Guitar Hero Encore: Rock The '80s Review

Release Date: July 24, 2007
Game Platforms: PlayStation 2
The 1980s were a crazy decade when big hair, tight clothes and fresh attitudes ruled the music scene; represented in Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks The '80s. Play totally awesome songs from the 1980s with Guitar Hero characters decked out in sweet retro outfits. Turn off that tape deck on your boom box, pick up and play Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks The '80s!

Game Experience:	9
Extras:	5
Impression:	9
Overall rating:	7.7
Users rating:	7.7
Comments:	86

overall: 7.7

Featured review by: UG Team, on november 06, 2007

Game Experience: What is there to say about Guitar Hero? It is a guitar/bass music simulation game that makes you feel like a rock star complete with a guitar controller with 5 different colored buttons. Well, Guitar Hero Encore: Rock The '80s is the perfect way to be that 80’s rock star you have always wanted to be. Ok, it sounds cheesy, but this game definitely has plenty of good songs. You start off with the basics like Accept’s “Balls To The Walls” and A Flock Of Seagulls’ “I Ran (So Far Away)”. The songs generally get harder as in past Games. One of the great additions this game has is that it uses 3-note chords a lot more than Guitar Hero 2 did. Some songs are almost all 3-note chords, such as ‘What I Like About You”. Some of the songs in the soundtrack are amazing and fun to play. Some of my favorites to play are Iron Maiden’s “Wrathchild”, Limozeen’s “Because, It’s Midnite”, Dead Kennedys’ “Police Truck”, Anthrax’s “Caught In A Mosh”, and the game’s final song, Extreme’s “Play With Me”. Now I am sure you wonder what expert mode is like. Expert mode is fun, but it can seem like it is no challenge at all to veterans. The only troubles past-expert masters might have is the last tier of songs, but trust me, even those songs aren’t that hard. Overall, the song selection is great and playing the game is as fun as always. The only complaint I have is that they could have had some other bands from the '80s featured on this game such as Guns N’ Roses, Def Leppard, Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Pantera, and U2. // 9

Extras: Now here is a downside to the game. The extras lack a lot. There are no bonus songs at all, which is understandable. For the basic menus of the game, they just changed the colors to '80s type neon stuff. As for unlockables, you don’t have many new “'80s” guitar choices. The best unlockable is probably the Grim Reaper because he has 3-D glasses and a Flavor Flav clock around his neck. Other than the Reaper, there aren’t many extras to play endless hours to get money to unlock them all. The unlockable guitars are the same as Guitar Hero 2 even. Not much was done to make this game worth it extra-wise. // 5

Impression: Guitar Hero Encore: Rock The '80s was made as an expansion to last fans until Guitar Hero 3. That is exactly what this game does. It is worth it to buy this game if you want 30 new songs to play. If you have any doubts about buying this game, then just don’t buy it. If you seem like you want some new songs to play, and you are still mad that Xbox 360 gets downloadable content, then buy this and shove it in all your friend’s 360-loving faces. This game is only worth buying for the music, which is totally worth buying it for. // 9

Comments

[Shazwazza]

1st post, Average game, Electric Eye makes the game win though

[666Sabbath666]

Thought it was a very crappy game, only one i really enjoyed playing was Electrc Eye, but I had to get it just because it is guitar gero

[savio23q]

I know it's an expansion, but they could've put some other stuff on there! Some custom guitars, venues and for god's sake some new guitars!

Not worth it I reckon...

Guitar hero 3 on the other hand should be good, not that I play guitar hero much anymore...real guitar has taken over.

[dutch5367]

I'm with you savio23q. I used to play Guitar Hero, but the real thing has taken over and I haven't played in awhile.

Once GH3 comes out though I think I'll get back in to it.

[Seth Shadows]

Guitar Hero II had Beast In The Harlot.

