, Guitar Hero II was hard!), Neversoft has assured us that they're not aiming to make the game even harder. Instead, they're aiming for a difficulty level somewhere between the first and second Guitar Hero Games.

Although the notes scroll down the screen in the same fashion as other Guitar Hero games, a few changes have been made to the rest of the display. The score multiplier box behaves the same, although it looks a bit different. The same goes for the star power meter which now consists of lights instead of a regular power meter. One big addition is the new inclusion of a string counter. If you hit enough notes in a row, a counter will pop up to tell you exactly how many notes you've nailed without a mistake. No longer will you have to wonder how close you are to stringing together 1000 notes. The screen will have all of the info you need.

<!-- start image div -->
http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/792/792801/guitar-hero-iii-20070530022517639-000.jpg (http://media.xbox360.ign.com/media/899/899096/img_4585762.html)
<!--- end image div -->The visual style has also been tweaked just a bit, giving everything a slightly more realistic feel to it while still maintaining the over the top feel that previous Guitar Hero games have. We saw a few of the rockers who are returning for another tour that highlighted these changes. Judy Nails is a bit more of a punk-goth girl now. Johnny Napalm still has his trademark mohawk and wiry frame along with some oversized feet to give him a comic book feel. Xavier Stone looks a bit less like Lenny Kravitz and more like Hendrix as he sports '60s attire and hair.

The venues will be all new and are being designed to match the feel of the career progression. There won't be any licensed locales in this game. The team toyed with that idea and tossed it out to give the art team more freedom to design some really killer backdrops. Your band starts out playing in a lowly dive bar that sports a few extra dancers in skimpy clothing to keep the crowd's attention (nothing too revealing, but it adds to overall feeling that this game is a bit more hardcore). We saw a few of the latter venues as well, including an art deco theater that features a giant dragon getting its head chopped off as the opening stage prop. The last stage we saw was modeled after the classic music festival. Think Bonnaroo; giant stage, huge lights, and a massive crowd.

Like all good music rhythm games, Guitar Hero is best played with a group of friends. Neversoft, a company which had been throwing weekly Friday night Guitar Hero office parties even before they had anything to do with the game, knows this well. Much of what is new with Guitar Hero III (http://xbox360.ign.com/objects/899/899096.html) that we've seen so far comes in the multiplayer side of things. The game is still only for two players and the face off and pro face off modes are still present without any noticeable changes to the format. Co-op and battle mode are where things get interesting.

The co-op mode from Guitar Hero II has been reworked into its own career mode. That means you and a friend will be able to work together to move through a two player career, unlocking songs as you go. It won't be the same as the single player career though. Instead, it will have its own song list, pulled from the master list to only include the songs best suited for two players. The co-op set list isn't finalized yet, but it may end up having a few surprises that you don't find in the single player career.

<!-- start image div -->
http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/792/792801/guitar-hero-iii-20070530022516233-000.jpg (http://media.xbox360.ign.com/media/899/899096/img_4585760.html)
<!--- end image div -->Battle mode is Neversoft's attempt at turning the end of the movie Crossroads into a game. No, we're not talking about the Britney Spears movie. Shame on you if that's what popped into your mind. We're talking about the Ralph Macchio flick that ends with a guitar battle between him and Steve Vai. When the mode was first described to us, it didn't sound too interesting. Once we tried it out, we had a blast. Check back Friday for an in-depth look and impressions on how this new multiplayer mode plays.

When the Guitar Hero franchise made its first appearance on the current generation of hardware on Xbox 360, two important features were missing in action. On a console that is increasingly defined by its online features, Guitar Hero II had no online modes of play. In a game that is all about rocking out to your hearts extent, players were tethered to their consoles with a wired controller. Both of these issues will fade to black with Guitar Hero III.

Neversoft was keeping tightlipped about the online play when we sat down to talk Guitar Hero with them. It does exist though and we can probably expect most of the same multiplayer modes that exist offline to make their way online and perhaps a few we haven't heard about yet. They did tell us that they're aiming for identical online features for both PS3 and Xbox 360 and that it would "rock."

<!-- start image div -->
http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/792/792801/guitar-hero-iii-20070530022518904-000.jpg (http://media.xbox360.ign.com/media/899/899096/img_4585764.html)
<!--- end image div -->The new Les Paul inspired controller will be the first 3rd party Xbox 360 wireless controller. Microsoft finally budged and allowed RedOctane to license their technology. While we only got our hands on the nonfunctional 360 prototype version, we were told the PS3 controller would be similar in design and features.

