Rock Band 2 is the sequel to the 2007 musical simulation game Rock Band, and the gameplay is very similar. In direct competition with Guitar Hero: World Tour, the game allows multiple players to play as a band, using the same peripherals as the original game: lead guitar, bass guitar, microphone, and drum set.
This version’s new drum and guitar controllers have been improved, and older controllers are also supported. The Fender Stratocaster-inspired guitar controller has five additional fret buttons for quick finger-tapping sessions near the neck. An effect switch also allows you to choose between five different effects. Players use their instruments to match notes on the screen, which are divided into sections for other devices and for the singer, who must reach the pitch.
The original game’s Solo Tour mode and the multiplayer Band World Tour mode have been combined into a single Tour mode that can be played locally or online by up to four players (PS3/Xbox 360). Band leaders are no longer required, and instruments can be switched anytime. Start Tour (normal tour mode), Tour Challenge (various challenges), and Battle of the Bands (compete against other bands online through score tracking – not on the PS2) are the three options accessible from this mode. The game offers a training mode for each instrument and a freestyle mode for drummers (Xbox 360/PS3), where players can drum with individual mp3 files. Other methods and modifiers for the standard game modes are under the Extras menu.
The in-game avatars can also be changed, and the disc includes 84 tracks, with many more available as downloadable content (not on the PS2). Transferring the songs from the first Rock Band (for a fee), the downloadable content and the two-track packs are also possible.
