"Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock" was the first "Guitar Hero" game I owned. At the time of its release, I had played the series, but I can't say it was one I was falling head over heels for. Truth be told, "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock" was an unwanted Christmas present for me. Who would've thought that an unwanted Christmas present would become a game I'd own for three different systems, sink years and years of my life into, and consider one of my favorite games ever made? I never would've guessed, but Neversoft's first entry in the franchise launched me headfirst into the "Guitar Hero" community, and it's still a massive achievement in the series to date.
"Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock" does all the great things that the original games did, and as with those, this is an incredibly addictive game. It also has one of the most iconic setlists in the series, one filled with amazing tracks that I still love to this day. Graphically, the game was far different than the first two, but some of the environments in the game were so wild and pretty hilarious. I also must say it was pretty damn cool for the game to include legends like Slash and Tom Morello as playable characters, and getting to battle them in the Career Mode was great. Speaking of battling, the new Battle Mode was a compelling addition to the game's amazing multiplayer (I especially love how hectic the power-ups are), and getting to play online for the first time in the series was pretty great. Also, I know a lot of critics complained about the game's difficulty, and yeah, I see why, but honestly, the song charts are so damn fun and the engine is so smooth that learning them is honestly a joy.
I guess the only real minor flaw I can think of is that, even in 2007, the models looked a little funny to me. Even so, they weren't nearly distracting enough to take away from how much I enjoyed this game.
Overall, "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock" remains the peak of the "Guitar Hero" franchise. It was, is, and will continue to be far and away my favorite game in the franchise, and one of my favorite games ever created. From the amazing memories that it gave me, to the way it helped me grow as a gamer and a musician, to just the overall quality of the product, "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock" will always hold a special place in my heart as a gamer (even if it's harder for me to play it like I did before because...hand pain). If you haven't played it, and you can find it for a cheap price, do yourself a favor and play it.
Final rating: 10 out of 10 "Fantastic"