There are several instantly recognizable changes to the controller, aside from the shape of the body and lack of wire. The buttons on the fret board have gone back to the rounded shape first used on the PS2 Guitar Hero controller. They still have the same color layout, but now have a mostly black face to make the controller look less like a toy and more like a real axe. New removable faceplates have added as well. The one we saw was plain white, but it seems likely that RedOctane will have a variety of different designs up for sale when the guitar releases. It doesn't look too difficult to pop the faceplate off and mod it yourself either.

<!-- start image div -->
http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/792/792801/guitar-hero-iii-20070530022642261-000.jpg (http://media.xbox360.ign.com/media/899/899096/img_4585770.html)
<!--- end image div -->The guide button and d-pad have been moved to prevent accidental presses and the start and back buttons have been replaced with the original circular "knob" buttons from the PS2 model. The guitar also has to places to strap in on the neck and, get this, a removable neck. The neck can unlock for easier travel and RedOctane wasn't shy about hinting that they may have other plans in store for that functionality.
(http://gear.ign.com/)

There's not much to complain about with Guitar Hero III which shows just how far Neversoft is going to keep up with what the fans want. It's more of the same, but it's also a lot more. Check back tomorrow as IGN takes a deeper look at the songs that have been announced so far as well as a couple you haven't heard about yet.

[spleen1015]

Sweet.

[Ksyrup]

Guitar Hero: Rocks the '80s Hands-on
Arm your lighters because we've slapped on way too much hairspray, spandex and makeup.

May 30, 2007 - Right around the time that Guitar Hero II launched last year on the PlayStation 2, rumors began circulating the intarweb that RedOctane was creating a number of themed packs for the series, the first of which would be full of tracks from everyone's favorite hair decade, the 1980s. After months and months of silence and "No comment" responses, Guitar Hero: Rocks the '80s was finally announced a few weeks ago, and it didn't take long for us to be able to step up on stage and see how well these spandex-laden tracks rock.

The thing that's obvious from the start is that while this isn't an expansion pack in the sense that you need Guitar Hero II to play it (it is indeed its own standalone title), the game very much is akin to an expansion pack. Much of the content has been carried over from GH2, including the backgrounds, career layout, guitars and more. Each of the characters and venues return as well, though they're all decked out with '80s apparel and hairstyles or posters and color schemes. In truth, it's Guitar Hero II, but stuck in the '80s, and the only truly new content that we've seen so far are the songs.


<!-- start image div -->http://ps2media.ign.com/ps2/image/article/793/793022/guitar-hero-rocks-the-80s-hands-on-20070530054715888-000.jpg (http://media.ps2.ign.com/media/878/878270/imgs_1.html) Rock on, '80s style.

<!--- end image div -->As you might assume then, the play mechanics are identical to the last game. There are no new hooks, tricks or so forth here. There are also no bonus tracks in Guitar Hero: Rocks the '80s. The 30 tracks that play out the main Career mode are everything that you're going to get, which makes sense as nearly every previous bonus track has been a recent song from an up and coming band, and we're two decades past this game's focus. But new "stuff" is what Guitar Hero III is all about, which is headed to a number of systems later this year.

The tracks that RedOctane has deemed "discussable" so far are:

Quiet Riot - "Bang Your Head (Metal Health)"
Asia - "Heat of the Moment"
Dio - "Holy Diver"
Flock of Seagulls - "I Ran (So Far Away)" (Master Track)
Twisted Sister - "I Wanna Rock" (Master Track)
Ratt - "Round and Round"
Skid Row - "18 and Life"
Faster Pussycat - "Bathroom Wall"
Billy Squier - "Lonely is the Night"
Poison - "Nothing But A Good Time"
Extreme - "Play With Me"
Eddie Money - "Shaken"
Police - "Synchronicity II"

Note that "I Ran" and "I Wanna Rock" are the original recordings while the other tracks are "As Made Famous By", or covers in other words.

One thing that's almost immediately suspected and indeed stays true until near the end of the set list is that the game is a whole lot easier than the previous title. Whereas Guitar Hero II featured tons and tons of metal with blazing guitar solos, most tracks from the '80s were fairly simple in structure and most solos were playable by even novice guitarists. That's not to say that all songs are a breeze, as we had a fair bit of trouble with Extreme's "Play With Me" on Expert, but most everything leading up to the end is a cinch for veteran players.

<!-- start image div -->
http://ps2media.ign.com/ps2/image/article/793/793022/guitar-hero-rocks-the-80s-hands-on-20070530054715294-000.jpg (http://media.ps2.ign.com/media/878/878270/imgs_1.html) Headbands help keep the sweat out of your eyes.

<!--- end image div -->This means that most of our fun so far in Guitar Hero: Rocks the '80s has come not so much from our fretwork but instead the tracks themselves. Tracks like Twisted Sister's "I Wanna Rock" and Ratt's "Round and Round" are reasonably fun to play, but they're a whole lot of fun to let loose and simply rock out to. There is indeed a difference here - it's subtle, but there is a difference.

