Thank you to the wonderful people that decided to create Guitar Hero! It can help fulfill those wonderful childhood dreams of rock stardom without the need to run out to buy a guitar and take months of lessons that drive the neighbors crazy.

A great selection of songs (though I wonder why there was no inclusion of Metallica) leads the forefront of this game. There are a good deal of hard rock tunes from the 80’s, as well as a few songs from some little known artists. Toss in some really cool looking guitars and characters, and you have a hit.

Yes, I’ll admit, it’s not as easy as pushing a few buttons and striking a pose. The combos are fairly difficult in a few of the songs. You feel almost like a rocker when you see your fingers flying from button to button, and even more like it when those solos come flying at you. The controls are pretty easy to get used to, which is a perk considering one of the first songs you play is, ‘You really got me’ by Van Halen.

The interface works well with the style of the game, often having a really sweet- looking fret board for your notes. I liked the add-on of the star power; it adds that extra bit of flash, unique to each individual character. It almost makes you think of the days of flashier rockers, like Jimmy Page or Hendrix.

A multi-player match between two people does remind me of dueling banjos. Having one person playing at a time until the chorus can make it a bit confusing, but enjoyable, none the less.

I was honestly expecting, once Guitar Hero was released on the X-Box, to see it go online. I actually wouldn’t mind seeing people playing across the country against each other over the net. Being able to beat a person who is living across the globe in a normal game is great, but in a game that depends on finger power, it makes it all the sweeter.

Recently Niko released a wireless controller for the PS2 version of the game. I (of course) bought it, and spent the next 4 hours bouncing from couch to couch at home slamming out riff after riff. A point of advice to those of you who are considering such a purchase, be sure that when the doorbell rings you are wearing pants. The last thing a sales person needs to see is anyone re-enacting that scene from Risky Business…

In Gaming I trust