Guitar Hero 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)Guitar Hero 2 is a fine sequel to the original but there are some areas of the game that could have used a bit more polishing. Lets break it down...

In case you aren't familiar with the Guitar Hero series i'll provide a brief description of how the game plays.

First, if you don't have the first Guitar Hero then make sure you get the bundle package with the guitar. Although the game can be played with the dualshock controller you will find it MUCH more entertaining if you play with the guitar.

This game is played by strumming notes at the correct time as they come streaming down a fret board. You strum the notes by moving the "strum bar" either up or down. On the neck of the guitar are five buttons. You must hold the correct buttons and strum at the correct time in order to successfully hit the notes. You can perform hammer-ons and pull-offs on certain notes to make it a bit easier (once you get the hang of it... it takes practice). Some notes can be held. There is a visual indicator that shows which notes can be held. You can use the whammy bar on these notes for cool whammy effects. There is a rock meter that has a red, yellow and green section. If you are doing good you will stay in the green section but the more notes you miss the further down you go in the rock meter. If you continue to mess up then it's game over. Star shaped notes provide "star power" if successfully played. Star power doubles your multiplier (8X max with star power, 4X without) and also makes it much easier to bring your rock meter back into the green zone. To active star power you lift your guitar vertically in the air (or press the select button on the guitar).

The meat if this game is in the career section. This is when your band goes on tour around the states and plays in various venues. You get money by beating songs. You are ranked on how well you performed. You get anywhere from 3 stars to 5 stars depending on how well you did. The more stars you get - the more money you get. You can buy new guitars, characters, guitar finishes, songs and videos. In Guitar hero 2 there are a total of 64 songs. 40 licensed songs and 24 songs from various bands that haven't made it big yet.

Guitar Hero 2 does provide the insane gameplay very similar to the original. Some of the songs are real gems, but there are others that just aren't as memorable is the original (this is an opinion though). I believe the original Guitar Hero had a stronger song list. Also, the cover bands that did the songs in Guitar Hero 2 aren't quite as good (still very good though!). Some songs like "Mother" by Danzig just don't have that powerful heavy metal feel like the original has. It feels a bit empty. Most songs are quite good instrumentally but the singing can get a bit iffy - but this is rare. Typically the singing is quite good.

There are two big improvements in this game. First is the cooperative mode which is a two player mode that allows one player to play the lead guitar and the other player to play either the bass or the rhythm guitar (depending on the song). One nice feature is that each player gets to set their difficulty level. The other major improvement is the practice mode which lets you practice sections of a song that you are having problems with. You can practice at normal speed, slow, slower and slowest. This is a feature that most people wished for in the original. Three button chords are new in this game (the original had two button chords) which ramps up the difficulty quite a bit. Hammer-ons and pull-offs are a bit easier to nail in this game which is VERY good.

Even though this game is an improvement over the original as far as features go, it could have used a bit more polish. First, most people agree that the song selection is iffy (I don't believe this, I just feel the songs in the first guitar hero are a little bit more memorable). This is an opinion however so I wont consider that. Although the practice mode is great to have it could have been done a bit better. My main complaint here is that there is no way to loop through the area you are practicing. You set your section(s) that you want to practice, set your speed, play it and once your done you have to go through the loading process again. This makes practicing tough areas a bit cumbersome. It would have been very nice to have the ability to continuously loop through the desired section. Even changing the speed causes a reload. Complaints aside, just having a practice mode is great. Another feature that would be nice is the ability to play through the game in cooperative mode. In this mode you can only play the songs that are unlocked through the single player career mode. It would have been cool to have a cooperative career mode. Not having the cooperative career will not affect the review though because just having the cooperative mode is very cool.

Although the game is great it does tend to feel like more of the same. This isn't all that bad because the game is just so fun but it would have been neat if they changed the gameplay a little bit more. Three button chords are new but it would have been cool if they did something like open notes (strumming without holding a button) to change the feel a little bit more. The difficulty level is just right. It's easy enough for those of us new to the series but on the harder difficulty levels it's quite a bit more challenging then the original which is good for us Guitar Hero veterans. They hit the middle ground just right. If you are a veteran that wants challenge the rest assured that challenge lies ahead in this game.

