Band Hero [PS2]

So, I've already reviewed Band Hero on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, and DS. When a game blasts across this many platforms, you usually see the quality expectedly drop as you go down the line from 360/PS3 to Wii to PS2. Lately, most PS2 games are just ports of the Wii version with any online options stripped out.

That's not the case here. Band Hero PS2 is lacking any of the nuts and bolts that make the other versions cool. I'm rusty, but I'd even be willing to say that the original Guitar Hero offers more fun than this lackluster, limited copy.

Don't let the name fool you: Band Hero is essentially Guitar Hero. You get 65 songs to play through with your plastic guitars, drums, and microphone. Colored notes descend from the top of the screen, and you tap the corresponding buttons on your controller. You know, the drill you've been doing for the last four years or so.

The difference here is that Band Hero is Activision's attempt to grab that illustrious casual market that has been flocking to gaming recently. Whereas the Guitar Hero games of the past have focused on rocking with the likes of Jimi Hendrix, The Police, and other decidedly legit bands, Band Hero takes the Top 40, junkfood pop route. Here you're going to find Jesse McCartney crooning about love and Aly and AJ singing about "Like Whoa." You're going to unlock playable characters such as Taylor Swift and Maroon 5's Adam Levine.

Guitar Hero: Metallica this is not.

I imagine most reviewers will tear Band Hero a new one for its track list, but you won't find that on my complaints list. I'm the guy who just bought Taylor Swift's second album AGAIN because they re-released it with a couple of tracks and music videos. I'm the guy who literally exclaimed "Yes!" when I unlocked Hilary Duff's "So Yesterday" in this game. I'm the guy in love with this kind of music. If you're not, you won't enjoy this game. If you are, the tracks shouldn't disappoint, but the rest of the game probably will.

See, Band Hero PS2 falls apart because it doesn't embrace any of the cool stuff the other version of this game have added. Head-to-Head is only open to guitars and drums, so singers are left in the cold. There are none of the unique competitive modes to square off in. If you start a band with your buds, you can only have one bassist, one guitarist, one singer and one drummer – you can't have multiples of the same instrument. There are no cool mini-games like on the Wii, there are no mini-challenges for your career, there's no online store to download new songs from, no online way to play friends, and you can't seamlessly switch between playing a career on your own and with your buds.

This game is the same Guitar Hero you've been playing on the PS2 for years. Perhaps it's worse because we've seen the franchise grow on the other systems and stay stagnant here.

The career mode that is here is a stripped-down reason to get you to play setlist after setlist. You start with a venue, earn stars by playing the available songs, and then watch as more venues open up. When you click on each new venue, you get a short animated clip of some generic rockers getting the invite to play at Spring Break or in space or whatever.

For me, this career mode is one of the major failings of Band Hero. Personally, I want the experience of working crappy gigs, earning money, fans, and fame, and feeling like my squad is progressing. Here, you're just playing through setlist after setlist and you can cream the experience in just a couple of hours. I started and completed the career mode on Sunday afternoon without breaking a sweat and with plenty of time to spare before Curb Your Enthusiasm started. I want a deeper experience and scenes that showcase my band – not some generic cartoons. The ability to name your crew and design a logo for them is still here, but it doesn't make the experience anymore interesting.

I get that Band Hero is aimed at younger gamers and families and such, but some attention to this new franchise should've been paid. Why include "Gasoline" by The Airborne Toxic Event – which is clearly about underage sex – but bleep "whiskey" from Don McLean's "American Pie"? Interesting choices for a family game.

Closing Comments
Band Hero on the PlayStation 2 is $39.99, and that’s ridiculous. By picking this iteration up over the other versions, you’d save $20 but miss out on boatloads of content that make Band Hero fun. Yes, the track list is solid if you like questionable music like I do, but you’re getting the very basics of a multiplayer band game here. You can do better.

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