What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that the songs presented in this game
include sexual euphemism as well as drinking and drug
references. Some profanity has been edited out of the songs,
but kids will still hear "hell." Most of the songs are from
well-known commercial bands, and the game also promotes a
guitar store and guitar gear. Some of the game takes place in
bars. The game is best played with the special guitar-shaped
controller, which adds to the price ($80 with guitar
controller, or $50 for just the game). This musical action game
challenges players' rhythmic abilities and it's tons of
fun!
Families can talk about issues related to the songs in the game. Do songs about sex and drugs encourage kids to engage in risky behaviors? Does playing along to licensed songs make you want to purchase recordings by a band? Families may also wish to discuss the difference between playing a creative game like this one and a shoot-'em-up game. Which teaches you better skills? Which is more enjoyable and why?
Common Sense Media ReviewSequelitis
is a word not found in any standard dictionary, but it should be familiar to video game fans worldwide. A game succumbs to sequelitis when it produces sequels that don't offer much more than a re-tread of the original. Thankfully, GUITAR HERO II, the follow-up to last year's Guitar Hero , a popular music game, side-steps sequelitis and gets everything right: the same great musical action is present, and the game sports significant improvements in both the single- and two-player modes.
As in the first game, the appeal of Guitar Hero II comes from the air-guitar-meets-karaoke thrills players get when jamming to some great rock-'n'-roll songs. Although the game can be played with a standard Playstation 2 controller, to get the full experience it is best to purchase a version that includes a guitar shaped controller ($80 versus $50 without the controller). Gameplay involves strumming the controller and pushing fret buttons in time to the music.
The Guitar Hero formula is so much fun that even if a sequel were nothing but a collection of new songs, it would still be worth playing. The songs in part II run along the same lines as those in the first: lots of silly (often slightly dirty) rock 'n' rollers, mixed with a few guitar-centered pop gems. Players will find tons of classic rock like "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath, and some newer songs like "Laid to Rest" by Lamb of God. There are 40 songs in total in the main game, as well as 24 bonus songs, generally from smaller bands, that can be unlocked.
But Guitar Hero II does more than just provide new songs. It also improves a game that seemed nearly perfect the first time around. The new cooperative mode lets two players tackle one song, with one player on lead guitar and the second player on bass or rhythm guitar, depending on the song. With two guitar controllers, this mode makes Guitar Hero II one of the most fun party games in ages. The game also has competitive two-player modes, allowing players to go head-to-head on the same song.
Single players will find a great new addition in the practice mode. On higher difficulty setting, the songs in Guitar Hero become very difficult. This time around, the songs even seem a bit faster on easier levels, making the game a potential challenge to new players. Gamers should not fear, though, because Guitar Hero II allows them to play slow versions of the songs and work up to speed in stages.
Here's the bottom line: Guitar Hero II is just as much of a blast as the original. Players who missed the first game will find the sequel to be a friendly game even for the musically challenged, thanks to the practice mode. And players who already have the first game and have friends to play with may wish to consider spending a bit more for a second controller to go along with the new game. Long live rock 'n' roll!
Other music video games worth checking out include: Guitar Hero , Donkey Konga , and Electroplankton .
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
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