Guitar Hero: Smash Hits (Xbox 360) Review

Posted by Greg Bruno on 08.16.2009

Ready To Rock or Already Rocked? Check out the review to see if these Guitar Hero greatest hits are worth the encore!



Platform: Xbox 360
Title: Guitar Hero: Smash Hits
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Neversoft
Genre: Music with plastic instruments
Players: 1-4
Rated: T for Teen (Lyrics/Mild Suggestive Themes)


The Guitar Hero series will soon add another game to its lineup in just a few months time. However, in the off chance that you haven't played any of the other four Guitar Hero games, Activision has you covered. Enter Guitar Hero: Smash Hits . If you are thinking of this game as a "Best Of Guitar Hero," well, you're thinking is correct. GH: SH is a collection of songs taken from the previous entries in the franchise.

"But Greg, you look so handsome today and why should we pay again to play all of the songs that we've already been rocking out to for the last few years?" you're probably asking.

Thank you, I know. Also, my readers, this time around, you're given a complete set of Master Tracks (See: Not Covers) and the ability to jam out as a complete band. The earlier Guitar Hero games are lacking the options to add drums and vocals to your arsenal. GH:SH allows you to play as a complete band.

Is it worth shelling out another $60 of your (parents) hard earned money to play two extra instruments?

Gameplay

For the seven people out there who don't understand how the Guitar Hero games are played, it involves little more than pressing the corresponding color on the screen to the button on your guitar and "strumming" at the same time to "play the note".

There, now that everyone knows how to play, let's move on. In GH:SH you'll find all the familiar songs that you played throughout the series with a few new cool features to play around with. Of course, you're given the option to create a band. My band, 10xSeptember, (read: Ten by September) is better than yours. I know this because of the wicked awesome logo that I got to make to go along with my super badass band.

Let's not forget the create-a-rocker that has returned in this installment. Creating a rock star is actually fairly in-depth. I was able to create a much cooler looking version of myself pretty quickly, complete with a custom tattoo that looks very similar to mine. (Which I DO have. Sorry Mom.)

Also, for those of you who are musically inclined, there's the Music Studio where you're given free reign over a virtual music studio. You're able to "free-jam" using any of the instruments with different effects. It's a really cool feature, although, I'm not nearly creative enough to construct anything that resembles music. So for those of you out there with an ear for rhythm, you'll really enjoy this and will get to recreating Limp Bizkit songs in no time.

Graphics

While the Guitar Hero games haven't been known for eye-popping graphics, this game sure is pretty. The atmosphere remains the same in terms of the cartoony-yet-somewhat-realistic character models.
Personally, I love the visual style of the game. It allows you to have crazy, ridiculous stage sets and mix it with a dash of metal. Think Metalocalypse meets the Muppets ...if that's even possible.




Sound

I know you're here for one reason and one reason only; Track Listing. Well, I won't disappoint you like I do the female population. Here are the songs broken down by which game they first appeared in.

Guitar Hero
* Blue Öyster Cult - "Godzilla"
* Boston - "More Than A Feeling"
* Deep Purple - "Smoke On The Water"
* Franz Ferdinand - "Take Me Out"
* Helmet - "Unsung (Live)"
* Incubus - "Stellar"
* Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - "I Love Rock N' Roll"
* Ozzy Osbourne - "Bark At The Moon"
* Pantera - "Cowboys From Hell (Live)"
* Queen - "Killer Queen"
* Queens Of The Stone Age - "No One Knows"
* The Donnas - "Take It Off"
* The Exies - "Hey You"
* White Zombie - "Thunder Kiss '65"

Guitar Hero II
* Alice In Chains - "Them Bones"
* Avenged Sevenfold - "Beast And The Harlot"
* Danzig - "Mother"
* Foo Fighters - "Monkey Wrench"
* Iron Maiden - "The Trooper"
* Jane's Addiction - "Stop!"
* Kansas - "Carry On Wayward Son"
* Lamb Of God - "Laid To Rest"
* Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Free Bird"
* Mötley Crüe- "Shout At The Devil"
* Nirvana - "Heart-Shaped Box"
* Rage Against The Machine - "Killing In The Name"
* Reverend Horton Heat - "Psychobilly Freakout"
* Rush - "YYZ"
* Stone Temple Pilots - "Trippin' On A Hole In A Paper Heart"
* The Police - "Message In A Bottle"
* The Sword - "Freya"
* Warrant - "Cherry Pie"
* Wolfmother - "Woman"

Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s
* Anthrax - "Caught In A Mosh"
* Extreme - "Play With Me"
* Judas Priest - "Electric Eye"
* Poison - "Nothin' But A Good Time"
* Ratt - "Round and Round"
* Twisted Sister - "I Wanna Rock"

Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
* AFI - "Miss Murder"
* DragonForce - "Through The Fire And Flames"
* Heart - "Barracuda"
* Kiss - "Rock And Roll All Nite"
* Living Colour - "Cult Of Personality"
* Pat Benatar - "Hit Me With Your Best Shot"
* Priestess - "Lay Down"
* Slayer - "Raining Blood"

Guitar Hero: Aerosmith
* Aerosmith - "Back In The Saddle

In my opinion, this is a pretty solid track listing. Now, before you start whining that your favorite song isn't included, remember it's a greatest hits compilation. That, or your favorite song sucks.



Lasting Appeal

Like the previous games, Guitar Hero: Smash Hits has four difficulty settings. Those of you looking for a challenge will want to build on your rocking abilities and work your way up the difficulty ladder.

However, if you've played through all these songs already, there's little to make you want to purchase them again. Sure, there's the added incentives like band play and the music studio, but wouldn't you rather just wait for Guitar Hero 5?

Fun Factor

As always, the more people you play will increase the amount of fun you have with the game. The Guitar Hero games have always followed the same formula which typically results in a good time with your buddies rocking out to some great songs. That formula hasn't changed here. If you're over the age of 21, I might suggest including some alcoholic beverages into the equation. Then again, there's few things that I don't suggest that with.

The 411

You'll fall into one of three categories when it comes to Guitar Hero: Smash Hits. You either haven't played these songs yet and want to OR you've played them before and don't see the need to play them again OR you love greatest hits compilations and will sell your old copies of the other games and get this.

Personally, I fall into the last set of gamers. I like these songs and had a great time playing them again. The fact that they are all master tracks definitely helps the fact. Remember that cover of Stellar by Incubus? Ugh...

Graphics	8.0	Very similar to the other games, but that's a good thing! The visual style of the Guitar Hero games fit perfectly and GH:SH is no different
Gameplay	8.5	Classic Guitar Hero gameply with the ability to rock on the drums and mic. The music studio will keep you jamming and creating songs.
Sound	9.0	It's a greatest hits set, so all of the songs on the track list are favorites.
Lasting Appeal	8.0	If you've played all these songs already, you might get bored fast anmd subtract one point. If you've been living under a rock the past few years and these songs are new to you, you're going to have a blast
Fun Factor	9.0	As usual, the Guitar Hero games provide hours of fun and Smash Hits delivers as well. Add friends for an even better time.
Overall	8.5   [ Very Good ]

Screenshots
All 3 Guitar Hero Smash Hits Screenshots