Like most savvy sci-fi gaming fans, I spent the past weekend channeling my inner Mad Max with a new copy of Fallout, clearing its stunning post-apocalyptic wastelands of ravenous mutant and bloodthirsty raider alike. I’m not talking about the newly released third series installment for computers and next-gen consoles. Rather, thanks to new online distribution service Good Old Games, I’ve been revisiting the original desktop legend instead.

Fallout 3: My how things change

Previously, keyboard jockeys had but two equally unsavory options for reliving yesteryear’s CD-ROM adventures. Hit up eBay and pray someone just cleaned out the basement, or pirate the software. Neither solution was simple or guaranteed a program compatible with current operating systems. Thankfully, Good Old Games, now in open beta, makes it easy to purchase titles via an intuitive storefront, setup software, download manager and installer. The site’s caretakers also patch and configure programs to work with Windows XP and Vista. All games come free of copy protection, so you can install on multiple PCs without accessing the Internet for ownership confirmation, and you don’t have to worry about the game turning into a brick if the online vendor goes belly up. Thank licensing deals with old-school publishers such as Interplay, whose catalogues stretch nearly 20 years back.

As the name implies, only highly-rated games from a handful of publishers such as Strategy First and Codemasters are available. But the four dozen titles currently offered provide a good selection—everything from action (Descent) to racing (1NSANE), role-playing (Stonekeep), arcade (Earthworth Jim), sports (Sensible Soccer 2006) and strategy (Disciples: Sacred Lands Gold). Battle Chess Special Edition’s quirky animations, once considered state-of-the-art, remind me of bygone afternoons spent in front of the 486SX PC in high school. Likewise, I still haven’t forgiven starflight sim’s Freespace for the enthralling, futuristic dogfights that decimated my undergraduate attendance record.

A few catches you should be aware of, though. Download sizes are huge, ranging from 100MB to a whopping 5.3GB. “Exclusive” content, such as Redneck Rampage cuss packs and MDK wallpaper is of questionable value. Worse, even a high-end modern rig, like the HP Blackbird with 26-inch monitor that I used, can’t make poorly aging pop culture castoffs like Die by the Sword or grainy videos look cool again. But cloudy as nostalgia’s rose-colored lenses can get, there’s still joy in returning to these old diversions.

Whether it’s a pioneering genre touchstone (Shogo: M.A.D.), innovative play experiment (Messiah) or just a gem you overlooked in your misspent youth (Fallout Tactics), GOG.com provides a welcome blast from the past.

Article source : www.popsci.com.au

Across the Old World and on the island home of the High Elves, bitter enemies clash in bloody skirmishes and mighty battles. For the soldiers of Order and Destruction, there is no respite and no mercy. Now, the warring factions will gain new allies in the form of the fearsome Black Guard and the cunning Knight of the Blazing Sun. These heavily-armored soldiers race to the battlefront to anchor their realms’ defenses and ensure that for every inch of ground given, the enemy pays in bitter blood.

With a thunderous war-cry and the ringing of steel on steel, the battle begins anew, with neither side willing to retreat or surrender.

The war has begun, and you’ve joined the forces of Order or Destruction, taking up arms with your realm-mates on the field of battle. You’ve conquered your foes in scenarios, stormed enemy-held keeps, raised your banners over battlefield objectives and banded together to thwart your enemies in public quests.

This November, we’re bringing you a new challenge in the form of WAR’s upcoming live event: Heavy Metal!

The Age of Reckoning is about to get even deadlier as the noble and cunning Knights of the Blazing Sun and the deadly Black Guard join the fight for domination of the Warhammer world.

When the Heavy Metal live event begins on November 17th, players who log into WAR will see a new tab in the Tome of Knowledge. Clicking on this tab will open the Live Events page, where each day we’ll place a new daily task. Completing these daily tasks earns influence, just like you’d earn in a public quest. There are rewards for Basic, Advanced and Elite influence, culminating in the ultimate prize: the chance to play WAR’s new classes a full week before they’re released to the public! This last reward won’t be easy to earn, and players who want to get to the Elite level will need to log in each day and complete on the daily event.

Exclusive Scenario

We will also be adding a new scenario, Reikland Factory, for Heavy Metal that will only be available to players for the duration of this live event. This scenario will take place in a steam tank factory in the Empire Tier 4 zone of Reikland and see players battling for control of different areas of the factory. This new scenario will be available for players of all levels, on all tiers, but will not contribute to the campaign. Participation in this scenario will give players an extra 10% bonus to their Renown point gain.

