Guitar Hero II

What’s the Story?

As in the first game, the appeal of GUITAR HERO II comes from the air-guitar-meets-karaoke thrills players get when jamming to some great rock-'n'-roll songs. Although the game can be played with a standard Playstation 2 controller, to get the full experience it is best to purchase a version that includes a guitar shaped controller ($80 versus $50 without the controller). Gameplay involves strumming the controller and pushing fret buttons in time to the music. The new cooperative mode lets two players tackle one song, with one player on lead guitar and the second player on bass or rhythm guitar, depending on the song.

Is It Any Good?

The Guitar Hero formula is so much fun that even if a sequel were nothing but a collection of new songs, it would still be worth playing. With two guitar controllers, Guitar Hero II is one of the most fun party games in ages. Single players will find a great new addition in the practice mode: On higher difficulty setting, the songs become very difficult. This time around, the songs even seem a bit faster on easier levels, making the game a potential challenge to new players.

Here's the bottom line: Guitar Hero II is just as much of a blast as the original. Players who missed the first game will find the sequel to be a friendly game even for the musically challenged, thanks to the practice mode. And players who already have the first game and have friends to play with may wish to consider spending a bit more for a second controller to go with the new game. Long live rock 'n' roll!