Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80s

6.9
Average

Gameplay	7.0	"Potentially great, but overpriced."
Graphics	6.5
Sound	8.0
Value	7.0

By Shaun Hunter

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If you’re anything like me, it’s quite possible that you’ve become addicted to Guitar Hero. You may have played the same set list time after time and now you’re growing a little tired with what’s being offered. Now, Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80s has taken the stage to provide some encore action for those dying for more.

First and foremost, Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80s is a straight-up expansion of the previously released Guitar Hero II. There are no doubts when playing through that the aim of releasing this title was to cash in on those already hooked on the series. The game features all the same modes, such as Career and Quick Play modes, each of which work in the same fashion as they previously did.

Wielding your Gibson SG controller, you can rock through the game's slightly disappointing count of 30 songs, hitting all the notes and chords in the same fashion that we’ve become used to. But that’s where the problem of Rocks the 80s kicks in; there are only 30 tracks to play through, and once you have them, that’s it - there aren’t even any bonus tracks to unlock. For an expansion this may sound fine, but when the game is full price you’ll need to take a second thought.

It’s not that the soundtrack is all that bad - it does in fact show glimmers of greatness with songs such as Flock of Seagull’s “I Ran”, Twisted Sister’s “I Wanna Rock”, and Poison's "Nothin' But a Good Time”. However with such a limited collection of tunes, you’ll end up asking yourself why some of the choices have been included, many of which will be completely unknown to the vast majority of those who will be purchasing the game.

Even so, a lot of the songs are still as fun as ever to play, despite the fact that there are only five original performances, with the rest being covers – but you would get that considering the age of the songs (and therefore bands!). You’ll get to shred along to the epic solos featured, along with trying to manage the many, many chords thrown at you.

Graphically, the game hasn’t changed a great deal from Guitar Hero II. While the menus have been altered to reproduce the 80’s neon colours, you quickly realise that the game was either skimped upon or rushed so both companies could go their separate ways with Rock Band and Guitar Hero III. Added on top of this are the limited playable characters and venues, and although they have been slightly revamped with an 80’s feel, the removal of content will never sit well with fans.

Multiplayer is what has always made the Guitar Hero series such great party games, and for this iteration, the multiplayer aspect remains untouched with Cooperative, Face-Off and Pro Face-Off modes. Interestingly, while Guitar Hero II offered bass or rhythm guitar for the second player in the cooperative mode, Rocks the 80s features the bass guitar option for all its songs.

Those who are hanging out for Guitar Hero III later this year and looking for something to fill their time may want to hire Rocks the 80s for a weekend before deciding whether to spend the money on purchasing a full-priced game with a meager helping of content.

The full list of tracks available in Guitar Hero: Rocks the 80s:

1. Opening Licks
• "(Bang Your Head) Metal Health" - Quiet Riot
• "We Got the Beat" - The Go-Go's
• "I Ran (So Far Away)" - A Flock of Seagulls
• "Balls to the Wall" - Accept
• "18 and Life" - Skid Row (encore)

2. Amp Warmers
• "No One Like You" - Scorpions
• "Shakin'" - Eddie Money
• "Heat of the Moment" - Asia
• "Radar Love" - White Lion
• "Because, It's Midnite" - Limozeen (encore)

3. String Snappers
• "Holy Diver" - Dio
• "Turning Japanese" - The Vapors
• "Hold on Loosely" - .38 Special
• "The Warrior" - Scandal
• "I Wanna Rock" - Twisted Sister (encore)

4. Return of the Shred
• "What I Like About You" - The Romantics
• "Synchronicity II" - The Police
• "Ballroom Blitz" - Krokus[15]
• "Only a Lad" - Oingo Boingo
• "Round and Round" - Ratt (encore)

5. Relentless Riffs
• "Ain't Nothin' But a Good Time" - Poison
• "Lonely is the Night" - Billy Squier
• "Bathroom Wall" - Faster Pussycat
• "Los Angeles" - X
• "Wrathchild" - Iron Maiden (encore)

6. Furious Fretwork
• "Electric Eye" - Judas Priest
• "Police Truck" - Dead Kennedys
• "Seventeen" - Winger
• "Caught in a Mosh" - Anthrax
• "Play With Me" - Extreme (encore)

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