Overall I still highly recommend this game. Despite the issues listed above it's still a great game that will keep you addicted for many hours, especially with the new cooperative mode. I hope that if Harmonix plans to release another game that they change the gameplay a bit more to keep the veterans interest. Rock on.

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Product Description:
RedOctane's follow-up to the critically acclaimed rhythm game, Guitar Hero II features a brand-new and expanded track list, more venues and new play modes, and aims to rock longer and harder than its predecessor. RedOctane has once again teamed up with veteran music game developer Harmonix for the sequel, and is using famed recording studio WaveGroup for its music production, who also recorded the covers for the licensed tracks in the original Guitar Hero. Bundle ships with red SG style wired controller, strap and decals.

The Next Chapter in the Guitar Hero Experience
Rock the rhythm, lead, and bass guitar tracks in the follow-up sequel to Guitar Hero. Form your guitar duo and shred riffs cooperatively or go head-to-head in all new multiplayer modes. With over 60 tracks to rock out to, you'll go from Guitar Hero to Guitar god in one press of a fret button. Choose from multiple rock characters and jam at concert venues that grow in size as your rock career progresses. You'll start your rock career playing small clubs and bars, but if you play well you'll work your way up to stadiums and arenas.

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Amplitude Review

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(More customer reviews)Amplitude is a music game which is unique in the fact that it uses songs from established artists - some you most certainly have heard.If you are familiar with music games you would be at home here - the music plays and you perform a part by "playing" the controller while the "music" moves by on the screen.It is the sequel to a game called Frequency and some of this review compares this game to that one.
The game also allows you to remix songs but I did not get into that on Frequency and again fail to find it enjoyable.Also the head-to-head mode of this game is kind of strange - the single player is much more enjoyable in my opinion.
One of the best parts about Frequency was getting introduced to groups I hadn't heard before and hopefully some of these artists will turn out the same. The music in Amplitude is a mix of familiar and unfamiliar artists.Strangely it seems to be harder to play the songs that I know (Weezer - Dope Nose or Blink 182 - Rock Show) than songs I haven't heard before. Some of my favorite songs on Amplitude are Baseline by Quarashi, Cherry Libs by Garbage, and Urban Tumbleweed by the Baldwin Brothers. Ultimately I feel like somehow these artists were picked to promote them for Sony - I wish there were more variety of tracks.
Amplitude is easier to beat than Frequency was - there are 4 difficult modes (Mellow, Normal, Brutal, and Insane) and I started on Brutal when I first got it and played through in about 2 1/2 hours.The expert mode of Frequency was much more difficult.Easy mode is easy enough for my 6 year old to play.
I would have been happy with the Frequency base game with new music - what Sony needs to do in the future is modify this game with new music every 3 to 6 months and rerelease it for $20 or so. Much of the effort in the sequel seems to have gone into the system that allows you to create your own "guy" and as you play you unlock new clothes - whatever.Your guy sort of plays along with you - if you are on a guitar track he plays guitar and when you play drums he switches to drums.
A final word about the music.I love 4-letter words in my music as much as anybody but while I enjoyed playing Frequency with my kids, some of the songs in Amplitude have bleeped out words and are about mature subjects - and some words that in my opinion should be bleeped aren't.

