XBox Solution

While PS2 fans have had the pleasure of living out their Rock & Roll dreams playing the franchise, Xbox 360 owners were waiting for their own chance to be Rock Gods. Yes, Guitar Hero II has finally hit the Xbox 360 console! Right from the start GH II gets you in the mood of a real musician since the game and controller bundle will set you back over a $100.00. Looking back I did not pay a $100.00 for my first real guitar, but the life of a Rock & Roll Star is never cheap. The lights are on, the stage is set, so let’s get the show on the road with the full review of Guitar Hero II.

The game is truly loaded with great features and is geared for all ages. RedOctane and Harmonix added some great features to the already great game found in the PS2 version. Included is a brand new X-plorer controller, 70+ tracks and online leaderboards as well as some cool offline Co-Op modes. I need to point something out right off the bat. If you are going to buy the game only and try to play with a normal Xbox 360 controller, don’t bother. While the bundle is an investment, it will pay off in the overall experience and fun you’ll have when playing the game. At first glance, the game looks like any other pattern game with the 5 colored buttons but looks can be a bit deceiving. You’ll start off in a High School battle of the bands. As the song plays, you need to not only hit the right color to represent the chords but also keep the right rhythm and time of the song. Thanks to a cool HUD that looks like a guitar fret board and crowd meter, the game begins to come to life right from the first song.

The goal is simple: keep the meter in the green and the crowd will love you. Dip into the red and you’ll be booed off the stage. For each ten notes you hit in order you can earn a multiplier. You also gain a little Star power to use when the time is right. Mastering a great 5 star performance requires knowing the notes, keeping the right tempo and knowing when to hit the Star Power to wow the crowd. It may sound complicated, but thanks to a great tutorial and easy to read on screen prompts, after a few songs you’ll get the hang of the game. Each set has a goal. Reach the goal and move on to the next gig. The harder the skill-level, the more money you’ll earn which is used to buy more songs, guitars and other things in the in-game store. Songs run the gambit from Classic to Punk. The world of Rock music is well represented. The real magic in the game is the added effects they threw in including some great front men and women who all have their own moves and antics. Your front man can be switched at anytime. It is worth trying them all to see the different things each one brings to the game.

Guitar Hero II is a great game and loaded with features making this one a real winner for the Xbox 360. While it won’t teach you to be a real guitar player, it really does teach the basics guitarists need to learn. I would have loved to see a teaching feature added and of course an Xbox Live Co-Op mode added. I am sure the next version will have this. As it is, this is the hottest game right now out there and for good reasons. It’s fast-paced, offers a challenge, and has some great songs from artists like VanHalen, Rush, Guns and Roses and even Lynard Skynard. All are masterfully reproduced and sound great. GH II is not the type of game one will sit down and beat in one session. It takes time and practice to master all 70+ songs. Unlocking all the Co-Op modes will add even more Gameplay value.

The new X-Plorer Controller is made to look like a white Gibson Guitar. The five buttons react great. The strings are activated by the flicker switch set where the strings would be hit. They even added a Whammy-Bar. The controller works great although it could have been made a bit larger. Also the controller is not wireless and while this was a bit of a letdown, the extra long USB cord provides enough room to shred without any problems. The Xbox 360 already set us free of the use of wires and why they did not offer a wireless model still has me a little confused. Overall the new X-Plorer Controller works great and even when compared to the PS2 models, it fits well with the game. Learning the overall controls and getting a feel for it will vary, but most of the basics can be picked up within 15-30 minutes of gameplay.

If I said I was not disappointed about the missing online Co-Op mode, I would not be doing the review any real justice. The game should have been made to have this feature. Recent titles like Gears of War, Crackdown and others have proven that this mode alone helps sales, plain and simple. I understand that any game based on precise timing needs to be dead on to work. They should have pushed back the release if necessary to make this work. Then again, if this is my only complaint with the game, I have to say it is something I’ll look for in the next version. The leaderboards keeps track of your career, scores and lets you see how you rank among the Xbox Live community and friends. Recently three song packs were made available for purchase offering a total of nine more tracks with more on their way — although they do seem a bit pricey

GH II offers some cool graphics, although some of the coolest things you’ll have to wait and watch someone else playing to fully appreciate. Fire rolls off some of the guitar players’ fingers while others will throw their axes in the air and wow the crowd with split timing throws and then hammer the notes in perfect harmony. One of the advantages of switching the main character is the chance to see the different HUD’s offered. Each character has a special fret board. While each is easy to see, switching allows a variety. Each gig has some special key events. The crowd may go into frenzy or even visitors from other planets will stop by and watch you play if you have the right stuff. The graphics definitely enhance the audio aspects of the game.

Guitar Hero 2 Xbox 360 Screenshots

For the most part each track is not by the group who made it famous. A talented group of musicians, singers and engineers made each track sound like the groups. I can understand this since the game relies on timing and the sound must be enhanced or retouched a bit. Having listened and played each song in the game, it’s hard not to think it’s not the real band playing the song and you’re playing along. Any game that can make me believe that while playing deserves praise. The game has some of the best audio I have heard and makes use of it to bring the total game to life.

The replay value of a game like this is hard to judge since it will be up to each gamer to decide how long they play it. For those who take the time to learn the songs and unlock everything the replay value is extremely high. Even with the $100.00 price tag the game is worth it and provides a great single-player mode and a strong but offline Co-Op mode.

Overall Score: 9.2 /10 [not an average]

Guitar Hero II is hot and is one of my personal favorites for the Xbox 360. While the game is not going to wow everyone, anyone who loves music or has dreamed of playing in front of a live audience is going to enjoy it. RedOctane and Harmonix deserve the praises they are receiving. My only hopes in closing it one day they can use the same talent to teach people to play for real. While the debate is open on that, the one thing that is for sure Guitar Hero II is a great game and delivers even more on the Xbox 360.

• Guitar Hero 2 Official Site
• Harmonix Music
• Red Octane
• Activision
• Guitar Hero 2 Xbox 360 Screenshots
• Guitar Hero 2 Cheats and Secrets – Xbox 360
• More Xbox 360 Cheats
• Another take – Guitar Hero 2 Review at About.com

Review by XBS Head Writer Rich Reed.

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