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Guitar Hero Download Low-Down: Def Leppard Track Pack
Whenever Activision releases fresh Guitar Hero III tracks via Xbox Live, we'll run out onto our website stage like roadies and review the latest downloadable content. Check back often!
The Def Leppard Track Pack contains three songs for 500 Microsoft Points ($6.25). The tracks are not available for individual sale.
Def Leppard Track Pack
WHAT ROCKS: Finally, we have some downloadable content to match the Union Jack controller faceplate! Def Leppard epitomized British heavy metal in the early 80s so it's good to see them get some attention.
WHAT SUCKS: This pack is not representative of Def Lep's former greatness. A big draw of this collection is the new song “Nine Lives,” which poses the question….is this really Def Leppard? It’s an uninspired mid-tempo rocker with safe riffs, cliché lyrics, and a tame solo that you can sleepwalk through on Expert. Honestly, this track sounds like something the Jonas Brothers would crap out, and nothing worthy of the Leppard legacy.
As for the live versions of “Photograph” and “Rock of Ages,” we can only assume that the original tracks are unavailable for some legal or physical reason, but we missed the lush production values that defined the original tracks. “Rock of Ages” features some dry spells during verses and then explosions of brutal cascades in the solo. It’s interesting to see how Neversoft interpreted guitar techniques like natural harmonics and whammy wankery for five buttons and a strum bar, but it’s not really fun to play.
“Photograph” is the opposite: the main riff is enjoyable and keeps your hands moving, but it isn’t actually challenging. Both tracks end with a goofy overblown rock ending that just extends the misery, and they generally lack the polish of the original studio recordings that fans crave. This is heresy, but close-enough cover versions would have been preferable to these raspy-vocal, paint-by-numbers live outings from 1993.
FINAL VERDICT: The high point of this pack is...um, nowhere to be found. There's no energy here. Keep your cash.
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zaar757
May 01, 2008 at 12:09am
ugh...god I wish I'd known the two classic DL tracks were "Live"... it completely ruins the songs for me...Unlike the NO Doubt pack, this one is a complete waste of time. Save your $6.25... I guess our best hope for some decent Def Leppard songs now rests with RockBand
A New Pyro Fool
April 30, 2008 at 6:41pm
Fun Fact: Nine Lives features Tim McGraw. Therefore, it is not going to sound much like a Def Leppard song. With that in mind, I find that Nine Lives is my favorite song in this pack.
Chaotic
April 29, 2008 at 8:36pm
I admit, the songs in this DLC pack are not the best that could have been released, but the songs are still good. All bands evolve and few stay true to what brought them fame. Accept "Nine Lives" as an street DL wanted to drive. Their music was great back in the day, but you aren't going to hear that same style today...ever. Time to move on and enjoy their older music LIVE. On to the difficulty of the three tracks. I was saddened at how easy these tracks were on expert until I got to the end. The guitar runs are crazy and definitely add to the whole Live GH3 atmosphere. If you are looking for some hardcore guitar action that is barely passable on expert, turn your cheek. If you want some good, classic songs to play and sing a long with, download now. The whole family will enjoy this DLC. www.thelocclan.com
Asystole76
April 28, 2008 at 12:01am
Big Disappointment. I threw down the 500 MP without giving it a second thought. I said to myself "Hey! It's Def Leppard You Can't Go Wrong!" The live tracks they used for Photograph and Rock of Ages might have been better off done by a 3rd rate lounge band (Ouch!!!). I'm still happy to see Def Leppard has shown up on the virtual rock scene. Lets hope Rock Band gets the opportunity to do it right.
Spybreak
April 25, 2008 at 6:01pm
Yea I had this marked to remind me when I heard about it awhile ago from Joystiq. Good thing, I didn't have enough MPs any way. Too bad though.
Big Bog from PR
April 25, 2008 at 4:54pm
I usually wait for these reviews before buying or checking out the trailer but given it was Def I jumped immediately. Upon starting up the song and seeing LIVE at the end of the title I knew I was fraked. Listening to these songs is like listening to a really poor cover band. After being totally blown away by the No Doubt DLC I am just totally disappointed by this. The powerful nature of "Photograph" is no where to be found. I vow to NEVER DL without checking the trailer AGAIN! BOO BOO BOOOOO! This is why Rockband DLC rocks 200% more over GH3s.
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