Guitar Hero: Van Halen

 Xbox 360
Guitar Hero: Van Halen Image
Metascore
57

Mixed or average reviews - based on 34 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
5.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 22 Ratings

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  • Summary: Guitar Hero returns with another band-focused title, Guitar Hero: Van Halen. The game features 25 classic Van Halen tracks, three signature Eddie Van Halen guitar solos, and 19 hand-picked guest acts. Play in eight original venues specifically designed for Guitar Hero: Van Halen. Rock aroundGuitar Hero returns with another band-focused title, Guitar Hero: Van Halen. The game features 25 classic Van Halen tracks, three signature Eddie Van Halen guitar solos, and 19 hand-picked guest acts. Play in eight original venues specifically designed for Guitar Hero: Van Halen. Rock around the globe, from a small club in Los Angeles to arenas around the world, including the iconic "S-stage" from the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s 2007 world tour. Play as one of the four members of Van Halen or create your own personalized superstar with Rock Star Creator and watch your superstar party on stage. Rock out with up to four players locally or battle other bands with up to 8 players. With tracks ranging from the high-energy "Jump" to the legendary guitar solo "Eruption," the easy to play, difficult to master game play that Guitar Hero fans have grown to love is back in Guitar Hero: Van Halen. [Activision]… Expand
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 23 out of 34
  3. Negative: 7 out of 34
  1. Game Chronicles
    87
    The steep cost of admissions is the only real downside to this entire package.
  2. XboxAddict
    73
    If you got this as a freebie ,good for you, if you find it in the (heavily) discounted bin then try it out (it should be there by Friday).
  3. RealGamer
    70
    Guitar Hero Van Halen may not feature the greatest selection of tracks that will appeal to general fans of the franchise. However, it does provide those looking for a more interesting challenge, giving you access to one of the most intense collections of songs to grace a Guitar Hero game for sometime, definitely one just for hardcore Guitar Hero’s.
  4. Gamereactor Sweden
    60
    A hastily put together product that lacks the overall quality of other band-specific games like Guitar Hero: Metallica or The Beatles: Rock Band. Thank God for Ice Cream Man, Eruption and Panama.
  5. Gamervision
    50
    Even for absolute die-hard fans, I simply can’t recommend this game. The track listing is lacking, the gameplay is outdated (by its own predecessor), and the fun factor for this game just isn’t there.
  6. games(TM)
    50
    One of the most underwhelming rhythm-action games in some time. [Issue#93, p.132]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. GameShark
    25
    In a world where The Beatles Rock Band exists, the paltry effort put into Guitar Hero: Van Halen is, quite simply, deplorable. If you're going to devote the time, money, and effort to developing a band-themed game in this franchise-then do it right. Don't embarrass yourselves by passing something like this off as a legitimate, full-featured game.

See all 34 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 7
  3. Negative: 3 out of 7
  1. [anonymous]
    Jan 18, 2010
    9
    Best notetracks of any GH / RB game ever. Some additional features would be nice, but that's all extras that don't matter to the Best notetracks of any GH / RB game ever. Some additional features would be nice, but that's all extras that don't matter to the core game: playing the songs.… Expand
  2. AustinM.
    Dec 23, 2009
    9
    The reviews are a bit low on this game, and I really don't know why. This is a fun game!! I'm a huge fan of Van Halen and Guitar The reviews are a bit low on this game, and I really don't know why. This is a fun game!! I'm a huge fan of Van Halen and Guitar Hero, so this definetely made it more fun for me. The tracklist is great, collecting some of Van Halen's best work, and was just a blast!! Although, I do agree with Game Informer saying this did deserve better. I got this free with GH5 offer, so I shouldn't complain much, and it did seem a bit rushed. It was really cool to unlock the classic looks of Van Halen, too bad Mike isn't there though. But this still doesn't stop this from being a great game!! "Jump" for Van Halen!!… Expand
  4. fuyuyuki
    Sep 7, 2020
    7
    similar to, guitar hero metallica, the game has some "van halen flair". but the song list leaves a lot to be desired
  5. DavidB.
    Jan 15, 2010
    5
    I got this for free with the GH5 mail in offer, and I'm still not impressed. I like the GH/RB games, but this really seemed to be a I got this for free with the GH5 mail in offer, and I'm still not impressed. I like the GH/RB games, but this really seemed to be a "throw in" with GH5, and nothing more. To think they're charging full price for this as a game? Ouch. $20 worth of DLC would have made more sense. Would have reduced the carbon footprint, to boot. VH fan or not, if you paid full price, you got ripped off.… Expand
  6. JeffW.
    Dec 23, 2009
    2
    This game does nothing to move forward the music game industry. It does nothing to compensate for the fact that it was released months after This game does nothing to move forward the music game industry. It does nothing to compensate for the fact that it was released months after Guitar Hero 5 made leaps and bounds in this genre of video games. Besides that, the game has no narrative to compel you forward nor does nothing to explain Van Halen's significance to the music industry or anything. The game is also inconsistent with itself in the song choices, since the songs that were chosen do not at all relate to Van Halen's musical style nor their influences nor how they influenced the music genre. The only reason this game gets a 2 is because it has "functional" game play and some "decent" song selections. Still, no Van Hagar, no import, and no hope of future DLC for the game make it completely unacceptable. Do not buy this game unless you have just way too much money on your hands and do not mind wasting money on a game with some good songs but more than half of the set list is bad.… Expand
  7. NathanielS
    Jan 10, 2010
    1
    This game is far less quality than any Guitar Hero game. Even if you go back to Guitar Hero 1 or Guitar Hero 80s you cannot find this low of This game is far less quality than any Guitar Hero game. Even if you go back to Guitar Hero 1 or Guitar Hero 80s you cannot find this low of quality. It is a giant step backwards in the genre. Why isn't this DLC? Sam Hagar is missing and somehow bands like Weezer and Third Eye Blind are in the game even though they sound nothing like Van Halen and most Van Halen fans would not be interested in those bands. My brain tells me that this game simply happened to lock VH in a exclusivity deal so they wouldn't work with Rock Band. Eddie should be embarassed.… Expand
  8. Luigithemetal64
    Oct 9, 2013
    0
    Well that ends my enjoyment for David Roth songs. It's like he doesn't care about his fans think he's better by not singing any Sammy HagarWell that ends my enjoyment for David Roth songs. It's like he doesn't care about his fans think he's better by not singing any Sammy Hagar songs. His way of doing that made Activision only Used 78-84 songs. This is the worst Guitar Hero game yet. So way to go David. If Guitar Hero ever comes back there should be a remake of that game where there songs from the all singers including Sammy Hagar and Gary Cherone. David Roth has no dreams about fans, he'll never be on top of the world, and right now, he is the messed up member of the band if maybe not Eddie Van Halen.… Expand