Guitar Hero II

Un article de Vev.

Modèle:Infobox VG Guitar Hero II is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems and published by RedOctane. It is the second installment in the Guitar Hero series and is the sequel to Guitar Hero. It was first released for the PlayStation 2 in November 2006<ref> Roper , Chris

     (2006-04-17)
   
.    IGN: Guitar Hero II Interview 
. IGN 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-05-21. </ref> and then for the Xbox 360 in April 2007, with additional content not originally in the PlayStation 2 version.<ref> Xbox.com - Guitar Hero II

. Microsoft Corporation  
 

 

. Retrieved on 2007-07-24. </ref>

Like the original Guitar Hero, the player uses a guitar-shaped peripheral to play varying genres of music as notes scroll towards the player. Most of the gameplay from the original game remains intact, with new modes and note combinations being the major additions. The game features more than 40 popular licensed songs, many of them cover versions recorded for the game, spanning five decades (from the 1960s to the 2000s).<ref> Roper , Chris

     (2006-10-06)
   
.    Guitar Hero II Final Tracklist Revealed 
. IGN 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-07-18. </ref> The PlayStation 2 version of Guitar Hero II can be purchased individually or in a bundle that packages the game with a cherry red Gibson SG guitar controller. The Xbox 360 version of the game is offered in a bundle that packages the game with a white Gibson X-Plorer guitar controller. Both of these controllers are wired, but RedOctane also sells a wireless controller for the PlayStation 2.<ref> Guitar Hero™ Wireless Controller (Guitar Only)

. RedOctane  
 

 

. Retrieved on 2007-07-18. </ref>

Since its release, Guitar Hero II has been met with both critical and commercial success, helping the Guitar Hero series become a cultural phenomenon.<ref name="nytimes"> Zezima , K.

  . 
 "
   Virtual Frets, Actual Sweat: The New Karaoke 
     
 " , New York Times
  , 2007-07-14
 
  . Retrieved on 2007-07-17
 . </ref> To date, the game has sold over 3.1 million copies.<ref name="sales">   Boyer , Brandon 
     
 

     (2007-12-14)
   
.    November Sees DS, Wii Swell, COD4, Mario, Assassin's Tops Charts 
. Gamasutra 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-12-19. </ref> It has spawned the "expansion" title Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s for the PlayStation 2. A full-fledged sequel, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, has been released by Neversoft, the makers of the popular Tony Hawk series.<ref> Brightman , James

     (2007-01-16)
   
.    Gamedaily: Guitar Hero Development Goes to Neversoft 
. GameDaily 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-07-26. </ref> Harmonix, the previous developers of the Guitar Hero series, went on to produce Rock Band, a similar rhythm game that features guitar, drum and microphone gameplay.

Development

Guitar Hero II was originally announced for the PlayStation 2 on April 17, 2006.<ref> Crecente , Brian

     (2006-04-17)
   
.    Guitar Hero II Officially Announced 
. Kotaku 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-07-19. </ref> The Xbox 360 version was announced on September 27 2006 at Microsoft's X06.<ref name="xbox_conf"> Clayman , David

     (2006-09-27)
   
.    X06: Guitar Hero 2 Announced for 360 
. IGN 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-11-16. </ref>

A demo version of the PlayStation 2 version of Guitar Hero II was released with issue #110 of Official Playstation Magazine on October 5 2006.<ref name="opm-demo"> Playstation.com - OPM - Issue 110

. Official Playstation Magazine 
 
 (2006-11-06)
   

. Retrieved on 2007-11-16. </ref><ref> Four Song Guitar Hero II Demo Unleashed to the Public

. Pink Godzilla Games  
 

 

. Retrieved on 2007-07-26. </ref> Features of the demo included four playable songs on four difficulty levels for single player and co-op modes. Demo releases do not feature the ability to flip the notes for left-handed players. Demo versions feature the songs "Shout at the Devil", "You Really Got Me", "Strutter" and "YYZ".<ref name="opm-demo"/>

The retail game was released for the PlayStation 2 on November 7 2006 in North America, November 15 2006 in Australia,<ref> PALGN Updated Australian release list

. Palgn 
 
 (2006-11-13)
   

. Retrieved on 2007-05-21. </ref> and November 30 2006 in the United Kingdom and Europe.<ref> Spong confirm release UK date

. Spong 
 
 (2006-10-06)
   

. Retrieved on 2007-05-21. </ref> It was released as both a stand-alone game and as a bundle containing the game and a cherry Gibson SG guitar controller.