GHII > GH80's

[Quantonyne]

this didnt look appealing to me. not that i lived through them (cause i didnt) but the 80's sucked...too much hair metal and glam.

had they done a 60's/70's...ya it would of been tits.

but like you guys said...real guitar has taken over now....until GH3 comes out.

[FenderMaster]

Rock Band is gonna be the real GH III, since thats where Harmonix went, Neversoft (the guys who make tony hawk's pro skater) are making GHIII

[crazyskater_533]

eh, this one's not the best game in the world
there were already enough 80s songs on 1 and 2 so this is basically the both combined, with some 80s songs that weren't on the others. 6/10

[RockFreak000]

The 80's sucked
And video games without gore = no no

[Geeto6]

Gonna wait for a price drop on this one. It's BS that they are charging full price for only 30 songs.

[utahotc]

Are you kidding me? Have you EVER played ANY Mario games, ever?

I played Rock the 80's once. Not too impressed, but I'd play it every now and then.

[TheDisturbed78]

i liked caught in a mosh and wrathchild but GH is not changing at all, i want more than just gibson guitars.....

[FenderMaster]

rock band is gonna have a strat controller along with a bass and drums and mic controllers

[belavista man]

I saw the list of songs for this game... didn't impress me (appart from Synchronicity 2 XD)

[Shade7777]

that's actually the worst song in the game :p

It was an okay game but only play with me gave me any trouble... And the lack of extra's make it not worth buying. I would suggest anyone just to wait for GH3 which shouldn't be so long...

[Skwisgaar]

i swear to god, if Dethklok is'nt in GH3 or Rock Band, im never even gonna looking at a guitar hero game ever again. and im gonna hammer smash the face of neversoft

[GuitarMozis]

I bought the game when it came out becuase I though it was going to stand up to the GH name. Instead it kind of made GH look bad. I mean come on... Im not traching the other games here but listen to what i'm saying... OKay so.. they cover the songs as best they can but they still make them sound nto so good, but then in Encore they cover Ballroom BLitz, and they cover it by the wrong band (im pretty sure). Idotn remeber what banc it was but im pretty sure that Sweet wrote it, or at least played it first.
Rant Over

PCE
-The Mozis

[-blaze-]

Skwisgaar wrote:

i swear to god, if Dethklok is'nt in GH3 or Rock Band, im never even gonna looking at a guitar hero game ever again. and im gonna hammer smash the face of neversoft

I do not think they will have any Dethklok songs.. Crush My Battle Opponents Balls would be a damn sweet song to jam to..

But in light of the topic, i did not enjoy this GH at all.. Very Very Very disappointing of the series. Hope GH3 will rock harder than any video game ever..

[Delboy_360]

This game has ruined guitar hero forever

[keavo5]

I have to say that its the worst guitar hero so far its really boring no new things except electric eye!!!!! Love the 3 note chords wich r awesome!!

waist of money but guitar hero 3 legends of rock looks brill!!!!!

[emmetm1]

i love this game! i dont know why your all hating on it...

[AvengedThrice]

I vote for the Wangcaster to be an unlockable guitar on GH3.

[Sch1sM]

the game itself was good but the reason everyone says it wasn't that great was because nothing was changed, it was too much of an "expansion" when you paid the full 50 large for it.

[frankenFOBES]

crappy game, no effort whatsoever on the maker's part, waste of 40 bucks.

[habebe girl]

Skwisgaar wrote:

i swear to god, if Dethklok is'nt in GH3 or Rock Band, im never even gonna looking at a guitar hero game ever again. and im gonna hammer smash the face of neversoft

Dethklock was in GHII. Thunderhorse man.

[docness14]

Very disapointing

[AnthraxBomb13]

Dude I don't give a crap about 30 songs for full price...The songs it did have were awesome. I will agree that they needed all the characters from gh2 on it as well as their alternate costumes, and some new venues. But seeing as this is only an expansion i dont really care. Hey the songs are great and what...ITs GUITAR HERO, cant beat that!8/10

Checked.

