Product Reviews

The musical rhythm game genre is an unusual one in Mac gaming. Though it sounds limited by definition, many games put their own spin on things by bundling special controllers, such as simple dance mats, maracas or bongo drums. Activision went for the mainstream choice for its Guitar Hero series, a choice that has doubtless contributed to its wide appeal on other platforms over the past couple of years.

Aspyr's Mac port includes the plastic but sturdy controller from the Xbox 360 version, complete with the USB cable's inline release, which disconnects when tugged, so unruly friends won't ruin your Mac as well as your performance.

The controller offers a simplified guitar experience, with five fret buttons, a strum bar and a whammy bar. There are additional buttons, such as the directional pad, for navigating menus, but most exciting is the sensor that detects when the guitar is tilted upwards, which unleashes star power.

Upcoming notes are shown as coloured discs, and they fall towards the bottom of the screen in columns that match the position of the fret buttons. Press the matching fret buttons and flick the strum bar as the note hits a point on the screen. It can take a while for the unpractised to feel around the neck of the guitar.

Trails behind notes indicate the fret must be held; pressing the whammy bar during them adds personalised flair to the song. Hitting a continuous streak of notes builds the rock meter towards the green segment, which means that you do indeed rock. Play badly and it will slide back down through amber to red

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and then the gig is over.

The four-lesson tutorial takes around half an hour to complete, after which we wholeheartedly recommend that newcomers start their career on the easy setting, which presents fewer notes and less complex timings with which to contend. Starting on medium almost took us to the brink of smashing the guitar on the floor - and instant rock god status - without actually playing the game. Be modest as the game requires gradual skill development, just like a real instrument. Patience and concentration are vital even when you miss notes, but the game remains fun nonetheless.

Hit enough notes and the music sounds more complete and you're left with a warm feeling of accomplishment - sometimes even euphoria. Statistics at the end of each song detail your performance on each verse, chorus and other categories. This fuels determination, with the inevitable consequence of wanting to play over and over again to get a higher rating - surely the sign of a good game.

Successfully playing starred notes fills the star meter. Once it's half full, star power is unleashed by tilting the guitar upwards. For a short time, the music kicks into overdrive and points earnings are increased. Just don't forget to tilt downwards and keep playing. This physicality lifts the game above timed button bashing. It also adds visual entertainment when playing with friends in the few multiplayer modes, though that means playing with a keyboard or investing in a second controller.

Unique achievements, such as the 50-note streak, flash up on screen as you hit them. After several successful performances at a venue, you're thrown into boss battles where you go head to head playing short riffs, collecting power-ups with effects like breaking an opponent's string or overloading their amp. There's an air of strategy to when you unleash these effects, as you have to end the round with a higher rock meter than the opponent in order to progress.

It's good to see a title like this on the Mac and, though pricey, it's immense fun provided you have an appetite for cheesy rock from the likes of Pat Benatar and Alice Cooper. It's well worth a strum.