Guitar Hero Metallica

It now seems that after successfully adding a full instrumental set up to the band simulation genre, games based around a single band are the way forward for both Neversoft and Harmonix, developers of Guitar Hero Metallica and the forthcoming Beatles game respectively. But while the influence and continuing popularity of The Beatles back catalogue isn't to be sniffed it, it's hard to imagine that the game will have quite the same amount of attitude and raw energy as Neversoft's latest offering. Love them or loathe them, Metallica truly are the masters of metal and marrying them with Guitar Hero truly is a match made in heaven. Or should that be hell in this case?

If you ignore the fact that Guitar Hero Metallica focuses mostly on one band, then this is the perhaps the best game of the series to date. Everything about this feels right and suggests we're in for a treat when the fifth Guitar Hero game launches later this year. From the opening credit roll that shows the band strutting towards the stage in slow motion with the entrance theme turned up to eleven, to the opening riff of the first song ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls, know you are in for something special indeed.

The new career mode is a welcome change, doing away with the short set progression of World Tour and opting for a star-based system instead. Stars earned by playing through songs skilfully are cashed in to unlock new venues and set lists, meaning you can stick to playing the songs you really like all the way to the end of the game, returning to lesser-known tracks later on. Much like Guitar Hero Aerosmith, most sets begin with your support band opening for Metallica, playing through songs by other bands hand-picked by James Hetfield and co. These include weighty acts such as System of a Down, Slayer and Mastodon, with only a few less than inspiring choices.

The first thing that strikes when you dive into playing songs is how sharp everything looks. The developer really has nailed the process of creating a dynamic stage presence, with characters rocking out in style, and some very impressive motion capture. Fans of Metallica will surely be impressed by how accurate the stage performance of the band is, with Lars Ulrich standing up pounding the cymbals as he tends to do and bassist Rob parading around the stage like some kind of ape-man.

For the best part, the game plays identically to its series brethren, except the note placement here just feels so spot on, with no daft bits thrown in for difficulty's sake. This is perhaps most evident during the crushing chorus riff of ‘Sad But True'. Anyone who can play the riff on a real guitar will tell you how similar it feels when compared to the actual notation, which is a remarkable achievement for five brightly coloured buttons.

Another welcome tweak is the new star counter that shows you what your current rating is for the song you are on, giving you some measure of how well you are doing. It's completely ripped from Rock Band, but is more than welcome here as there's nothing worse than playing through a nine-minute epic like ‘Master of Puppets' only to discover you were actually failing miserably and have to hit the ‘retry song' option.

Competent multiplayer modes, genuinely insightful ‘Metallifacts' trivia sections and an expansive career mode make this a must-buy for fans of Guitar Hero and metal alike. Everyone else will just have to hold on for the next full sequel, but this is undoubtedly the most polished entry in the series.