[Metallica_Man55]

dutch5367 wrote:

I'm with you savio23q. I used to play Guitar Hero, but the real thing has taken over and I haven't played in awhile.

Once GH3 comes out though I think I'll get back in to it.

agreed, GH gets a little boring after you've beat expert. GH3, in my opinion, will be the best in the series. If you have the extra $50 to spend (hopefully the price will go down) it's definitely worth it. Like the article said, they could have put stuff like:

-A-Ha -Take On Me (would have been fun to play, even though it's on a keyboard)
-Van Halen
-Aerosmith
-Deep Purple
-Blue Oyster Cult
-Guns 'N Roses
-Motorhead
-Ozzy Osbourne
-Queen
-Talking Heads
-ZZ Top

Among others. Sorry for the long list, but I think it was needed.

[Metallica_Man55]

Geeto6 wrote:

Gonna wait for a price drop on this one. It's BS that they are charging full price for only 30 songs.

agreed 100%

[Metallica_Man55]

Skwisgaar wrote:

i swear to god, if Dethklok is'nt in GH3 or Rock Band, im never even gonna looking at a guitar hero game ever again. and im gonna hammer smash the face of neversoft

lol dethklok isn't even a real band. they're gonna put it in the bonus songs, if they even put it in there. don't get your hopes up.

[Metallica_Man55]

GuitarMozis wrote:

I bought the game when it came out becuase I though it was going to stand up to the GH name. Instead it kind of made GH look bad. I mean come on... Im not traching the other games here but listen to what i'm saying... OKay so.. they cover the songs as best they can but they still make them sound nto so good, but then in Encore they cover Ballroom BLitz, and they cover it by the wrong band (im pretty sure). Idotn remeber what banc it was but im pretty sure that Sweet wrote it, or at least played it first.
Rant Over

PCE
-The Mozis

sweet did do ballroom blitz, but they did it in the 70's. krokus covered it in the 80's.

just like radar love. originally by golden earring, covered by white lion, put on gh 80's

[Metallica_Man55]

frankenFOBES wrote:

crappy game, no effort whatsoever on the maker's part, waste of 40 bucks.

it's $50

[Metallica_Man55]

keavo5 wrote:

I have to say that its the worst guitar hero so far its really boring no new things except electric eye!!!!! Love the 3 note chords wich r awesome!!

waist of money but guitar hero 3 legends of rock looks brill!!!!!

why does everyone like electric eye so much? yeah, it was good, but there are at least 15 other good songs on there. i think they did a pretty good cover of dio, being that it's GH. balls to the wall was a great cover. 18 and life/no one like you - not so great covers, but whatever.

[Fallinon]

How did you Already play it? i thought it came out in November...

[Fallinon]

oh never mind....

[Metallica_Man55]

Sch1sM wrote:

the game itself was good but the reason everyone says it wasn't that great was because nothing was changed, it was too much of an "expansion" when you paid the full 50 large for it.

agreed, it would be worth it if it was like $30 instead of the full $50. i'm hoping with the release of GH3 that the price will instantly drop down to around $30 for GH 80's, with GH3 most likely also costing $50.

[Patrick S]

I found this game not that great and im a master- expert player. i enjoy some songs like caught in the mosh", "electric eye" and i found "play with me" pretty hard but not to hard. i overall rate this game about 7.5 and is worth to buy if ur an expert guitar hero player or if u overall love guitar hero.

Cheers.

[dutch5367]

I think Rock Band will beat out GH3 this year. So many different options and instruments to play, but I am ready to try to tackle Through the Fire and Flames by Dragonforce on GH3.

[KerSkater]

I don't think they put a lot of effort into this one. All they did was change the colors around and there's no unlockable songs (or not enough songs). The songs they do have have are great like Iron Maiden, Dio, Judas Priest, ect. but they could have had a lot more, I mean c'mon it's the 80's!

[MLPilcher]

Seth Shadows wrote:

Guitar Hero II had Beast In The Harlot.

