Information
Reviewed On: Wii
Available On: Wii
Players: 1-4
Rating: M
Genre: Music
Developer: Vicarious Visions
Distributor: Activision
Release: 6th August 2008
In Short...
"Good, but having only one band and being a little overpriced drags down its appeal."
Guitar Hero:
Aerosmith
There are two ways that I could review this game. On the one hand I could come out with some witty quip about how my complete apathy for all things Aerosmith rivals Steven Tyler’s lip span. On the other I could walk a somewhat safer line and say that if you’re a fan of Aerosmith then GH: Aerosmith will appeal to you. But what I might do is try and juggle the two because, hey, you’re probably just like me – wondering if it’s worth shelling out for a game that really only speaks to a particularly niche audience.
As always, it's the same old Guitar Hero...
As always, it's the same old Guitar Hero...
Presentation wise, this game features an unashamed rehash of the Guitar Hero III presentation template; same menus, same graphics, same career structure. All that’s different is the that now we have one band as the focus, so your career takes place in real life locations that relate to the band’s actual rise to fame. Oh, and you get to see the band prance around in the background while you play. If I actually cared about Aerosmith then I guess I’d see these as cool features, but I don’t, so I found myself ho-humming as I sat through each location’s cut scene, as well as an inevitable interview with each band member reminiscing how they played in some school’s hall and stole their rugby jumpers – you rock rebels!
The one thing I really do like about GH: Aerosmith is the way that it handles the extra, non-Aerosmith songs on the track list. Basically, you start each set out as an opening cover band for Aerosmith, so the extra tracks are totally in context and, for my money, are the most fun songs to play. Granted, nothing really stands out – although Dream Police by Cheap Trick is pretty funky I guess. Then, once you’ve played a couple of covers, Aerosmith take to the stage and you play through a set made up of their signature hard rock/blues output. Awesome if you love the band, less so if you don’t.
I think I recognised about three songs throughout the game, and each one is fun enough to play I guess, although the game as a whole does become extremely monotonous. All the songs sound the same (which, admittedly, can be said for any band) and by the end of my reviewing session I was getting pretty damn sick of the same blues solo lines and riff-centric song structure. Then there’s the almost exorbitant price. Never once does the game feel like more than an expansion pack, yet it’s been given the full release RRP. Such a move is probably not the best strategy for getting people who aren’t completely sold on the idea to commit to a purchase. Whack a price of $50 on the thing (for 40 songs) and you’ll probably get a lot more punters in, and they might actually feel like they’ve gotten value for money. You might even build anticipation for future Guitar Hero: ‘Insert Band Here’ releases.
OMG!! OMG!! It's Steve Tyler!
The game’s difficulty is fairly toned down, mostly a result of Joe Perry’s fairly relaxed guitar method than Neversoft’s largesse. It’s also great to see that there’s only one of those stupid guitar battles in the game, right at the end – although we’d be even happier to see them disappear completely.
OMG!! OMG!! It's Steve Tyler!
GH: Aerosmith’s song choice does falter in some sections, though, in particular the extremely questionable bonus song efforts from Joe Perry’s solo project, in which he soundsmore like my dad singing in the shower than a professional musician. It seems, too, that quite a few ‘big’ Aerosmith singles are missing here – where are the likes of Dude (looks like a lady), Janie’s Got a Gun or even that soppy one from the Armageddon film? Even I know those songs! Do we smell the cynical whiff of possible DLC profit?
I actually really like this idea of having an expansion to the main Guitar Hero game that focuses on one band. Sure, there’s a slight odour of selling out in on the air but if it’s a band that you love then a game such as this provides the perfect opportunity to rock out to your favourite tunes. In many respects it’s actually a bit of a risky move because… well, Aerosmith.
The problem we do have with this particular release is, as we’ve mentioned, with the pricing, which is simply too much. A cheaper product would expose this single-band approach to a broader audience and allow for future band expansions to be considered. However, as it stands, we’re not entirely sure who exactly will be buying this title. It will be interesting to see if another game like this gets released. Perhaps the option of downloadable content will prove to be a more appropriate platform for future band-specific projects.
By Dylan Burns
The Verdict
Graphics: B- Bland, but you're unlikely to notice.Sound: C+ Aerosmith. (Menu tunes etc. are the usual)
Gameplay: A Guitar Hero is still doing it right.
Good, but having only one band and being a little overpriced drags down its appeal.