School might be back in full swing, but why memorize theorems and formulas when you could memorize the lyrics of Survivor's Eye of the Tiger""? Why surrender to Helen C. White Library when stadiums of screaming fans are clamoring to hear you jam on your plastic Fender guitar? That's right folks, it's time for the return of another cherished institution: ""Rock Band.""
Assuming you haven't been to a proper house party in the last year, Harmonix's ""Rock Band"" provides a virtual stage for two guitarists, a drummer and a vocalist. ""Rock Band 2"" provides 84 new tracks - all original master recordings - in addition to backward compatibility with every song from the first game. In short, ""RB2"" has an absurd amount of music to play - 500 songs by the end of the year.
The playlist offers something for everyone, from Beastie Boys fans to metal heads. Modest Mouse's ""Float On,"" the Who's ""Pinball Wizard"" and the Allman Brothers Band's ""Ramblin' Man"" are just a taste of ""RB2's"" repertoire. Many of the songs are tougher this time around, but they complement the first game's easier selections nicely. The diversity also means there will be a few songs that each player would rather skip, but no one is happy all the time. Plus, it's a lot of fun to make those metalhead friends sing along to Alanis Morissette.
The game itself really hasn't changed much, though the developers have opted to clean up the interface a little to make it more user-friendly and intuitive. The song selection screen now displays album art and song difficulty by instrument and includes a bevy of sorting options to help navigate the massive playlist. Also, the addition of a ""No Fail"" mode means your drunken or less-rhythmic friends can get in on the fun as well without fear of embarrassment.
Wisely, the developers dropped the last vestiges of ""Guitar Hero"" influence - the solo career - in favor of a Band World Tour you can play by yourself, with friends or online over Xbox Live or PlayStation Network. The feature lets you make one character for yourself with any instrument you choose and send them touring across the globe.
However, some of the baggage from the first game remains. The word detection for vocals is possibly worse than the first game - mumbling without tone will often get you 80 percent accuracy or more on most songs. The Character Creator could also be a little more in-depth, since it was weak in the first game, and the addition of a few new facial options is not enough.
Still, the few changes Harmonix didn't make are far overshadowed by how much fun the polished, overall experience is. For owners of the first game, it's a must buy, even if ""RB2"" is only a simple upgrade from the original. This is evolution, not revolution.
Grade: AB