GHII > GH80's

Beast AND The Harlot

[MLPilcher]

Seth Shadows wrote:

Guitar Hero II had Beast In The Harlot.

GHII > GH80's

it's Beast AND The Harlot

[Mostly Autumn]

GUITAR HERO ROCKS! i preordered it an i was not at all disapointed! its more tha just one gd song, police truck, no on elike u, heat of the momnet, the list os endless

[thewalrus77]

guitar hero sucks ass

[Ibanezdude522]

ive followed guitar hero through all the games, not just bought the second one when it got cool, and 1 was by FAAAAARRRRR the best. i think 80s was just a bridge to 3. gh 1 was a really inspiring game for me, ive learned like all the songs. second was less so. 80s was horrable.

[daddrivesaneon]

why isnt any mentioning DIO hes what makes this game so great honestly and maiden

[leony03]

to be honest i am OBSSESED with guitarz of all sorts apart from classical and i love the thrill of playing it but guitar hero as ingenious as it is, i didnt find that great. its a good practice for getting ur fingers moving but other than that i found it quite boring. songs r alrite. some peoples custom songs rock on utube

[MX4Life]

I liked the 80's edition because I could play through it without thinking, "God, I can't wait till this ****ing song is over." On GHII, I flat out hated about five songs. This one though, I thoroughly enjoyed. Extras-wise, it's lame. But for the expansion idea it's supposed to be, it was fun.

[Cobalt Blue]

I played it at a friends house.. i didn't like it because theres a lot of lame songs... but they hadn't unlocked everything. if i got to play some of the better songs I might have enjoyed it.

[conman5895]

the game is a waste of money just wait for guitar hero III its gonna be awsome

[abomb12325]

is it all 80's pop. cuz i hate that stuff. are there any decent rock songs on it?

[zackk]

i played guitar hero, i stopped, and got back into real guitar... so much more entertaining. with all the time i wasted on guitar hero, i could have progressed quite a bit on guitar.

[kaalplaysguitar]

dude i am a pro at guitar hero this version is horrible. unless u like all the cheesy 80's songs don't get it. theres no unlickables and theres a downside with NO unlockables. i returned it becuase i didnt like it and i play guitar hero all the time. I was the first kid to get it in my school when everyone thought it was like ddr with a plastic guitar. The third on eis going to be rediculous ive heard all the songs from youtube . though the fire is the hardest song ever for guitar hero. I cant wait, but yeah dont get this game unless your some serious 80"s freak

[Iowa]

i thought this game sucked, but thats only my opinion, cant wait thill gh3

[gunnabefamous69]

i own both guitar hero I and guitar hero II and i dont play them a whole lot, have to say the bass guitar and sports won me over, but when i played rock the 80's i didnt think it was that could... i think that GH should have alot more metal songs from actually good bands that shred hard... preferably some pantera and cannibal corpse and of course some good old ozzy but anyways im really hopin that GH3 or rock band has some of that

[icpgettozone]

i was greatley disappointed with this game... i beat it on my first try... the songs sucked besides a couple and there was no bonus tracks... which was one of the best features on guitar hero II less talk more rockk was the shit. along with jordan. but NO im pretty sure this game was just thrown togeather to keep people entertained untill guiar hero III comes out.

[rbj1313]

you got remember its just en encore so you probably shouldn't really epect a truckload of extras

[mrbiscuits315]

All i have to say is MILKY MILKY. But seriously this game sucks.

[Rockwillnevrdie]

Yeah this one really does suck

[Murder Soul]

Guitar heros gay. Quit wasting you time, and play real guitar.

[HH_Emo_666]

Metallica_Man55 wrote:

frankenFOBES wrote:

crappy game, no effort whatsoever on the maker's part, waste of 40 bucks.


it's $50

i got mine for $40

[l)ragonForce]

holy diver yeh best song on there just uhh... putting that out there

[OmenOD]

not really all that much different. actually, exactly the same as guitar hero 2. just different songs. atleast come up with different venues and characters or somethin instead of just slappin some new songs on there and just keep it movin.