Again though, that's not to say that there aren't some flat-out fun tracks for your fingers here. In fact, there's one track that we've come across that may be one of the most fun songs to play in any of the three games, though we're not yet allowed to tell you which one that is. Sorry, but them's the breaks. And like we mentioned, "Play With Me' is a killer.

While we've only played most of the tracks only once and haven't yet made it to the sixth and final tier (we only play Expert 'round here and Extreme is killing us), it's quite clear that RedOctane, Activision and Co. have done a good job at staying true to the '80s in every way possible. Hopefully a few more bits get a makeover before release to make the overall package seem just a tad fresher, but it's the songs that really count and the set list we've seen here isn't too shabby.

[Ksyrup]

BTW, for those who've never heard Play With Me, here's a live performance from about 2 months ago:

<OBJECT height=350 width=425>
&nbsp
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Sa5UKDDhRtI" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></OBJECT> (http://<object width=)

[Ksyrup]

Sorry for continually jumping between 80s and III, but here's a preview of the III tracks with some new news:


Guitar Hero III Song Update
Two new tracks revealed with song impressions to boot.

May 31, 2007 - When it comes to music rhythm games, the song selection is just as important as how well the game plays. Even the best foundation can't support a track list that just doesn't jive with players. With the massive popularity of the Guitar Hero series, Neversoft and RedOctane have had more freedom than ever before to pick the perfect list. What was once a struggle to get big name bands to commit to lending their songs has transformed into a situation where some bands are clamoring to get in.

There's a secondary effect to the rising popularity of the Guitar Hero brand. Not only do the options for which songs can be put in the game expand, the number of songs in the game that have master tracks also expands. Guitar Hero II only had a handful of master tracks outside of the bonus songs. The rest were covers. Even though most of the covers were quite good, a cover just isn't as powerful as the real thing. For Guitar Hero III (http://ps3.ign.com/objects/858/858010.html), roughly half of the songs will be master tracks.

Why not all master tracks? There's actually a few interesting details that make such a feat virtually impossible. For some songs, the recordings happened so long ago that the master tracks can't even be found. Other times, a song that everybody wants in the game has a long patch in the tune without a guitar playing. For these, a master track just wouldn't work. Can't You Hear Me Knocking, a Rolling Stones song on Guitar Hero II, is an example of this. The original recording has an extended saxophone solo. That section was removed when the tune was covered for the game to make playing the song more fun.

<!-- start image div -->
http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/793/793240/guitar-hero-iii-20070531031213000-000.jpg
<!--- end image div -->Here's a list of the tracks that have been announced so far:

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

IGN had the opportunity to fly down to Neversoft's studios and give a few of these songs a test run. You can check out Slow Ride and My Name is Jonas for yourself in the video gallery below. We'll fill you in on a few others.

Paint it Black is a master track, brought into the game from the original four track recording. Playing along with the ghostly sitar riff laid down by Brian Jones over 40 years ago is simply awesome. Sabotage is also a master track and is pretty much designed around the co-op experience. The song is fairly repetitive and easy, which isn't too surprising given the song. Still, with the volume turned up, the classic is fun nonetheless.

The Living Colour song, Cult of Personality, is a track that people have been wanting in Guitar Hero for a long time. There was a slight hitch with it though. The master track was nowhere to be found. Instead of getting a cover, Living Colour came in and re-recorded the song just for the game. And they threw in a wicked solo that makes this song on expert just plain ridiculous.

Two new tracks are also being announced today, exclusively on IGN. They are:

Evenflow: Pearl Jam
Lay Down: Priestess

Evenflow is a much more fun song to play than the previous Pearl Jam song we've seen, Life Wasted, which was one of the 10 new tracks included on the Xbox 360 iteration of Guitar Hero II. It's also a master track, so you won't have to wonder how it will turn out other than note placement.

Lay Down is also a master track and it's one of those nice surprises that Guitar Hero games are known for. Priestess isn't a member of the rock pantheon so you might not have heard about them yet, but this metal song is a ton of fun to play. It's fairly fast and has a great riff to it. It isn't the toughest song to play, but the fast nature of it make it a nice choice for a Guitar Hero III battle.

Speaking of battle mode, we'll conclude our three days of Guitar Hero III tomorrow with an in-depth look at it and an IGN Weekly video preview.

[Chubby]

Evenflow = sweet

[Chubby]

http://uk.media.ps2.gamespy.com/media/878/878270/vids_1.html

Check out Play With Me, OMFG :D

[BrianD]

[URL]OMFG :D

I'd say that sums it up quite well. :)

[Chubby]

Guitar Hero: Rocks the '80s Hands-on
Arm your lighters because we've slapped on way too much hairspray, spandex and makeup.

