There's a preconceived notion that '80s music is all about one-hit-wonders and bubblegum pop. But "We Got the Beat," "Turning Japanese," and "I Ran (So Far Away)" are the only tunes in Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks The 80s likely to be spun at a retro prom. The rest ricochet between punk, thrash, radio rock, and hair metal, following the same something-for-everyone song-selection ethos that helped make the series a smash hit.
But in spite of some excellent, offbeat choices (like X's "Los Angeles" and Dead Kennedys' "Police Truck") the track list feels full of double-dips. Devoted Guitar Hero shredders have already rocked tracks by The Police, Anthrax, and Iron Maiden. And Krokus' cover of "Ballroom Blitz" is a cheap workaround of the game's self-imposed '80s-only rule. The larger issue is how little new content went into this expansion. The venues, menus, and characters are recycled from Guitar Hero II, with cursory bits of nostalgia slapped on top. Some of the additions are clever, like the tombstone stage prop etched with the letters PMRC. But these efforts don't do much to differentiate the game from other games. In fact, the preponderance of rock poster art makes the game feel like Guitar Hero 90s Rocks the 80s. Prior entries gave players a slew of playable songs by indie artists after they conquered the game. Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks The 80s must have blown its bonus-track budget on hairspray and Spandex.