Guitar Hero II

Racing games and shooting games make you feel like…you’re playing a racing game or a shooting game. But pick up the white plastic instrument of destruction that powers the six-string simulator Guitar Hero II, and you’ll feel like a bonafide rock star almost immediately. Really.

Pick your persona — ranging from goth princess Pandora to metal import Lars Umlaut — and then let loose on 70 or so songs that you already know by heart, by artists such as My Chemical Romance, Nirvana, and Van Halen. As the virtual notes come streaming down the fretboard, you match the patterns by hitting the guitar-shaped controller’s buttons and strum bar in sync. Do it well, and you earn Star Power, which can boost your score and give you virtual cash used for buying more gear, clothes, and songs. Fail, and the crowd goes for your throat.

But that gameplay description misses the magic. You’re not just typing out a musical pattern in Guitar Hero II — you’re virtually onstage, feeling as cool for pulling off a tough solo in the game as you would if you possessed actual musical talent. Guitar Hero II offers a feeling of exhilaration and accomplishment that only a few other games really provide. And since each song lasts only three to four minutes, it’s a quick, adrenaline-fueled rush. But if you can play one song and stop, you’re some kind of will-power mutant.

As you shred your way through sets and stages, battling your way from the high-school-gym talent show up through arena stages and a climactic concert at Stonehenge, the difficulty ramps up perfectly — you’re often just at the edge of your abilities, making every victory sweet (if not sweaty). The window for hitting a note is a bit generous, so you’re rewarded for a certain amount of letting your fingers fly and using The Force. Still, if Reverend Horton Heat’s “Psychobilly Freakout” doesn’t kick your ass, you either have extra fingers on your left hand or your name is Reverend Horton Heat.

Compared to its PS2 predecessor, Guitar Hero II’s graphics definitely benefit from the high-def overhaul. Bad-ass chick Casey Lynch’s sneer reads perfectly, while the venues and guitar models have all been tweaked and better textured. Regrettably, for all the great music and variety, all we got out of our surround speakers was a cheering crowd. (If “we” are on stage, shouldn’t the band be blaring behind us instead?) And while we generally love the feel of the mini guitar, the guide button is easy to hit accidentally, leading to headbangus interruptus. Otherwise, the fret buttons feel solid and smooth, and the audibly clicking strum lever lets you know that it’s not an equipment malfunction when you blow a note: You simply suck. (Thank goodness for the practice modes, which let you break down and rehearse individual segments of songs at slower speeds.)

That brings us to our only real regret: No online play. Like the rest of the world, we assumed that the leap to 360 would mean multiplayer on Xbox Live, and even though it was never promised, we’re disappointed that it’s not here. That won’t stop us from rocking in co-op or face-off mode in our living rooms, since gamers can split the guitar and bass duties, each playing at their own skill level. You haven’t seen your friends panic until you’ve seen them with a small plastic guitar in their hands, desperately trying to make four fingers press five buttons more or less simultaneously while screaming “Star Power! Now!” But online play is so synonymous with 360 that we can’t help but mourn its noticeable absence.

Even that, we can live with, considering the game’s unique gameplay and infectious joy — not to mention its universal appeal. Expect your non-gaming friends, family, and spouses to beg for the chance to bring the rock. That power alone makes Guitar Hero II a must-play.