Game Review: Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
Rated by 3 members
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this is a very engaging musical
rhythm game that is best played on a special guitar-shaped
controller. The game doesn't shy away from the seedier side of
the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, including sexual innuendo and
alcohol references in the song lyrics. One of the game's venues
is a bar, and several of the characters are in sexy bar garb --
some men go shirtless and women have exposed midriffs. More so
than in the previous versions of
Guitar Hero, name brands are everywhere, including
branding the guitar controller as an actual Gibson guitar. Most
of the commercialism is confined to music-related products like
amplifiers, guitars, microphones, and music magazines that
would normally be found in a musical venue, but you will also
catch a Pontiac truck. Thanks to its adjustable difficulty
settings, the game is a surprisingly accessible game for
beginners, but can also be challenging enough for rhythm-action
veterans.
Families can talk about all the product placement. Did you notice the name-brand rock equipment? Would you look for those products in a store? How about the Pontiac truck? How do these products benefit from this type of advertising? Why do you think they're targeting kids? Did you enjoy "battling" other characters or would you have preferred that the game was only about playing songs? Is it more important to have a good sense of rhythm or good reflexes to enjoy the game?
Common Sense Media Review
The
Guitar Hero series is in no danger of slowing down if
GUITAR HERO III: LEGENDS OF ROCK is any indication. The third
game in the series (well, technically the fourth if you count
Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s
) is the first truly cross-platform
Guitar Hero, with versions for PlayStation 2,
PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and the Wii. Now closet rock stars can
finally enjoy the series on the console of their choice.
The music game's mechanics have not changed much from previous versions. Using a special guitar controller, you play along to a song by pressing the neck and "strum" buttons in time to the music.
The career mode now features a beefed-up story that follows your band's rise to fame. You start out playing backyard parties and dive clubs and move up to shooting music videos and headlining sold-out venues overseas. The money earned from playing gigs can be spent on new characters, outfits, songs, videos, and guitars including Gibson's iconic Les Paul, SG, and Flying V (thanks to an in-game endorsement by the guitar maker).
A music game is only as good as its song list, and Guitar Hero III delivers a steady stream of guitar-driven classics from the likes of Metallica, Black Sabbath, Santana, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Rage Against the Machine, and the Smashing Pumpkins for a total of 42 songs.
True to its Legends of Rock subtitle, Guitar Hero III features legendary axemen Slash (of Guns n' Roses and Velvet Revolver) and Tom Morello (of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave) as playable characters. Notorious punk rockers The Sex Pistols also re-recorded a new version of "Anarchy in the U.K." especially for the game.
Guitar Hero III features a new co-op mode that lets a second person play along to the same song on a rhythm guitar or bass, and the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions support the ability to jam with friends online.
Boss songs, where you must out-duel another character on the guitar to continue, are another new addition. This isn't necessarily in keeping with the spirit of Guitar Hero (since when did music have to be about "defeating" someone else?), but some may enjoy the incorporation of more traditional video game "boss battles."
Guitar Hero III features four levels of difficulty ranging from Easy to Expert, which means that both music game veterans and guitar newbies can rock out comfortably.
If players have guitar controllers from previous games, they can buy the game only for $49.99 (PS2) or $59.99 (Xbox 360). Bundles that include a wireless controller cost $89.99 (PS2 or Wii) and $99.99 (Xbox 360 and PS3).
For other great guitar games, check out the previous titles in the series: Guitar Hero , Guitar Hero II , and Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s . For younger gamers looking to make music, turn to Hannah Montana: Music Jam.
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
