Reviews

The standard four difficulty settings are available to play, ranging from Easy to Expert - there's none of that overly simplistic Beginner nonsense here, and likewise no Expert Plus, as is set to debut in Guitar Hero: Metallica. The first two difficulty settings should be accessible to most, with the Guitar portion only utilising 3 or 4 buttons for them, the Orange remaining unused until you eventually dare to step up to Hard or higher.

As with the other games of this ilk, the different modes of play also vary in their difficulty, with the drums being the trickiest instrument to get to grips with, while vocals are generally the most accessible. Be prepared to strain your voice on some of the more booming heavy metal tracks, though, where your task could be described more as roaring than singing. Of course, if you're someone with impeccable rhythm but the chords of a frightened feline, you might find yourself better off with the sticks.

Remember, the fans you gather in Tour Mode aren't real. They won't need counselling if the band breaks up.

While we're still awaiting the arrival of the official Rock Band 2 instruments in stores at this time, those made for the original game are still perfectly legitimate means of control. Guitar Hero instruments will also work, though the touch pad of the World Tour guitar sadly does not perform the equivalent actions of the solo buttons on the RB axe, leaving you having to strum them as normal and also unable to earn as big a points reward from the big rock finishes.

Naturally, if you're not really into Rock or Metal, it's not going to be your cup of tea, and if you've never bought into the plastic instrument craze either, Rock Band 2 won't change your mind. But if you are a devotee, then you'll be worshipping at its altar pretty quickly. Some will argue that it's unfair to make them "re-buy" their songs from the original game for use in this one, but ultimately you're not being forced to do so, and it's nice to have the option full-stop. When was the last time a Guitar Hero game let you take anything across to one of its sequel? The only disappointment is not being able to copy your saved characters or bands over from the first game, which means having to create new ones from scratch.

The Rock Band characters grow dodgy facial hair, so you don't have to. Ladies.

While Rock Band 2 seems the better overall package at this time than GHWT, it does appear as though both developers are busily saturating the market with spin-offs and expansions right now, which could prove to be detrimental in the long term. Therefore, like a band that plays on well past its prime, it's best to invest in this hot second album.