So sharpen your blades, load your handguns, pray to your gods and feed your Squigs and White Lions. Heavy Metal is almost here, and you don’t want to miss out!

news source : herald.warhammeronline.com

Deze wet houdt in dat indien je betrapt worden op het illegaal downloaden van games, films of muziek dat je internet zal worden afgesloten en nooit meer de mogelijkheid krijgt om zelfs te surfen. This law means that if you are caught illegally downloading games, movies or music that your internet will be shut down and never again have an opportunity to even surfing. Op het moment werd deze wet in Frankrijk goedgekeurd door 297 senatoren maar 15 waren hiermee niet akkoord. At the time this law was approved by 297 in France only 15 senators were not agree. De wet moet natuurlijk ook nog worden goedgekeurd door het Franse parlement maar naargelang de meerderheid in de senaat zou het verwonderlijk zijn dat het parlement hier niet mee akkoord gaat. The law must of course also be approved by the French parliament but to the majority in the Senate, it would be surprising that the parliament will not accept this.

Deze wet geldt natuurlijk (nog) niet voor de Benelux maar de kans bestaat wel dat dit slechts een kwestie van tijd is. This law is obviously not (yet) for the Benelux but the chance exists that this is only a matter of time. Al is over bovenstaande wet ook heel wat commotie, deze wet zou namelijk de vrijheid van de mens beperken. Law is above all a lot of commotion, this law would be the freedom of man limit. Voor die reden is deze wet dan ook niet goedgekeurd door de Europese Unie. For that reason, this law is not approved by the European Union.

Al kan deze wet nog altijd per land worden goedgekeurd. All of this law can still be approved by country.

Well, for those in PC land, I cannot give you the big bang out of the gates that the PS3 and 360 have in Resistance 2 and Gears 2.  If I try, all I can muster is Operation and CSI: NY.  Both are surely entertaining titles in their own right, but can’t hold the jock strap for either of those games.  However, beyond the first few days, we do have some pretty good titles coming to the PC in November, so hold on to your seat as we take you through the PC releases of November 2008 at the speed of Plaid (who gets the reference).

James Bond: Quantum of Solace - I have to admit that I was on the fence when it came to adding this game to the top titles for November 2008.  The demo last month did not light any fires, but it pulls off the first to third person action quite nicely, and for those that are budding achievement whores on the PC, this game is coming with achievements as well,  along with a price tag $10 cheaper than its console breathern.  I am putting some faith in this title as the sequences we have watched in videos have looked far better than the demo.  Also, the game is covering two movies, giving you a little more bang than most licensed titles.  Look for James Bond Quantum of Solace on Nov. 4th.

Call of Duty: World at War - After last year’s phenominal hit in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, it was strange to see another Call of Duty game so soon this year.  Then all gamers put up a collective shrug as we saw it was the B-team coming in to put out this year’s Call of Duty game.  Well, there are some things that are spicing up the game a bit.  We have a dedicated story with a top notch voice cast, including Mr. Fresh off of Jail, Keifer Sutherland.  Also, we found out earlier in the week that when you finish the single player campaign, you unlock an arcade mode that has you killing Zombie soldiers.  Hey, if you can’t get respect for your game the old fashioned way, just throw some zombies in and it will satisfy any gamer.  Look for Call of Duty: World at War on November 11th.

World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King - Okay, Warcrack addicts, the wait is finally over, your latest and greatest expansion pack has arrived.  Over a year in the making, Wrath of the Lich King will bump the level cap up to 80 from the current 70, bring the first hero class to the game with the Death Knight expands the Northern explorable area of the map.  Also included with the fix are a chunk of bug fixes and tweaks to smooth out the play experience.  This is also one of the first PC games in my memory that is getting Gamestop to actually advertise, make shelf space available, and even garner an ever popular midnight launch.  Look for World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King November 13th.

Sacred 2: Fallen Angel - Dropping on the PC a little earlier than its console breathern, Sacred 2 looks to remedy the bugginess that came with its predecessor.  Now several months into testing the final game, CDV looks to ship a game that is completely polished when the customer gets it this time around.  For those that are looking for a serious Diablo like experience on the PC, Sacred 2 captures all the elements of the click and slash genre and executes on them rather flawlessly.  Also, the game streams its environments, so you never run into any loading screens or cutscenes.  It is a really cool premise that should be used to greater effect in PC games.  Look for Sacred 2: Fallen Angel on November 11th.

