Like many others in the general gaming population, we here at GameSpy are big fans of the Guitar Hero series. PC Editor in Chief Sal "Sluggo" Accardo is one of the top players in the world, and while the rest of us can't match his skills, we certainly share his passion for the rhythmic franchise. Naturally, we've all been waiting with bated breath for more details on Guitar Hero: World Tour, a title that was announced months ago but hasn't made many public appearances since. That's all changed in recent weeks, as Sterling had a chance to take an in-depth look at the customization features in Leipzig, while the focus at PAX was squarely on the music and the new instruments.
Our hands-on time with Guitar Hero: World Tour began with the microphone, which we grabbed as soon as we had a chance. Kicking off with the Foo Fighters' "Everlong", it was quickly apparent that anyone who's played Rock Band will be accustomed to the singing elements in World Tour. The words will scroll from right to left across the top of the screen, and you'll be able to see where your pitch lies thanks to a glowing ball that will move up or down to match your vocals. Our only qualm with the singing was the fact that it's very hard to tell how you're doing while you're playing, as there aren't any indicators to give you instant feedback after finishing a verse. Also, while we didn't get a chance to check it out, we were also told that you'll be able to change the vocals to "Static" mode, which will look more like a traditional karaoke game. This should come in handy when you don't know the song that well, as it'll show you the next batch of lyrics while you're singing.
Once we were done caterwauling, we were given a brief demo of the new guitar, which looks and feels much nicer than the previous GH peripherals. It feels a bit heftier and sports a number of new features that might take some getting used to, but will definitely offer deeper gameplay mechanics. The most obvious of these is the new slide area, which will allow you to run your fingers back and forth to hit notes, rather than strumming along to each one. Our demoer made it look easy while he was playing the opening guitar sequence in Van Halen's "Hot For Teacher," repeatedly sliding his finger from green to orange and back to nail the notes (which are connected by a thin purple line). Alas, it didn't go nearly as smoothly for us, and we failed out after just a few moments.
The slide area can also be used in place of the strum bar, as you'll be able to tap it to hit notes (you'll still need to press the corresponding color button with your left hand). This seems like it will come in pretty handy while you're playing bass, as it will allow you to essentially recreate the feeling of playing slap bass. In addition to the slide area, the whammy bar has been extended a bit with a longer piece of plastic at the end, and the designers have added a large button behind the strum bar that can be hit to activate star power (you know, just in case you're too lazy to lift the guitar).
Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to go hands-on with the new drum set which, unlike the drums from Rock Band, features two "cymbals" elevated above the set. Even without actually playing them, it's pretty easy to see that these were designed to be pounded on, as they have built-in silencing pads and sturdy-looking legs. While the new song creator wasn't being shown at PAX, we learned that we'll be spending some quality time with the game in the coming weeks. Be sure to check back soon!
