Now, I must admit I have a little bias when it comes to this game. I'm an Aerosmith fan. I love the music. And I'm already on record as a major Guitar Hero geek. So, this sounds like a match made in heaven. It is.

Guitar Hero: Aerosmith combines the best of the GH franchise with some awesome rockin' tunes. In fact, there are more than 40 tracks in the game, making it a decent-sized effort. In comparison though, Rock Band and Guitar Hero III boast more than 70 songs apiece, not to mention plenty of downloadable content to boot.

And not all of the tunes on GH: Aerosmith are by the legendary band. There are covers and tracks from bands that influenced the group.

I really enjoyed the career mode, which not only lets you play your way through 31 songs, including some of the band's signature pieces, but it also lets you learn a little about how Aerosmith came to be and how the band's career unfolded.

You start off playing at Nipmuc High School, which is where the band had its first gig. After you beat a couple of songs as a cover band (where you'll get to see all the usual GH musicians, including my personal favourite, Lars), you'll unlock Aerosmith, who then take to the stage for the rest of the set.

The animation looks great and it's fun to watch lead vocalist Steven Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry rocking out on stage. Mind you, it's not exactly groundbreaking stuff and it does eventually become commonplace, the way it does with all GH games. Still, the early thrill is nice to ride while it lasts.

The gameplay modes are typical GH. There's career, in which you can play one of four difficulty levels, each of which earns you cash towards buying items at a store called The Vault, as well as quick-play, training and four multiplayer modes.

The multiplayer games let you face off against another player by either alternating sections of songs or playing head-to-head on the same songs, or you can play co-op (one player is lead guitar while the other is rhythm or bass) or battle. The battle mode features head-to-head play, in which you can attack your opponent to throw them off while playing. The person with the highest score wins.

Of note, this game plays easier than other GH titles. Some critics have railed against this as a dumbing down of the franchise, but I think that's not true. The accessibility of this game works to its credit, as does the more accessible 360 achievements. Finally, here's a Guitar Hero game where I can accumulate more than 40 points. And that's a good thing because it draws more people in.

But let's be honest, you'll want to play this game for the music and most of your favourites are there. As for the songs that inspired the band and make an appearance, it's an eclectic bunch. There's everything from Joan Jett's "I Hate Myself for Loving You" and Cheap Trick's "Dream Police" to The Cult's "She Sells Sanctuary" and Ted Nugent's "Cat Scratch Fever."

Overall, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith may be a bit of an acquired taste for some. The game's appeal lies in how much you enjoy the music. If you do, this game is well worth spending time with. But if you don't like Aerosmith, there's not enough here to make it worth your while.

Recommendation: For fans, it's a must-buy. For people who are on the fence about the band, it's worth a rental, otherwise take a pass. Rated T.

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