Guitar Hero II [X360]

Microsoft is eroding Sony's collection of exclusives at an alarming rate, and this week one of the biggest hits arrives on the 360: Guitar Hero II finally reaches the next generation. And while we're sad to be saddled with a wired controller, the other changes are pure gold: better graphics, ten new songs, online leaderboards and the promise of a steady stream of downloadable content. Even as we wait for that online content to materialize, this edition of Guitar Hero II is a chart-topper.

Those who've spent the past eighteen months under a rock might need a Guitar Hero primer. Tweaking the basic rhythm game premise, the Harmonix hit lets you play along with famous (and some not so famous) rock and metal songs. The difference is the fantastic guitar controller, fitted with five fret buttons, a strum bar and whammy bar. Hold the fret buttons and strum to correspond with a cascade of onscreen colored prompts; shake the whammy bar to build extra star power, which can help you out when the going gets tough.

First off, let's investigate the new guitar. Modeled on Gibson's famous Explorer, this hardware is a generally well-designed piece of kit with a few small flaws. The neck is narrower than any other Red Octane guitar, and the fret buttons noticeably easier to press. It's light and comfortable, despite the odd shape. But the whammy bar isn't optimally placed, and the start buttons and d-pad will be easy for some users to hit accidentally. Even so, the adjustment curve is slight, and as soon as there's a wireless version we'll stop complaining.

For many, the ten new songs will be more of a draw than any hardware or graphic alterations. Encompassing some fun ('Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo' by Rick Derringer) and some puzzling (Rancid's lame 'Salvation') there's probably something here for everyone. The Toadies ('Possum Kingdom') and My Chemical Romance ('Dead') offer original master tracks, as do two unsigned bands in the bonus section. The other six offerings are generally solid covers, though we were a bit let down by the vocal attempt on Iron Maiden's 'The Trooper'.