Guitar Hero: Metallica Review

Guitar Hero is a cultural phenomenon. Not only does it get referenced in pop culture, it is one of the highest selling franchises (both in dollars and units). The video game industry has been looking for a yearly franchise that wasn’t Madden or Need for Speed. They found one in Guitar Hero and Rock Band. They have actually turned into multi-unit franchises in a given year. For instance, in 2008 Activision released Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, World Tour and two Nintendo DS titles on top of their downloadable content.

Guitar Hero: Metallica is the latest in this trend towards releasing multiple Guitar Hero games in a single calendar year. On the downside the franchise is possibly being over-stretched. People will simply tire of playing as a fake band with fake instruments in a video game. On the plus side Guitar Hero: Metallica is quite possibly the best collection of song tracks that we have yet seen in any of the Guitar Hero games. So for now the franchise is reinvigorated; the staleness will have to wait.

Of course this is in no small part due to the fact that Metallica is one of the greatest modern rock bands. Most of the songs in Guitar Hero: Metallica are hard rock with a good mix of classic rock to keep things varied. Most of the songs feel appropriately placed, although there are a few like “Turn the Page” where you will scratch your head as to why it was ever included. It literally has about two alternating patterns throughout the whole song, although to the developer’s credit, it is an affective substitute for sleeping pills.

The good songs (and I’m not saying “Turn the Page” is bad, just boring in Guitar Hero) are all top notch. In fact, I would go so far as to say that this is the most complete of a library of tracks that any Guitar Hero has ever had. They cover the bases with Metallica classics like “For Whom the Bell Tolls”, “The Unforgiven”, “Fade to Black”, “Sad But True” and “Wherever I May Roam”. They also have a good number of more recent songs such as “Frantic”, “The Memory Remains”, “Fuel” and “No Leaf Clover”. Then there are songs like “One” that have already been featured in past Guitar Hero games.

Graphically, Guitar Hero: Metallica is not much different from the other games in the franchise. One of the distinctions, however, is that the Metallica band members were all motion captured for authentic facial and body movement as well as having their likenesses in the game. It certainly does not look as realistic as some other next-gen games, but you are more focused on hitting the notes than gawking at the graphics.

While not a whole lot has changed, Guitar Hero: Metallica does everything that you have come to expect from a Guitar Hero game. From the single player story to quick play and online, as well as a music creator and custom characters. If you are a fan of either Guitar Hero or Metallica, you owe it to yourself to purchase this game. It is without a doubt the most complete package that Activision has released yet in the franchise.