Grab a pick and flex your fingers -- Guitar Hero III is going to rock your world.
By: Ben Silverman
Posted: 10 Jul 2007

Living room rocking hit the top of the charts when Harmonix and Red Octane unleashed their headbanging masterpiece Guitar Hero back in 2005, but that was just the opening set. Their inspired sequel was an instant seat-filler, leaping from the small stage of the PS2 to the Enormo Dome of the Xbox 360 and cementing the series as the best live gig in town.

But something not so funny happened on the way to selling out the forum -- the band broke up. Red Octane was bought by Activision, who was unable to keep independent developer Harmonix from stage diving into the waiting arms of MTV. To say that millions of Guitar Hero fans were worried would be putting it mildly. Without its lead songwriter, what would become of their new favorite group?

A lot, actually. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock has been slung over the solid shoulder of Tony Hawk developer Neversoft, a team that certainly knows a thing or two about sequels. With the third iteration spanning the PS2, Xbox 360, PS3 and -- gasp -- Wii, they've got plenty of new stages for their upcoming rock god to conquer.

And this time, the six-stringed deity assumes human form as that bushy-haired snake charmer, Slash; the Velvet Revolver axeman just recently signed on as the road-tested face of the franchise. A self-professed fan of the series, he's also provided a ton of music for the game and will even appear as an end-level Boss character for players to duel against. While the specifics are still a little murky, you can find out more about his involvement in our exclusive producer interview.

Even if you don't burn frets like the ex-Guns 'N Roses guitarist, you'll be able to shred away the night courtesy of the game's intuitive mechanics. Though it's the third game in the series, Guitar Hero III doesn't stray far from its original recipe; other than some fresh graphical upgrades, it's intent on keeping its fans happily strumming along as they once again follow familiar colored notes blazing down a virtual fretboard.

But this isn't just a cover song. Neversoft has added a slew of new ways to play, most notably when it comes to multiplayer. You'll finally be able to play online and post scores to leaderboards, proving to the world that your weird, three-finger-plus-thumb technique is, in fact, superior. You'll also be able to tackle Career mode cooperatively, so no more fighting over who gets to rock the single-player.

The team is most excited about Guitar Battle mode, which takes the Pro Battle mode from Guitar Hero II and cranks it to 11 with a variety of wicked, game-changing power-ups. Overload your opponent's amp to make their fretboard wobble and become unreadable. Interrupt their mojo by breaking one of their strings, forcing them to rapidly pound on the right fret button until it snaps back into place. In the cruelest twist of all, you can flip their guitar from righty to lefty (or vice versa), turning the fretboard upside down to completely change the layout of the notes. Good luck wrapping your fingers around that.

Still, a band's only as good as its songs. Though the final song list hasn't been revealed, expect over 70 tracks in Guitar Hero III, the largest set yet for the franchise. It also should be the most diverse; the dozen tracks announced so far includes artists like Pearl Jam, Heart, Smashing Pumpkins, The Rolling Stones, Weezer and The Beastie Boys. Best of all, many of those aren't sound-alike covers -- they're the original master tracks, adding authenticity to your axe-work.

Speaking of which, the titular instrument itself finally lives up to its next-gen potential by ditching the wires. Next-gen users can kick it old-school with the redesigned wireless Gibson Les Paul model, including swappable faceplates and a breakaway neck for easier transportation. Though not wireless, the PS2 version comes with a decidedly rocking Gibson Kramer. Either way, it's a step up from both the original cheapo controller and Guitar Hero II's decent Xplorer.

We don't envy Neversoft's task of somehow improving a game that twice now has made countless best of the year lists, but so far they're keeping it real by keeping it intact. Getting the nod from a real, flesh-and-blood guitar icon certainly helps its street cred, and the brutal Battle mode should make a welcome addition to the series. We'll see if it has the chops to again go platinum when it storms the stage this fall.

Allofausudden rocked Godzilla not on guitar hero but in real life!

Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s Hands-On
If you didn't think the '80s is really a genre unto itself, think again. We got our hands on the first headbanging offshoot of the wildly popular Guitar Hero franchise.
By Brad Shoemaker, GameSpot
Posted May 24, 2007 5:43 pm PT

http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/puzzle/guitarhero80s/news.html?sid=6171474&tag=topslot;title;2&om_act=convert&om_clk=topslot

The day prolific publisher Activision acquired Guitar Hero developer RedOctane, we knew we'd be seeing a whole lot more of the hard-rocking franchise that set rhythm gamers (and fret boards) on fire in late 2005. And we can't complain about the sudden appearance of the series' first offshoot, Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s, which franctically breathes life back into the decade that probably inspired the whole Guitar Hero concept in the first place. We recently had a chance to get our hands on the latest build of the game, due out solely on the PlayStation 2 in July, and found that while very little has changed since Guitar Hero II, the delightfully kitschy song selection that's on offer in this first Encore title more than justifies another Guitar Hero product hitting the shelves so soon.

