Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s Comes to PS2

Activision and Harmonix's last project together, Guitar Hero Encore:Rocks the 80's has finally landed on the Playstation 2. Those of you clamoring for more of the same are in luck, as the game offers much to dedicated fans, but the end result is a half-hearted effort compared to the series' previous entries.

Assembling 80's hits such as Dio's "Holy Diver", Scandal's "The Warrior", and "Round and Round," by Ratt definitely makes for a winning formula on paper. The fact most of these are covers is a little disappointing, as these covers are not up to the same level of quality as the previous Guitar Hero titles, but don't detract from enjoyment of the game too much. The inclusion of some tracks by the original artists is also welcome, though there are only five such tracks.

So far, an enticing package marred only by the same minor complaints people have had about prior entries, none of which have made the games a letdown.

The problems start when you first boot up the game. At this point you begin seeing recycled loading screens, reused textures, in-game tips mostly recycled from Guitar Hero 2; in short, you see Guitar Hero 2, with the guitarist models reskinned in 80's garb, and an intro animation and title screen similarly redressed. None of the venues, shop items, other band members, etc. have been changed in this new installment. Essentially, Harmonix has taken Guitar Hero 2 and updated about 10% of the textures, leaving us with an unpolished, almost in-development looking, retail product.

Cosmetic complaints aside, longevity of the game suffers due to a lack of unlockable bonus tracks. You have a playlist of 30 tracks, broken up across 6 sets, and that's it. Considering the first installments of the series offered more that twice as much music once you unlocked all of the bonus songs, Rocks the 80s feels more like (and may have originally been planned as) an expansion pack than a full game. Despite this lack of content, the game still carries a $50 price tag at release, more than many new releases offering more playtime.

Overall, Rocks the 80s is more of the same, which is an excellent thing, considering the solid design of the franchise. However, the game is a poor value considering the effort put into previous titles, lacking polish, and more importantly, content. Newcomers to the series should seek one of the earlier titles for a more complete and prolonged experience, while returning fans would be best served waiting for a price drop or Guitar Hero 3, unless the genre or gameplay are not something you can wait to get your hands on.