Left 4 Dead - Straying away from the Half Life universe for the first time in a long time, Left 4 Dead is a new and unique experience for PC players as the game is designed to be played in four person co-op mode.  Co-op is a new and strange experience for PC players, and hasn’t been approached by that many developers.  However, if a company can pull it off with style and panache, it would be Valve software.  The game stars you in the feet of one of the four protagonists in the game, and you have to fight to survive.  Teamwork will make sure that all will live.  For the first time in a video game, we are also getting Zombies that move very quickly and will not hesitate to take you out in a most gruesome fashion.  Look for Left 4 Dead on both retail shelves and Steam on November 18th.

Tomb Raider: Underworld - The hardest working lady in video gaming is back for another helping of jumping, rolling, rock climbing and shooting her way to the endgame event, and this time around it gets better for PC players with achievements.  Now, I know what you are saying, “Wasn’t Kane and Lynch from Eidos with achievements?”  Well, the system has had a year to grow, and the game is not developed by IO Interactive.  Not too much has been said by the developers in regard to what the story is about in this Tomb Raider, but it looks like somebody long thought dead is returning, and it means Lara is going to have to start performing her acrobatics all over again to solve the mystery.  Look for Tomb Raider: Underworld on November 18th.

Legendary - Easily the underdog game of the month, Legendary packs in a solid looking story while making its own mark on the FPS genre.  Legendary uses a skeletal mesh deformation system to slowly peel away layers of skin and muscles on its creatures as they are attacked.  Wounded creatures will also react to damage by protecting those areas, and making sure to vary their attack patterns to limit you ability to kill them.  We have not seen much of the powers that your character is suppose to have in the game, so that could be a bit of a let down.  But overall the unique level and character design has me chomping at the bit to play this game.  Look for Legendary on November 18th.

Need for Speed: Undercover - It is funny to think that the Need for Speed brand has been in the PC gaming industry for over 20 years now, and it is still going strong and selling better than ever.  After a bumpy ride with last year’s Pro Street entry, Need for Speed is revisiting the underground scene, and adding a fan favorite, police chases for a excellent driving experience.  A new storyline has been brought in to help move the game forward, staring you as an deep police undercover operative trying to infiltrate a car gang.  Also, the NFS team is going FMV with its cutscenes, and bringing in some high end star power like Maggie Q to add to the dramatics of the story.  Look for Need for Speed: Undercover on November 17th.

And that is all we have for this month.  There are a few other titles that are there, like the Lord of the Rings expansion, along with the aforementioned CSI: New York game, but it is a light month for the PC when you are looking at quality titles.  Until we come back next month, enjoy, make sure you have the latest video card drivers.

Article source : aeropause.com

by Charles Onyett

November 3, 2008 - ‘It’s a card game’ says the first tutorial step in Poker for Dummies, a budget-priced piece of software published under the EA label. Like the rest of the ‘for Dummies’ lines of books and games, this one assumes you know essentially nothing about the subject. In that sense, it’s a fine product for someone who really wants to know how to play Texas Hold ‘Em, Omaha, and 7-Card Stud poker. In addition to describing how each of the poker games work, the program goes into some tips for how to play effectively and offers practice and tournament modes against an AI. Yet overall the package is far too slim to recommend to even the most clueless players.

The game offers an advantage over just reading a Wikipedia entry about poker by letting you put into practice the techniques and strategies it explains. By far the product’s greatest asset is a built-in odds calculator for use in Texas Hold ‘Em, Omaha, and 7-Card Stud that outputs percentages of your chances to win based on what you’re holding, the community cards, and what everyone else is holding, as well as your chances of hitting straights, full houses, pairs, flushes, and all the rest. As a learning tool, it certainly helps to be able to see and play the game from every angle.

An extremely gentle learning curve, great for those totally new to poker.

But once you’ve pushed through all that and become familiar with the basics of each of the three game types and the general strategies involved, there’s not all that much to do. You can play against up to six AI opponents for fake money and use your winning to buy into higher stakes games. With your starting $200 you can enter a $2 / $4 limit game, then $4 / $8 once you’ve amassed $400, and so on up the limit ranks until you can enter a No-limit game with $10,000. But, for a $20 product, you might expect there to be more than three simple game types. Why no 5-card stud? Why no Omaha Hi-Lo? Why no draw poker?

