Game Review ( Guitar Hero 2 - 360 )

Graphics: 4/5 Although slightly upgraded, not much has changed. The only thing that really has is your character model. The other members of your band look virtually the same as they did in Guitar Hero 2 for the PS2. The venues look very similar, too. The graphics look sharper, and the lights look better, but that's about it. Also, the loading times seem to have sped up a little bit, but I don't know if they actually are faster or not.

Sound: 5/5 Once again, Guitar Hero 2 delivers. Except this time, the songs sound better than on the PS2 version, and clearer. The new songs also sound like the real thing ( The Trooper, Salvation, Dead!, Billion Dollar Babies, Rock 'N Roll Hoochie Koo, Possum Kingdom, Life Wasted, and Hush ). Especially Dead!, since it is a master track. The sound is the same as GH2 for the PS2, but has only improved thanks to the 360.

Control: 5/5 The control remains the same. The hammer-on/pull-off technique is the same as GH2 PS2 and not like they were in Guitar Hero 1, where they were frustrating and near impossible to do. The buttons still work well in the songs and feel as close as it gets to playing the real thing.

Fun: 5/5 Still as fun as ever. With the inclusion of leaderboards, it makes one of my favorite games ever even better. The new songs are also a blast to play, for the most part, and the best part is definitely the downloadable content. Although no EXACT details have been released as to when the first downloadable song pack will come out, it is stated by many that it will likely be released one week after the game's launch. The fact that Guitar Hero 2 for the 360 has improved in every way is good enough, but now the addition of downloadable songs, themes, and gamer pictures have made this game better than ever. Whether you've played Guitar Hero 1 or 2 or not, you should definitely buy Guitar Hero 2 if you have a 360. It's easily the 360's game of the year so far.

5/5