The sixth main game in the billion dollar franchise, Guitar Hero: Warriors Of Rock feels like a trudge through an increasingly obscure back catalogue of increasingly obscure bands (Orianthis Suffocated, anyone?) with its new aspects, the Quest and Quickplay+ modes, failing to set it apart from, say, the gaming behemoth that is Guitar Hero III.
By anyones standards, the much-fanfared Quest mode is previous career modes mutton dressed up as Brutal Legend-like lamb, with precious little difference between the two. Gene Simmons voiceover work as the narrator who tells the very flimsy story is weak and stilted, and as you work though different characters chapters to level them up, the lack of decent tracks to play becomes increasingly apparent, despite occasional gems like Money For Nothing and Bohemian Rhapsody.
Midway through the Quest mode, youre taken into the world of Canadian rock band Rushs seven-part suite 2112. If youre a Rush fan, it may well be the awesomest thing in the world, ever. If youre not, well, this is a very tiring portion of an already very tiring game.
And though the Quickplay+ mode offers players the ability to play any song on the disc, or any from any previously downloaded Guitar Hero tracks, its not enough to be a standout feature, and certainly not enough to buy the game for.
Failing to offer anything new of any note, its a game to frustrate even hardcore fans, and leave total newcomers wondering what the Guitar Hero fuss was about in the first place.