Guitar Hero 2

I'm not the type for a game that requires anything else besides your own system and controller. However, I have to bow my head towards the creators of Guitar Hero 2. I had barely even heard of Guitar Hero 1 due to my single minded gaming nature, but recently an old friend has come to stay with me and he is a giant GH2 fan. Well one thing lead to another and now a group of us play together almost every night, trying to improve our key shredding and face melting abilities (those that have played the game or guitar in real life may only understand those last two terms). I guess you can't judge a book by its cover, or a guitar by its strings for that matter.

The really amazing key to GH2's success has to be the thrill of being a rock star in the comfort of your own living room. The controller itself is a mock up guitar frame with colored keys where a real musician would place his fingers on the neck of the guitar while he played. In addition, the player has to actually strum the guitar for each note with his other hand, almost like a real guitar. There is even a whammy bar to distort certain maintainable notes. While you play your choice of character performs at a concert in the background while an invisible crowd cheers or, if you play badly, boos. You have to hit the right notes, otherwise the crowd looses interest and you get kicked off stage.

Some of my personal favorites for this game are the unlocked items you receive from the store or for completing a level of difficulty. There are some lovely guitars with additional paint finishes you can place in the hands of your character and help them burn the strings right off the neck. The best possible character in the game has to be the Grim Ripper. He comes complete with a scythe guitar. The only drawback to having the deity of death is that you can't use any other guitar besides the one he comes equipped with. But watching him play is worth the human sacrifice.

We all know that no simply video game will actually transform you into a rock and roll superstar, at least not yet. Guitar Hero 2 is probably going to be the closes thing that simple gamers will ever get to that type of glory. But really it shouldn't be about living an imaginary dream. As I discovered, the game became about gathering with my friends and trying to out do each other. I'm still not as good as my friend that got me into the game, but I'm working on that.

I'd recommend you get together with some good friends and give this game a try. You may be starting a new friendship tradition.