[OmenOD]

and i agree with dragon force, holy diver ****in rocks xD

[SickorSaneSF]

Seth Shadows wrote:

Guitar Hero II had Beast In The Harlot.

GHII > GH80's

i assume you meant "and" but HELL YEA!

[Travis51]

I don't know if you're all aware, but the reason that Guitar Hero: Encore came out with an expansion like this, is because Red Octane handed the game over to Neversoft (The company that produced all the Tony Hawk video games). They wanted a new game to keep the Guitar Hero fans interested until Neversoft came out with the new Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock, which I say to all of you, will be amazing. The reason for the lack of "extras" is because of timing. To go ahead and put in all new guitars, all new GUI's, and all new unlockables would've taken useless time out of the producers hands. They got the game out quick, which is what the die hard Guitar Hero players want. New unlockables, and new features are really unimportant to the people who just want more and more songs. I didn't read all the posts, and I am not saying anyone that has posted is wrong about the game needing more features, but in my mind, Red Octane did what was best for the fans of the game, and financial for them before the company handed one of the newest, best games over to another company.
PS. Electric Eye, Play with me, Hold on Loosely, Because It's Midnite are amazing

[wencad12]

The 80s is the best style rock out there to me anyway. this game rocks and I strongly encourage any Glam or 80s thrasher to go out and pick it up. You won't regret it believe me!

[GNRrockslife]

I didn't really care for it. The only songs I find my self playing multiple times are Holy Diver, Wrathchild, Radar Love, 18 And Life, Because Its Midnight, Synchronity II and Electric Eye.

[keegan_habitat]

i found that im alwasys stuck on PLay with me by Extreme On expert. I thought most of the songs were good

[ryantherocker]

good game way to easy tho got log in 2 days (:

[ibanez_guru]

GHIII Songs So Far

"3's and 7's" – Queens of the Stone Age[33]
"Avalancha" - Héroes del Silencio[34]
"Barracuda" – Heart[35]
"Black Magic Woman" – Artist Unknown [36]
"Bulls on Parade" – Rage Against the Machine[37]
"Cherub Rock" – The Smashing Pumpkins[35]
"Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll" – Blue Öyster Cult[38]
"Closer" - Lacuna Coil[34]
"Cult of Personality" – Living Colour[35]
"Even Flow" – Pearl Jam[35]
"Generation Rock" – revolverheld[34]
"Go That Far" – Bret Michaels Band[31]
"Helicopter" – Bloc Party[39]
"Hier Kommt Alex" - Die Toten Hosen[34]
"Hit Me with Your Best Shot" – Pat Benatar[40]
"I'm in the Band" - The Hellacopters[34]
"In the Belly of a Shark" - Gallows[34]
"Knights of Cydonia" – Muse[35]
"La Grange" – ZZ Top[32]
"Lay Down" – Priestess[35]
"Mauvais Garçon" - NAAST[34]
"The Metal" – Tenacious D[35]
"Minus Celsius" - Backyard Babies[34]
"Miss Murder" – AFI[41]
"Mississippi Queen" – Mountain[33]
"My Name Is Jonas" – Weezer[35]
"The Number of the Beast" – Iron Maiden[32]
"One" – Metallica[42]
"Paint It, Black" – The Rolling Stones [35]
"Paranoid" – Black Sabbath[33]
"Radio Song" - Superbus[34]
"Raining Blood" – Slayer[33]
"Reptilia" – The Strokes[33]
"Rock and Roll All Nite" – Kiss[35]
"Rock You Like a Hurricane" – Scorpions
"Ruby" - Kaiser Chiefs[34]
"Sabotage" – Beastie Boys[35]
"School's Out" – Alice Cooper[35]
"She Bangs the Drums" – The Stone Roses[

[1h81337]

so tell me. is this a good game? or is the series starting to pull a metallica, you know, get more and more bland?

