Packing 85 different songs from diverse acts like Nirvana, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and Elton John, the just-released Guitar Hero 5 is sure to be one of the biggest games of the holiday season. But what's really new about the latest entry in the popular series, which once again lets gamers sing and rock out on drums, bass and guitar?For the most part, the many Guitar Hero games aren't that different from one another, save for their song lists. But this fifth title – well, more like 10th, when you count all the Guitar Hero: Aerosmith sort of games – benefits from a few tweaks that might convince you to pick up a copy even if you're getting sick of the music game formula.Here are the five coolest new things about Activision's Guitar Hero 5.
Same-Instrument PlayWho says bands need to have a guitar, bass, drums and singer? In Guitar Hero 5 you can play any combination of instruments you want. This might not sound like a feature you'll ever actually need, but at Activision's preview event for the game, I witnessed four people playing the drum part to Stevie Wonder's 'Superstition.'
All I heard was the loud sound of four plastic controllers being beaten simultaneously, turning Wonder's funky hit into a taiko drum concert. Will this ever happen in somebody's living room? Probably not, but if you ever find three more drum controllers lying in the street, you know what to do.
The all new Guitar Hero. Two ways to play. GH Live, where you can rock real crowds with real reactions. And GHTV, the world’s first playable music video network. With a continually updating library of hundreds of videos across genres, there's something for everyone.,The all new Guitar Hero. Living room legends will rock any way they want in Guitar Hero® 5. The entire set list is at your finger tips from the start, featuring genre-defining hits from some.
Party ModeAs soon as I booted up Guitar Hero 5, it started playing a random song. When I pressed Start, it jumped me not to the game's main menu but immediately into playing that song.
This is the new Party mode, crafted to let players simply turn on Guitar Hero 5 during a gathering and let the game's music serve as the party's soundtrack. If anyone wants to pick up and play the game, they can; when they drop out, the music will continue playing. Career BonusesIf you're a dedicated, competitive player, you'll probably want to play through Career mode, where you perform songs of increasing difficulty and hone your skills while unlocking bonus content. Guitar Hero 5's Career mode has an interesting addition: You can play through it with any instrument you choose, and earn bonus points for achieving certain goals with specific instruments.
For example, you might earn more points for completing a song using guitar and hitting a certain number of chords. Smells Like Guitar HeroActivision made a big deal about the inclusion of Nirvana's defining hit in this game, and with good reason: 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' is the perfect rock-game music. Everybody knows it, it's fun to sing, it's fun to play on guitar. (And it's fun to do both if you have the coordination.) Maybe Activision, but 'Teen Spirit' is a feather in Guitar Hero's cap.
Yes, might be coming to Rock Band soon, but as long as Harmonix is missing this key track, Activision has an ace in the hole. Chiptunes.Guitar Hero 5.sports a revamped make-your-own-music mode. When we tried, it was clear that one of the best uses for this instrumentals-only, MIDI-based music-creation tool was to re-create. Activision has embraced this, adding a chiptunes sound option that swaps out realistic guitar samples for 8-bit bloops. Only downside? None of the music from Guitar Hero World Tour is compatible, meaning that chiptune copiers will have to do it all over again. I want 'Bubble Bobble' on my desk by Monday, people!Image courtesy ActivisionSee Also:.