Guitar Hero II with X-Plorer Guitar Controller (Xbox 360) - BUY IT!!

While much of the hardcore gaming community sneers at the thought of the musical genre of gaming, the industry has an alarmingly high fan base, and an even larger sales record. Why? Because not everyone gets a shiver down their spine when picking a headshot from 200yards, or tank-rushing an opponent into submission. Yet most (if not all) enjoy music, in one form or another, and as a kid dreamed of one day being a lead singer, guitarist or well known drummer. This is what the genre of gaming builds on, everyone’s 15 seconds of fame, or shame, in the company of friends.

The original Guitar Hero was one of those hit sensations that cropped up out of nowhere and took the gaming industry by storm, almost over night. RedOctane’s innovative design allowed players to belt out their favorite tunes as a virtual lead guitarist on a very user-friendly mock guitar. The game quickly became one of the most accepted of the year. Its successor, aptly named Guitar Hero II, builds on the home-run design of the original, bringing a few tweaked settings and bigger and better list of songs/covers to choose from, including Aerosmith, Van Halen, The Rolling Stones, and many more.

For those who haven’t played the title, the game is bought with a slightly scaled down, electronic guitar (the controller if you will), which uses buttons rather then strings. The game displays a rock concert, complete with all members of the band, lighting, screaming audience, everything. The score is scrolled on screen, and the player must strive to belt out, or struggle to keep up with, the current song. Hit the right notes, all is sweet and your worshipped as a rock god, fumble the cords or miss them completely and you’ll be booed off stage.

While fans of FPS, RPG or RTS may dub this game as “immature”, it certainly brings a unique style of fun to the Xbox 360. While the more difficult tracks certainly require an amount of skill, giving veterans of the genre a challenge, the game can be picked up and played by almost anyone. If you’re after a different kind of game, that’s a blast by your self and even better with mates, look no further.