The Xbox 360 version was released on April 3 2007 in North America<ref> Hatfield , Damien

     (2007-04-03)
   
.    Guitar Hero Makes Heroic Return 
. IGN 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-07-19. </ref> and Australia,<ref> Kolan , Patrick

     (2007-04-03)
   
.    Guitar Hero II Thrashes Onto Shelves 
. IGN 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-07-19. </ref> and then on April 6 2007 in Europe, only as a bundle containing the game and a Gibson X-Plorer guitar controller; this bundle was priced at US$89.99, US$10 more than the PlayStation 2 version (a common occurrence among current-generation and last-generation releases of the same games <ref> Matthews , Matt

     (2007-07-13)
   
.    How Game Prices Are Shooting Higher 
. 2007-11-16 
   

.</ref>). The Xbox 360 version of the game includes 11 exclusive songs and additional content available for purchase through the Xbox Live Marketplace.<ref> TeamXbox: Guitar Hero II for Xbox 360 Box Art and Bundle Picture

 (2007-01-04)
   

. Retrieved on 2007-05-21. </ref> The Xbox 360's X-Plorer controller supports an optional foot pedal for effects, based on the game manual, but this is not yet available for retail.

Gameplay

Modèle:See also Gameplay is based on the successful formula created for the first Guitar Hero game; the player may use the guitar peripheral to play scrolling notes by holding the corresponding fret button on the guitar neck and simultaneously pressing the strum bar. Alternatively, one can play with the DualShock 2 or Xbox 360 controller by using four shoulder buttons and a face button, mapped to specific fret keys.<ref name="ps2-manual-controller">Modèle:Cite book</ref><ref name="xbox-manual-controller">Modèle:Cite book</ref>

Several changes have been made to the gameplay mechanics for Guitar Hero II: hammer-on and pull-off functionality has been improved, and three note chords have been introduced, scored as triple points if played correctly. There are additional statistics available for a song upon completion, and the scores achieved in either Quick Play or Career mode are saved to the same in-game high-score list.<ref name="gamezone review"/> The handedness of the guitar can now be toggled from the Pause menu when playing a song (previously, this was only available from the game's main menu). For the Xbox 360 version, scores can also be compared with other players through Xbox Live via the Leaderboard feature, and there are 50 Achievements that can be earned in the game.<ref name="xbox-manual-xbl">Modèle:Cite book</ref><ref name="GameSpot review Xbox 360"/>

Career mode

In Career mode, players create a band name and select a guitarist from among the available characters. Eight characters, each representing a unique genre of rock music - are available from the start of the game: Eddie Knox, Axel Steel, Casey Lynch, Lars Ümlaüt, Izzy Sparks, Judy Nails, Johnny Napalm, and Pandora.<ref> Character List at Official Site

. RedOctane  
 

 

. Retrieved on 2007-07-20. </ref> Additional characters — Clive Winston, Xavier Stone and the Grim Ripper — can also be purchased, allowing them to be used in later sessions.

