This mode is brilliant-it epitomizes what Guitar Hero is: the preeminent party game, perfect to just leave running in the background during any birthday or house party.įree Play mode is still around but gives you more customization than Party Play, letting you choose your character and build a setlist. You can even switch to a different song if you like. Party Play lets any combination of four players pick up controllers, choose their instrument and difficulty, and start playing right in the middle of a song. Called Party Play, it displays a band on stage cycling through the game’s entire song list. In fact the game’s attract screen functions as the most peripheral form of free play. GH5 makes it much simpler to start playing in any mode. The most obvious improvement is the overhaul of World Tour’s cumbersome menu system. And finally, one-off gimmicks have been replaced by some desperately needed fine tuning. The unnecessary and garish visual changes have reverted to a more muted, sensible presentation. Gone is the shameless product placement-you won’t be playing your Axe Body Spray guitar on the Pontiac stage in the KFC venue anymore. GH5 is a valiant attempt to return the series to its roots. Once Activision got hold of it…well, it did turn into Madden.
Guitar Hero 2 feels like the last time the series really nailed its concept, because that was the last time Harmonix worked on it. Guitar Hero 5 is the first time the series has grown up. Even after years of Guitar Hero fandom I admit to being a born-again Rock Band convert, but Guitar Hero 5, especially and surprisingly on Wii, will make everyone think twice about writing the series off. Many gamers I’ve talked to are satisfied with the outcome-Rock Band is rightfully king and the once groundbreaking Guitar Hero is relegated to playing eternal catch-up, settling into the category of the annual franchise churn-out with Madden, Tony Hawk and…whatever party game Nintendo is putting out. As we all know World Tour looked like a freshman effort compared to Harmonix’ masterpiece, and although Vicarious Visions did some impressive innovating with the Wii version, World Tour was marred by poor design decisions, counter-intuitive menus and an inferior song list. Last year was all-out music game war, a proving ground as the series made its first attempt at full band play with Guitar Hero World Tour and went head to head with the pitch-perfect Rock Band 2. Changed hands from its original creators and now in an annual struggle to outdo Harmonix’ graduating effort, Rock Band, Guitar Hero is currently developed by Neversoft on PS3 and 360 and by Vicarious Visions for Wii. In the scant four years since Harmonix and Redoctane’s quirky, experimental Guitar Hero showed up in the bowels of E3’s Kentia Hall, the franchise has exploded in popularity.
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