"No Suprize that yet another Guitar Hero is worth your time"

Love it or hate it, Guitar Hero is here to stay. And with the newest addition to the still growing franchise, it might not be a bad thing. This game brings a new twist to the genre, by being based around solely one band. Though not everyones cup of tea(not even mine), Areosmith manage to make this new endeavor a smart one. Even those who don't listen to the band, or have never listened to them at all, will likely find songs they enjoy in this game. One of the best aspects of the bundle though, is the new guitar. This custom faceplate is an excellent addition to anyones collection(which many people have gained an extensive one by now).

Gameplay:Those who have played the previous games will find it easy getting into the controls, as they are basically the exact same. For those who haven't, here's the low-down: Five fret buttons are pressed in different combinations according to what appears on the screen. As these buttons line up on the bottom of the screen the strum bar it pressed in order to hit the notes. Also, in order to further increase your score there is a whammy bar that you use on those sustained notes. There are a few differences from the last game, whether you like them is personal opinion. There is a whammy bar calibration now, which allows you to calibrate the whammy bar's rest position for improved control. The other "new" feature, is actually something moving back to the original. The hammer-ons and pull-offs have returned to pre-GH3. They now require much more precise timing than in the last game, and that can be a problem for some people. Personally I find it okay this way, so it wasn't too bothersome, but someone else's opinion may be very different. This new installment is still as fun as the original, and thats a feat for many ongoing titles these days.

Story:Story has never been a big issue in this series, and not much has changed here either. The story in guitar hero is almost an afterthought, and although it has an actual plot this time, it still seems forced. The story for this game tells how Areosmith started out playing in Nipmuc High School, right up into their entry into the Hall of Fame, each tier visiting a new venue important to the band. As far as Guitar Hero goes, the story is great. But for and avid RPG player, it's obviously going to be lacking in comparison.

Graphics:The graphics in this game are kind of similar to the story in the sense that, although good to have something, it's not really a main aspect of the game. Obviously, if this game had 2D graphics it would not have nearly the fan base it does, as it would be too hard to look at for such long periods as many people play for. The actual characters are done fairly well, but when you're playing th game, you hardly have time to look at them, for fear of screwing up your note streak.

Sound:The only aspect that comes close to the actual gameplay in terms of importance for this game. A game based on music is clearly going to need a good sound to back it up. And as always, Guitar Hero lives up to this expectation. The background music for the menus is taken right from the game itself, and helps hold your attention more than you might think. The actual song list is also very good, and contains roughly 60% Areosmith and 40% bands that they've played with, admire, or have been inspired by. Bonus songs are still included in this game, and add an additional 10 songs to your set list. The only problem I found here was that none of the bonus songs were those inspirational bands, and therefore lost some points in my books.

Game Time/Replayability:Game time varies based on how much you want to complete of this game. Just playing through the career and beating all the songs as they come, will run you around 3-4 hours total. But if you want to master all difficulties, unlock absolutely everything, and find all secrets, it will probably add close on 20 or more hours to that total. As for replayability, it depends on how much you like the songs, and if you give yourself a break in between play throughs. Depending on how much you enjoy the game, the replayability will range from nil, to infinity.

Overall:Overall, this game is an excellent addition to any Guitar Hero fans collection. Would I buy it? Well, "No Surprize", the answer is yes. Would I recommend you buy it? It really boils down to whether or not you like the series, and almost more so, if you like Areosmith.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/02/08

Game Release: Guitar Hero: Aerosmith (US, 06/29/08)