Karaoke Revolution Volume 2 E3 2004 Preshow Impressions

With games like Frequency, Amplitude, and Karaoke Revolution already under its belt, Cambridge-based developer Harmonix Music Systems has made a strong name for itself as a producer of top-shelf rhythm games. The independent development house has renewed its relationship with Konami and is currently working on Karaoke Revolution Volume 2 for the PlayStation 2.

Though there has already been a solid half-dozen games bearing the Karaoke Revolution name in Japan, Karaoke Revolution Volume 2 is an entirely new game, and it will be the first sequel to hit the US. Like its predecessor, Karaoke Revolution Volume 2 will challenge you to sing along with instrumental versions of popular songs using the PlayStation 2 USB headset, scoring your performance based on your accuracy and faithfulness to the original rendition. The presentation in Volume 2 won't be too different, though it will feature seven new onscreen avatars, three new venues, and more than 30 new outfits. The game will feature the same arcade and karaoke gameplay modes found in the original, as well as a new showtime campaign mode. The most intriguing new feature in Karaoke Revolution 2 is the medley mode, which will link up to five song clips back-to-back, challenging your ability to change styles on the fly.

Of course, as with any rhythm game, the music itself will be critical to the success of Karaoke Revolution Volume 2. The game promises a staggering 35 songs for you to sing along with, and the breadth of the genres it covers is quite impressive. You can expect to find "Baby One More Time," "Jesse’s Girl," "Born to Be Wild," "Lady Marmalade," "Cry," "Let’s Get It On," "Drift Away," "Miss You," "Every Breath You Take," "My Girl," "Friends in Low Places," "Papa Don’t Preach," "Genie in a Bottle," "Perfect," "Heartbreak Hotel," "Rich Girl," "Here Without You," "Rock and Roll All Night," "Hot Stuff," "Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay," "I Believe in a Thing Called Love," "Sweet Home Alabama," "I Hate Everything About You," "The First Cut Is the Deepest," "I Will Survive," "The Joker," "I’ll Make Love to You," "Toxic," "I’m With You," "Virtual Insanity," "Irresistible," "We Are Family," "It’s My Life," "White Flag," and "I’ve Got You Under My Skin."

Though far from perfect, Karaoke Revolution inarguably offered a wholly unique rhythm experience, and it sounds as though the sequel is positioned to one-up its predecessor. We'll have more coverage of this game once E3 2004 is under way.