After waiting for what has felt like an eternity, Guitar Hero II has finally arrived on the Xbox 360. No longer will I have to borrow Game Almighty's PS2 on the weekend, a fact that should delight all of the God of War 2 freaks here at the headquarters. Now I can safely rock to my heart's content throughout the week, indulging my unrelenting obsession with all things Guitar Hero.
It would be cliché for me to say that you must be living in a cave if you haven't heard of Guitar Hero, and probably not very accurate as I'd be willing to bet that even Osama bin Laden has heard of the game. Guitar Hero is a phenomena, embraced by young and old, male and female. It is single-handedly ushering in a new era of music-based games and will no doubt change the way music is taught in the future.
For the two of you out there who have no idea what Guitar Hero is, allow me to give a brief description. It's a rhythm-based game like Dance Dance Revolution, but instead of hopping around a dance-mat, you'll be strapping on a guitar-controller, pressing buttons and strumming in time with music tracks. That's pretty much it. Doesn't sound like much, but neither would the act of sex if I offered up a brief description, which, in the interest of not getting fired, I won't. Suffice it to say, both Guitar Hero and sex each benefit from actual experience in order to fully appreciate...or so I've been told.
Several factors conspire to make Guitar Hero so great. First, you have the excellent controller, which, in the case of the 360, is the newly christened X-plorer guitar that looks far more rock & roll than the PS2 version. It's well made, sturdy, and can take serious punishment as long as you're not bashing it over an amplifier in true rock fashion. Once you have the guitar hanging from your shoulders you'll enter an alternate-reality and become suddenly transfixed by the feeling.
The second factor is the actual gameplay. Guitar Hero II offers several difficulty levels, from Easy to Expert. Most new players will want to tackle Easy mode, which only has you dealing with three fret buttons and less on-screen action. As you move up the skill ladder, Guitar Hero II starts punching you in the face and calling you its bitch. Eventually you'll have to handle all five fret buttons as well as a relentless number of on-screen targets to time perfectly. Just glancing at what Expert mode demands of you is humbling and you'll no doubt think that you'll never, ever be able to handle it. But the beauty of Guitar Hero II is that it rewards practice. Playing this game is a skill that can be honed. Before you know it, you'll find yourself in a transcendental state, becoming one with a song and nailing difficult notes without even thinking about what you're doing.
So it has a great controller and fantastic gameplay, but if the song selection sucks then none of it really matters. Fortunately, Guitar Hero once again delivers. There's music here for every taste and even if there's a particular song you don't like you'll find them all a blast to play. You'll find all manner of style, from classic rock to speed-metal and grunge and even a few that defy classification. You'll get to hear Spinal Tap, Nirvana, Wolfmother, Skynard and tons of bands that fly under the radar yet still offer up finger-numbing tracks. It's an eclectic, well-rounded list.
Some complain that the majority of the tracks are performed by cover bands, but this doesn't bother me at all. I think it plays into the nature of the game, especially in career mode that finds you rising up the food chain, playing bigger gigs at better venues. I mean, the reality of the game is: you ARE a cover band. You're not pretending to be Gene Simmons of Kiss, you're a cover band playing a Kiss song, so why critics harp on this aspect is beyond me.
With over 55 tracks on offer, there's no shortage of options and you truly get your money's worth. Especially when you consider that more tracks will be available at regular intervals on Xbox Marketplace, Guitar Hero is the kind of game you'll be playing until...well, until Rock Band is released next Christmas.
A new feature for the 360 version is the ability to play a song from three different modes, including bass, rhythm and lead, as well as co-op play with a partner, assuming you've invested in a second guitar. All of these modes just further Hero's appeal, giving you more options and longevity. It's all great and nearly perfect.
Nearly perfect? Well, I do have two complaints, though none of them are that big of a deal. First, it would have been great if the X-plorer guitar were wireless. Unfortunately, you can blame Microsoft for this problem as they have some weird rule about using their proprietary WiFi code, so send all hate mail to Redmond and leave Red Octane alone. Secondly, Guitar Hero II lacks multiplayer over Xbox Live, though there is reason to believe that this feature may debut in the future. I can understand why it's missing, as how they go about dealing with lag in a game that demands split-second timing is a hurdle set incredibly high. It will be interesting to see how, and if, they resolve this problem.
Let me end this review with some hyperbole. Guitar Hero II is one of the greatest games ever created. It's innovative, addicting, polished and just plain awesome. If you haven't played it before, I urge you to run out to Best Buy or some other big retailer who has a demo running at a kiosk and give it a shot. You won't be disappointed.
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