The first 18 months of the Xbox 360's lifespan were dark days for fans of music games, as the system had nothing that came even close to rivaling the success of the original Guitar Hero game for the PlayStation 2. Thankfully, it didn't take long after the release of Guitar Hero II for the archaic, soooo last-gen PS2 for us to see an Xbox 360 version of the game, complete with shinier bells and whistles and a brand-new Flying V plastic guitar peripheral. The gaming landscape hasn't been the same since.
Will: I have to admit that I never really had a strong urge to play Guitar Hero on the PS2, as I figured it was impossible not to look like a tool doing so. That all changed the day the sequel came out for Xbox 360. I remember trying to play the game and failing multiple times, even on the easiest difficulty. Of course, being the addictive gamer that I am, that didn't stop me from staying up playing until 4 a.m. that night (and every night thereafter).
Gerald: The original Guitar Hero was one of the only reasons I had for keeping the PlayStation 2 connected to my television. Guitar Hero II for the Xbox 360 gave me all the reasons I needed to lay that system to rest. Once I played Guitar Hero with achievements, online leaderboards, and high-definition visuals, there was no going back. The only downside to moving to the 360? I now own six plastic guitars.Will: You and me both, brother! It's funny though, because while I certainly enjoyed Guitar Hero III and World Tour, this is the Guitar Hero game that I keep coming back to when I'm not otherwise busy playing Rock Band or SingStar (what can I say, I'm a crooner!). It's hard to put a finger on what made it my favorite, but I'm guessing it's the inclusion of "Freya" by The Sword. Rawk!Gerald: You hit on something there. Even though Guitar Hero II was still using WaveGroup for song covers, this game still had an awesome song lineup. Jane's Addiction's "Stop," Iron Maiden's "The Trooper," Rush's "YYZ"... the track list was stacked from top to bottom. But really, I think what made this version so memorable was Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird." Playing through that endurance test at Stonehenge is one of my fondest gaming memories.