[metal_head_9191]

ibanez_guru wrote:

GHIII Songs So Far

"3's and 7's" – Queens of the Stone Age[33]
"Avalancha" - Héroes del Silencio[34]
"Barracuda" – Heart[35]
"Black Magic Woman" – Artist Unknown [36]
"Bulls on Parade" – Rage Against the Machine[37]
"Cherub Rock" – The Smashing Pumpkins[35]
"Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll" – Blue Öyster Cult[38]
"Closer" - Lacuna Coil[34]
"Cult of Personality" – Living Colour[35]
"Even Flow" – Pearl Jam[35]
"Generation Rock" – revolverheld[34]
"Go That Far" – Bret Michaels Band[31]
"Helicopter" – Bloc Party[39]
"Hier Kommt Alex" - Die Toten Hosen[34]
"Hit Me with Your Best Shot" – Pat Benatar[40]
"I'm in the Band" - The Hellacopters[34]
"In the Belly of a Shark" - Gallows[34]
"Knights of Cydonia" – Muse[35]
"La Grange" – ZZ Top[32]
"Lay Down" – Priestess[35]
"Mauvais Garçon" - NAAST[34]
"The Metal" – Tenacious D[35]
"Minus Celsius" - Backyard Babies[34]
"Miss Murder" – AFI[41]
"Mississippi Queen" – Mountain[33]
"My Name Is Jonas" – Weezer[35]
"The Number of the Beast" – Iron Maiden[32]
"One" – Metallica[42]
"Paint It, Black" – The Rolling Stones [35]
"Paranoid" – Black Sabbath[33]
"Radio Song" - Superbus[34]
"Raining Blood" – Slayer[33]
"Reptilia" – The Strokes[33]
"Rock and Roll All Nite" – Kiss[35]
"Rock You Like a Hurricane" – Scorpions
"Ruby" - Kaiser Chiefs[34]
"Sabotage" – Beastie Boys[35]
"School's Out" – Alice Cooper[35]
"She Bangs the Drums" – The Stone Roses[

i think its awesome that they are putting metallica, iron maiden, and slayer in GH3

[Travis51]

ps. add "Through The Fire And Flames - Dragonforce" to the list

[DamageMachine]

They shoulda never made this game and just made GH3, woulda been alot easier..... and more entertaining

[DamageMachine]

Guitar Hero = The only game to make non-one hit wonders, One hit wonders....

[The_Man_IV]

no no not another one...oh boy another reason not to pick up a real git ...-.-

[Raijin.xiii]

The_Man_IV wrote:

no no not another one...oh boy another reason not to pick up a real git ...-.-

yeah. who plays GTA? I mean cmon. just go out and break every violent law possible. all you fags that play GTA and GH are losers. the real thing is win.


isn't it?

morons. it's a game for fun. how dare you compare it to real guitar.

[pyritmann]

lol beastie boys are on it.

[guitarguy96782]

lollol this is a weird game bcuz like when u pick u strum lololololol!!!!!
i got a goood laugh outtta that one!

[touji-za-nai]

oh common1!! 80s!? dammit!! We need an online guitar hero that you can play online, get ranked, and play tournaments with other players. Download and tab your favorite songs so you can play everything from The Beatles, to In Flames.

[Thienskater]

i was thinking of buying this but i didn't want to spend 70 dollars on 30 songs

[iGuitarist]

Seth Shadows wrote:

Guitar Hero II had Beast In The Harlot.

GHII > GH80's

i was pissed because i bought guitar hero 2 and i didnt get beast and the harlot

[Man-Made-God]

look,this is just an opinion,but is it just me who gets bored of playing the same shit over and over again?

[i am awsome]

Is Hellion/ Electric Eye On This?

[Mantal94]

This game is nice but unless you have all the other guitar heros, except world tour that sucks, don't get it