In this world there's a little genre of games called the rhythm games. Understand something about me and rhythm games, as much as I'm a hardcore RPGer I can't help but get at least a little happy in my pants when I get to play something as basic as a rhythm game. Sure a lot of them are really crap and it involves mindless repetitive button pushes but once in a while someone gets a good idea and somehow in today's rough and tumble world of videogames sequels finds a publisher that has the balls and gusto to stick with it and see the revolution though!Following in the tradition of all great rhythm-based games comes the newest instalment of awesomeness and addictive, arthritis causing game play. Yes, I'm talking about the Guitar Hero game, which just happens to come with the most awesome console accessory since the Power Glove.
It runs on a very simple concept, following in the tradition of the awesomeness that is Donkey Konga, you get your customised controller, this time in the form of a gibson guitar, and follow the rhythm of the on screens cues. The great thing about Guitar Hero is that while you hold down one of the coloured fret buttons to correspond with the one on screen you also have to strum the "strum bar" as it passes the bottom of the screen. Thus mimicking a real guitar as best as you could on a console! Amazing huh?There’s a few other neat things you can do with the fucking awesome guitar controller. The thing has a tilt sensor for you to build up "rock energy" and unleash for a massive onslaught axe grinding mayhem. You have a whammy bar to wail on when you get a long note for chord. So an hour or so after you initially pick it up you'll be jamming away to the likes of Jimmy Hendrix, Queen's of the Stone Age and Sum 41. All of which are totally sweet songs to rock out to.
But there in lies the biggest problem I can see with Guitar Hero. You look like a fucking nut sack having a epileptic fit while playing it. As of writing this review I've had a head poke it's head through my door and laugh at me not once, not twice but thrice and I've only owned the game 3 days. WTF? Well from the moment I picked up that guitar controller in JB HiFi I realised that I didn't give a shit about what the world thought of me playing this game. And that's a decision that you'll have to make for yourself, play fun game = look like a fuck wit. It will also tire you out if you’re as unfit as I am. Jumping around and jamming on your new toy has the tendency fuck up your strumming arm after an hour or so.
The difficulty of Guitar Hero is somewhat of a mixed bag, you get some relatively easy songs at the beginning (and trust me they might not seem easy when your doing them but they ARE.) and then by the 3rd or fourth one you’ll find yourself considerably challenged. I personally didn’t have any really real problems until halfway through the “Medium” Difficulty setting and by problems I mean I didn’t fail a song until the last one of the last venue. Which might I add is fucking nigh impossible to pull off! There’s usually a mixed bag in each of the stages or venues, some of the songs you’ll breeze through while others your frantically mashing the fret board trying to hit as man small children as possible. I can imagine that later on some of the faster songs get pretty fucking frustrating. Each difficulty adds another fret button for you to deal with. Easy has 3, Medium 4 & Hard 5. Expert is 5 on speed, which means I hope your fucking quick because it's probably easier to play a real guitar.
Over all it’s a pretty sweet package, you get 30 songs (plus 17 more unlockable), a sweet fake Gibson guitar to fiddle with and the hours of enjoyment and ability to laugh at your own misfortune about what a loser you must look like. Sure the songs aren’t all the best in the world and they aren’t performed by the original bands. But it works, and it does work quite well.
I’m yet to test it out but apparently the 2 player mode is awesomeness personified.
So what did I think of Guitar Hero w/ SG Controller for PS2?
It's fucking awesome, if you dont get it you must be a gay nazi. I just love jamming around on the funky guitar and beating small children over the head with it. I can't wait for Guitar Hero II, it was most fun I've had with a rhythm game since Donkey Konga, and that's a very long time.
It gets 95 out of 100 awesome points of awesomeness