Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock

THE BAD:

• No downloadable content
• Rigid animations

SUMMARY:
Guitar Hero III doesn't try to be anything that it's not. It's basically the same game we saw in Guitar Hero II, but with new songs and a few new things thrown in to give it an edge. And it is still just as fun as the previous installations.

The Peripheral

Guitar Hero III for the Wii has what I think is the sleekest peripheral of all the versions. The cool white guitar goes perfect with the Wii's style, and everything feels nice when you hold it. I really like how the Remote looks in the front of the guitar, and the analog stick works a lot better than pointing the guitar would.

I wasn't too fond of the whammy bar though, which frequently sagged down while I was holding the guitar. There were countless instances where I wanted to get some extra star power but couldn't get a grip on the whammy bar in time, but that's something I quickly learned to cope with.

The Graphics

The graphics are probably the biggest let down of the Wii installment of this game. The band's movements seemed very rigid and robotic, most notably the drummer. The environments seemed crisp, but not up to par with the Wii's level.

The Gameplay

This game is incredibly addicting and fun. Notes come at you from the top of the screen, ranging in color. As they get to the bottom of the screen, you must simultaneously hold down the corresponding fret button and strum. The more notes you hit consecutively, the more points you earn per note.

There are a few different modes that you can play on. In Career mode, you must take your band to the top. A new feature for this mode is the introduction of Guitar Battles, where you are pitted against a famous guitarist (there are three in Career Mode, but I won't spoil it for you) and you must defeat them before they defeat you. To do this, you must utilize the items that are littered throughout the song.

Another new feature is the Co-Op Career Mode, where you and a friend can play at the same time. One of you becomes the guitarist, while the other becomes the bassist. The Co-Op Career Mode features songs that aren't available in regular Career Mode.

The Songs

There are tons of great songs in Guitar Hero III. Classics like Barracuda, Rock You Like a Hurricane, Welcome to the Jungle, and many more are littered throughout. Plus, nearly every song in the game is a master track, adding to the rock and roll experience.

The bonus songs are a bit of a let down, however. I haven't heard of nearly any of the bands featured in the Bonus section (besides Dragonforce) but that's come to be expected. I haven't really found a bonus song that I particularly like, though.

The Online

This is where the game really shines. You can shred with anyone around the world in modes like Face-Off, Pro Face-Off, and Battle Mode. If you want to play with friends, you can, as long as you have each other's friend codes added.

The system is actually pretty intuitive, especially on the Wii's bare bones online service. Once you've added someone to your friend roster and they have added you back, you can see when they are online and offline. I also likes how if you exit the main WiFi screen but are still online, you can see when someone has created a friend match. This is a small thing, but it's very convenient.

I would also be praising the downloadable content featured in this game, but unfortunately is was canned for the Wii installation. Activision has stated that they will hopefully have some service available in the future, but until then you are stuck playing the songs originally featured in the game.

Closing Comments

This game is a must have for all Wii owners. The songs are incredibly fun to play thanks to the peripheral, which looks sleek and stylish. The inclusion of online play adds a new level of depth to the game, and I give the team props for trying out some new things in the Guitar Battles and Co-Op Career Mode. Hopefully Activision can get some downloadable content for the Wii version and the game would be complete.