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“Rock Band 2” or “ Guitar Hero World Tour ” in front of four people, and you'll have an instant party. I promise. But which one’s better? Well, that’s a matter of taste.

At first blush, “World Tour” appears to be the better game thanks to improved instruments, refined gameplay, and more enjoyable note-plucking. But isolated reports of hardware bugs, a sloppy menu, and a less-than-desirable online mode complicate the choice.

For the uninitiated, “World Tour” and “Rock Band 2” feature downward-scrolling notes that must be played to the beat using a wireless toy guitar, bass or drum set. Singing is performed using a wired microphone, much like karaoke. The overall effect is extremely convincing, even for musicians, making your ordinary self feel like a bona fide rocker of real-world music.

While MTV's “Rock Band” was first to add drums and singing in 2007, Activision's “World Tour” upgrade to “Guitar Hero” is more innovative. Guitar controllers are more responsive, making you feel better prepared to hit incoming notes, and there's a new touch pad high on the neck for playing solos. (Watch out Ace Frehley.)

“World Tour” drums and singing are also improved over “Rock Band 2.” The drum set is quieter, features a softer kick pedal, and adds two raised cymbal pads, which not only make more sense than the primitive flat pads of "Rock Band," but the are easier to hit and more fun to play. “World Tour” singers also enjoy cleaner vocals.

Unfortunately, some “World Tour” owners are reporting drumming misfires. Activision has quickly addressed the issue, offering a free tuner cord that connects to a computer and corrects the problem. But it will require extra effort on your part, and it makes “Rock Band 2” more reliable out of the box and better suited for the technically challenged. (registering snare and high-hat hits).

“Rock Band 2” is also more dependable when it comes to band chemistry, even if its instruments are inferior. Both games support a four-player band mode, but only “Rock Band 2” lets players gauge easily how everyone’s doing, and assist bandmates if they’re failing. What's more, the menus in “Rock Band 2” are easier to navigate, as is playing others online.

But if you want to create your own original music and cover songs, “World Tour” is the only way to go, since it’s the only one of the two that includes a robust recording and mixing studio. The music samples sound more like a cheap Casio keyboard than something you would expect from a professional recording, but there are a variety of passable presets.

In terms of music, each game features more than 84 songs, many of which are included in both games. I found both track lists to be more than compelling, but there are differences. Van Halen, Coldplay, Jimi Hendrix, and Michael Jackson are exclusive to “World Tour,” while “Rock Band 2” has the lock on AC/DC, Panic at the Disco, Kansas, and The Offspring. If you want to download more songs, however, “Rock Band 2” has a bigger online store, but both stores are growing.

In the end, musicians and experienced rhythm game fans will likely prefer the innovations of "Guitar Hero: World Tour," while “Rock Band 2” will appeal to casual players and online gamers for its ease of use and proven experience.


'World Tour' pros:

*
Improved instruments
*
More aggressive track list
*
Better tablature makes you feel like more of a rock star


'Rock Band 2' pros:

*
Better band chemistry makes you feel like a group
*
Easier setup, no buggy hardware
*
Unmatched online play

“Guitar Hero World Tour offers “tremendous value for the money.”

“For $190, you have this awesome experience where you can involve the entire family. You get four people playing this game, there’s a ton of great music,” he says. “And with ‘Guitar Hero Tunes’ (the game’s ‘sharing’ tool), you can download an infinite amount of music, so there’s really an unlimited amount of time you can play this game.”

A few weeks prior to the game’s release, msnbc.com video producer Todd Kenreck and I spoke to Kai and Charles about their new game, how the franchise has changed the music industry (and music listeners) and which artists they’d most like to see in future iterations of “Guitar Hero.” Following is an edited excerpt of that conversation.

Most fun songs to play

'Guitar Hero World Tour'

311 - “Beautiful Disaster
Beastie Boys - “No Sleep Till Brooklyn”
Billy Idol - “Rebel Yell”
Bon Jovi - “Livin’ On A Prayer”*
Coldplay - “Shiver”
Jimi Hendrix - “The Wind Cries Mary”
Lenny Kravitz - “Are You Gonna Go My Way”
Michael Jackson - “Beat It”
Modest Mouse - “Float On”*
Nirvana - “About a Girl (Unplugged)”
Steve Miller Band - “The Joker”
Sublime - “Santeria”
Van Halen - “Hot For Teacher”
Wings - “Band on the Run”

'Rock Band 2'

Billy Idol - "White Wedding"
Bon Jovi - "Livin' on a Prayer"*
Duran Duran - "Hungry Like the Wolf"
Foo Fighters - "Everlong"
Interpol - "PDA"
Lit - "My Own Worst Enemy"
Modest Mouse - "Float On"*
Panic at the Disco - "Nine in the Afternoon"
Squeeze - "Cool for Cats"

In addition, "World Tour" drums can be played on expert mode without having to look at the screen, thanks to more authentic tabulature. I tried it on a song I already knew in real-life and was thrilled to find that it worked. It's a great feature for real drummers who were frustrated by the inconsistent drum notes in "Rock Band."

While "World Tour" guitars are uglier than the Fender replicas used in "Rock Band," they are heavier and more tactile than the latter, making you feel better prepared when hitting incoming notes. The guitar controllers also feature a nifty touch pad high on the neck for stringing together solos during designated parts of a song. It's a demanding but convincing effect that's sure to encourage a greater level of mastery from aspiring face-melters.

As with previous "Guitar Hero" games, note detection is more lenient in "World Tour," making you feel like a better player than you really are when compared to "Rock Band," which is more of a stickler. And oft-forgotten bass players have something to be excited about too: Activision has added a new open-strum bass note, which adds another layer of dynamics to those already familiar with the series — and is another improvement over “Rock Band.”

Compatibilidade nos periféricos:

Game: Rock Band
Guitar : Wireless (with a USB Dongle) Fender Stratocaster
Guitar compatible with : Rock Band on PS3, (It has been confirmed that it is NOT compatible with Guitar Hero III on PS3)
Notable Features: An completely awesome game. Has sound effect filters and has two sets of fret buttons. A very realistic feeling guitar that looks great. Online game play with additional downloable content.

Game: Guitar Hero III
Guitar : Wireless Les Paul
Guitar compatible with : Guitar Hero III on PS 3 (Confirmed that it does not work with Rock Band on PS3 and it will not work playing the PS2 games on the PS3)
Notable Features: An awesome game with an awesome track list.

Comparação em video:



COPYRIGHTS
ROCK BAND 2: HARMONIX
GUITAR HERO WORLD TOUR: ACTIVISION





Guitar hero ganhou.