Only the lead guitar is available to be played in the Career mode. Over the course of the Career mode the band plays at eight available venues. The venue system from the original game has been altered and has the band traveling from town to town in order to play at the next arena. The band starts out at Nilbog High School ("goblin" backwards), in an unspecified city in Ohio referred to only as the "Midwest", at a Battle of the Bands competition. Then the band progresses to bigger New England venues: the Rat Cellar Pub in Boston, Massachusetts (paying homage to the legendary, defunct punk-rock club The Rathskeller, or "The Rat", which was located in Kenmore Square); the Blackout Bar in Providence, Rhode Island; the RedOctane Club in Brooklyn, New York; and the Rock City Theater in Detroit, Michigan (named after the Kiss song "Detroit Rock City"); before crossing back to the West Coast, making a stop at the Vans Warped Tour in Austin, Texas; the Harmonix Arena in Oakland, California; and culminating at Stonehenge in the United Kingdom.<ref> FS Staff

.    Guitar Hero II Review + Song List 
. Exposure Online Magazine 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-07-24. </ref> The latter is a reference to the film This Is Spinal Tap in which the band performed the song "Stonehenge" on stage with a model of the monument. The venues feature lighting and pyrotechnics that are synchronized with the music.<ref name="GamePro review PS2"/>

Not all songs in the main set list are available from the start. Once a song is unlocked for play within Career mode, it becomes available for play in all other modes. When working through Career mode at a specific difficulty level, the next tier of songs is unlocked once the required number of songs on the current tier (3-5, depending on difficulty and console) are completed. Additionally, the encore song for a particular tier is only made available once its requirements are completed. On the Easy difficulty setting, there are no encores available, but the next tier will be unlocked immediately after completing the required songs in the previous tier.<ref name="gamezone review"> Watkins , Rob

     (2006-11-10)
   
.    Guitar Hero II Review 
. Game Zone 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-07-26. </ref>

Successful completion of a song on Medium or higher difficulty during Career mode will earn the player in-game cash. Higher difficulty levels<ref> darkness992

.    Guitar Hero II (XBOX360} FAQ 
. GameFAQs

. Retrieved on 2007-08-04. </ref> and better scoring performances are rewarded with more cash.<ref name="worth playing review"> PS2 Review - 'Guitar Hero II'

. Worth Playing 
 
 (2006-11-16)
   

. Retrieved on 2007-07-26. </ref> In-game money can be used at The Store to buy various items. Some items are available only after completing all songs at higher difficulty levels or 5-star performances.<ref> Guitar Hero II for Xbox 360 Cheats

. GameSpot

 

. Retrieved on 2007-08-04. </ref> Within The Store, the player can purchase new Gibson guitars, guitar finishes, three additional characters, alternate outfits for the eight characters available from the start, bonus songs, and videos.<ref name="xbox-manual-store">Modèle:Cite book</ref> For unknown reasons, the bonus videos are absent from the PAL version of the game. Within the Xbox 360 version, there is also an option to access the Guitar Hero II content on the Xbox Live Marketplace.<ref name="xbox-manual-xbl"/>

Multiplayer

There are three different multiplayer modes available:<ref name="xbox-manual-mpmodes">Modèle:Cite book</ref><ref name="GameSpot review PS2"/>

• Cooperative

One player plays lead guitar while another plays either bass guitar or rhythm guitar, depending on the song. Both players share a score, rock meter, star power meter, and streak multiplier. Cooperative mode is the only multiplayer mode in which a song can be failed. Star power can only be activated by both players simultaneously.

• Face-Off

This is the same multiplayer mode as featured in the original game, though in Guitar Hero II both players can select their own level of difficulty. In this mode, players alternate between playing sections of the selected song. The scores are weighted so that a player who hits fewer notes on Easy difficulty may not necessarily lose against an opponent on Expert difficulty who hits more notes.

• Pro Face-Off

Players play the full lead guitar track on the same difficulty. For the PlayStation 2 mode, this is available upon completion of any career level,<ref name="ps2-manual-proface">Modèle:Cite book</ref> while for the Xbox 360 version, the mode is unlocked after completing the career mode at Medium level or higher.<ref name="xbox-manual-proface">Modèle:Cite book</ref> The score system is identical as the song could be played alone, but songs cannot be failed in this mode.