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Product Description:
MODEL- 97258 VENDOR- SCEA FEATURES- Amplitude Fast, addictive arcade-style gameplay allows you to mix and remix hit songs from major recording artists like Garbage, David Bowie, P.O.D., BT, Weezer, Pink, Dieselboy, blink 182, Run DMC, and more - within more than 20 immersive levels. Experience musical immersion with single player gameplay or jump online and play against FreQs nationwide in intense jam sessions! ESRB Rating : T for Teen Genre/Category : Music System : PlayStation 2 Number of Players : 1~4 Compatible Peripheral: Network Adapter MANUFACTURER WARRANTY:andnbsp;andnbsp;90 DAYS

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Frequency Review

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(More customer reviews)It was my pleasure to participate in a couple of focus group tests of Frequency. Whenever a test was over, I would threaten to show up the next day at the developer's office uninvited, just to play some more. It's that good. To appreciate how great Frequency is, you really have to play it. Like SSX, Frequency adds innovative new play mechanics to a stale and stagnant genre, in this case, rhythm/music games, and creates an altogether transcendent experience. Unlike other music games, memorizing and repeating button presses is not the crux of the gameplay. Here, instead of mimicking a song, you actually create a song, using timing and reflexes to lay down beats, bass, and guitars, building each song from a metronome to an all-out jam. For example, if the player can successfully lay down a certain number of beats on the drum track, the drums are "locked in", and the player can then start working on the bass while the drum loop continues. "Lock in" the bass and you can move on to guitar, vocals, etc. However, as the song progresses, if a change in the drums or bass or whatever is required, the player must scroll back to that instrument and lay down the new beats. This is all achieved through a gorgeous 3-D graphic interface that looks like a trippy, hi-tech version of Tempest. The overall gameplay effect is a lot like a plate-spinning act. Power-ups and point multipliers spice up the fun, and a multiplayer mode is included where up to 4 players try to "capture" as many parts of the song as possible. And online play will be possible when Sony gets the network up and running. Also of note is the "remix" mode where you can take the awesome music in the game, and remix it freestyle, beat by beat. Although not as versatile as MTV Music Generator, it's a lot more intuitive, and a hell of a lot more fun. All the music included in the game by the likes of Chemical Brothers, Dub pistols, Paul Okenfield, No Doubt, and others is top-shelf stuff.

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Product Description:
Frequency allows you to mix and remix songs through each of eight different instrument types. If you remix correctly, you can freestyle and create your own music. The game has six unique game modes, top hits from major bands in a variety of genres, 3-D graphics, band video sequences, and online play. Genres include hip-hop, alternative, rock, electronica, house, and rap metal. Play through 21 diverse levels, each consisting of one musical composition, as well as music videos and other visual stimuli. Six unique play modes include solo game, net remix, and multiplayer remix modes. You can create your own awesome freestyle music using techniques and instruments such as scratching, guitar, and synth. You can also capture a variety of power-ups to add to your music juice.

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Dance Dance Revolution Max 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)Go to your local arcade and the game with the crowd around it will be Dance Dance Revolution.The arcade game, which was wildly popular in Japan first and is now becoming so in the U.S., is up to its 8th version in the arcades, and even more than that on Japanese consoles.Meanwhile, this is only the fourth DDR game released in the U.S.
Fortunately, it's the best so far.There are quite a few songs NOT taken from the DDR arcade games that most people will recognize, such as Days Go By from the Mitsubishi commercials, Heaven, Get Down Tonight, etc.Some may be disappointed that the difficulty of these new songs is not great, even on the hardest levels.But they're fun and sound great, and one of them (A Little Bit of Ecstacy) has a tricky tempo change.
There are a lot of old favorites here that arcade players will recognize:Burning Heat (remake of a song from an old Nintendo version of Gradius), Maxx Unlimited (one of the hardest songs ever), Kakumei (based on the classical Chopin piece "Revolutionary Etude"), Let's Groove, Twilight Zone (the jock-jam anthem), So Deep (so hard), and a couple of Captain Jack songs.
New to this mix is the Nonstop Mode, which lets you play predetermined or random sets of songs with no pauses in between.Also new is actual videos behind the arrows in several songs, and the dancing characters and Endless Mode (dance 'til you lose) are back from previous mixes.
Some have complained about songs repeated from other U.S. versions.Yes, it's annoying.I'm dealing with it.Hopefully next time, we'll get all new songs.
If you want to take this game seriously, I recommend you research and buy a metal dance pad from eBay or Red Octane.Soft pads (available at stores) will work for the less, er, intense players.
One more note, I have been using this game as my workout regime for the last year.Benefits I've noticed so far have included increased stamina and lung capacity and stronger calf muscles.I've played almost every day since August 2002 and I'm not even close to tired or bored of it. In fact I own only three games for my PlayStation 2:this, another DDR game, and a third game I've played only once.
Unlimited replay value, fitness benefits and great fun: you can't lose.Buy it now.