The game just doesn’t allow you to spread out your experience very far. You’re limited to playing three types of poker against AI opponents who occasionally make highly questionable moves. It’s all good for an AI to bluff, in fact that should be expected, but to continue calling raises in a Hold ‘Em game with an 8 and 9 of diamonds and JKJ on the flop, none of which were diamonds, and four other players in the game seems more stupid than sly. In another game, three players continued calling raises while holding Q8, Q2, and J7 with the cards K6A64 on the table, and nobody had a flush. It’s possible the three opponents were trying to bluff, but still, that’s pretty terrible poker.

Also, why not implement online multiplayer for a game like this? It only makes sense that after learning the basics and a few strategies, understanding the difference between a good and bad bet, and getting the feel of how an extended game works that players would want to turn their attention to real opponents instead of the AI. Yet that’s not an option here, meaning players looking for a more competitive experience must wade through countless free online services to find something for them. Considering this game is targeting those who are relatively clueless when it comes to poker, this isn’t exactly the best result. It makes more sense that players of this basic a skill level would rather play against others with a knowledge and experience base similar to their own like, for instance, other people who bought the same product.

Why would all three of these AI opponents continue calling bets?

Aside from the limitations of game types and extended play beyond the initial learning phases, Poker for Dummies does wrap everything it offers up in slick and attractive interface. Granted it’s all coated in the abrasive Dummies-brand construction-equipment yellow, but everything is laid out in a clean, easy-to-interpret fashion that shouldn’t throw off the sorts of beginners this game is targeting.

Closing Comments
Poker for Dummies sets out to serve as a basic training tool for prospective players, and offers up a nice range of tutorials, statistics, and probability calculations to ease the uninitiated into this particular world of card-based gambling. The main issue is, once you’ve learned the basics, the game leaves you with little else to do. Only three types of poker are made available, Omaha, Texas Hold ‘Em, and 7-Card Stud, and there’s no online multiplayer, meaning you’ll always be sitting down next to AI opponents who don’t seem all that intelligent. While it serves its purpose as an extremely basic training tool, for $20 bucks, it could have offered some more content, at the very least a few more advanced styles of poker.

Review source : pc.ign.com

Lately, I have noticed that alongside the giants of the games industry, preoccupied with milking successful franchises (think Rambo 12 here), a number of indie producers sometimes come out of the “dungeons” to release a low-budget and sometimes delightful title. Such a team rich in ideas (although not so “underground” as you would think) is Tilted Mill Entertainment, whose designers asked himselves one day “What would it be like if you could control the village in Diablo, the one where you change your oil and sharpen your sword?”. And so Hinterland was born.

An action-RPG / city builder hybrid, Hinterland looks promising at first: you fight, you loot, and you build. A king with nerve lets us know that we need to build a successful village and gain fame in order to gather as many followers as we can. I said “nerve” because due to the lack of any storyline whatsoever it is unclear who’s king is he, if we are under attack of if we are part of an empire of some sort. It just so happens that we find ourselves in a landscape populated by monsters and since there’s nothing else to do, we might as well start cleaning up the countryside.

The main character can be selected from a large list, and can be a knight or an archer for instance, each one having its own strength and weakness. Usually a combat bonus means an economic drawback. However, towards the endgame any character can ultimately improve its combat prowess while filling the gold pouch as well, so the initial selection is more a matter of taste than a tactical decision.

When you level up, you get the chance of increasing one of the three character attributes - attack, defence and health, along with a skill that in turn further increases one of these attributes, such as an attack bonus or more hit points. However, there are no numerical values, only a small sword, shield, and heart, so the only way to correctly asses your strength is to carefully count these small icons, or go and smack an enemy upside the head in combat and see what happens.

The combat looks and smells a lot like the one in Diablo: there are several locations on the map, guarded by more or less fearsome mobs, but nice enough to drop an enchanted sword or armour as they die. All you need to do is find them and start right-clicking. Caution, results may vary.

These locations may be simple enemy camps or sites that will be useful for your village, such an iron mine or hunting grounds. The weapons at your disposal are varied and also have a few parameters, such as damage and speed, but there is little room for subtlety: the biggest weapon is probably the most useful one. Potions add a bit of spice to the otherwise dull combat, but not a lot.

The city building part of the game is a bit more refined. The main resource to be obtained, aside from gold, is fame. This is gained with each kill and given by the king if certain tasks are completed on his behalf (usually gathering resources or gaining control of a certain area).

Also, the visitors transiting through your settlement can be convinced to set up shop inside your town, contributing to the overall prosperity according to their skills. Farmers and Herders produce food to support increasing number of inhabitants, the Blacksmiths craft various armours and weapons, and the Herbalists can make potions for you to use on your adventures.