We can't speak for the final game since it's not due out for a few weeks, but the version of Rocks the 80s that we've been playing seems more like an expansion pack for Guitar Hero II than a new game in its own right--but that's probably the aim of the Encore series anyway. You'll recognize returning characters and venues from the last game, since no new ones have been added. But the stuff that's in here has definitely gotten a proper '80s retrofitting. Burly axe man Axel Steel is sporting tight black jeans, a headband, and a wicked mullet, while Izzy Sparks has gone the glam route with spiked bracelets, a kerchief around his neck, and big blonde hair that would have made Farrah Fawcett blush. Heck, even the hyperkinetic animated intro movie from Guitar Hero II has been recolored in bright, '80s-style neon. At least you'll get plenty of new artwork around the menus and such that's appropriate to the period.


All your favorite guitarists and venues have been retrofitted in '80s style.

Mechanically, the game feels and plays just like its predecessor, with the series' standard progressive career mode, all the same cooperative and competitive two-player modes (with full bass or rhythm-guitar tracks for the second player), and the training mode that will let you practice up in slow motion on the many blazing riffs found on the set list. Neversoft may have taken over development of the Guitar Hero series for the upcoming third installment, but original game developer Harmonix is the only software house listed in the credits here (as this is probably the last project they completed for Activision before moving on to MTV's ambitious Rock Band). As such, all the note patterns, loading-screen humor, and other signature elements of the series feel just like vintage Guitar Hero.

Since everything else is more or less the same, the songs in Rocks the 80s are the real stars of the show, and the developers have assembled a pretty face-melting assortment of iconic '80s metal and glam rock, with even some bubblegum pop-rock and new wave thrown in for good measure. Unfortunately, we can only discuss the two sets of songs that have been announced so far, but even those are a pretty representative sampling of the game's overall track list.

We can't help getting especially giddy over some of the cheesiest '80s rock inclusions here, like Dio's "Holy Diver" and Ratt's "Round and Round," but then you've got stuff like "I Want Candy" by Bow Wow Wow and absurdly coiffed new-wave sensation Flock of Seagulls with "I Ran (So Far Away)." That song and Twisted Sister's "I Wanna Rock" are also the two songs lifted directly from the master recordings that have been announced so far, but with Guitar Hero's cultural cachet increasing by the minute--not to mention the recent announcement of quite a few big-name original recordings planned for Guitar Hero III--we're hoping a few more originals sneak their way onto the list.


Remember when it was OK to have hair this big?

After the extremely high bar set by WaveGroup with the cover songs in the original game, we felt like Guitar Hero II had a few rough patches, with some not-quite-soundalike vocalists and song changes occasionally reminding you that you were indeed listening to a cover and not the original. We feel like the quality and similarity to the originals on the covers we've heard so far in Rocks the 80s are back to original form, and we couldn't help throwing up the horns and making silly rock faces once in a while when the solos kicked in on emblematic songs like Skid Row's "18 and Life" and Ratt's "Round and Round." Anybody who lived and rocked through the '80s is going to relive some happy (and probably embarrassing) moments with this one when it hits stores in July.
-GameSpot

Activision Details Next Guitar Hero , Confirms Wireless Controls Activision has confirmed new details of the next volume in the Guitar Hero franchise, which will debut this fall for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii, and will include a multitude of new features, as well as confirmed support for Gibson branded wireless guitar controllers for each platform.

The rhythm action game will also introduce several new and expanded features to the franchise, including “a new multiplayer action-inspired battle mode, grueling boss battles, a bevy of exclusive unlockable content and authentic rock venues.” In addition, the upcoming sequel will also feature multiple online multiplayer game modes, though it remains unclear if each version will support online play.

The news follows statements made by RedOctane founder and president Kai Huang in April, confirming the title's online focus, also noting at that time that a version was also coming to the Nintendo DS. No longer being developed by series creator Harmonix - that developer is now owned by MTV and working on multi-instrument music game Rock Band - the new Guitar Hero is being handled by the developers at Neversoft (Tony Hawk franchise, Gun).

Activision has also confirmed that the new title will support downloadable content on multiple platforms, presumably in the form of new songs or venues, though nothing has yet been announced. The publisher also notes that “strategic partnerships have been secured with all the major and independent music record labels and publishers to allow unrivaled access to their deep history of music catalogs, along with supplying artists' original recordings for even greater authenticity.”

The initial list of confirmed songs for the forthcoming Guitar Hero are as follows:

- 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)

Activision has also confirmed that the new Guitar Hero will include support for wireless guitar controllers, with each platform getting its own Gibson branded peripheral. Each guitar will include removable faceplates, as well as as a new button color design. A controller based on Gibson Guitar's Les Paul model will be released for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii versions, while the PlayStation 2 version's controller will take the shape of Gibson's classic Kramer guitar.

