Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (Xbox 360, 2007)

In the next great rage in the music gaming industry, there was DDR, Karaoke Revolution and Get On Da Mic just to name a few. Guitar Hero is the newest musical hit that seems to have taken the world by storm selling 5.9 million copies so far. Wanna test out your Rock star skills? Think that you have magic hands and can complete with the world’s greatest guitarists?
Graphics – 4/5
Not enough has changed to from previous GH titles to be amazed, sorta like the Sports games differences between the 07 and 08 games are slight game engine upgrades with roster and stat changes. Though there are some notables I have to report. Crisper details and easier to use menu setup. The game is visually stunning compared to the previous titles. The characters are more textured and the cinema scenes are engaging. Between sets, you are subjected to an animated scene in which you receive an invitation to play at the next venue.
Gameplay - 3/5
I have some bone to pick with the way the controls were setup, mostly with how the tabbing of the songs. I found on Easy mode to have more difficult song tabs then Expert mode, while Expert mode seemed dummied down. Then there’s the battle system to take into account. You go and battle against the greats of the Rock world. Some of them seem too easy even on Expert mode they seem like it’s still on Easy. .There’s single, Career, Co-Op ,two player Co-op, Battle and Online play. Replay value is through the roof.

Soundtrack - 5/5
Let me break it down for ya, there’s 71 playable songs - 46 of which are "main setlist" songs, while the remaining 25 are "bonus tracks." In total, 51 of the game's songs are master recordings (the highest total of any Guitar Hero release).
The soundtrack features such songs as The Rolling Stones' "Paint It, Black", The Smashing Pumpkins' "Cherub Rock", Beastie Boys' "Sabotage", Tenacious D's "The Metal", Weezer's "My Name is Jonas", Muse's "Knights of Cydonia", Kiss' "Rock and Roll All Nite", Alice Cooper's "School's Out", Foghat's "Slow Ride", Metallica's "One", and Heart's "Barracuda."[32] It also features re-recordings of the Sex Pistols' "Anarchy in the U.K." and Living Colour's "Cult of Personality" specifically for Guitar Hero III, as the original master tracks could not be found.
Downloadable songs are always a plus, but it comes at a price either money (About $6.00 a song) for Playstation or 500 Microsoft points for X-Box. As well as free Battle Trail packs.

Overall, this game hits the mark and just alittle bit above. With awesome classic songs (But there could have been more) even though downloads will expand this, and the graphics on par, only the difficulty level really needed some tweaking.

Graphics - 8/10
For what the game is, you are not buying this game to play for the graphics – though Activision was able to make the animations more vibrant, and a more noticeable experience. This i

Sound – 10/10
The track list for this game, along with the original recordings (including the reunited Sex Pistols!) is a must have. You will get lost in involvement when playing this game. This is one of the best soundtracks in a game to date.

Gameplay – 9/10
Though under new “ownership”, Activision has taken this game this game down a similar road, but with a new car. With slight improvements in the display hud, the notifications of streaks, and the “star power” activators easier to get, this game is fun. Plain and simple.

Replay Value - 10/10
When you see the achievement list, it will make you achievement “gatherers” play this game again and again to get the full 1000/1000. Plus with the addition of online multiplayer, content downloads, and competitive play – it will hard not to play this game over and over. This is a worthy sequel.

Overall - 9/10
Able to play this game early, there are a few new tweaks to the actual gameplay, and it feels a bit easier to play (except some of the very final songs), but this game follows the old saying “if it ain’t broke – don’t fix it”. The song list, along with the new guitar, is stellar. With all the original, or master, tracks that are in this game, it is hard not to enjoy this game if you are a fan of rhythm or music games.

The new wireless “Gibson” guitar is heavier, more durable, and the closest thing to a real guitar peripheral that I have felt. I must say that this is a nice controller, and I did not want to put it down. I applaud Activision’s attention to detail. I highly recommend this bundle.

