Parents' Guide to

Guitar Hero: Metallica

By Marc Saltzman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Heavy metal music with edgy lyrics comes to rhythm sim.

Game Xbox 360 , PlayStation 3 , Nintendo Wii , PlayStation 2 2009
Guitar Hero: Metallica Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

Community Reviews

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age 8+

Based on 8 parent reviews

Tom_Gamer_Tom
Tom_Gamer_Tom Adult
July 10, 2010
age 10+

Only good for metallica fans, Some mature lyrics too.

Guitar hero has always been good, But now for the Metallica fans they released this. I am no metallica fan to be honest, but this is a great game with a lot of mature lyrics. Considering its a heavy rock group and only people who can handle and listen to metallica would buy this game. A few bits of cleveage with the female artists and guitarists etc. Its a good game though :)

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
atomicpunk523698741
atomicpunk523698741 Parent of 13-year-old
November 11, 2009
age 10+

perfect for 10+ if your a little protective 12+

If you love Metallica then you will love this! Out of all the role models if your looking to be a musician then this could help you. Metallica is one of the best! This game is a defnite 10+

This title has:

Too much swearing
Great messages
Great role models
See all 8 parent reviews

What’s It About?

Plug in and rock out with Activision Publishing's latest in the multimillion-unit-selling Guitar Hero series. Just as we strummed along with an Aerosmith-centric Guitar Hero game last year , now it's time to crank the volume and let your hair down for Metallica and its celebrated catalog of heavy metal tunes ranging from their early work ("Seek & Destroy" from the band's debut disc) to the commercial ditties of their self-titled "Metallica" album ("Enter Sandman," "Nothing Else Matters") to newer tracks including "Frantic" and "My Apocalypse." More than 45 tracks from the group's 28-year history are here, most of which need to be unlocked, as gamers jam as the L.A.-based fab four, led by vocalist James Hetfield. GUITAR HERO: METALLICA also features more than 20 tracks from other artists personally selected by the band, including Foo Fighters, Judas Priest, Queen, Motörhead, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Thin Lizzy.

In case you've never picked up (or observed) a Guitar Hero game, these music-based challenges let players jam along to some of rock's greatest hits over the past 40 years, using guitar/bass and drum-shaped peripherals, as well as a mic to sing, karaoke-style. Whether you're playing solo or with friends (in front of the same TV or via the Internet) your goal is to rack up points by hitting the right note (or drum) at the correct time. Play well and the virtual crowd goes nuts and you can unlock additional venues and tracks, but make too many mistakes and you're booed offstage faster than you can say "Lars Ulrich."

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (8 ):
Kids say (10 ):

Yes, Guitar Hero: Metallica is good, but you most definitely need to be a fan of the band and this type of music to enjoy it. Therefore it doesn't have the same mass appeal as a game like Guitar Hero: World Tour, with its wide range of musical styles and artists, plus this game lacks the same breadth and depth when it comes to modes, online options, and replayability. That said, it's a decent game for those looking to rock out to the music of Metallica.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about whether they're experiencing Guitar Hero overkill. With many, many games in the franchise these days, not to mention new song downloads each week, when is it time to call it a day? And is this music genre evolving at the pace it should? Or do gamers want the same thing each time but with new music?

Game Details

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