"The development team at Neversoft has been exceptional, and we've been able to incorporate a host of fresh new online and multi-player game play modes, along with exciting content into this version of Guitar Hero that our fans have been asking for,” commented Dusty Welch, head of publishing at RedOctane. “Also, many of the top bands and songs we've tried to get in the past are now on board, and we've definitely got some giant aces in the hole to say the least.”
POSTED: 09.15AM PST, 05/23/07 - Jason Dobson

Xbox 360

1. Opening Licks

* "Surrender" - Cheap Trick
* "Possum Kingdom" - Toadies
* "Heart-Shaped Box" - Nirvana
* "Salvation" - Rancid
* "Strutter" - Kiss †
* "Shout at the Devil" - Mötley Crüe (Encore)

2. Amp-Warmers

* "Mother" - Danzig †
* "Life Wasted" - Pearl Jam
* "Cherry Pie" - Warrant
* "Woman" - Wolfmother
* "You Really Got Me" - Van Halen
* "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight" - Spinal Tap † (Encore)

3. String-Snappers

* "Carry On Wayward Son" - Kansas
* "Search and Destroy" - Iggy Pop and The Stooges
* "Message in a Bottle" - The Police
* "Billion Dollar Babies" - Alice Cooper
* "Them Bones" - Alice in Chains
* "War Pigs" - Black Sabbath (Encore)

4. Thrash and Burn

* "Monkey Wrench" - Foo Fighters
* "Hush" - Deep Purple
* "Girlfriend" - Matthew Sweet †
* "Who Was in My Room Last Night?" - Butthole Surfers †
* "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" - The Rolling Stones †
* "Sweet Child O'Mine" - Guns N' Roses (Encore)

5. Return of the Shred

* "Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo" - Rick Derringer
* "Tattooed Love Boys" - The Pretenders
* "John the Fisherman" - Primus
* "Jessica" - The Allman Brothers Band †
* "Bad Reputation" - Thin Lizzy
* "Last Child" - Aerosmith † (Encore)

6. Relentless Riffs

* "Crazy on You" - Heart
* "Trippin' On a Hole in a Paper Heart" - Stone Temple Pilots
* "Dead!" - My Chemical Romance †
* "Killing in the Name" - Rage Against the Machine
* "Freya" - The Sword
* "Stop!" - Jane's Addiction (Encore)

7. Furious Fretwork

* "Madhouse" - Anthrax
* "The Trooper" - Iron Maiden
* "Rock This Town" - Stray Cats
* "Laid to Rest" - Lamb of God †
* "Psychobilly Freakout" - The Reverend Horton Heat
* "YYZ" - Rush (Encore)

8. Face-Melters

* "Beast and the Harlot" - Avenged Sevenfold
* "Carry Me Home" - The Living End
* "Institutionalized" - Suicidal Tendencies †
* "Misirlou" - Dick Dale
* "Hangar 18" - Megadeth
* "Free Bird" - Lynyrd Skynyrd † (Encore)

Bonus tracks

* "Raw Dog" - The Last Vegas (Winner of the "Be a Guitar Hero" Contest)
* "Arterial Black" - Drist †
* "Collide" - Anarchy Club
* "Drink Up" - Ounce of Self
* "Elephant Bones" - That Handsome Devil
* "Fall of Pangea" - Valient Thorr
* "FTK" - Vagiant
* "Gemini" - Brian Kahanek †
* "Push Push (Lady Lightning)" - Bang Camaro
* "Laughtrack" - The Acro-brats †
* "Less Talk More Rokk" - Freezepop †
* "Jordan" - Buckethead
* "Kicked to the Curb" - Noble Rot
* "Mr. Fix-it" - The Amazing Royal Crowns
* "The New Black" - Every Time I Die
* "One for the Road" - The Breaking Wheel
* "Parasite" - The Neighborhoods
* "Radium Eyes" - Count Zero
* "Red Lottery" - Megasus
* "Six" - All That Remains
* "Soy Bomb" - Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives †
* "The Light That Blinds" - Shadows Fall
* "Thunderhorse" - Dethklok
* "Trogdor" - Strong Bad †
* "X-Stream" - Voivod
* "Yes We Can" - Made in Mexico

Xbox 360 downloadable tracks

Guitar Hero Track Pack 1 (30.87 MB, 500 MSP) - Released April 11, 2007

* "Bark at the Moon" - Ozzy Osbourne
* "Hey You" - The Exies
* "Ace Of Spades" - Motörhead

Guitar Hero Track Pack 2 (30.64 MB, 500 MSP) - Released April 11, 2007

* "Killer Queen" - Queen
* "Take It Off" - The Donnas
* "Frankenstein" - The Edgar Winter Group

Guitar Hero Track Pack 3 (32.71 MB, 500 MSP) - Released April 11, 2007

* "Higher Ground" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
* "Infected" - Bad Religion
* "Stellar" - Incubus