May 30, 2007 - Right around the time that Guitar Hero II launched last year on the PlayStation 2, rumors began circulating the intarweb that RedOctane was creating a number of themed packs for the series, the first of which would be full of tracks from everyone's favorite hair decade, the 1980s. After months and months of silence and "No comment" responses, Guitar Hero: Rocks the '80s was finally announced a few weeks ago, and it didn't take long for us to be able to step up on stage and see how well these spandex-laden tracks rock.

The thing that's obvious from the start is that while this isn't an expansion pack in the sense that you need Guitar Hero II to play it (it is indeed its own standalone title), the game very much is akin to an expansion pack. Much of the content has been carried over from GH2, including the backgrounds, career layout, guitars and more. Each of the characters and venues return as well, though they're all decked out with '80s apparel and hairstyles or posters and color schemes. In truth, it's Guitar Hero II, but stuck in the '80s, and the only truly new content that we've seen so far are the songs.


<!-- start image div -->http://ps2media.ign.com/ps2/image/article/793/793022/guitar-hero-rocks-the-80s-hands-on-20070530054715888-000.jpg (http://media.ps2.ign.com/media/878/878270/imgs_1.html) Rock on, '80s style.

<!--- end image div -->As you might assume then, the play mechanics are identical to the last game. There are no new hooks, tricks or so forth here. There are also no bonus tracks in Guitar Hero: Rocks the '80s. The 30 tracks that play out the main Career mode are everything that you're going to get, which makes sense as nearly every previous bonus track has been a recent song from an up and coming band, and we're two decades past this game's focus. But new "stuff" is what Guitar Hero III is all about, which is headed to a number of systems later this year.

The tracks that RedOctane has deemed "discussable" so far are:

Quiet Riot - "Bang Your Head (Metal Health)"
Asia - "Heat of the Moment"
Dio - "Holy Diver"
Flock of Seagulls - "I Ran (So Far Away)" (Master Track)
Twisted Sister - "I Wanna Rock" (Master Track)
Ratt - "Round and Round"
Skid Row - "18 and Life"
Faster Pussycat - "Bathroom Wall"
Billy Squier - "Lonely is the Night"
Poison - "Nothing But A Good Time"
Extreme - "Play With Me"
Eddie Money - "Shaken"
Police - "Synchronicity II"

Note that "I Ran" and "I Wanna Rock" are the original recordings while the other tracks are "As Made Famous By", or covers in other words.

One thing that's almost immediately suspected and indeed stays true until near the end of the set list is that the game is a whole lot easier than the previous title. Whereas Guitar Hero II featured tons and tons of metal with blazing guitar solos, most tracks from the '80s were fairly simple in structure and most solos were playable by even novice guitarists. That's not to say that all songs are a breeze, as we had a fair bit of trouble with Extreme's "Play With Me" on Expert, but most everything leading up to the end is a cinch for veteran players.

<!-- start image div -->
http://ps2media.ign.com/ps2/image/article/793/793022/guitar-hero-rocks-the-80s-hands-on-20070530054715294-000.jpg (http://media.ps2.ign.com/media/878/878270/imgs_1.html) Headbands help keep the sweat out of your eyes.

<!--- end image div -->This means that most of our fun so far in Guitar Hero: Rocks the '80s has come not so much from our fretwork but instead the tracks themselves. Tracks like Twisted Sister's "I Wanna Rock" and Ratt's "Round and Round" are reasonably fun to play, but they're a whole lot of fun to let loose and simply rock out to. There is indeed a difference here - it's subtle, but there is a difference.

Again though, that's not to say that there aren't some flat-out fun tracks for your fingers here. In fact, there's one track that we've come across that may be one of the most fun songs to play in any of the three games, though we're not yet allowed to tell you which one that is. Sorry, but them's the breaks. And like we mentioned, "Play With Me' is a killer.

While we've only played most of the tracks only once and haven't yet made it to the sixth and final tier (we only play Expert 'round here and Extreme is killing us), it's quite clear that RedOctane, Activision and Co. have done a good job at staying true to the '80s in every way possible. Hopefully a few more bits get a makeover before release to make the overall package seem just a tad fresher, but it's the songs that really count and the set list we've seen here isn't too shabby.

Play with me is a master track (as evidenced by the video on IGN) so hopefully more of the songs are (even if they aren't known master tracks right now)

[Ksyrup]

Huh. The master track is slightly different from the recorded version. When I watched it, I thought it sounded different, but that the vocals were pretty spot-on. Guess I know why!

