Guitar Hero: Van Halen; Great Soundtrack Lacks Features

With Guitar Hero: Van Halen being released last week, December 22nd, Activision doesn’t disappoint with an outstanding soundtrack, but in the end, it lacks the game features which have propelled Guitar Hero 5 and Band Hero to be the games users will really want to pick up this holiday season.

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Featuring a 40+ soundtrack with Van Halen, Foo Fighters, Weezer, Foreigner and others, this installment of Guitar Hero definitely has some bands you could do without, including Third Eye Blind and Yellowcard. Don’t get me wrong, Third Eye Blind was a great 90s band, but considering that “Semi-Charmed Life” is around it’s 20th anniversary, they could have picked a better lineup. All you die hard Van Halen fans won’t be dissapointed as you’ll get to jam out to such hits as “Jump”, “Atomic Punk”, “Everybody Wants Some!!” and many many more, so fans will be able to drop their air guitar and bust out some real music on your console.

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Many of the original Guitar Hero features are still here. You’ll be able to team up in a band of 4 to play online, and of course, be able to use the Guitar Hero mixer to create your own tracks. That’s pretty cool, but it’s nothing new and different. The game play itself is rather dominant. Rocking out to Van Halen is no easy task, as you’ll find out in attempts to solo “Eruption” on Expert as Eddie Van Halen.


As far as the interface goes, the game definitely has taken a step back as the stage and characters look mediocre. The game runs off the older Guitar Hero engine that Guitar Hero 5 has greatly improved on, but users and fans know they aren’t buying the game for the look, as much as they are to play their favorite Van Halen rock ballads. The crowds are still great to play for, and the noise levels are phenominal. Van Halen definitely sounds amazing in this game with a Dolby Digital Surround Sound, so if you’ve got killer speakers to play off of, you’ll definitely enjoy playing this throughout the night.

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Overall, the band deserved a better game, and doesn’t come close to the magnitude that Guitar Hero: Metallica enjoys. Though the song selection is great, many gamers and fans may still be wanting more. It’s worth the rent, probably not the buy unless you’re a true Van Halen rocker.

Categories: Game Reviews
Author: mike
Posted: January 4th, 2010

Madden 10: Achievements & Secret Achievements Too!

Here is a list of all Madden 10 Achievements, including the Secret Achievements for Madden 10 at the bottom of the table.
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Name Points How To
Sprint 2 Minute Drill 30 Win after being behind in the final 2 minutes of a game. 5 min qtrs, All Pro (no co-op).
All Day No Way 40 Record 3 tackles for a loss on Adrian Peterson. 5 min qtrs, All Pro (no Pro Bowl, no co-op).
Buzzkill 40 Intercept a pass intended for Randy Moss. 5 min qtrs, All Pro (no Pro Bowl, no co-op).
Fight for the Fumble 30 Win possession of the ball after a fumble pile-up. 5 min qtrs, All Pro (no co-op).
From Me to You 40 Complete a pass for a TD with your partner in an Online Co-op game. 5 min qtrs, All Pro.
Frozen Tundra 30 Win at Lambeau Field in freezing weather. 5 mins qts, All Pro (no co-op).
The Gang’s All Here 50 Trigger a gang tackle with 7+ players. 5 min qtrs, All Pro (no co-op) .
Go Back to Basketball 40 Tackle Antonio Gates inside the 5 yard line. 5 min qtrs, All Pro (no Pro Bowl, no co-op).
Go Bag Some Groceries 40 Force Kurt Warner to fumble on a sack. 5 min qtrs, All Pro (no Pro Bowl, no co-op).
Have to Be This Tall to Ride 40 Stiff arm or juke Bob Sanders. 5 min qtrs, All Pro (no Pro Bowl, no co-op).
Hey Buddy! 50 Complete a lateral with your partner in an Online Co-Op game. 5 min qtrs, All Pro.
Larry Stickyfingers 40 Get 10 user catches (no drops) with Larry Fitzgerald. 5 min qtrs, All Pro (no Pro Bowl, no co-op).
Laser Arm 40 Intercept Peyton Manning 3 times. 5 min qtrs, All Pro (no Pro Bowl, no co-op).
Look What I Found! 80 Win a fumble pile-up in the end zone for a TD. 5 min qtrs, All Pro (no co-op).
Mr. Not-So-Perfect 40 Intercept a Tom Brady pass. 5 min qtrs, All Pro (no Pro Bowl, no co-op).
Nano 50 Sack the QB before he can hand the ball off. 5 min qtrs, All Pro (no co-op).
Nothing Without the Dark Visor 40 Force a LaDanian Tomlinson fumble. 5 min qtrs, All Pro (no Pro Bowl, no co-op).
Pocket Monster 80 Stay in the pocket for at least 10 seconds. 5 min qtrs, All Pro (no co-op).
Super Bowl MVP-like 50 Catch a TD to take the lead with under 30 seconds left. 5 min qtrs, All Pro (no co-op).
Why Can’t We Be Friends? 75 Complete an online Co-Op game. 5 min qtrs, All Pro.
Wounded Duck 50 Complete a pass to an unintended receiver. 5 min qtrs, All Pro (no co-op).
Mature Newbie (Secret Achievement) 10 Create a player or Superstar at the oldest possible age.
Safety Inspection Required (Secret Achievement) 10 Create a team from Springfield.
Well Played. Really. (Secret Achievement) 10 Throw the ball away on 4th down. 5 min qtrs, All Pro (no co-op).
Categories: Game Cheats
Author: mike
Posted: January 1st, 2010
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