Guitar Hero II - Rock in your socks.

Mike Bantick
Monday, 20 November 2006 08:23

Your IT - Entertainment

Hands up those that have dreamed of setting up a guitar and amp in the garage.  Okay, hands down.  Guitar hero, now in its second incarnation, let’s you live the dream without the screeching bad notes and subsequent law enforcement knocks on the door.

Adding to the already impressive PS2 “party game’ sub genre, Gutar hero was a knockout success.  This second version adds to rock and roll dream.

Featuring a reasonably sturdy Gibson SG controller (now in fire red) complete with Whammy Bar and tilt sensor, game play centres around the five “fret” keys and the strum toggle.

Boiling down to select a character, guitar, difficulty level, venue and importantly song, the fledgling hero is well on there way to music immortality. 

Well almost.  The actual game is the epitome of the ‘pick-up-and-play’ style so enjoyed by this sub-genre. All you really have to do is pick the note and strum in time with the music.  You will soon know when you get it wrong as there are visual and obviously, audio indications.

There is of scoring system of sorts, involving multiplyers and 'star power'  which kicks in when you give your instrument a whirl. You can now select from Rhythm, Lead and Bass tracks, a variety of multiplayer modes (if you have a second Guitar controller) as well as the all important song list, now expanded to 55 (see page two of this review for a list).

New graphics show the on screen players synchronizing well with your own rockin’ licks.  But who has time to check out the graphics, hitting the notes, maximising your score and developing stance and clothing style will be your focus.

Great fun, addictive, and apart from being a little introspective (but then again what rock god isn’t?) if you only have the one guitar controller, is a top release.  Amps to Eleven!

Track list on Page 2.