[Ksyrup]

I read that a couple of other 80s tracks have been "unofficially" announced:

Go-Gos - We Got the Beat
White Lion - Radar Love

Kinda strange to put WL's cover song on there instead of Wait, but the solos should be fun.

[Mustang]

I read that a couple of other 80s tracks have been "unofficially" announced:

White Lion - Radar Love


??

I'd hope this is going to be the original recording otherwise, it sure isn't an 80's song... Although, if it is the original White Lion recording, I still would rather see something else other than a cover and if it isn't White Lion's.. I especially don't want to see a cover of a cover

[Ksyrup]

The only way it makes sense as an 80s song is to be the White Lion cover.

If they had to get a Golden Earring song on an 80s comp, they should have gone with Twilight Zone.

[Draft Dodger]

I'd obviously prefer the GE version, but I'm salivating at the chance to play Radar Love.

and IIRC, the White Lion version wasn't all that bad, mostly thanks to Vito Bratta

[Ksyrup]

ANTHRAX's "Caught in a Mosh", IRON MAIDEN's "Wrathchild", WHITE LION's "Radar Love" and SCORPIONS' "No One Like You" are among the latest songs (http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=74357#) that have been announced for Activision's special 1980s-themed Guitar Hero (http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=74357#) title, dubbed Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s. The last game (http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=74357#) in the series to be developed by now-MTV (http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=74357#)-owned Harmonix will ship for the PlayStation 2 (http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=74357#) in July.

Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s tracks so far:

.38 SPECIAL - "Hold on Loosely"
ACCEPT - "Balls to the Wall"
ANTHRAX - "Caught In A Mosh"
ASIA - "Heat Of The Moment"
BILLY SQUIER - "Lonely Is The Night"
BOW WOW (http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=74357#) WOW - "I Want Candy"
DIO - "Holy Diver"
EDDIE MONEY - "Shaken"
EXTREME - "Play With Me"
FASTER PUSSYCAT - "Bathroom Wall"
FLOCK OF SEAGULLS - "I Ran" (original recording)
IRON MAIDEN - "Wrathchild"
OINGO BOINGO – "Only a Lad"
POISON - "Nothing But A Good Time"
QUIET RIOT - "Metal Health"
RATT - "Round And Round"
SCANDAL – "The Warrior"
SCORPIONS - "No One Like You"
SKID ROW - "18 And Life"
THE POLICE - "Synchronicity II"
THE VAPORS - "Turning Japanese"
TWISTED SISTER - "I Wanna Rock" (original recording)
WHITE LION - "Radar Love"
WINGER - "Seventeen"

A trailer for Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s is available at this location (http://www.gamesarefun.com/games/ps2/guitarhero80s/gh80strailer.mp4) (6 MB). The game's official web site can be accessed here (http://www.guitarherogame.com/gh80s/).

[sachmo71]

im going to have fun with this!

[Ksyrup]

I'm psyched they included Caught in a Mosh. That's going to be fun.

TALKING TO YOU IS LIKE CLAPPING WITH ONE HAND!

WHAT IS IT? CAUGHT IN A MOSH!

[sachmo71]

I'm psyched they included Caught in a Mosh. That's going to be fun.

TALKING TO YOU IS LIKE CLAPPING WITH ONE HAND!

WHAT IS IT? CAUGHT IN A MOSH!

Exactly. Madhouse is fun, but Caught in a Mosh...that's a song I've always wanted to play.

[sterlingice]

The Scorpions were a necessity to this game. Glad they got one of their 3 pretty big songs in.

SI

[Fonzie]

The Scorpions were a necessity to this game. Glad they got one of their 3 pretty big songs in.

SI

Agreed!

I'd add that if they're going to bother with 80's bands like Asia and .38 Special then they absolutely MUST include bands like Journey and Def Leppard. From the former, "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)," "Don't Stop Believin'" or "Any Way You Want It" would be great guitar song candidates. I'd also love to see "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'," but that was technically a 70's song. "Photograph" or "Foolin'" would be especially good guitar songs from the latter.

[Ksyrup]

Any Way You Want It is also from the 70s. For the 80s, you're basically stuck with Escape, Frontiers, and the Randy Jackson album.

I really think they have to have a Van Halen song, and I'm hoping that is a surprise (among a few surprises). And Def Leppard is a must, as well - I agree.

[Ksyrup]

Another good one would be Fantasy by Aldo Nova.

[Fonzie]

Any Way You Want It is also from the 70s. For the 80s, you're basically stuck with Escape, Frontiers, and the Randy Jackson album.

I really think they have to have a Van Halen song, and I'm hoping that is a surprise (among a few surprises). And Def Leppard is a must, as well - I agree.

