The Fake Rawk Calls
I’ve been ruined. Simply ruined.
This past Christmas my lovely Mother got me an Xbox 360 for Christmas. While I already said thanks, I’ll say it again — thanks, Mom! It’s really a great machine.
That said, I don’t play it all that much. I haven’t been a huge gamer since I was a kid back during the Atari 2600 & Intellivision days. Wait, I take that back, I played the 8-bit Nintendo an awful lot. But since then, gaming hasn’t been a huge part of my life. Yeah, I owned a Playstation and outside of “Gran Turismo,” I didn’t play the thing all that much. I also owned a Playstation 2, but once again outside of the latest edition of “Gran Turismo” and some X-Men game, I really didn’t play it all that much.
While I don’t spend hours playing the Xbox, in the 8 months I’ve had the system I’ve played it more than the PS and PS2 combined. A lot of this has to do with the fact that the Xbox is just a fantastic gaming system, but there’s also the fact I bought a 40” high-def LCD TV in January and, well, playing the Xbox on a high def TV is a real experience. While nothing will replace the sheer pleasure and excitement the Atari 2600 brought me and my family in the ‘70s — there was nothing to compare it to at the time — the Xbox sure is fun.
That said, I don’t think I’ve finished any games on the Xbox yet. I’ve played some Marvel Heroes game, some Spider-Man game, the “Superman Returns” game and while all were fun, none held my attention for too long. “Gears of War” is an amazing game and I’ve played that more than the others, but I haven’t played that in sometime, mostly because I’m too busy. I’m very aware of the fact I work for myself, from home to boot, and the Xbox could kill my professional career, so I keep my Xbox playing to a minimum.
Now, all that said, there is a game that has recently come into my life that has the potential to destroy it.
That game is “Guitar Hero II.”
I’ve been thinking about picking up GHII since it came out, but resisted its call. This past Friday I was sitting around the house realizing that with the sun burn from my Big Bear visit still in need of much healing, I wouldn’t be going out that weekend. So, I decided to make my way to Best Buy to pick up “The West Wing” Season Four on DVD — I’ve been rewatching the series from the beginning and just finished Season Three. I needed me some more Aaron Sorkin.
While browsing the aisles of Best Buy, I heard someone from behind shout to me, “Hey, man, what’s up?!?” I quickly did a 180, but didn’t see anyone that could be talking to me. Just some very large woman carrying 16 or 17 DVDs. Considering the voice sounded like it had come from a 20-something burn out who’s spent the better part of the last 15 years stoned out of his mind, I was pretty certain it wasn’t the female killer whale. I went back about my business and again there was a shouting, “Dude, what is up with you?! Don’t you want to rawk?”
I turned around again and didn’t see a person, man or woman, but a long package emblazoned with the “Guitar Hero II” logo. It called to me. It talked to me. It flirted with me. It seduced me.
Less than five minutes later I was at checkout with “The West Wing” Season Four DVDs and “Guitar Hero II.”
Guitar Hero II — it’s like a needle full of heroin, without all the negative, life altering side effects.
For those of you living under a rock — or simply living life without an Xbox — GHII is the ultimate rock and roll simulation. You get this plastic, childs-toy looking guitar with five colored buttons where frets would be, a switch where the strings would be and a whammy bar. You throw the game DVD in the machine and play along to songs on the DVD, playing to sell out crowds at various venues around the United States. Popular songs from bands like The Police, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, My Chemical Romance and many others can be found. And you know what? It’s the awesomeness.
It’s the first game on the Xbox that’s really “addicted” me. I played so much that first Saturday that I actually hurt my left hand and wrist. I had to not play at all on Sunday just to heal. Almost seven days later my left index finger is actually a little swollen. Gotta give this thing a break.
I’m not far in the game, only half way through the medium skill level, but it gets better as you go along. You get to buy new players, new songs, new guitars and even unlock hidden songs by finishing certain sets. Unlocking “Tonight We’re Gonna Rock You Tonight” by Spinal Tap was a huge treat — especially how the set ends! This one truly goes to 11.
What’s funny about the game is the more you “rock out,” the better you’ll play. Sure, you can sit there calmly strumming and plucking away, but it’s when you start to groove and move with the music that your skills really start to shine. The first time I used the strap and stood to play a song, well, it’s a good thing no one was around because that rocking out had to be embarrassing. Hell, I embarrassed myself. I felt like a jackass. But I didn’t care because the thrill of the rawk called me and there was no turning back. I think I might have even shouted, “Are you ready to rawk, Los Angeles?” before playing a set. Wow.
Surprisingly, the game’s also inspired me to consider taking guitar lessons again. I haven’t taken a lesson for seven years now, but I think it’s time again. Certainly my GHII skills won’t come in handy at all with actual guitar playing, but if it gets me to pick up my acoustic again, that’s a good thing.
Anyone wanna play GHII? Come on over. And if you’ve got your own GHII controller, you really need to come over. Head-To-Head, baby.