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Product Description:
MODEL- 20061VENDOR- KONAMI FEATURES- DDRMAX 2 Dance Dance Revolution The dance revolution rolls on with DDRMAX2 for Sony PlayStation 2 packed with the ultimate mix of hit American songs. Gamers will beup on their feet and dancing all night long with new game modes andthe return of past favorites including "Work Out" mode and "Edit" mode where gamers can count calories and customize dance moves and routines. * DDRMAX2 Dance Dance Revolution Partial Song List (Not including HiddenSongs): "A Little Bit Of Ecstasy" - Jocelyn Enriquez "AM-3P" - KTz "Break Down!" - Be For U "Busy Child" - The Crystal Method "Celebrate Nite" - N.M.R "Conga Feeling" - Vivian "D2R" - Naoki "Days Go By" - Dirty Vegas "Destiny" - Naoki feat. Paula Terry "Do It Right" - Sota feat. Ebony Fay* New game modes and graphical interface featuring music videos* Customize dance steps in Edit mode and exercise in Work Out mode* Links with previous games for special features -- SPECIFICATIONs -------------ESRB Rating : E for EveryoneGenre/Category: FamilySystem: PlayStation 2 SystemNumber of Players : 1 Compatible Peripherals:

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Dance Dance Revolution Extreme 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm an enormous fan of Konami's Dance Dance Revolution series, and play the game almost every day of my life.The concept is so simpe - just hit the arrows once they're at the top of the screen, yet once you get going, it's a lot more addicting than you'd expect.What's incredible though, is that doing this for a long enough time can burn up some calories and tone up your calves.It was life-changing experience for me that out of nowhere got me from being lazy to athletic.It's getting bigger and bigger every day in the US, but too bad it still isn't as appreciated as it should be, thanks to monster franchises such as GTA and Halo.

DDR Extreme 2 is the sixth installment that Konami has released in the United States (seven if you count the Disney Mix), and it's by far the best one, and it proves to be a great comeback after the largely disappointing Extreme US (although that game is still the recommended one for beginners).

Hardcore fans of DDR will be most pleased to see not just the menu interface returned to normal (with the songwheel, groove radar, etc., that were removed for DDR Extreme US), but also a significantly better list of selectable songs.Such classics as "Cartoon Heroes", "Sakura", "Colors (For Extreme)", and a whole lot more, all made the cut and should not disappoint any true long-time lover of the series.By the way, instead of "Max Dot", the "boss song" in Extreme 2 is "PARANOiA Survivor Max" (which is acompanied by the original "PARANOiA Survivor").Also worth mentioning is that US players finally get a taste of the popular song "Butterfly" with the upswing remix as well as "Boom Boom Dollar (K.O.G. G3 Mix)", also an old favorite.The selection of songs that everyone will recognize is also chosen much more cleverly.Instead of a bunch of songs from like 25 years ago like "Kids in America" and "Like a Virgin", we get some recent electronica/dance hits from the likes of Sean Paul ("Get Busy"), Fatboy Slim ("Wonderful Night"), Delerium ("Silence"), and more, although I don't understand what a horrible cover of "Oops I Did it Again" (not the one from 5th Mix AC) is doing on here (it's not the year 2000, Konami, and almost nobody even cares about songs like that anymore).The choices for repeats from older DDR games is also great.One big problem that Extreme US had was that it overrepeated stuff that already made appearances, which hogged up a lot of room for better stuff.This time, there are less than ten repeats, and almost all of them are from PS1 editions, which gives a chance for old fans of those songs to play them with much better graphics and a much better scoring system.I must admit, playing songs like "Dive", "Dynamite Rave", and "PARANOiA" is much more enjoyable to do on Extreme 2 than it was on Konamix with that slow transmission and poor scoring system.