Oh dear god, please don't remind me of that shitplatter known as "Raised on Radio." I begin to seize when I think of it.

"Any Way You Want It" is actually from 1980 (the year the Departure album was released), but it is nevertheless pushing the boundaries of what most folks think of as 80's rock.

Van Halen is also an excellent call. "Panama" would be lots of fun.

[Fonzie]

Another good one would be Fantasy by Aldo Nova.

Yes!

[Ksyrup]

Oh dear god, please don't remind me of that shitplatter known as "Raised on Radio." I begin to seize when I think of it.

"Any Way You Want It" is actually from 1980 (the year the Departure album was released), but it is nevertheless pushing the boundaries of what most folks think of as 80's rock.

Van Halen is also an excellent call. "Panama" would be lots of fun.

Huh. For some reason I thought Escape was the first 80s album. That's pretty impressive that they not only put out 2 albums in back to back years of that quality, but that they incorporated Jonathon Cain into the group and hardly missed a beat. I guess that's where I always draw the line mentally, between the pre-Cain (Gregg Rolie), more bluesy stuff and the 80s Cain radio-friendly stuff.

[Kodos]

Van Halen is also an excellent call. "Panama" would be lots of fun.


I was going to nominate that song myself.

[Kodos]

We also need some "Eye of the Tiger"!

[Ksyrup]

I know the original GH already has Bark at the Moon, but how about Crazy Train?

[Fonzie]

Crazy Train would be awesome.

[Kodos]

Especially a version like the live version with Randy Rhodes.

[Vince]

Iron Maiden = win.

Though I was hoping for a different song.

[Fonzie]

Foreigner's "Jukebox Hero" would be a good thematic choice. Not a very tough guitar song, but it might make a good Easy level song.

[Kodos]

Iron Maiden = win.

Though I was hoping for a different song.

Still no Wasted Years...:(

[Ksyrup]

Wasted Years? Why would I want to play an IM pop song? I'm fine with Wrathchild, although they had a number of more popular ones to choose from.

[Ksyrup]

Two more to add, Krokus's cover of "Ballroom Blitz", and "What I like About You" by the Romantics.


Yet another cheat with Ballroom Blitz, but if you HAVE to have Krokus on here, this is the least offensive song they have. I always hated that band - the lead singer looked like the perm dude from Air Supply and they pretty much sucked ass.

[Fonzie]

At least they avoided "Screamin' in the Night." What a gawd-awful song.

I'm not a big fan of the choice to include the Romantics either. I had a terrible time getting "What I Like About You" out of my head when it was on the radio every 5 seconds.

Harmonix totally needs to hire me as a consultant. My ideas are awesome.

[sterlingice]

Van Halen is also an excellent call. "Panama" would be lots of fun.

I was really surprised (and a little disappointed) that Panama wasn't the Van Halen song in GH2 as it's a song that really lends it to the game.

I know the original GH already has Bark at the Moon, but how about Crazy Train?

I've gotta think this is the next Ozzy song to be in the series. Tho, I would hold it back for GH3, as it would be a good big gun for it.

There are about 10 songs in everyone's mind that would be perfect for this game and there is a lot of overlap like the two above. Other stuff like Stairway and something by AC/DC (typically Back in Black) are also mentioned frequently and I've gotta think that since a lot of people are on the same page, if they songs can be had for a decent price in the game, they'll be in it.

SI

[cody8200]

There are about 10 songs in everyone's mind that would be perfect for this game and there is a lot of overlap like the two above. Other stuff like Stairway and something by AC/DC (typically Back in Black) are also mentioned frequently and I've gotta think that since a lot of people are on the same page, if they songs can be had for a decent price in the game, they'll be in it.

SI

I would love to see some Metallica. You could make an entire addon out of Metallica songs. I wonder if it could ever happen. Also I'd like to see Paranoid Android by Radiohead. That would be sweet.

[sterlingice]

I would love to see some Metallica. You could make an entire addon out of Metallica songs. I wonder if it could ever happen. Also I'd like to see Paranoid Android by Radiohead. That would be sweet.

Obviously, Metallica is another one (I don't know how I forgot that)- tho which song really varies from person to person as there are a ton of great choices.

SI

[Ksyrup]

Oh HELL FUCKING YEAH!!! And it's the original!


New tracks for the 80s game, now slated for July 24:

"Electric Eye" (by Judas Priest)
"Los Angeles" (as made famous by X)
"Police Truck" (as made famous by Dead Kennedys)
"Because, it's Midnite" (by Limozeen)

[Ksyrup]

On the downside, the game has been pushed back a week.

[Neuqua]

Guitar Hero needs more Bon Jovi

[Ksyrup]

Wait for Rock Band...maybe it'll come with a vocorder and Living' on a Prayer.

