I'm a rocker now, shouldn't I be getting paid?
The story is the same as the first, choose a character, start out in a garage with your friends, and eventually use your guitar and become a rock legend. The story is simple, but it gives you an accomplishment after you finish soloing your last song in a tier(or level). You would think that since there aren't that many levels, it would be quick, but you're wrong. Some of the songs are pretty challenging, and it will take you a few hours to complete that song(Jordan is really hard to pull off on any level, and will test your limits of patience).
The gameplay is, of course, the same as the first, with the 5 fret buttons and pressing them in the order they come up for the song(like if it's green, yellow, yellow, red, blue; then you press the fret buttons in that order). It's a simple concept, but when put to a song like Misorlou(the Pulp Fiction song), it gets very difficult. A great thing on their part. Also, you can use your PS2 controller if you don't like(or have) the Guitar Hero(or GH2) controller.
The graphics are amazing and shows the power of the PS2 and how it can rival the next-gen games. If you want to play it on a HD tv screen, you can, but remember to adjust the game to this by doing a progressive scan either in the main options menu or in the middle of a song. That was an incredible thing to do for a game, especially since some people want to play it on HD.
The sound is great. You have artist like Van Halen, The Police, Rage Against the Machine, and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Some songs are covered well, but others will make you turn down the volume a little bit. Some songs are challenging, but fun to listen to while you're playing(I was dancing to Message in a Bottle and forgot that I had to complete it). Some of the songs that are in there are there because they could be hard to play, which I didn't like when I realized that. Also, I didn't like that they could of chose better songs from some of the artists( Like they could of got a better song from Aerosmith and the Rolling Stones, they could of got songs most people know).
Overall, this is a good sequel and delivers in the main areas we all look for in this game. I say if you have a PS2, and don't have this game; go out and get this game immediately. The price might make you take a step back($70 for not only a game, but the guitar controller, it's worth it, trust me), but don't fret, get this game(if you have the first GH controller, you can use that for this game, which saves you $20). You're going to have fun with this especially in parties(have a Guitar Hero party and show off your skills). You're going to be playing this for a while, but it might be longer than you think. I reccomend this for anyone with a PS2. The big problem now is to stop trying to light my guitar controller on fire after I finish Hangar 18.