Guitar Hero 5 hits the shelves today, and I for one am very excited. The song list this time around features 85 tunes, and is quite eclectic. No other Guitar Hero title to date has featured acts from Johnny Cash, to Megadeth, to Grand Funk Railroad. Okay, I’m not exactly the world’s biggest Bon Jovi fan, but I am more than happy to play "You Give Love a Bad Name" all night long.
The games last version, Guitar Hero World Tour, was based on a four player setup. Guitar Hero 5 is much the same, allowing gamers to play the lead guitar, bass, vocals, or drums. This formula works well, and I for one love the fact that I can have my husband and two other friends with me to have a good old fashioned jam session. The actual game play remains unchanged. The green, red, yellow, blue and orange notes will still come scrolling down your screen, and I for one find this fact a little comforting. After all, why fix something that is certainly not broken?
The only really irritating thing about attempting to tackle four player mode in the past is the constant interruptions. Someone always had to put his or her controller down to answer the phone, or go to the bathroom. The music would stop, and you’d have to return to the previous screen to begin a song all over again. Bless Guitar Hero 5 for making this problem go away forever. The game features a Party Play mode, which allows players to join or exit the band mid-song, without any interruption to the game play.
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Career mode has also been completely overhauled. There really isn’t any story to follow anymore. No money needs to be earned, and you do not have to go on tour to advance. You simply play a song, beat it, move on, and earn little rewards along the way. This is nice, but I really did enjoy the idea of "making it". Going from town to town, earning a few bucks along the way. I know I’ll never be an actual rock star, but at least I could pretend a few nights a week.
The only really huge issue I have with this otherwise impressive game is the addition of Kurt Cobain as a playable character. I don't know why, but this just seems in poor taste. Yes, he is a rock legend, and one of the most beloved musicians to grace this world, but I just feel uncomfortable watching his animated form on my television screen. Maybe it’s the circumstances surrounding his death that is making feel this way. I’m sure I’ll get over it and find the strength to play "Smells Like Teen Spirit" some day. But for now, I’m going to step away from the computer, pick up my controller, and beat "Bullet with Butterfly Wings" on hard.
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games,
entertainment