Although, online multiplayer was not available at the release of Guitar Hero II for the Xbox 360, RedOctane has stated that they hope to be able provide this later once they are able to work out the technical issues.<ref> Accardo , Sal

     (2007-01-11)
   
.    Gamespy - CES 2007 Preview for Guitar Hero II for the Xbox 360 

. Retrieved on 2007-05-21. </ref>

Practice mode

Practice mode is a new addition to the game, allowing a player to practice certain sections of a song ("Verse 2," "Chorus," "Bridge 3," etc.) on different difficulties and instruments.<ref name="1UP.com review Xbox 360"/> Practice mode gives the player the ability to toggle the speed of the notes (Full Speed, Slow, Slower and Slowest) and does not stop a song no matter how many mistakes are made. Players can play the bass guitar lines on most songs. On others, a rhythm guitar line is available instead.<ref name="xbox-manual-practice">Modèle:Cite book</ref>

Soundtrack

Main article: List of songs in Guitar Hero II

Both the PlayStation 2 and Xbox 360 versions of Guitar Hero II feature the same core 64 playable songs (40 licensed, 24 bonus songs).<ref> Roper, Chris

     (2006-10-09)
   
.    IGN: Guitar Hero II Final Tracklist Revealed 
. ign.com
. IGN 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-07-20. </ref> Among the featured tracks are "You Really Got Me" by Van Halen, "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses, "Woman" by Wolfmother, "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath, and "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd. The Xbox 360 version of the game contains 10 exclusive tracks, including "Billion Dollar Babies" by Alice Cooper, "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" by Rick Derringer and Johnny Winter, and "The Trooper" by Iron Maiden, not included in the PlayStation 2 version, in addition to downloadable songs that can be purchased on the Xbox Live Marketplace in 3-song packs for 500 Microsoft Points (US$6.25) per pack. In addition to exclusive tracks, the Xbox 360 version features a reorganized set list that provides a more balanced progression in difficulty.<ref name="GameSpot review Xbox 360"/>

Most of the songs featured in the main set list are cover versions, with the exception of "Stop", "Possum Kingdom", "Dead!", and "John the Fisherman"; these four are based on master recordings. The unlockable bonus songs are all master recordings, including some specifically arranged for use within Guitar Hero II.<ref> Sellers , Pete

     (2006-11-07)
   
.    Guitar Hero II Review 
. Deeko Entertainment 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-07-24. </ref> Cover songs are credited on screen with the phrase "as made famous by" (for example, "Surrender, as made famous by Cheap Trick"), while the original songs are credited with "as performed by" (for example, "John the Fisherman, as performed by Primus").

Modèle:See also RedOctane has stated that the Xbox 360 version of Guitar Hero II "is planned to feature more downloadable content than any other 360 title" utilizing the Xbox Live Marketplace,<ref> Kolan , Patrick

     (2007-02-14)
   
.    Guitar Hero II 360 Interview 
. IGN 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-07-26. </ref> including many of the songs from the original Guitar Hero a week after the release of the game.<ref name="Guitar Hero 2 Xbox 360 Hands-On Impressions"> Pfister , Andrew

     (2007-01-08)
   
.    Guitar Hero 2 New songs and new guitar on 360 -- in-depth impressions. 
. 1up 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-05-21. </ref><ref> Kuchera , Ben

     (2007-01-21)
   
.    Ars Technica: Guitar Hero 1 songs in Guitar Hero 2, and the best interview answer ever... twice! 
. Ars Technica 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-05-21. </ref><ref name="IGN review Xbox 360"/> Four such packs have been released since April 11, 2007.<ref name="major nelson 3 song packs"> Hryn , Larry

     (2007-04-11)
   
.    GH II: Song Packs (3 of 'em) 
. Major Nelson's Blog 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-07-27. </ref><ref> Hryn , Larry

     (2007-07-11)
   
.    Guitar Hero Track Pack 4 
. Major Nelson's Blog 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-07-27. </ref> Two addition packs featuring new content to the Guitar Hero series have also been released, and includes songs from My Chemical Romance,<ref> Hyrb , Larry

     (2007-08-14)
   
.    In Game Content: Guitar Hero II 
. Major Nelson's Blog 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-08-14. </ref> Protest the Hero, Trivium, and Atreyu.<ref> Hyrb , Larry

     (2007-09-28)
   
.    Marketplace Roundup for September 28, 2007 
. Major Nelson's Blog 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-09-29. </ref> There have also been individual track downloads featuring songs from European bands Los Rodríguez, Pleymo, and Soilwork.<ref name="xbox360dlc20071015"> Hryb , Larry

     (2007-10-15)
   
.    Marketplace Roundup for October 15, 2007 
. majornelson.com

. Retrieved on 2007-10-15. </ref>

Featured instruments

Guitar Hero II features many popular real world Gibson, Epiphone, and Kramer guitars,<ref> Guitar Hero II Demos at E3 (Press Release)

 (HTML)
. Reverb Communications, Inc 
 
 (2006-05-05)
   

. Retrieved on 2007-07-24. </ref> including the Gibson Les Paul, Gibson SG, Gibson Flying V, (these three being the only ones available from the start) Gibson Sonex 180 and Gibson Explorer. Oddities such as the double necked Gibson EDS-1275 and unusual looking Gibson Corvus also make an appearance. Several available finishes are also recognizable from popular guitarists, including Zakk Wylde's bullseye Les Paul. As play progresses, several custom shaped guitars become available, although some are notable in the real world such as the USA and Battle Axe (a similar looking bass is played by Gene Simmons, and the guitar was played by John Christ of Samhain/Danzig fame). Basses, such as the Music Man StingRay, Gibson Thunderbird, and the Höfner bass, as made famous by Paul McCartney, the bassist for the Beatles, are also available for co-op play.

The band itself plays with Orange amps and DW drum kits, along with more in-game endorsements. When the player passes each set of songs in career mode, his/her band is rewarded with money and equipment endorsements, including Ernie Ball strings, Boss effects, Line 6 guitar amplifiers, VHT amplifiers, Mesa Boogie amplifiers, and Roland keyboards. These products then appear on stage while the band plays the ensuing setlists.<ref name="A_Day_Spent_with_GHII"> Neiburger , Eli

     (2006-08-05)
   
.    A Day Spent in the Presence of the Mighty Guitar Hero 2 

. Retrieved on 2007-07-27. </ref>

Reception

     (2006-11-10)
   
.    Guitar Hero II PS2 Review, "Dude, we're getting the band back together" 
. 1UP 
   

.    Guitar Hero II for PS2 review 
. Game Informer 
   

     (2006-11-07)
   
.    Guitar Hero II for PS2 
. GamePro 
   

     (2006-11-07)
   
.    Guitar Hero II for PlayStation 2 review 
. GameSpot 
   

     (2006-11-03)
   
.    Guitar Hero II Review (PS2) 
. IGN 
   

. Metacritic  
 

 

.    PS2: Guitar Hero 2 
. play online 
   

. Game Rankings  
 

 

. Game Critics Awards 
 
 (2007-05-26)
   

. IGN 
 
 (2006-12-21)
   

. IGN 
 
 (2006-12-21)
   

. IGN 
 
 (2006-12-21)
   

. IGN 
 
 (2006-12-21)
   

. IGN 
 
 (2006-12-21)
   

 (PDF)
. IEAA 
 
 (2007-02-26)
   

     (2006-12-14)
   
.    Next-Gen's Top 50 Games of the Year 
. Next-Gen 
   

     (2007-04-11)
   
.    Guitar Hero 2 Xbox 360 Review 
. 1UP.com 
   

.    Guitar Hero II review (Xbox 360) 
. Game Informer 
   

     (2007-04-03)
   
.    Review:Guitar Hero II for Xbox 360 
. GamePro 
   

     (2007-04-03)
   
.    Guitar Hero II for Xbox 360 Review 
. GameSpot 
   

     (2007-03-30)
   
.    Guitar Hero II (Game Controller and Game Bundle) review 
. IGN 
   

. Game Rankings  
 

 

. Metacritic  
 

 

The PlayStation 2 version of Guitar Hero II was welcomed with very positive reviews. It received a 10/10 review in the December 2006 issue of Official PlayStation Magazine and was awarded the Game of the Month award. The game received a rating of 9.5/10 from IGN,<ref name="IGN review PS2"/> ranking higher than the original game in the series and amongst IGN's highest rated PS2 games ever. IGN would later include it on their 2007 list of "The Top 100 Games of All Time" at #49.

It was also nominated for Best Game of 2006 on Gametrailers.<ref> Game Of The Year Awards 06

. Gametrailers 
 
 (2007-01-11)
   

. Retrieved on 2007-07-26. </ref> GameSpot reviewed the PlayStation 2 version with a rating of 8.7/10,<ref name="GameSpot review PS2"/> and the Xbox 360 version 8.9,<ref name="GameSpot review Xbox 360"/> both slightly lower than its predecessor. Game Informer gave it a 9 out of 10, while its "second opinion" rating was better, at 9.25/10. According to Game Rankings,<ref name="Game Rankings score PS2"/> the average critic score of Guitar Hero II is 93%, making it the 9th best reviewed game of 2006.

The Xbox 360 version has earned similarly positive reviews and slightly higher scores with a 9.5/10 in the March issue of Official Xbox Magazine,<ref name="Metacritic score Xbox 360" /> a 4.75/5 from GamePro, a 9.5/10 from Play Magazine a 9.4/10 from IGN, and a perfect score of 5/5 from Got-Next.<ref> Cunningham , James

     (2007-04-29)
   
.    Guitar Hero II 360 Review 
. Got-Next 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-11-16. </ref> As of April 3 2007, the Game Rankings score is 94%.<ref name="Game Rankings score Xbox 360"/> The popular G4 television show X-Play gave both versions of the game a 5 out of 5. Additionally, the Australian Xbox Magazine has also awarded the game, for the first time, an 11/10, in a reference to This Is Spinal Tap.

Common praise for the game by critics is aimed at the new multiplayer and practice modes.<ref name="1UP.com review Xbox 360"/><ref name="worth playing review"/> Common critiques concern the song list, which includes more hard rock and metal than the previous game, deeming it less accessible to casual players.<ref name="1UP.com review Xbox 360"/> Other common critiques concern the quality of the covers.<ref name="GameSpot review Xbox 360"/>

The downloadable song packs for the Xbox 360 version have been criticized for being too pricy. Each song is priced at 166.67 MSP using the Microsoft Points system, which is approximately $2.08 USD for one song. The price was seen by many fans of the series as being far too expensive and was met with resistance and angst with a large number of people pledging to boycott the content.<ref name="major nelson 3 song packs"/> Microsoft's Xbox Live Director of Programming, Major Nelson, defending the pricing and release scheme, and attributed the high cost of the content to "licensing issues" on the Xbox 360 platform, as all contracts drawn up for songs from the original game had to be rewritten, since they are playable on an additional console.<ref> Yoon , Andrew

     (2007-04-12)
   
.    Joystiq - Major Nelson Talks Guitar Hero Downloads, Halo 3 
. Joystiq 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-05-21. </ref>

In 1UP.com's review for the Xbox 360 version of the game, the downloadable song packs are noted as a "mixed blessing"; praise is given for retooling the songs with better gameplay elements such as the inclusion of co-op modes, but the fact that the songs come in pricy packs of three "defeats much of the appeal".<ref name="1UP.com review Xbox 360"/> In an interview with RedOctane president Kai Huang,<ref> Burman , Rob

     (2007-04-16)
   
.    Rocking on with Guitar Hero 
. IGN 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-07-26. </ref> Huang stated that the decision to pack the songs in three was made to keep the cost of the tracks down. Though Huang felt the pricing was fair, he noted afterward "we do listen to the fans and take any feedback we receive seriously."

