Rock fans and gamers alike can once again strum and strut their way to stardom in their own homes with Guitar Hero II, released November 2006 for PlayStation 2. The popular game, the second in Red Octane’s series, will be released for Xbox 360 later this year.
While the new game features the same controls and game-play as its older brother, only certain parts rock on while others should simply get off the stage.
Rock On!
Guitar Hero II boasts new multiplayer modes in addition to the lead guitar face-off mode of the first installment. Co-op mode allows one player to take lead guitar while his partner plays rhythm guitar or bass. Virtual reality is at its best here. Just add a drum controller in the next game and you have a whole band. In addition, the Xbox 360 version of the game will connect to Xbox Live, allowing expert players to take on their rivals online.
Get Off the Stage…
Guitar Hero II presents a challenge to returning players although that also makes the series more inaccessible to newcomers. The transition from “easy” mode to “medium” is a significant jump in skill level that is frustrating for learners. The new practice mode that breaks down songs for you to learn them doesn’t help much either. It’s more tedious than informative and you won’t be able to move your fingers any faster once through it.
Rock On!
Guitar Hero II’s artist list is every bit as impressive as the first. Fans of the first game will find that favorites like Van Halen, The Rolling Stones, Nirvana, and Rage Against the Machine are included this time around.
Get Off the Stage…
The song list in Guitar Hero II, despite being more extensive, does not match up to its predecessor. Many of the 64 songs are impressive, but there is a definite shift from more classic riffs in Guitar Hero I to a speed guitar/metal focus in Guitar Hero II. And is “You Really Got Me” the best Van Halen song they could find? Whatever made it so enjoyable to play and replay songs in the first Guitar Hero is lacking. This time around, some of the songs are just boring while others, like “Misirlou,” sound little like their real life counterparts. It may make you want to smash your guitar, and NOT in a good way.
Rock On!
Yes, the Guitar Hero producers are up on their pop culture. One of the unlockable bonus songs in the game is none other than “Trogdor,” the dragon of Strong Bad fame. Go ahead, try to resist the urge to sing along.
Rating: 7 out of 10
The game’s concept is still fresh and will be as long as it makes you feel like a rock god. Go ahead, buy it. But just maybe you should spend more time on your real guitar.