Guitar Hero is remarkable, hysterical and a contender for the best video game ever made... then again, you already know that. But if youve forsaken a PS3 in favour of Microsofts next-gen offering, get set for the best version of all.
While the game plays and looks the same (well, the graphics are slightly sharper than on the PS2, but not that youd notice), Guitar Hero II on the 360 offers a wealth of outstanding new features; as well as 10 new songs in addition to the tracks in the last edition (including such delights as The Trooper by Iron Maiden, Billion Dollar Babies by Alice Cooper and My Chemical Romances Dead!), players will be able to regularly download new tunes via Xbox Live, extending the life of the game and constantly delivering new rock standards to master. The newly-designed X-Plorer guitar also features a mysterious expansion port on the side for future enhancements (rumours that the next game will use effect pedals in addition to the guitar controller now seem more credible), and there are even online leaderboards where you can compare your blistering performances with other players from around the world.
While most developers are striving for increased realism and tangling players in a myriad options and buttons, Guitar Hero II is like a pure distillation of what makes video gaming fun. And despite what sort of game normally rocks your world, this is essential.