The visitor’s level depends directly on your fame and not all of them will agree to join you unless certain criteria are met by your town, such as pre-requisite buildings and quality level, not to mention that they don’t do charity work. Furthermore, not all of them can be hired unless certain locations are controlled (iron mines for the blacksmith, or gardens for the alchemist) or certain items are acquired during combat (crystal ball for the fortune teller or the harp for the bard).

Also, during your adventures, certain objects that improve the worker’s productivity can be found, such as a trap for the hunter or a new staff for the priest.

Most buildings can be upgraded once conditions improve, namely overall village quality or town size, increasing their production or specializing in a certain area. Blacksmiths can be set to produce only weapons or armour, the priest may pray to a good or evil god, and farms become real food processing plants.

The economic system is implemented in a dynamic and interesting way, and we can see how a real economy starts to shape up. The blacksmiths manufacture weapons and armour which can be used by the player (although the loot drops tend to be a little better), the potions the alchemist can make are of real help and the pet dragon the herder breeds may accompany you in your travels. If you find no use for the final products of your subjects, you can sell them at the market for a profit or use them to equip all your citizens.

It’s also a good idea to equip some followers with quality gear, as you can take three of them by your side to give a hand in combat. While their AI makes them jump into the lion’s mouth with little regard for personal safety (and their death can hurt your economy) they can be a useful addition nonetheless. The most suited for this task is the guard, but you can also take a farmer, replace his gardening tool with a mace and train him up to be a fierce fighter. In combat, each follower will act according to its village job, as the priest will cast healing spells and the hunter will use his bow.

From time to time, bandits will attack your village, plundering resources and killing inhabitants, a small addition to an otherwise dull combat action, considering that these raids are less than dangerous.

The Torque Game Engine Advanced is not demanding regarding system resources, but the graphics are modest at best. The textures are “dusty”, the environment looks old and outdated, and the animations, while functional, provide little entertainment. The producers admitted that graphics were not a priority, but still, there is a great need for improvement in this area. The interface on the other hand is ok, and the same can be said about music and sound, although there is nothing spectacular to be heard here.

Although the city buiding component is interesting enough, the game suffers from lack of purpose. There is no enemy to speak of, no real goal to be achieved, no princess to be saved, to galaxy to conquer. The game ends abruptly, with a handshake from the gloomy king and an invite to start over. When I did, I found myself playing roughly the same game as before.

I then wondered why should I pay 20$ for a game experience that lasts a couple of hours, with very little to no incentive to play again? Multiplayer might have improved things, but it’s nowhere to be found.

And so, Hinterland remains a nice little game, with a low price, relaxing gameplay, dusty graphics, and a questionable replay value.

Review source : computergames.ro

As the title opens, New York City has been invaded by symbiotes, gooey extraterrestrials with malicious intent. Their plague has reached vulnerable Peter Parker, transforming the iconic red and blue-clad hero into something much darker. Fellow superhero Luke Cage guides the player through an extended tutorial, where the player learns the basics of combat. Unlike Spider-Man 3, which forced players to play through entire missions in either conventional or symbiote mode, Web of Shadows allows the freedom to change powers through the click of the left thumbstick. Players are warned that too heavy of a reliance on the dark powers can have detrimental effects on our beloved web-head.

Web of Shadows’ combat feel significantly improved from its predecessors. When a group of antagonists is spotted, players can an employ the gratifying ‘web strike’ move.   By tapping the ‘Y’ button, Spidey sends a web out toward the enemy. As the player nears the opponent, a second press of the button defeats the foe with a powerful flip kick, and allows the attack to be continued onto the next foe. With skillful timing, the player can easily sweep a street of adversaries, bouncing around like a pinball.

Successful combat rewards the player with experience points that they can spend to increase their offensive arsenal. As players complete missions, they’ll discover other heroes and villains in the city; which will offer additional quests for the player. Depending on your alignment- either superhero good or symbiote evil, these characters will grant the player exclusive abilities, and even fight alongside the gamer with a press of the digital pad. Like Fable 2, your moral decisions will be evident in the reaction of those around you- civilians cowered in fear as we combed the streets alongside Black Cat.

Graphically, Web of Shadows offers an improvement over the Spider-Man 3 game engine. Overall, New York City looks sharper, and the game slows down far less that its predecessor. We specifically appreciated the addition of collateral damage- window, cars, and hydrants can be broken during heated skirmishes.  While the game’s camera generally frames the action acceptably, the occasional transition from ground to building-side can be jarring and disorientating.

