November 20, 2015
See what critics are saying about the all-new Guitar Hero.
See what critics are saying about the all-new Guitar Hero.
November 20, 2015
Whether it’s taking the stage in GH Live as part of bands in front of real crowds that react to how you play, discovering new music and old favorites in GHTV, or mastering the new six-button guitar controller—Guitar Hero Live has something for everyone. After months of anticipation, it’s finally making its way to fans around the world, starting today, and critics are weighing in. See what reviewers are saying about Guitar Hero Live in our round-up below. And make sure to check back as we add more throughout the day.
“FreeStyleGames has nailed the sense of immersion, from the nervous pre-show pick flicking to the crowd surfing and on stage posturing. Seeing those huge crowds as you walk out on stage creates a real buzz, and it's hugely satisfying when you nail that intro and they start singing along and holding up signs. It's even quite funny when your singer throws you under the bus for messing up the ending to a song.” — Digital Spy
"The illusion created is exquisite. When I stepped onto the stage for my first set I felt nervous. Roadies handed me my guitar and guided me to the stage and I wanted to turn around and leave. I was not ready to be in front of a crowd. I was certainly not prepared to perform an entire three track set—songs can be played individually once unlocked but during the games’ core mode they are grouped to simulate a real music festival. But perform I did, and soon I found my groove, thanks in part to the natural feel of the new guitar controller and its two rows of six buttons.” — Kotaku
“It only gets bigger and better as the setlists go on, and the entire concept somehow works really bloody well.” — God is a Geek
“It's very cool to watch and it's seamlessly done.” — Destructoid
“Visually, the live-action sequences are solid productions, filled with attention to detail and special effects such as the distant backgrounds and composited crowds of people in the back.” — PlayStation Universe
“It’s exhilarating to be doing well and look out at the crowd, seeing them singing along and going wild.” — PlayStation LifeStyle
“There's so much room for discovery just by channel surfing. Hopping onto the service takes seconds; you'll play new songs you haven't heard before and constantly move forward through Guitar Hero TV's various progression hooks.” — Polygon
“GHTV feels like putting you in control, and allowing you to chill out with that Spotify style system, with a generous 200-odd songs to go through, and more coming.” — God is a Geek
“Guitar Hero TV is what cements GHL as a game that will be talked about years from now. It pushes the boundaries of what these music games can do and can even lead to new possibilities down the line.” — iDigitalTimes
“It's probably one of my favorite modes in any rhythm game to date.” — Destructoid
“In complete contrast to every other modern method I use to consume content, I’ve found GHTV’s scheduled song delivery surprisingly liberating. I don’t need to agonise over which song to buy or which song to play next, I can just sit back and let FreeStyle curate things for me.” — IGN
"It’s the joy of finding your favorite song on the radio, coupled with a compelling reason to experience new music." —Kotaku
“With rare exceptions I’ve consistently played songs I either love, didn’t know I loved, or at the very least were fun to play regardless. And thanks to the constant bombardment of music, I’ve often found it hard to put my guitar controller down - many times I’ve gone to turn it off, only for the opening notes of Judas Priest’s Breaking the Law to kick in, leaving me powerless to refuse.” — IGN
“GHTV is where Guitar Hero Live really shines…it allows players to constantly discover new music that they may not have given a second look to before. That's the spirit of what makes these types of games so great and FreeStyle appears to have truly grasped that.” — ShackNews
“You never know what's coming next, but that makes it all the more exciting.” — Digital Spy
“The promise of future updates is tantalizing, and it’s far too easy to get sucked in to playing a show and find yourself playing for hours. And all of this comes without a subscription fee of any kind. You just need to buy the game and the streaming library is at your fingertips.” — PlayStation Lifestyle
“Playing the free channels proved to be an interesting way to discover new music, watch music videos, and keep me engaged with Guitar Hero Live.” — PlayStation Universe
“Not only does this reconfigured button grouping keep your fretting hand rooted to the one spot, meaning your eyes never need to leave the screen, it just feels like a better approximation of actually playing the guitar.” — IGN
“Steadily getting better at that game as I scaled its difficulty settings was hugely rewarding; Guitar Hero Live has a whole new hill to climb, and climbing it is a delight.” — Polygon
“It does a fantastic job of allowing players of all difficulty modes a new and refreshing way to play, and I never knew how badly I wanted a new guitar layout....It made the whole game feel unique. ” —GamingTrend
“After a couple of songs, I found myself easily adjusting to the new button layout and enjoying its added complexity. Guitar Hero's gameplay was in need of more than a fresh coat of paint and the new controller helps re-invigorate the franchise.” — PlayStation Universe
“I really dug the increased emphasis on chords and fancy finger-work…There's a lot of depth found in these six buttons. “ — Destructoid
“Solos feel more epic when you're going from black to white and back again, and those power chords better create the illusion that you're playing a real guitar” — Digital Spy
“Guitar Hero Live isn't just well-executed; it's clever and innovative in ways that no one other than FreeStyleGames ever imagined.” — Polygon
“It’s definitely the freshest and boldest Guitar Hero game in a very long time” — IGN
“Guitar Hero Live is the worthwhile reunion of an old favorite that we’ve all been waiting for.” — PlayStation Lifestyle
“Live is a phenomenal return for Guitar Hero, and one that everyone involved should be proud of. To fans of the genre, this is something new and enthralling. Absolutely brilliant.” — God is a Geek
"The feel of the guitar, the roar of the crowd and the adoration of the bands (and the opposite reactions) make for an incredibly compelling Guitar Hero Live experience." — Kotaku
“With an ever-expanding library, this could be Guitar Hero the way it was always meant to be.” — GamingTrend
“A truly fresh, innovative take on a genre crying out for something new. Freestylegames has utterly succeeded in making Guitar Hero relevant again.” — God is A Geek
“My recommendation: go forth and rock, you won’t regret it.” — PlayStation Universe
“Guitar Hero Live completely took me be surprise. I love the new controller design, the FMV portions work far better than they should, and Guitar Hero TV hooked me with its channel concept. Going forward, I'm hoping that the model further reinvents itself by introducing the world to new music.” — Destructoid
“From the moment you pick up that new guitar and play your first chord, Guitar Hero Live is exciting and innovative, and feels like a natural evolution of a genre we've been missing for all these years.” — Digital Spy
“Live is wholly contemporary. From the font, to the controller, to the song selection, down to the gameplay itself, Guitar Hero Live feels fresh.” — Hardcore Gamer
"Guitar Hero Live is a must-own game." —iDigitalTimes
Looking for more on Guitar Hero Live? Stay tuned to the Activision Games Blog and be sure to follow @Activision, @GuitarHero, and the developers @FSGStudio on Twitter. You can also stay in the loop by finding Guitar Hero on Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat.
