Already I struggle to remember which game is which in the increasingly busy music/rhythm genre. I still prefer a dance mat over a guitar controller, but at least the mobile strain of these games has seen some serious improvement, as this Guitar Rock Tour sequel demonstrates.
The eardrum-piercing cacophony of tuneless midi files did the platform no favours at all, despite the keypad controls actually working better than the likes of the DS or PSP could ever manage. Perhaps my tinnitus is simply deepening due to playing so many of such games, but Guitar Rock Tour 2 undoubtedly achieves the most melodic account of midi music ever heard, which does the game a considerable favour.
It’s also had quite a graphical boost, with a selection of rockers for you to choose from when heading out on tour. But the essential gameplay remains the same - hitting the buttons in time with the falling notes, and a choice between guitar or drums to send the crowd into its prerequisite rock music frenzy.
Regrettably you miss much of the onstage action, as the gameplay demands your full attention, though this is ultimately no bad thing. The game would tedious if you had time to peruse the stage between notes, so the fact that your fingers and eyes remain thoroughly occupied during the music is in fact a good thing.
Guitar Rock Tour 2 also manages to blend in a loose storyline - perhaps better considered as events and gigs - that pushes you onto stage one moment and then pits your guitar against a shoe-staring challenger the next. This subtle switch of emphasis keeps your interest suitably at the boil, where otherwise it might begin to cool by simply playing one song after another.
It’d be nice to see Gameloft playing it a little less safe with the track listing, and throwing in a few unexpected tunes alongside the Top of the Pops reunion party soundtrack, but Guitar Rock Tour 2 irrefutably rocks out, and rocks out hard.
A surprisingly entertaining and easy to recommend sequel, considering it hasn’t evolved all that much from the previous version.
Guitar Rock Tour 2
Improvements, all be it small ones, across the board on this music/rhythm sequel make it unexpectedly easy to enjoy. Simple controls, great visuals and almost melodic midi music conspire to create a heart-pumping experience, though playing it with the sound off would undoubtedly void its worth
Spanner Spencer
Yes. Spanner's his real name, and he's already heard that joke you just thought of. Although Spanner's not very good, he's quite fast, and that seems to be enough to keep him in a regular supply of free games and away from the depressing world of real work.