Guitar Hero: World Tour

Xbox 360

Seeking to end the battle of the fake bands, Activision has released its full-band kit for the Guitar Hero franchise. In some ways, Guitar Hero: World Tour makes its competitor, Rock Band 2, look like the defunct Seattle grunge scene. The drum kit, complete with symbols, is solid and much more natural feeling than any other peripheral on the market. Unfortunately, the music-studio feature, surely meant to be a one-up, falters in its execution. Downloading the tunes that other people have labored over for hours is a breeze, but most people won’t be willing to deal with the awkward controls when they could be jamming along with Zakk Wylde. For the most part, the gameplay is indistinguishable from Rock Band and it just comes down to a preference over the games’ track lists. World Tour doesn’t win the battle, but it poses the unthinkable question: Is it possible that both games rock? In the end, it’s a matter of taste. Do you prefer your Nirvana to “Drain You” or be “About a Girl”?