Sales

In December 2006, Guitar Hero II for PlayStation 2 was the second best-selling video game of the month,<ref name="1UP NPD 2006"> Klepek , Patrick

     (2007-01-11)
   
.    NPD Releases December Numbers, Fanboys Riot 
. 1up 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-07-27. </ref> selling 805,200 units. It was outsold only by Gears of War for Xbox 360, which sold 815,700 units.<ref name="1UP NPD 2006"/> It was the fifth best-selling video game of the fiscal year of 2006, with 1.3 million copies sold. It was also the third best-selling game for the PlayStation 2, behind Madden NFL 07 and Kingdom Hearts II.<ref name="1UP NPD 2006"/>

On July 12, 2007, Dusty Welch of RedOctane stated that there have been over 300,000 downloads of the music packs until that point and that the prices were "very attractive and desirable for consumers."<ref> Activision to stick to "Guitar Hero" song price

. Reuters 
 
 (2007-07-12)
   

. Retrieved on 2007-07-13. </ref> On September 11 2007, Activision reported that with over 650,000 downloads, the music packs qualified as "multi-platinum" under RIAA's definitions.<ref> Fahey , Mike

     (2007-09-11)
   
.    Guitar Hero II DLC Goes Multi-Platinum 
. Kotaku 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-09-11. </ref>

As of December 14, 2007, over 3.1 million copies of Guitar Hero II have been sold.<ref name="sales" />

Technical issues

No official statement from RedOctane or Activision has been made about the discs or the game itself having any issues, but players have reported songs freezing or skipping, causing the audio to be unsynchronized; unusually long loading screens; and menus that freeze or lock up entirely causing the game to crash. The RedOctane Support Center Answer Guide states, "We’re already in the process of looking into this and testing to replicate the experience. We’ll notify everyone with our results shortly, and will have a positive resolution if need be."<ref> RedOctane Support Center

. Retrieved on 2007-05-21. </ref>

Two models of the X-Plorer controller were released for the Xbox 360 version of the game: model numbers 95055 and 95065. Of the two versions, the 95055 has an RJ-11 jack for effect pedals near the controller cord and is suspect to having an unresponsive whammy bar. RedOctane later responded, saying that they "isolated this issue to two model numbers that can be found on the guitar's packaging". Customers are able to exchange these models for new models.<ref> Sliwinksi , Alexander

     (2007-04-07)
   
.    Red Octane Says Two Xbox Guitar Models Defective 
. Joystiq 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-04-07. </ref>

On April 13, 2007, Activision revealed that the issue was not a problem with the hardware, and that the guitars were not defective. The cause of the problem was anti-cheat protection software, and Activision released a patch on Xbox Live on April 14, 2007 to remedy it.<ref> Schommer , Derrick

     (2007-04-13)
   
.    It's Not the Guitar, It's the Software! 
. Gamestooge 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-07-27. </ref><ref> RedOctane post information Guitar Hero II patch

. Guitar Hero Forums 
 
 (2007-04-13)
   

. Retrieved on 2007-07-27. </ref> However, this patch may have caused some unintended side effects. Starting on April 16, 2007, numerous users began reporting lockups and failures of their system (such as the Red Ring of Death) after downloading and installing this patch, causing them to require hardware repair service through Microsoft. RedOctane stated, "We're aware of the problem and we're looking into it."<ref> Bramwell , Tom

     (2007-04-16)
   
.    RedOctane admits to Guitar Hero II patch problem 
. Eurogamer 
   

. Retrieved on 2007-04-17. </ref>

References

External links

• Official site
• Modèle:IGN
• Modèle:GameSpot
• Guitar Hero II reviews at Metacritic
• A list of Xbox 360 Achievements for Guitar Hero II

Modèle:Guitar Hero series Modèle:Harmonix games

Modèle:DEFAULTSORT:Guitar Hero IIca:Guitar Hero II es:Guitar Hero II fr:Guitar Hero II it:Guitar Hero II no:Guitar Hero II pt:Guitar Hero II ru:Guitar Hero II fi:Guitar Hero II sv:Guitar Hero II tr:Guitar Hero II