That’s kind of what I was hinting at. They’re losing the battle, and it is a shame, but as far as the all-round “experience” goes, Rock Band is the better game – and it absolutely blows GH out of the water for the quality of the DLC.

It’s a shame because Guitar Hero II was so damn good. The gameplay, the selection of songs, and the guitar. As I’m sure you’re aware, the X-Plorer is my favourite of the plastic guitars because the feedback is just so good – it’s fine that other people have other preferences and I love the look and the buttons of the Rock Band guitar, but I just don’t get on with the squishy strum bar.

It’s a shame because I’m an old GH fan pining for the old days. But Rock Band very much deserves all the fame and success that it’s had.

All that said, World Tour is still a lot of fun, and the seemingly random stuff like the battles do add a bit of variation to my otherwise-dull plastic guitar playing career.

Good rant there!

I have to agree with you that GH:WT is definitely losing the battle to Rock Band, though having got World Tour for crimbo I’ve been having a good play through and I have to say I do like some of the new note combinations like the progressive note hammer on chord thingys? (I struggled to think of a good way to word that one) Also the use of the open strum when playing the bass I thought was clever and created a bit more of a challenge for the bassist.

As for the stupid Guitar Hero Vision I’m like you and wish Activision had done something about those patterned fretboards, you just don’t want to go on a mega psychedelic trip after just playing a 5 song set list.

The few good songs in the game are definitely huddled in some real crap songs which makes doing a 5 song set list hard work, rocking out to some weird spanish track by a band I’ve never heard of and if my mate Wii-Lee makes me play that fecking Linkin Park or that Hushpuppies song ever again I’ll insert my crappy small GH:WT Guitar controller where the sun don’t shine! (I wish I had the awesome Madcatz Rock Band Bass, not only is it a lot easier and comfier to play it’d cause some serious pain to my mates nether regions!)

Anyhow I’m not quite as against GH:WT as Vince I do think they could of done better with it though, they could release a update so you can just select a plain background on the note chart hopefully stop the GH Vision, they also need to get their DLC covering more songs a la Rock Band style.

Oh and closing thought the vocal part of GH:WT is a lot less forgiving and a lot harder than RB2 so I’m much prefer that, they’d be no Guitar and Singing both on expert for me with GH:WT!