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Review: 'Guitar Hero' gets an encore

By Marc Saltzman
Gannett News Service

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As with the original game, "Guitar Hero II" is played with a guitar-shaped controller that plugs into the console. You can buy one with the game as a bundle for $79.99 (which now includes a "classic red" Gibson SG controller) if you don't already own an older one. The stand-alone game costs $49.99.

After you adjust the guitar strap and pick a song to jam with, your goal is to follow the onscreen instructions by pressing the correct colored fret buttons on the neck of the guitar at the right moment.

You must also strum the white "strings" button at the same time. For bonus points, hit the Whammy bar or tilt the guitar so it stands vertically when instructed to do so.

If you hit all the right notes and chords at the right time -- including ones you need to hold down for a few seconds (if the color has a straight line through it) -- you get the crowd wound up and the animated band puts on a better show. But if you fumble through a song, the spectators might just boo you off stage.

More than 55 new songs are included with this sequel, many of which need to be unlocked by performing well.

Highlights include rock classics such as Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird," The Rolling Stones' "Can't You Hear Me Knockin"' and The Police's "Message in a Bottle"; heavy-metal favorites including Motley Crue's "Shout at the Devil," Guns n' Roses' "Sweet Child O' Mine" and Black Sabbath's "War Pigs"; newer rockers are Wolfmother's "Woman" and Foo Fighter's "Monkey Wrench."

While the original artists don't sing these songs, you won't believe how much they sound like the originals.

One of the biggest improvements over the first "Guitar Hero" game is in the multiplayer modes. Plug in a second guitar controller and you and a friend can play cooperatively or competitively.

With the former, you can form your own rock band by playing the same song: one playing lead guitar and the other the rhythm guitar track or bass guitar track (depending on the tune).

The head-to-head mode, on the other hand, has both players ripping through each lead guitar track to see who can rack up the most points. (The original two-player mode is also back, which lets you take turns at various times in the song).

Other additions found in "Guitar Hero II" include a revamped practice mode to whip budding rock stars into shape, three new animated musicians to play with and two new venues: The Vans Warped Tour and Stonehenge.

"Guitar Hero II" is one game not to miss this holiday season: It's perfect for rock music fans and is a blast to play by yourself or with a friend beside you.

The game also proves that innovation and ingenuity is alive and well in an industry that is often afraid to take risks by creating something unique.

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