Guitar Hero II For 360 Extra Tracks, Hands On

The upcoming release of Guitar Hero II for the Xbox 360 has fans of the unique rhythm game very much excited. Ars Technica's Opposable Thumbs blog has a look at the additional songs that are to be included with the release. They also point out that downloadable tracks will be available right away at launch, with more slated for later this year. For some hands on impressions of the new version of this old favorite, Chris Kohler over at Game|Life can help us out: "I'll just stick with this version of GHII when it ships in March. It'll contain ten new songs, five of which were announced today (below) and two of which will have to be unlocked. But the real draw is the possibility of downloadable songs later. They're coming, but they haven't been announced yet. I've always said that this is the kind of microtransaction I wholeheartedly support. Well, depending on how much the tracks cost, I mean. As long as they're still microtransactions and not macrotransactions, Activision and I are good."

Possum Kingdom

[CubeNudger]

This is a great choice that I've been suggesting since I first played GH. I can't think of another song from the 90's that would fit better in this game. Still no Black Keys, disappointingly.

Re:Salvation

[h3llfish]

I'm sure it will. It will also simulate groupies, then a venereal disease. Then you can simulate a heroine addiction, and finally your own untimely death in a hotel room.

I beg of you, friends - play a real guitar! Have a real life! Simulations are great fun for things that aren't feasible to really do, like racing a Ferrari, or shooting a few dozen cops, but playing a guitar is well within your reach, and the rewards of actually doing the real thing are immeasurable. You can get an actual groupie - so much better than a pixelated babe! Trust me on this one!

Live, damn you, live!

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[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:Salvation

[h3llfish]

Real football is not within my reach. Real football teams have 100 people on them, plus helmets, uniforms, and a large field. And joining the Marines in no way is similar to an FPS - an you know that. So your examples really suck.

On the other hand, a decent used guitar costs only a little more than Guitar hero. You can do it alone. And unlike football or shooting people, there is no significant risk of injury.

Look, I'm not saying you're a bad person for enjoying Guitar Hero. I'm not saying that you should be beaten to death with your controller. I'm only saying that if you spent the exact same amount of time that you put into playing GH into playing a real guitar, you would have a vastly more genuine and rewarding experience. No, you aren't able to play instantly. But you would be able to play in no time at all. It doesn't take years, it takes most people months to become proficient enough to play a simple tune.

And whereas GH limits you in the songs that you can play, a real guitar allows you to play any song that uses our even-tempered 12 note scale (that's a lot of songs). Or, you could even make up your own!