Is there a better party game experience than Rock Band? Maybe – but if so, it certainly hasn’t been developed yet. Rock Band was the first game to join four players – one guitarist, one bassist, one drummer and one singer – together for the greater good of making music. Sometimes it was ugly (karaoke can be a nightmare). Sometimes it was depressing (how could one man bring down the whole team!?). But it was always good, rocked-out fun.

Like the Guitar Hero franchise it created three years ago, Harmonix wasn’t about to sit around and wait for Rock Band’s popularity to die before releasing a sequel. What does a year of development time get you? More than 80 songs, revised peripherals (most notably the drum kit), updated modes (Tour received an upgrade), new features (perfect your skills with the Drum Trainer), and other music-inspired content that is sure to make Rock Band 2 another crowd-pleasing hit.

Like a Top 40 Radio Station (With Nothing But Rock)

Once again, Rock Band aims to achieve mainstream appeal rather than guitar, base, drum or vocal supremacy. EA really flexed its musical muscle in bringing together a group of tracks – over 80 of them, actually – that work well in a party game setting. Many of them are classics (“Everlong” by the Foo Fighters). Some are current MTV hits (the peppy and repetitive “That’s What You Get” by Paramore). There are a couple of train wrecks, but Rock Band 2 mostly succeeds in delivering a soundtrack with something for everyone.

At the same time, Tour mode is closer to mainstream than ever before. It achieves a greater degree of coolness with improved visuals (the on-stage performance details are really impressive) and clever sound tweaks (hear the crowd sing along with a new level of vocal depth). There are more competitive options to choose from thanks to the new Tour Challenges, and more ways to enjoy the game with easier access to solo play. Play through the Tour as a full band, partial band, or go solo. Switch instruments at any time, with any character. If you can’t beat a song with the drums (the most difficult instrument to master in the Rock Band series), switch to guitar. But not karaoke…no, never!

Tour Me This

Like the Tour mode gigs, Tour Challenges can be tackled solo or with others locally and online. The difference here is that you don’t have access to the Tour mode features, just a series of song challenges with a growing difficulty. If you’ve downloaded songs or albums for Rock Band 2, those will work in your favor by creating additional challenges.

And that’s far from the end of your musical battle. Much of the game’s contents return from last year, but as you’ll discover, there are new tidbits dispersed throughout the Tour mode. Rock Shop lets you change your character’s appearance. Hair, tattoos, clothing and instruments may be adjusted to suit your style.

Occasionally you will be asked to play free sets (no money but your fan base will increase), have the opportunity to place bets (earn four stars to quadruple your money – anything less and you don’t get paid at all), and participate in Battle of the Bands competitions online.

School of Rock

If you’re anything like me and love to drum but don’t want to take lessons at the moment – yet still feel like you want to learn something – Rock Band 2 has just the thing: the all-new Drum Trainer. There are over 70 Beat Trainer and Fill Trainer tracks that display a series of repetitive – and increasingly difficult – beats, allowing the player to practice and perfect certain drumming styles. Each track can be slowed to 60bpm (beats per minute) or sped up to 200bpm. This is an excellent way to start drumming.

Additionally, the Drum Trainer offers a freestyle mode that allows you to jam with or without your own music. Drop any song into your Xbox hard drive and pump it through the freestyle mode to play along. Full cymbal support is included, allowing players with the cymbal expansion (Mad Catz plans to release a cymbal three-pack later this year; hopefully EA will as well) to enjoy every piece of their kit. This mode works particularly well with the Drum Rocker premium drum kit from Ion Audio. But don’t think of it as a substitute for an amp and drum module (which, when hooked up to the Drum Rocker, are supposed to produce a true drum kit experience).

Instrumental to Their Success

Harmonix made a great game last year, but many complained that the final Rock Band guitar wasn’t heavy enough, that the drums weren’t sturdy enough, and that the plastic coating was too darn loud. The second two complaints have been addressed – the Rock Band 2 bundle comes with an excellent drum kit. From the pads to the pedal, the whole thing feels very sturdy (yet is still surprisingly light and compact). The drum pads no longer have that cheap, overly loud sound that was present last year, which should finally allow players to enjoy the game without cranking their speakers to ear-blistering levels. If purchased separately, the new kit will set you back $90.

And what about the guitar? It looks fantastic but is mostly the same. The new faux-wooden finish is very stylish. Aside from that you’ll notice a slight improvement to the strum bar (it feels a tad more resistant), and the fret buttons are slightly more clickable. But that isn’t enough to make you replace your old guitar unless style means everything.

At $190, the Rock Band 2 bundle isn’t cheap. But for $150, you can buy the game ($60) and drum kit separately. The game is a must-have for music lovers, and unless you plan on ordering the Drum Rocker, this new kit from Harmonix and EA is a must-have as well.

Rock Band 2, the new guitar and new drum kit are available now for individual purchase. The bundle is scheduled for release on October 19. The Ion Audio Drum Rocker is currently available for purchase online and by special order at GameStop and Guitar Center. For more information, check out our full review of the Drum Rocker, as well as our side-by-side comparison of the Drum Rocker and Rock Band 2 drum kits.

Gameplay: 9
The additional and upgraded play modes, revised drum kit and mammoth song lineup will instantly attract players to Rock Band 2. The execution of it all will keep them entertained.

Graphics: 8.9
Still the best-looking music franchise around. The stage performances are not only cool but also look realistic. And when a guy is on stage singing and a female voice comes out, it's absolutely hilarious!

Sound: 9
Excellent sound quality with the clever nuances of various concert venues.

Difficulty: Medium
If you suck, Rock Band 2 has a mode for that. They call it "easy." It also has a mode for the players who rock. If you didn't master the drum mechanics last time around, they'll still be a formidable challenge, even on the medium difficulty setting.

Concept: 7
Improvements and refinements, not innovation.

Multiplayer: 9.5
Rock Band 2 reclaims the title held by its predecessor. This is mainstream multiplayer, anyone-can-jump-in gaming at its best.

Overall: 9.1
An excellent sequel to Harmonix's new music franchise.