Pop Buzz UK

Guitar Hero 2 was released last Friday in the UK and has received an even better reception than the first game did. My first sight of it was in the local GameStation on Saturday where it was apparently ‘Guitar Hero’ day in the store. All the staff had dressed up in their best rocker gear; this ranged from denim skirts for the girls to the boys all having their faces painted as Gene Simmons from Kiss. They had a TV set up in the window, in full view of the passing public, and were playing/demonstrating the new version. The best contest I saw was one of the staff versus a 12-year-old kid who proceeded to jump and slide on his knees during Police – Message In A Bottle. Nice, top marks for effort and a certain kudos for showing off to that extent in front of his friends. Needless to say he lost against the staff member who was taking it all a bit too seriously.

The first game was a classic, taking the rhythm action game to a new level of interaction and pleasing people of all ages. This 2nd instalment is pretty much more of the same, after all, why spoil a winning formula that has sold the idea of being a guitar hero in their own living room to millions. If you’re a complete newcomer to the game, the basic premise is to mimic the guitar legends on screen by pressing the correct fret button/s on the guitar peripheral’s neck and strumming the button at the exact moment on screen. It’s simpler in practice than describing, and is actually quite intuitive whether a bona fide guitar player yourself or not. The easiest way to see what the game is about is to watch this guy on You Tube who is awesome. Here he is playing Even Rats by The Slips from the first game…

The game features a career mode, where moving up the ladder and through the venues increases your wealth meaning the chance to buy new songs, characters and guitars. Also there is the ultimate party game that is the co-op mode, meaning you and a friend can virtually form a band on your ps2, playing lead, bass or rhythm guitar. It’s brilliant fun, and beats Singstar and any dancing mat game for sheer unadulterated pleasure. You don’t need the guitar add-on as it works with the normal Ps2 controller but suffice to say it’s a lot more fun with one. Here’s another You tube video, this time demonstrating the fun that can by had when a couple of guitar nerds get dressed up and go head to head, you have GOT to click play…

The differences to the game this time are; there is a new cherry red guitar, although the one bundled with the first game works exactly the same and just as well. Guitar Hero 2 features 64 songs, 40 of which are licensed. These include classics such as Nirvana – Heart Shaped Box, Foo Fighters – Monkey Wrench and Sweet Child o’ Mine by Guns ‘n’ Roses. There’s even some Rage Against The Machine in there! Click here for a full list of the songs featured courtesy of Wikipedia.

This is a brilliant game, I really can’t recommend it enough. Having seen it played by everyone from 10 to 50 in the game shop and having had a go myself, I’m completely sold on it. Reviews have been very favourable so far too with Official Playstation Magazine giving it 10/10 and IGN 9.5. All you Xbox 360 fans out there will be pleased to hear a new version has been confirmed to be in the making, due for release on that platform in 2007. A third version of the game on multi platforms has also already been confirmed and could see the light of day as early as this time next year.
And now to finish this review, I had to find another near perfect score on the game by Sarmstr0ng, this time with his rendition of the classic Ace Of Spades by Motorhead. Enjoy, then buy the game and try and beat this fella’s score…

Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero 2, Kiss, Singstar, Ps2, 360, You Tube