Even though Metallica members James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo took part in motion-capture sessions to assist build believable in-game avatars, the scenario places players in the shoes of a band serving as Metallica’s opening act. The game’s difficulty level was supposed to be comparable to that of Guitar Hero: Aerosmith nevertheless, the hard-hitting nature of some of Metallica’s compositions led to the invention of a very challenging “Expert+” mode that can integrate a second drum pedal.
The game includes 49 songs in all, including 28 original Metallica compositions including “Seek and Destroy,” “Fade to Black,” “Master of Puppets,” and “One,” as well as 21 band-selected songs by acts like Bob Seger, Judas Priest, Queen, and Thin Lizzy.
Similar to how Guitar Hero: Aerosmith was a glorified expansion of Guitar Hero III, Guitar Hero: Metallica is an extension of Activision’s brand-focused smash Guitar Hero: World Tour, giving gamers a taste of life in and around one of heavy metal’s most popular and influential bands. In Guitar Hero: Metallica, you may “Ride the Lightning” with musical icons Metallica and over 20 other exciting performers.