In being honest, I can say that Guitar Hero III is overall truly ahead of it's brothers. I think the single biggest improvement is the controller. While the X-Plorer was nice, the Gibson Les Paul is phenomenal! It's a bit heavier, more durable, is much easier(and less dangerous) to hit Star Power and is overall a much more comfortable controller. And it having the look of the legendary Les Paul doesn't hurt.
While GH I and II had much of the same look and feel, when I popped in GH III it was a different world. Neversoft did magic with it!
So here's how I break it down:

Sound:
This is what it's really all about... and it's amazing, especially if playing through a home theater system. Fantastic! Even the older tracks like Paint It Black and Sunshine of Your Love sound awesome!

Graphics:
This isn't exactly what you buy GH III for, but honestly, it doesn't fail. The graphics are much more crisp and lifelike; you'll notice it immediately, especially when you see Slash, Tom Morello and Bret Michaels. Oh yeah, and having Bret Michaels take the lead on Talk Dirty To Me and playing with Slash on Welcome To The Jungle is flat out awesome. Talk about really putting you the zone! Very nicely done!

Gameplay:
Gameplay has the same comfortable familiar Guitar Hero feel, but with much valued improvements in the HUD. It's also a very nice touch to be able to see your note streaks: it lets you know how your really doing and keeps you wanting to be that much better... to improve the streak to the next level. The change in Star Power is great: first, it's easier to achieve (you only have to tilt the controller slightly as opposed to tilting almost straight up with previous versions), and the screen doesn't jump like before. Now when you hit it, it just turns blue and the crowd goes crazy. And instead of simply playing an encore and moving to the next level, you now have to battle guitar greats such as Tom Morello and Slash... and finally the devil! Simply awesome!!!

Replay Value:
Giving the history of Guitar Hero, this speaks for itself.

Track List:
This is the only area when I have a little complaint. Don't get me wrong, the overall list rocks! There's some awesome additives, like Paint It Black, Barracuda, Welcome To The Jungle, Talk Dirty To Me, Black Magic Woman, Suck My Kiss, Slow Ride, and the long await of Metallica. But there were a few songs that I would've left out... and I have to say that I do miss some of the awesome songs on GH II. But overall, nicely done.

Online Play:
This is probably the biggest and most long awaited addition. Being able to play co-op or battle with someone online is excellent. This is the best change to me.


Overall:
Go for it! If you like Guitar Hero, you wont be disappointed. Neversoft has done a very nice job. And although the price is a little steep, it's a far cry from $170.00 for another similiar game coming out. And it's worth every penny!

Gameplay: 9.0
Even with a new developer at the helm, Guitar Hero III doesn’t skip a beat. The gameplay is a nice improvement over Guitar Hero II, with more responsiveness during solos and some fun new features. Even though it could stand to be fleshed out a bit more, the new Battle mode is a great competitive touch.

Graphics: 8.0
A marked improvement over Guitar Hero II, the character models look great and the singers actually have some impressive lip syncing this time around.

Sound: 9.5
A varied and diverse soundtrack spanning several decades of rock, Guitar Hero III has some great songs and some of the most technically complex that you’ll find in any entry to the series.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 8.5
Guitar Hero III introduces some great new features, but could’ve seen them through a bit more (like the career Battles).

Multiplayer: 9.0
The co-op career is a fine addition, as are the two-player Battles. All multiplayer modes in the game are now playable online.

Overall: 9.0
A great addition to the series, Guitar Hero III offers some great new tracks for hardcore fans, while the more responsive controls are great for newcomers. While the series faces some stiff competition from Rock Band this year, it would be a shame for any rhythm game fan to miss out on Guitar Hero III.

Crank Up the Volume and prepare to rock around the globe with Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Battle against some of the greatest legends to ever shred on a guitar and become one yourself! Take your skills online against other Guitar Heros.
The soundtrack features such songs as The Rolling Stones "Paint It, Black", The Smashing Pumpkins' "Cherub Rock", Beastie Boys' "Sabotage", Tenacious D's "The Metal", Weezer's "My Name is Jonas", Muse's "Knights of Cydonia", Kiss' "Rock and Roll All Nite", Alice Cooper's "School's Out", Foghat's "Slow Ride", Metallica's "One", and Heart's "Barracuda." It also features re-recordings of the Sex Pistols' "Anarchy in the U.K." and Living Colour's "Cult of Personality"