Three Mile Smile

First off let me just make a couple of things clear. I'm a huge Aerosmith fan. Not I've-bought-all-their-records-there-are-no-bad-ones-huge, but I've-bought-all-their-records-except-the-bad-one-huge, and I've seen them live both times that they came to Sweden... *sigh*

I'm also a lover of Guitar Hero, and I know, who isn't these days right? But - not to brag, but just to make a point - I frigin' imported it and bought a modded PS2 just on the promise of it without ever having played it when there was just the US-PS2 version of the original. A decision which I of course never regretted as I've made clear in previous posts (like here, here and here).

Well, yesterday I received my copy of Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, a synergy so wonderful it almost seems to good to be true. I mean who would have thought that two of my favourite things would ever meld together like this - it's like if they made a video game based on LEGO and Star Wars... oh wait... they did.

Anyway, after holding off upgrading from my old wired PS2 Guitar Hero guitars and the four first GH-games in last-gen format I have now let the music do the talking and gotten a grip on things by movin' to the Xbox 360 version of said franchaise.

This game is true fan-service, I understand the relatively luke warm reception it has gotten from the enthusiast-press in general as it is of little interest to anyone who is not a fan of Aerosmith themselves. For those who are like me however this package is almost too good to be true.

When I first heard of the game I thought that: One - it would just include a few of the more "mainstream" Aerosmith songs like Crazy and Janie's Got a Gun (I haven't actually seen either yet); and, Two - the Aerosmith tie-in would feel very loose and tacked-on (Guitar Hero Encore: Rock the 80's says hello!). However when playing the game I was pleasantly suprised to find how well the execution of a band-specific version works, it's almost as if it was intended all along.

The main structure of the career mode from previous GH games is intact with a few twists. Each set\gig is preceeded by a short interview with the band explaining the significance of each one (such as their first gig, the place they played when they got signed, etc.). The set then starts with two songs by other artists as performed (visually) by the regular GH-band in the guise of a supporting band. After you've completed these first two songs the crowd calls for Aerosmith and they take the stage to perform three of their own tracks. This feals like the perfect format and now I'm looking forward to Guitar Hero: Metallica much more than Guitar Hero: World Tour (AKA. GH 4). But then again, how lucky am I, Metallica just happens to be my second favourite band after Aerosmith. What do you think the chances are of Guitar Hero: Faith No More being next?