Guitar Hero II

Guitar Hero II
Redoctane, PS2

Becoming a virtual Yngwie is now as easy as choosing a semi-hit metal tune and banging buttons on a plastic guitar-shaped controller as notes float by onscreen — guitaraoke, if you will. Play the songs note-perfect and you’ll unlock more selections, as well as additional venues to play in, just like in the original Guitar Hero. This time around, most of the 60-plus tracks still rely on soundalike artists to emulate Vince Neil croaking “Shout at the Devil,” but there are also original recordings from bands like Primus…hey, wait, come back!

The extras set this sequel apart from the previous incarnation: Quality shredding — even fake quality shredding — requires diligent rehearsal, and Guitar Hero II comes with a mode that lets you do just that. Pick any unlocked song and practice any part of it at one of three speeds. In addition to mano a mano guitar competitions, two players can kick off impromptu jam sessions in the improved multiplayer mode — one takes the lead, and the other can provide rhythm or bass. Unlike most games, the graphics here don’t matter much and there’s no complex control scheme or strategy to master — the genius of Guitar Hero lies in the visceral experience that comes from strapping on a hunk of plastic and, within minutes, turning your basement into Madison Square Garden.