Also worth noting are a few new features.Instead of simply playing songs over and over again to unlock new ones, you need to clear different stages in the all-new Dance Master Mode.Replacing Extreme US's Mission Mode, Dance Master Mode is loaded with several different scenarios with certain songs and a certain task to clear in order to advance to new stages.Along the way, you'll discover some unfamiliar songs on areas and must clear them.If you do that, they'll appear in the shop for you to buy with your credits (received for clearing songs, DMM or not).This is a wise strategy that adds a plot to the game and allows players to choose which songs they want at the same time.

Another addition is the Online Mode.This will allow players from around the world to go head to head with one another online, and yes, I'm sure that the population of onliners almost entirely made up of the masters that can receive an AAA on "PARANOiA Survivor Max Oni" with relative ease, but this is still a great way for those people to go seriously competitive without having to enter a tournament.

There were only a few noticable flaws.One is that the Training Mode was made less intuitive, as it takes a longer time to set up your song, although I am pleased to see that Konami brought back the feature of slowing down difficult songs to practice.The Party Mode (a feature that was full of many different mini games) has been entirely removed from DDR, and while I won't cry about that, the usage of the Eye Toy Camera is much lower, as the only time you actually use it is when you are playing the Hands and Feet Mode.One more thing, "Love Love Shine", one of DDR Extreme AC's most frequently selected songs (also one of my favorites), did not make the cut, but the similar "Candy*Heart*" is on, which also symbols that "Love Love Shine" is practically guaranteed to be on next year's installment.

With all things said, DDR Extreme 2 is easilly the best overall home version that the US can get their hands on so far.With an excellent song list, great new features, and excellent graphics, this game is a true winner.If you were unhappy with DDR Extreme US from 2004, you won't be with this, so buy it now if you're interested at all and start dancing the night away!

Two more words of advice:

1. I know that I said that DDR Extreme US was a disappoint among many people, but I also said that it was great for hooking new players.I highly recommend you to buy that game first, and then get this.Trust me - the layout is much friendlier to beginners.

2. If you are a novice player, stick with the plastic pads available in the stores (since they're easy to use and don't cost much), but be sure to use the metal arcade-style mats that can be ordered online if you're an expert (they're harder to get used to, but are more sensitive than soft pads and don't slide around to heavy usage).I recommend the ones from Cobalt Flux because they've held together for months and work marvelously.

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Product Description:
DDR's newest best seller, Dance Dance Revolution Extreme 2, has EyeToy USB Camera so you can compete head-to-head with others from around the world. Featuring popular artists, smash hit songs and more unique modes, DDR Extreme 2 pumps up the volume with over 100 minutes of energetic dance music.Get in shape with the popular Workout Mode Customize your own dance steps in the Edit Mode All movies and cutscenes are newly created adding fresh flair to the DDR universe

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Cohesion BandBox Gaming Storage and Furniture Ottoman (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)Feet look MUCH higher in the photo than they do in person.I actually thought at first that they'd forgotten to ship the feet until I found these small plastic spacers.Oh well...

But...that's the only minus.It fits my Guitar Hero 4 equipment...and extra guitar...AND...all of my other Wii accessories.It's so NICE having them all in one place.I put two Wii wheels...two guns...all of my controllers...plus classic controllers...in with the band stuff...along with my Samba Maracas.Sweet!

The padding on top of the ottomon is nice.The synthetic material seems to be a good quality too.It doesn't look "shocking" black...and the profile along with the slightly lower height actually looks better in my living room than the old storage ottomon it's replacing.(Which couldn't hold my drums.)

For the Guitar Hero drums...the support is actually a little sturdier than the manufacturer supplied support.I'm glad they finally made a more "universal" rhythm game ottomon.