Both the game’s dialogue and delivery undermine the overall quality of the game. Spider-Man’s voice work is grating and amateurish; greater care should have been taken in casting this pivotal element. The writing is freqently no better, and often cringe-inducing. The plot manages to be preachy and corny, referencing the obsolete tone of the 60’s television series.

While combat control feels refined, occasionally we stumbled while navigating the city. Spidey can be temporarily grounded at the base of buildings, especially if awnings are present- jumping hyperactively, yet not clinging to the building. Infrequently, the game will send Spider-Man knee-sliding down the side of a building. While this animation can be stopped with the press of the right bumper, pressing the button during a rapid descent can be intuitive. He’s a spider and should naturally stick to the wall, not slide down.

Overall, Spider-Man: Web of Shadows is an improvement over the last open-world title, Spider-Man 3. The game successfully combines the exhilaration of navigating New York City via web, with gratifying combat. A gamers enjoyment of the title is directly tied to how tolerant they are to repetition- although new melee moves are learned, some combos will be executed indefinitely. While our journey though the Web of Shadows was enjoyable, the next entry in the franchise needs to revolutionize, not evolve the aging gameplay.

News source : tech-gaming.com

Now, the follow-up that hit consoles this past summer, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, is releasing on the PC platform courtesy of Aspyr Games. Much like Guitar Hero III on the PC, the game does a fine job of offering all of the features of its console brethren, but unfortunately comes with the technical issues of its PC predecessor in tow.

Guitar Hero: Aerosmith is a departure from the rest of the series, focusing on one particular band as opposed to offering a varied mix of tracks. The tracklist represents a good range of the band’s history, going back three decades up to recent years. Unfortunately, there are some noticeable omissions, like Janie’s Got A Gun, Deuces Are Wild, and a few others.

Aside from the Aerosmith tracks, there are also some “opener” tracks that start out each tier to lead up to the three Aerosmith tracks. The “openers” are masters and covers of rock tracks old and newish, going back to the 70’s and up to the 90’s, with the most recent track being “Sex Type Thing” by Stone Temple Pilots.

The stages represent periods in the band’s career, starting with their humble beginnings playing in bars leading up to their Super Bowl appearance and beyond. Each tier is also introduced by a short video featuring an interview with the band members describing that point in their career.

Of course, the ultimate enjoyment that you’ll get from playing Guitar Hero: Aerosmith hinges on how much you like the band. While there are some tracks from other bands, Aerosmith takes up a large majority of the songlist. Therefore if you are a Guitar Hero fan who isn’t a fan of the band, then this probably isn’t the game for you.

Additionally, the PC version still features the issues that plagued the last Guitar Hero game on the PC. Slowdown and lag are prevalent on a great deal of computers, requiring you to scale the graphical settings way down in order to keep the lag to a minimum. Unfortunately, even with the graphics toned down, slowdown can still be an issue, leading to missed notes and frustration.

Graphically, the game looks just like the console version if you have a PC that can handle the specs. The game’s interface looks quite clean and the cartoony character models look pretty decent. The game has avatars of Aerosmith that perform onstage whenever you’re playing one of the band’s songs, but they look pretty frightening and garish.

Guitar Hero: Aerosmith is a hit or miss type of game, as fans of Aerosmith will love it, while everyone else will probably pass. Unfortunately, the problems that plague the PC version will make it lean more into the “miss” category for many gamers.

Gameplay: 6.5
The problems that were prevalent in Guitar Hero III (lag and performance issues) rear their heads this time, exacerbated by the Aerosmith version’s love it or hate it setlist.

Graphics: 8.0
The game looks nearly identical to Guitar Hero III, with added Aerosmith avatars, which can are a bit scary looking.

Sound: 8.0
The game provides a nice retrospect of Aerosmith’s career, with old and new master tracks from their storied history, as well as some tracks from other artists handpicked by the band. However, there are a few tracks that are sadly missing, as well as some inclusions that don’t make a lot of sense.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 6.5
Creating a Guitar Hero game with one musical artist in mind is a gutsy move, but one that will likely only appeal to a certain niche of Guitar Hero fans who also love Aerosmith. The PC version has some pretty marring technical issues that can make it unnecessarily difficult to play at times.

Multiplayer: 7.0
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith features the same multiplayer modes as GH III, like online co-op, battle modes, and face-off.

Overall: 7.0
While there are a few missing tracks, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith provides a good setlist that fans of the band will enjoy. However, the PC version runs into the same type of problems as its predecessor did, and ultimately is tough to recommend to anyone without the highest end PC.