Guitar Hero III

[PapaZeb]

Before we even get to the huge PR notice, let's take a look at the initially released tracks:

• Paint It Black (by The Rolling Stones)
• Cherub Rock (by Smashing Pumpkins)
• Sabotage (by Beastie Boys)
• The Metal (by Tenacious D)
• My Name is Jonas (by Weezer)
• Knights of Cydonia (by Muse)
• Rock And Roll All Nite (as made famous by Kiss)
• School’s Out (as made famous by Alice Cooper)
• Slow Ride (as made famous by Fog Hat)
• Cult of Personality (by Living Colour)
• Barracuda (as made famous by Heart)

Now before we go anywhere after this, let's remember that "as made famous by" is language for "we covered it, usually with some really horrendous vocal track, I am looking at you 'Killing in the Name Of'"

Over half of the initial songs are original recordings, with some big names heading up the initial releases. Wonder if we're going to get a Tool song this time around - it was rumoured during most of GH2's development phase.

Oh - and someone already converted Tenacious D's "The Metal" for a modded Guitar Hero game - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t831oibg27s

Originally Posted by Press Release

SUNNYVALE, CA – May 23, 2007 – After warming their amps in the basement garage to rocking sold out shows at Stonehenge, fans of Activision, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) wildly popular Guitar Hero™ franchise will now be able to shred like never before with the next iteration of the game that will be available this fall. The new game will be released on the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Wii™ video game system from Nintendo.

Turning it up to 11, Guitar Hero fans will channel their inner rock god using Gibson Guitar’s Les Paul and Kramer models as the industry standard. In addition, players will experience an incredible number of newly added features and explosive content including a new multiplayer action-inspired battle mode, grueling boss battles, a bevy of exclusive unlockable content and authentic rock venues. Expanded online multiplayer game modes will also allow axe-shredders worldwide to compete head-to-head for true legendary rock status.

While continuing to retain all the key features from their prior legendary performances, fresh downloadable content will be offered on multiple platforms, and players can now shred to a killer set list from many of the gnarliest rock songs ever recorded. Delivering more master tracks than ever before, strategic partnerships have been secured with all the major and independent music record labels and publishers to allow unrivaled access to their deep history of music catalogs, along with supplying artists’ original recordings for even greater authenticity.

The initial list of face-melting awesomeness includes:

• Paint It Black (by The Rolling Stones)
• Cherub Rock (by Smashing Pumpkins)
• Sabotage (by Beastie Boys)
• The Metal (by Tenacious D)
• My Name is Jonas (by Weezer)
• Knights of Cydonia (by Muse)
• Rock And Roll All Nite (as made famous by Kiss)
• School’s Out (as made famous by Alice Cooper)
• Slow Ride (as made famous by Fog Hat)
• Cult of Personality (by Living Colour)
• Barracuda (as made famous by Heart)

For the first time ever, Guitar Hero fans will also be able to thrash and burn with new wireless guitar controllers available for each platform. The exclusive Gibson guitars will include innovative features such as removable faceplates that will allow fans to later personalize their guitars and make it their own, and a new button color design that will be integrated for an even greater authentic feel and rock experience. Gibson Guitar’s Les Paul model will be the battle axe of choice, and an industry standard for all rock gods on the Xbox 360™, PLAYSTATION®3 system, and Wii™. After much anticipation, PlayStation®2 system fans will also be receiving a new exclusive shape as well, the classic Kramer guitar, also a Gibson brand, popularized by hard rockers and known for its body design, pickups, electronics, and construction for furious finger fretting.

“The development team at Neversoft has been exceptional, and we’ve been able to incorporate a host of fresh new online and multi-player game play modes, along with exciting content into this version of Guitar Hero that our fans have been asking for. Also, many of the top bands and songs we’ve tried to get in the past are now on board, and we’ve definitely got some giant aces in the hole to say the least,” said Dusty Welch, head of publishing at RedOctane. “In addition, offering a new line of Gibson wireless guitars for each platform is going to truly add to the authentic rock star experience like no other.”

The next iteration of Guitar Hero, published by RedOctane® and developed by Neversoft, is not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information about Guitar Hero, please visit the dedicated community site www.guitarherogame.com. ;