All in all...I'm thrilled.As an "adult" gamer (over 30) I'm usually disappointed with "game room" accessories.They usually look like they belong in a 13 year old's bedroom.Not this.It blends in with my traditional furniture just fine.

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Product Description:
Hide the band by keeping your instruments neatly and stylishly stowed with this gaming storage ottoman from Cohesion.

Keep your instruments organized and accessible. The black synthetic leather exterior offers a sleek appearance that will be suitable for any room in the house. The ottoman opens to reveal generous storage space for your instruments so they're always organized and accessible. The ottoman measures 35 inches long by 19 inches wide by 16.35 inches tall when closed.
Features:

Doubles as handy storage and stylish furniture
Storage space for drum set, gaming guitars, foot pedal, and microphone
Drums attach to a telescoping support for height adjustment
Compatible with both Guitar Hero IV and any Rockband version
Black PVC faux leather looks sleek and stylish in any room of the house
Measures 35 inches long by 19 inches wide by 17.35 inches tall
Assembly required

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Patapon Review

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(More customer reviews)I enjoyed this a lot.It's a combo rhythm and strategy game. You do missions were you fight by listening to the music and pressing different combos of buttons. Cute characters, bright and original art style are apparent throughout. The pata-pata-pata-pon sound will surely get stuck in your head as well. Some might have trouble at times, it does take pretty good memory along with good rhythm skills but to make this easier to play always use headphones.You can't get the full experience without.

The only negative is no, you can't pause the game.But you can put your PSP in sleep mode and it leaves it as it is.So, if you need to stop playing in the middle it's really no problem.

The game is overall fun, original and worth your time. Especially considering all the game has to offer along with the price, it's well worth the money. You can also try it before you buy at the PSN store.The demo is free to try and if you complete it you even get a bonus weapon.Try this game out, you will not regret it.

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Product Description:
Patapon PSP

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Rhythm Heaven Review

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(More customer reviews)As soon as I got this, I realized the potential of having music students enhance their rhythm skills through this game, even before they formally learn particular counting patterns in their music studies. Only, this is a uniquely FUN way of learning!I am literally demonstrating it to the families I teach to present it as something to purchase as an asset to their lessons.Of course the kids love me for that!Who'd a thought they would get a DS game because of their piano teacher?!

If you are a music student or the parent of one that struggles with keeping time or using a metronome, this game will install a solid, internal beat inside every gamer, whether they realize it is happening or not.I have passed many mini-games with my eyes closed while purely tuning into the music and the sound cues that are provided as you progress.The key to winning is in the beat!You cannot be successful at this game without "hearing" the songs assigned to each mini-game or without engaging with the music's rhythm.

The other thing I find myself doing with the taps and flicks is that I am actually "playing" the game as if it were an instrument.The games themselves become part of the music!Every interaction with the game becomes motion creating sound that completes the songs that the games are set to.It is like being a participant in a band, choir, or orchestra.But, because of the literal game you are playing, it is a unique experience.

It can be hilarious as you interact with the characters through the mistakes you make or the successes that allow you to pass each level.I have found myself full-out laughing at some of the antics or creative surprises that are thrown at you along the way.

I own about 50 DS games and this game is definitely in my top five.I recommend it to anyone that loves a challenge, fun, and music.Here's to Rhythm Heaven 2!

PS:If you are a music student who wants this game, feel free to show this review to your parents or other family members.Glad to help out!!:D

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Product Description:
If you've ever found yourself tapping your foot or fingers to an infectious beat, then this game is for you. Get ready to show off your instinctive sense of rhythm as the music of Rhythm Heaven challenges you to demonstrate your percussive prowess. Prove you have what it takes to keep the beat alive in this fun and engaging experience.
Fun Mini Games
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Music Composed by Tsunku
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Tap to the beat
View larger. Synopsis
In Rhythm Heaven, you'll use your stylus to capture the beat of the music in a variety of mini games. Turn your DS system sideways to hold it like a book, and tap, slide or flick the stylus in time with the rhythm. The game's catchy tunes and charming characters make Rhythm Heaven a blast to play, and the array of rhythm games will test your musical abilities in a variety of ways as you do all you can to show that you've got the beat.
Key Game Features:

Hold your DS system sideways like a book to follow along with the music as you tap out the beat with your stylus just like you would with your feet or fingers
Tap, slide or flick your stylus to keep the rhythm of the game's music
Demonstrate your rhythmic abilities in a variety of mini games
Features music composed by Japanese music producer Tsunku
For 1 player
Easy-to-play action features catchy tunes and charming characters

Exclusive to the Nintendo DS
If you can tap your finger in time to music, you'll get the hang of Rhythm Heaven in no time. Rhythm Heaven is a simple and infectious rhythm game that anyone can play. Players hold the Nintendo DS system sideways like a book and tap their stylus on the touch screen to the rhythm of the music. Players tap, slide or flick the stylus to hit the right beat. Rhythm Heaven features catchy tunes, charming characters, and a wide variety of rhythm games. Well-known Japanese music producer TSUNKU♂ helped direct Rhythm Heaven and composed the music for it.

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Beaterator Review

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(More customer reviews)Beaterator is quite enjoyable!A few years ago, I used Magix Music Maker 11 on my laptop to mix my [semi] awesome jams. Then a crashed motherboard and an upgrade to windows7 took my MMM11 away from me.Then I found Beaterator.It is quite a deep game... no, no, no - my bad - IT IS NOT A GAME, IT IS A PROGRAM! The music samples and tracks are almost never-ending, the tools are user friendly and intuitive. Oddly, it seems that the more I use Beaterator, the MORE I find that it can do.At a minimum, it is as good as MMM11, only at a fraction of the cost.The options are vast and it is quite enjoyable. I think the casual music making fan and the more serious music 'types' will be equally pleased with Timbaland's efforts on this program.I promise that five minutes after you insert the UMD you'll be smiling and bobbing your head to beats that YOU'VE JUST CREATED. It's a fun ride!

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Product Description:
A co-production between Rockstar Games and music producer Timbaland, Beaterator for PlayStation Portable (PSP) is based on the Web-based music mixing tool of the same name. It features original music and a sound-kit, which includes thousands of loops and sounds produced by Rockstar and multi-platinum producer and entertainer Timbaland exclusively for Beaterator. Designed to put a world-class mixer at your fingertips, it enables easy, powerful and innovative music creation, regardless of the user's experience with music.

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Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Review

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(More customer reviews)As an big fan of the Guitar Hero games and owner of the previous three installments on the PSXII I was VERY excited for GH3.HOWEVER, after playing for a few days now I am very sad to say I'm rather disappointed as I have mixed feelings over GH3.

First off is the aesthetics looks; obviously Activision made a great effort to appeal to contemporary audiences and, from a marketing standpoint, this is very understandable.However, I feel as though the Guitar Hero franchise is now becoming a marketing tool for new bands and songs instead of following the formula of playing great songs both old and new.Granted there were many songs from the 1980s on back, but in many instances songs were from the past year or so; some were even being initially produced during production of Guitar Hero 3, which reinforces my theory.

To be fair, there were many songs I was very pleased to see make the final cut such as Welcome to the Jungle and La Grange.I'm a big classic rock fan and it was a blast playing Rock Ya Like a Hurricane.I would've chosen some different songs for say Aerosmith, Cream and The Who but you win some, ya lose some.I should also be fair in saying I did enjoy some of the contemporary works such as Priestess, I actually went out and bought their CD because I fell in love with the song they used... but that's where my love for the new songs end.They also butchered some songs, most notably The Devil Went Down to Georgia; I was skeptical at first because it's a fiddle song and my fears were confirmed as I noticed it became a death metal song.*le sigh*

Then there's the severe lack of diversity in the songs.It appears to be half death metal, half classic rock; almost all from primarily white bands.I've seen better diversity at a Trent Lott Christmas party.No Hendrix, no Stevie Wonder, no Michael Jackson, no Prince, no Rick James ("I'm Rick James!"), no Vandross, no nothing.Carlos Santana seemed to be the token minority group in the entire game, granted they did an excellent job doing Black Magic Woman and that one is probably my personal favorite to play.

