GamersInfo.net

Any game will have the problem of walking the steady line of balance by maintaining hype to rational levels and beating out skepticism by delivering the goods when the time comes. Guitar Hero hasn't received as much ire for each subsequent release as other franchises, as rhythm-based games usually just have to focus on good soundtracks — or to many rabid fans, just new songs — and less about introducing new gameplay mechanics. You might think Aerosmith would have it easy riding on the coattails of the Guitar Hero name alone, but like any robust fan base, the game has a mountain of subtle obstacles it has to overcome to deliver and stifle any number of cries the fans may have about a peculiar sidestep for the Guitar Hero series.

Cries? For the more neutral parties of the Guitar Hero scene, any number of complaints might fall along the lines of proper note-charting, learning curve, appropriate difficulty, the set list itself, and so forth. So many factors have clearly gone into crafting Aerosmith, the only thing more important than painting the band in an appealingly rocking light is to make sure that they aren't the only elements that got the ever-important shine job. The pertinent word that springs to mind is "accessible," which sounds as joyous to some as ghastly as it does to others.

Most of the cries are addressed, and some of the only negative points about the game are rather nonsequitur to begin with. With the ratio of songs being 60/40 in Aerosmith's favor, unless you like the familiar shouting of Steven Tyler or don't care about what kind of crazy chord progressions Joe Perry can churn out, you probably made up your mind about the title long ago. Not hating the band is obviously going to be a factor, considering no one would want to willingly subject themselves to destroying their ears for any number of hours on end for the sake of some high score. To those who don't object to good music or are willing to give good music a shot, you'll find that the entire library has been given a couple of good look-overs to properly convey why Aerosmith was the band chosen for the Guitar Hero treatment. The band's history is rather colorful, and the tracks offer a great balance between what defines the band and what helps individualize an Aerosmith experience. I don't know whether it was the effort in shining that positive light on their career and music that NeverSoft put in, but I was definitely satisfied with the choice of Aerosmith to be rocking out on my plastic guitar with.

A big part of why I was persuaded to stand behind the choice of theme is the extensive mo-cap used to illustrate how the band functions on stage. Having Steven Tyler interact with other members of the band — like during "Train Kept a Rollin'" or "Back in the Saddle" — or playing around with the camera — during "No Suprize" and "Sweet Emotion" — really caught my eye as little details making up a bigger experience. From the interludes featuring interviews with the band to how their old dives are revisited, I feel NeverSoft did something with the Aerosmith name and disproved the naysayers who thought this would be a cheap cash-in like Guitar Hero '80s — as far as "contractual obligations" go. The locations are fetching, as they represent different eras and albums that Aerosmith lived through, and the graphics are up to snuff: the crowd looks more realistic than a bunch of cardboard cut-outs forced to move back and forth. As far as the visual treatment goes, the game goes a step further to create a really superb atmosphere.

I might be in the minority in my fascination with the reference material and visual quirks the game provides, though, because at the end of the day, it's all about what notes are falling your way and what songs they're falling to. That's where some of the bigger perks of the game fall through the cracks. Many people might not care how perfectly weird in size Steven Tyler's lips look or why the vast amount of unlockables straight from the confines of the band's practice space are neat additions. This isn't an absurd point of view, as most people will glue their eyes to the fret board and care little about the backdrop — seeing it more of a distraction than anything else.

Speaking of which, the small change to the engine is present in the hammer-on and pull-off sections. The timing window has been effectively tightened, so there is no longer an infinite time before the note appears that it can be held. This pushes the practice of hammer-ons and pull-offs into the rhythmic gameplay once again, and it will challenge you a little more on simpler riffs than those found in Guitar Hero 3. The flip side of tighter windows will bring about saner note charts, which serves to rekindle the flame that was Guitar Hero 2. Many people will probably let out a sigh of relief knowing that the game has a lenient edge when it comes to difficulty and that everyone who plays will have a good chance to see the end of it. The difference is noticeable, and offers a nice balance between the old and the new. The note charts feel decidedly cultivated to include everyone but not to give the cold shoulder to expert players. The Great Depression chart that would represent the learning curve of Guitar Hero 3 is long gone, and the game will be more hospitable to people who play on all difficulties.

The 60/40 ratio I mentioned regarding non-Aerosmith songs doesn't disappoint when the focus is shifted away from the band. Since Aerosmith itself chose the bands based on influence and admiration, you'll have a soundtrack that will appeal to fans who prefer older and even some of the earliest pioneers of punk. With The Kinks, New York Dolls and even a departure into some different rock with a Nugent piece, this is an excellently mixed Guitar Hero title. The flow of the set lists from both a listening and difficulty level perspective was well-played. The game has a good momentum about it, with the inclusion of Run-DMC being an incredibly wise decision. I wouldn't be able to count the dimensions of annoyance had "Walk this Way" started without a little DMC (he's even a playable character) thrown into the mix. Maybe I prefer the poetic justice of Run-DMC cementing Aerosmith's career again, or the appropriate bridge between rap and rock music, this time in Guitar Hero ... or it might just be they sound damn pleasing even after all these years.

The functionality of the game is still identical to Guitar Hero 3, as you can still play co-op on separate difficulties, go online and battle or shred against opponents, and offer a practice mode for the more intense passages the game offers. Having only six setlists might be a downer, but the Vault offers an assortment of bonus songs to try your hand at, with some of the most interesting Aerosmith tracks lying in wait for the curious and brave. More of the band's overplayed stuff like, "Don't Want to Miss a Thing," "Janie's Got a Gun" and "Dude Looks Like a Lady" aren't present, but the decision comes off as good incentive to give their under-rated but fully capable songs a chance of being heard.

Despite being a consummate Guitar Hero player, and one who loves to dabble in the dregs of the expert tracks, I was still very satisfied with the direction the entire game was taken. Any experienced Guitar Hero player will blast through the main setlist no problem, with any number of sight-read five stars and Full Combos. Anyone not satisfied with their Guitar Hero performance at this point also would do well to test their wits against the game's final songs. I give the game props for trying to please so many differing viewpoints without backing down on providing good music and another Guitar Hero to tide us over until Guitar Hero: World Tour. I didn't feel disenfranchised as a long time Guitar Hero fan, and I'm usually the first to point a finger at watering down or idiot-proofing the challenging offers one will come in contact with in a new franchise game.

Accessibility may come off as a lazy marketing excuse for too many players who would rather have their asses beaten with triple cords and ridiculous hammer-on sections in lieu of some good tunes. My question remains: Where is the middle ground? Everyone complained about how impossible the end of Guitar Hero 3 was but then cast insults at the more user-friendly note charts this game offers. Whether it's the lack of downloadable content, with the then-towering section of Rock Band's library at people disposal, or if it's the fact the game will only offer a night or two of entertainment, the only thing the game might fail on is the price tag. I find that $60 might be too steep for people just looking for a quick musical thrill.

Differing musical taste is still an obvious deciding factor, but the fact remainds that this game's quality lies somewhere between $29.99 and $59.99. The never-ending debate on what's "acceptable" for an expansion or side-note game will certainly always exist when people are thinking with their wallets, but gaming is an expensive pasttime. Most people will give it a rental thinking about the once through, instead of taking the time to realize that the game sounds damn good, and that standing replayability should remain above all, priceless. Rocking is universal, but so is diversity.