Updated Song List -
Paint It Black (by The Rolling Stones)
Cherub Rock (by Smashing Pumpkins)
Sabotage (by Beastie Boys)
The Metal (by Tenacious D)
My Name is Jonas (by Weezer)
Knights of Cydonia (by Muse)
Rock And Roll All Nite (as made famous by Kiss)
School’s Out (as made famous by Alice Cooper)
Slow Ride (as made famous by Fog Hat)
Cult of Personality (by Living Colour)
Barracuda (as made famous by Heart)
3's and 7's (by Queens of the Stone Age)
Avalancha (by Héroes del Silencio)
Black Magic Woman (as made famous by Santana)
Closer (by Lacuna Coil)
Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll (as made famous by Blue Oyster Cult)
Cult of Personality (by Living Colour)
Even Flow (by Pearl Jam)
Generation Rock (by Revolverheld)
Go That Far (by Bret Michaels Band)
Hier Kommt Alex (by Die toten Hosen)
Hit Me With Your Best Shot (as made famous by Pat Benatar)
I'm in the Band (by The Hellacopters)
In the Belly of a Shark (by Gallows)
La Grange (as made famous by ZZ Top)
Lay Down (by Priestess)
Mauvais Garcon (by NAAST)
Minus Celsius (by Backyard Babies)
Miss Murder (by AFI)
Mississippi Queen (as made famous by Mountain)
Monsters (as made famous by Matchbook Romance)
The Number of the Beast (by Iron Maiden)
One (by Metallica)
Paranoid (as made famous by Black Sabbath)
Radio Song (by Superbus)
Raining Blood (by Slayer)
Reptilia (by The Strokes)
Rock You Like a Hurricane (as made famous by Scorpions)
Ruby (by Kaiser Chefs)
She Bangs the Drums (as made famous by The Stone Roses)
She Builds Quick Machines (by Velvet Revolver)
Suck My Kiss (by Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Take This Life (by In Flames)
Talk Dirty to Me (as made famous by Poison)
Through the Fire and Flames (by Dragonforce)
Welcome to the Jungle (by Guns N' Roses)
When You Were Young (by some douchebag I went to highschool with The Killers)

[poprock]

Hrm. They’re getting dangerously close to milking this franchise to death …

I’m not sure there’s any real point in sequels for the 360, for example, when they can just pop new packs of tracks up on Live for purchasing. Admittedly, they need a PS3 version … do they think fans on other systems will buy a v3 anyway, because they’ll want to keep up?

[darth_haggis]

Sequels? It's a game you pick up a guitar and rock out to your favourite songs.

The 'covers' aint bad at all - jeezo, it's only a laugh.

As long as the songs are good, I'm happy.

• Paint It Black (by The Rolling Stones)
• Cherub Rock (by Smashing Pumpkins)
• Sabotage (by Beastie Boys)
• The Metal (by Tenacious D)
• My Name is Jonas (by Weezer)
• Knights of Cydonia (by Muse)
• Rock And Roll All Nite (as made famous by Kiss)
• School’s Out (as made famous by Alice Cooper)
• Slow Ride (as made famous by Fog Hat)
• Cult of Personality (by Living Colour)
• Barracuda (as made famous by Heart)

SOOPERB!!!

[PapaZeb]

@Tony - At current downloadable pack prices, it's cheaper to buy a whole new game than buy packs of songs.

As for milking it to death - Harmonix/Red Octane are no longer really involved in the GH franchise - now it's almost solely in the hands of Activision and Neversoft (Tony Hawk eleventy billion is due out this summer right?)

[poprock]

Originally Posted by PapaZeb

@Tony - At current downloadable pack prices, it's cheaper to buy a whole new game than buy packs of songs.

Not if you need a new controller though …

Just a thought.

[PapaZeb]

Didn't need a new controller from GH1 -> GH2 and I can't see in the press release where it says "NEED NEW CONTROLLER" - I see 'em offering new brands of controllers, including wireless for all consoles.

In similar themes of games, Konami's stuck with the same dance pad for somewhere in the field of 20+ DDR games.

[poprock]

Aye, fair enough.

[Stu]

RÖKK.

I'm ashamed to admit that I've never played a Guitar Hero game, and now that I want one I can't find the bastard thing anywhere.

[PapaZeb]

Didn't care enough from GH1 -> GH2 to get the new red Gibson on PS2. Twin classic black n whites here - once I break 'em from continued overuse, I'll switch to wireless

[poprock]

Tried GH2 on Xbox 360, it wasn’t for me, traded it in. Short story, that.

I’m sticking with Frequency and Amplitude for my rhythm action needs. Maybe with a dash of Boom Boom Rocket thrown in when I need something easier.

[Stem]

I bought GH1 & GH2 and out of all the games in the flat they see the most action (followed closely by the God Of War series thus far.) I imagine when we upgrade to PS3 we'll do the same with the game and the guitars.

[McLeary]

I'm on this like stank on shit. Will probably shill out for a new wireless guitar too, since I'm pretty active when I'm playing it, and like to pretend I'm Jannick Gers and spin the guitar about instead of actually playing it.

Got to say though, I thought the guitar sound on the covered tracks from the earlier games was a lot better than on the original recordings, by which mean the tracks you 'buy' in the game, ie. Shadows Fall, All That Remains, etc. Hopefully they'll sort that though.

[PapaZeb]

I got no beef whatsoever with the guitar sounds on the covered tracks - Harmonix musicians are my idols (and I get to see Harmonix's main sound engineer and his band in concert a wee bit after my birthday - insert childish squeal)

I try to tune out the vocals - but it just seems to me that the vocals in GH2 took a nosedive quality-wise, or perhaps that it's hard to copy Kurt Cobain or Zack de la Rocha

[XMachina]

Rock And Roll All Nite (as made famous by Kiss)

better be careful with this as anyones who can play it will be signed up as part of the KISS 'everyone gets to play lead guitar since Ace Frehley left' initiative

[AMillionScreams]

Liking the new songs, looks better than GH2 already