[sterlingice]

Complete list of GH80s tracks:
http://ps2.ign.com/articles/800/800369p1.html

Personally, I'm going to try and pretend I never saw it and wait until it comes out in a few weeks and be pleasantly surprised when I see the songs. That said, the list struck me as pretty good- a good half I know off the top of my head and I bet I'll recognize a few more when I play them. Looks like over half is from every "best of the 80s" collection that is advertised at 3am on cable.

SI

[sachmo71]

I just watched American Hardcore, so I sort of wish they had some Bad Brains or Black Flag. :D

[Pyser]

several new tracks from GH3 were announced at Scorehero earlier this evening:

* Red Hot Chili Peppers - Suck My Kiss (master track)
* ZZ Top - La Grange
* Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast (master track)
* Dragonforce - Throught the Fire and Flames (master track)

Since the release of the first Guitar Hero game, Dragonforce has consistently been one of the most requested bands from hardcore players, and, as we found out through our own playtesting, will likely be the toughest song in the Guitar Hero series to date; thankfully, including it as a bonus song means it won't prevent anyone from completing the normal campaign.

[JonInMiddleGA]

OMG, Dragonforce on GH ... that's just frightening.
That shit is so fast that I can barely hear it, much less think about playing it.

[sterlingice]

I was wondering when RHCP would make a GH appearance but I couldn't think of a song that would work.

SI

[Bearcat729]

I was wondering when RHCP would make a GH appearance but I couldn't think of a song that would work.

SI

It was the RHCP version of Higher Ground on the original game if I remember right


I love that La Grange is going to be in the game

[sterlingice]

It was the RHCP version of Higher Ground on the original game if I remember right


I love that La Grange is going to be in the game

Oh, duh, that's right. I don't know why but it was one of those things that just never stuck in my brain. It's not one that even really sounds like them and I hadn't heard it outside of GH so I never really associated it with them. So whenever I would hear a RHCP song on the radio, I'd say to myself "boy, I wish they had one of theirs in a future GH" but could never come up with a good GH-style song.

SI

[Bearcat729]

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/F5watjvnqSI"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/F5watjvnqSI" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>


So uh I think I may break the controller before I finish the opening part of the Dragonforce song

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Looks like the complete list of GH III songs has been leaked...........

http://www.psu.com/Guitar-Hero-3-Complete-Song-List-and-Bosses-Leaked-News--a0001346-p0.php

[MikeVic]

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/F5watjvnqSI"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/F5watjvnqSI" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>


So uh I think I may break the controller before I finish the opening part of the Dragonforce song

WHAT THE HELL!!!

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

17 new songs announced for Guitar Hero 3...........

Same Old Song and Dance (by Aerosmith)
Helicopter (by Bloc Party)
Stricken (by Disturbed)
Monsters (by Matchbook Romance)
Before I Forget (by Slipknot)
Kool Thing (by Sonic Youth)
When You Were Young (by The Killers)
Devil Went Down to Georgia (as made famous by Charlie Daniels Band)
Sunshine of Your Love (as made famous by Cream)
Holiday in Cambodia (as made famous by Dead Kennedys)
Cliffs of Dover (as made famous by Eric Johnson)
Hit Me with Your Best Shot (as made famous by Pat Benetar)
Black Magic Woman (as made famous by Santana)
Story of My Life (as made famous by Social Distortion)
Pride and Joy (as made famous by Stevie Ray Vaughn)
The Seeker (as made famous by The Who)
Black Sunshine (as made famous by White Zombie)

[Anthony]

i don't like many of those songs. ugh.

[Kodos]

Guitar Hero has definitely lost a lot of the novelty effect at this point.

[MikeVic]

Bloc Party!

[Anthony]

how can you successfully play a song if you've never heard of it?

the 1st and only time i played GT was a few months ago while i was drunk, and i did a good job at it since i knew the songs (Shout at the Devil by Motley Crew was one). kind of a let-down to go from a rock classic to something from one of those lame bands.

[CraigSca]

Hey cool - the Roses made the list :)

[MikeVic]

how can you successfully play a song if you've never heard of it?

the 1st and only time i played GT was a few months ago while i was drunk, and i did a good job at it since i knew the songs (Shout at the Devil by Motley Crew was one). kind of a let-down to go from a rock classic to something from one of those lame bands.

