Remember when Guitar Hero was about shredding on the guitar? I do, and it seems like the folks over at Activision do too. Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock looks ready to take the franchise back to its roots in that regard and focus on the rocking out. Sure there will still be new modes, features, and bass, drums, and vocals, too... but from the looks of things everything looks focused more on shredding, rather than just playing along to top 40 hits.

The latest trailer released focuses on Megadeth and the final boss battle in the game...and man does it look tough. The note progression shown looks kee-razy (which everyone knows is like a million times more crazy than regular old "crazy"). Even Megadeth's main man, Dave Mustaine, says he hopes their final track, Sudden Death, delivers "a severe ass kicking." Check it out:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35yjSVx_E5s

What do you Ranters think? Does it look fun to you or too t-u-f-f (which like "kee-razy" is a million times more tough than regular "tough")? I would like to think the game's difficulty modes let you play the game at your skill level and still be challenged and pushed, but also still able to complete the game. I mean, difficulty in music/rhythm games is always good, but my fingers are not what they used to be. In fact, when I would hit Megadeth, or the other similar heavy-hitting, hard-rocking bands featured in past Guitar Hero games, that was usually the time I had to lower the difficulty level or stop playing altogether.

I think the ass-kicking nature of some of the bands and songs featured in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, combined with the reputation past Guitar Hero games have for kicking up the difficulty level rather quickly throughout the game and the Guitar Hero style note progression might mean this game is out of my league. And while I like rocking out to some Megadeth as much as the next guy, maybe my skills are more Lego: Rock Band, with its less finger-blistering tracks.

I have to admit, however, I like seeing Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock take the series back to its roots a little, while mixing things up with the inclusion of the new modes. Band games were getting a little stale. But now, with Guitar Hero looking to carve its own niche, and Rock Band 3 looking to forge its own path with the inclusion of Pro Mode, I think good things are happening in the music/rhythm game space again.

What are your thoughts? Do savor the challenge that awaits in Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock or are you like me, thinking the challenge might be more than you can handle? Are you excited about a new Guitar Hero, Rock Band 3, or are you kind of over music games in general despite the new features and modes?

Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock releases in September on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii.