Game Review: Guitar Hero
Rated by 2 members
What Parents Should Know
Parents should be aware that this is a rhythm game that
plays the rock 'n' roll scene for fun, but the lyrical content
still includes some mild references to drugs and sex (though
these cover versions omit the rare cursing present in the
originals). The imagery of the game is likewise invested in a
silly version of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll, and presents
some drawings of smoking and bottles of alcohol. The game
celebrates the commercial bands whose songs it features, as
well as Gibson guitars.
Families who buy this game could talk about the creative premise here. Which way is the industry going? Are games becoming more creative (games like Guitar Hero and Karaoke Revolution Party), or less creative (run-of-the-mill first-person shooters). Families may also want to discuss some of the racier elements of the rock 'n' roll image. Do songs about drinking and sex encourage kids to emulate them?
Common Sense Media Review
Air guitar players of the world, get ready to rock! GUITAR
HERO for PlayStation 2 is sure to unleash the hidden -- or, in
some cases, not so hidden -- rock star in everyone.
This energetic, fun rhythm game lets players feel like they are on stage along with some of the rockin'-est bands of the last 35 years.
Guitar Hero uses a special guitar-shaped controller that lets gamers play along with authentic-sounding cover versions of popular rock songs. (Guitar Hero can be played with a regular PlayStation controller, but doing so would ruin most of the fun of the game).
The controller is simple to use, but feels surprisingly close to playing a real instrument. Five buttons on the neck represent the guitar's frets, and a switch on the body lets players "strum" the controller. It is easy even for novice musicians to strap the controller over their shoulder and begin playing along to classic rockers like Boston's "More Than A Feeling" or more recent hits like "No One Knows" by Queens of the Stone Age.
Players will rock along to 30 well-known songs (and more than a dozen tracks from smaller bands) by following colored circles on the screen that scroll by in time to the music. Different colors correspond to different fret buttons, and players must hold a fret button and strum at the right time to match the note.
The gameplay is simple and addictive, and the range of difficulty is such that it should welcome non-musicians as well as push seasoned guitar shredders past their limits.
And once players get used to the controller, they can begin to focus on special strategies, like stringing together long lines of notes or employing a short-lived score multiplier, to build up high scores.
Apart from the simple thrill of playing along to some kicking rock songs, Guitar Hero charms with a presentation that plays up a lot of silly metal clichés. The amplifiers depicted in the game can be turned up to 11, just like those in the movie This Is Spinal Tap. And one of the unlockable characters is none other than the Grim Reaper himself, playing a scythe guitar.
For the most part, Guitar Hero plays the rock 'n' roll and the metal scene for fun. The art style, which depicts metal dudes in tight jeans and punks sporting spiky Mohawks, feels lovingly humorous.
Some of the songs are a little off-color, but they are all tunes that are played on the radio. Since this is rock 'n' roll, players will encounter some occult imagery, lyrics about drinking, and some fairly blunt sexual innuendo, but in most cases anything that might be considered offensive really seems more cartoon-ish. These cover versions even omit the rare cursing present in the originals.
The sound is excellent, from the electric hum of the amps to the cheers of the crowd when players unleash some successful rocking. All in all, it's quite a rush holding that silly little guitar and feeling like you're right up on stage with the Grim Reaper, strumming fast and furious along with Pantera's "Cowboys From Hell."
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