I've found that with a lot of the songs from the first two games, I either have heard parts of the song before, or actually liked the song once I heard it and tried playing it a few times. With songs like that, every time I hear the song now, I want to play air Guitar Hero. :)

[Fidatelo]

Ya me too, I hear the song on the radio and I'm all like "Green Green Green | Yellow Yellow Yellow | Green Yellow Green | Yellow Green Yellow"

[sterlingice]

Maybe it's time to step up past easy then ;)

SI

[Fidatelo]

Maybe it's time to step up past easy then ;)

SI

Screw that, I can bring the house down with those 3 buttons! :D

[cartman]

There is an ISO image floating around out there with a 5 song demo of GH3 for the XBox 360. It will run on unmodded consoles. Just burn it to a CD or DVD, then go to Demos on your dashboard.

hxxp://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/49515

[spleen1015]

There is an ISO image floating around out there with a 5 song demo of GH3 for the XBox 360. It will run on unmodded consoles. Just burn it to a CD or DVD, then go to Demos on your dashboard.

hxxp://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/49515

The demo is supposed to be on XBOX Live.

[sterlingice]

And it comes with the most recent Tony Hawk game, iirc.

SI

[Neon_Chaos]

Guitar Hero has definitely lost a lot of the novelty effect at this point.

Considering Guitar Heroes has been rehashing a game idea that's been out since 1998. I'm glad we get most of the Japan import games back in the Philippines.

I loved playing Guitar Freaks in the arcades.

I miss my Guitar Freaks PS2 game and guitar.

[Neon_Chaos]

Dola, I loved hooking up at the arcade with Drummania and Keyboardmania as well. :) Sweet.

IIRC Guitar Freakz is already in its 15th version.

[MikeVic]

So yeah, I've played some of teh PS2 version. And all I can say is I agree with some stuff Bill Harris said on his blog. I also find it baffling that it seems like career high scores aren't included in the quickplay high scores anymore?? Is this only for the PS2 version? The IGN 360 review didn't mention this, but it's huge for me. I rarely play quickplay. Just trying to always get five stars.

I wrote in to the Dubious Quality blog, hoping others have come across (or not come cross would be even better, maybe I'm blind) this as well.

[JonInMiddleGA]

As I type this I'm watching my son wrestle with Through The Fire & Flames while the credits roll. Since that song was one of the his two big wants for 3, I'd say that qualifies for a "Good Times" notice :)

Granted, he's on Medium but I thought finishing it less than 24 hours after he started (real elapsed time, with sleep & a full school day in that total) was pretty damned good for a 9 y/o with physical problems with his hand.

On the whole, we both thought more of the songs (PS2 version) sounded like crap than previous versions. Seemed like the guitar was turned up too loud & the vocals were too subdued, just sounded wonky on a lot of tunes.

edit to add: Of course, watching him try it on Expert in practice mode is Good Times too (comedy subdivision) ;)

[Ajaxab]

It's been a bit disappointing to see what looked like a stellar track list prior to actually having the game play itself out as somewhat bland to play. I'm just about through Hard, but I find the set list has far too many rhythm guitar songs rather than the more solo-esque songs from the original GH. I still think the track list from the first game is far and above anything they've put together since. I still go back and play those songs just because they're good songs that integrate enjoyable guitar riffs. I don't get that same sense with GH III. Musical taste if a very personal things, but some of these tracks seem to be just noise I have to move through to progress through the game (Sonic Youth's for example).

I don't know if it's just a PS2 thing, but I've also noticed what JiMG mentioned about the comparatively poor mix of vocals and instruments. Maybe we both need to mess with the settings, but the vocals do sound as though they were recorded underwater compared to the guitar parts on several songs.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Just had a proud parent moment courtesy of GH3 (I think my son considers it slumming now, after Rockband, but anyway ...)

He's just sitting here goofing off in practice mode with Dragonforce on expert and like most people, getting his butt kicked. The proud part came when, in the middle of one of the hard parts early on he yells "Help me Nigel !".

When you're getting Spinal Tap references from your 9 y/o, it don't get much better :D

[Mr. Wednesday]

I've met a guy who can do a creditable job on Dragonforce on expert, although he had to drop into practice mode because he couldn't get it past the opening riff.

I can't even handle it on medium. :eek:

[Mr. Wednesday]

how can you successfully play a song if you've never heard of it?
I didn't know all the songs going in, by any means, and I was able to clear everything but a couple on the final level cold on medium. (I had to practice the Disturbed song, I skipped Knights of Cydonia and had to go back to that after a bit of practice, and I still haven't beaten the Slayer song yet.)

Musical taste if a very personal things, but some of these tracks seem to be just noise I have to move through to progress through the game (Sonic Youth's for example).
Maybe I just like rhythm stuff better, but I like the Sonic Youth song. Then again, Cliffs of Dover is also a favorite.

[cartman]

It seems that Charlie Daniels is a bit perturbed that the game uses the devil to play a guitar in "The Devil Went Down to Georgia".

hxxp://www.charliedaniels.com/soapbox-2008-040408.htm