There has never been a better time to rock out.
by Sam Stavish
We all remember the crazy button tapping revolution that was Guitar Hero III; it took everyone by surprise. Who thought that playing a piece of plastic could ever become cooler than playing a real instrument?
What is it about the game that people love? We all remember Dance Dance Revolution. Recall the kid that you saw in the arcade, stomping his feet to the rhythm of a song. For some reason, dancing just didn’t seem as “cool” as playing the guitar.
So what’s next for us rockers who have eagerly anticipated the release of the Guitar Hero’s next game? How do drums, two guitars, and a microphone sound? That’s right, the new installment of Guitar Hero will take on the complete band format.
The new guitar is similar to its predecessor, only slightly bigger and heavier; it gives it the look and feel of a real guitar. A new feature of the guitar is the touch sensitive slider area located below the five regular buttons. For special solo guitar areas, the users will be able to slide their fingers back and forth and tap the corresponding buttons, adding a new and exciting element to the guitar and bass area of the game.
As for the drums, many were critical of the drum paraphernalia that came with the Rock Band game. They didn’t seem realistic, with a lack of cymbals, and being much louder than the other instruments. All that could be heard during game play was the sound of the drummer beating the rubber pads.
Guitar Hero has heard the complaints and redesigned the drum kit, working with drumming legends such as Travis Barker, former drummer of Blink-182. The drum kit has three lower drums, serving as the snare and tom toms, then two raised pads, acting as the two cymbals. There is also a foot pedal for the bass drum.
The final element of game play is the microphone. Consider it a karaoke version of the songs, but the player is judged on his or her performance. The difficulty level can be changed with the microphone, requiring more accurate pitch and tone to from the vocalist.
Most people are familiar with the four difficulty settings in all of the Guitar Hero games: Easy, Medium, Hard, and Expert. But for some players out there, the easy setting still just seems a little too hard. Now for those who need a little help getting started, (like some technology-impaired adults) the game has a new “beginner” mode. This will consist of keeping rhythm and only hitting one note, allowing for an easy introduction to the game.
Another feature that World Tour offers and is not found in the Rock Band 2 game is the studio mixer mode. This will allow players to create and mix their own custom songs, using a given amount of sound loops and various enhancers. The tracks will be up to three minutes long, and once completed, can be shared with other players through the online capabilities.
Speaking of online capabilities, the game will continue to offer head to head play via the Internet. New this year is the ability to compete with another band of up to four players online. So get all your friends together, claim your instrument, and prepare for the battle of the bands. If you don’t have four friends willing to rock, you can also join a band online.
The new game, Guitar Hero World Tour, is out now and ready for your rocking pleasure. Go to your local electronic store or order the game online for a hefty price of $189.99. With 86 total songs and continually available downloadable tracks, the possibilities are endless. Rock out by yourself or grab some friends and compete to be the best awesomely fake band in the world.