The bonus songs, to me, were all worthless.It's almost all one genre; garage bands.Granted this is primarily the basis of the bonus songs in previous Guitar Hero games, however, at least Red Octane placed songs everyone could enjoy such as Dethklok and even Strong Bad.This time around, I did not find one bonus song I liked.

Then there's the layout; it's waay too contemporary for my taste.It seems to be marketed entirely to heavy metal, death metal and (dare I say) emo fans.Aside from glam rock character Izzy and Motown Xavier (which they only had one song contributing to) the characters, arenas and styles all reflected contemporary rock themes.The British Invasion is subtlety hinted although they use Weezer as an example when other songs would've personified this much better since Weezer is 30 years late.I just wish there would've been more balance between contemporary and classic.The only arena I liked was the prison, which I thought was nice.

I also thought way too much emphasis was placed on aesthetics than actual game play.The stages were beautifully done and some of the characters looked considerably better than before... but, then again, most of the time our focus is on the fret board and not what is in the background.It also made it very difficult to read points and, more importantly, star power.I had considerable trouble discerning my star power level given the new layout.The old layout from the first three installments was considerably easier to read on the fly.

Then there's the versus boss mode... which I think is the most worthless feature they included, which you are forced to do if you wish to proceed.Despite being a seasoned player, it took me several trial and error sessions to beat each boss especially the final boss Lou.It was literally a toss of the coin as half the time the boss would strike back and the other half he would not.Not to mention you have to cause the boss to fail before the music stops; you could have triple the points the boss has and still lose which is hardly how a guitar battle should be engaged.If anything, the battle should be based on points at the end of the song, which would've been great with The Devil Went Down to Georgia.I just wanted to rock dangit!!

The difficulty also seemed to be considerably off.I thought I'd start small on medium and played through the game.I noticed the first few songs were super easy, then towards it the end it got considerably harder than usual.Songs on medium seemed to be hard but without the orange button, especially on the last two genres.Particularly in the song One by Metallica, the song goes into a long solo of run-offs similar to hard if not expert songs on previous installments.While this made me a better player in the long run, it will deter casual players.

And perhaps it is just me but others and myself have noticed the screen appears smaller.I checked my screen settings and even put on widescreen mode to see what was the deal and, sure enough, the fret buttons and screen was condensed to allow the player to see the stage, characters and background better... which is kind of pointless since you're supposed to be focused on playing the game, not admiring the scenery.This made it REALLY hard to do harder songs since I had to scoot up to the screen and squint my eyes.

Lastly, there's the loading time.It is considerably longer than before due to the large emphasis on backgrounds, characters and animations instead of gameplay.For previous Guitar Hero fans this will prove to be cumbersome as you will be tempted to hit the green button thinking the game is waiting for your input when, in reality, it's still loading.

However, there are some pros.I really enjoyed the co-op career mode since I typically play Guitar Hero games with friends and this allows us to move towards an attainable goal.

All in all, Guitar Hero III could've been done a LOT better.Activision and the four million contributing companies with rock intros strayed heavily from the formula and will disillusion many long-term fans.I strongly recommend you rent this first and try Guitar Hero 2 if you really want it; the second installment is much better executed with all the features you'll really need with a diverse soundtrack.

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Product Description:
Unleash your inner rock legend with Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Face off against guitar icon Slash, from Guns N' Roses, and others in insane boss battles featuring original tracks recorded exclusively for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Defeat opponents to achieve legendary status in head-to-head competition including the all-new Guitar Battle or share the glory with a friend in the new Co-op Career Mode. Realize a true rock concert experience with all new venues, incredible lighting effects, authentic instruments and sick character moves. And since rock is all about the music, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock features over 70 of the biggest and loudest songs ever compiled in a single game disc.

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