Guitar Hero: Aerosmith is considered an expansion of Guitar Hero III, and it is the series’ first entry centered on a single band. The gameplay premise is similar to the game on which it is based. Aerosmith is responsible for almost 60% of the included music, while the others have influenced or opened for the band (Run-D.M.C., The Kings, Lenny Kravitz, etc.). The band re-recorded four songs just for the game, and they also served as motion capture actors for their 3D models. The vast bulk of the tracks are master recordings.
The main game feature is the career mode, which takes players through the band’s history from the early 1970s to 2001. Internal conflicts are not addressed. Players begin as Joe Perry but can subsequently unlock the other members of the band, Brad Whitford and Tom Hamilton. The career is structured into six levels, each containing five tunes based on a different phase in the band’s existence. There are also encores when each tier is completed and two opening acts dressed like another band. After each level, supplementary content such as trivia, video sequences, and interviews are shown.
Songs are eventually unlocked and become available in the other modes, which are the same as in Guitar Hero III (Quickplay, Cooperative, Competitive, and Battle modes). Only the cooperative career mode is not available. Menus have been overhauled, and new venues based on past performances have been added. There are 41 songs, 31 of which can be unlocked in career mode and 10 more in the vault.
The game is offered as part of a bundle with a bespoke guitar or as a standalone release. There are two PS2 packages available, one with a single wireless guitar and the other with two wired guitars.
