Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s

"Reliving the 80s, while fun, comes at too steep a cost."

Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s, the 3rd game in the multi-million selling Guitar Hero franchise, has been one of my more anticipated games since hearing of its existence. After picking up the guitar controller for the first time just 2 months before Guitar Hero II's release, I became hooked on the series and craved more. What I got from this release, however, was a rushed title that had the potential to be much better if it were given the proper time.

Visuals: 8/10

Throughout the series, Guitar Hero games have always had a set of wild visuals that emphasize appropriate characters and fitting settings. Rocks the 80s adds its own style to this, sporting out the characters and venues in 80s-fashioned looks (from Axel Steel in a purple jacket and bandana to the Grim Ripper sporting 3d-glasses and a giant clock). While they are not as sharp as the 360 version's, they live up to the quality of what the previous Playstation 2 entries have brought forward.

Gameplay: 10/10

Utilizing Guitar Hero II's engine for this game was a must. The improved hammer-on and pull-off system really shines through some of this game's tougher moments, and you still feel that same love for the instrument that you did when you first started playing. It's a formula I hope Neversoft gets right this fall with Guitar Hero III due out.

Sound / Song Selection: 5/10

And here is where this game fumbles. There are 30 tracks in this game. Total. There are no extra unlockable bonus tracks. The song selection is a buffet of excellent 80s tracks, ranging from Flock of Seagulls' classic "I Ran" and "Synchronicity 2" by The Police to the heavier side of things, with Judas Priest's "Electric Eye" and Iron Maiden's "Wrathchild." However, for most of these tracks, capturing the feeling and spirit of what the band meant for the song was lost by poor renditions (and sometimes even covers of cover songs to squeak songs that aren't really 80s songs into the game.) Very few songs that aren't master tracks capture this feeling.

Replayability: 10/10

With only 30 tracks and 4 difficulty modes, the diehard Guitar Hero fan will likely finish up this title long before either Guitar Hero III or Rock Band comes out here. But, despite the quality issues with the songs, most of them are incredibly fun to play. Rocks the 80s also retains the 3 multiplayer modes from Guitar Hero II, so you can shred and compete with your friends all through the night.

Overall rating: 7/10

I was really hyped for this game, but I can't help but feel a little let down by the low number of tracks and the overall quality of it. But, after playing through this with about 5 of my friends today, I think there may still be some merit to it. If you're a diehard, buy it. Love it. If you're still enjoying the heck out of Guitar Hero I or II, it might be better to hold off until this title gets a price break. $50 is a bit steep for what it offers.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 07/25/07