Forget about The Breakfast Club, Miami Vice and Pound Puppies. Music dominated the 1980s, and on July 17, Activision pays homage to the decade of excess in the PlayStation 2 exclusive video game, Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s. The latest addition to the series delivers 30 totally awesome songs to master, tiding metal heads over until Guitar Hero III swallows their souls this fall.

Available for $49.95 without the guitar peripheral, the game includes such hits as Heat of the Moment (Asia), I Ran (Flock of Seagulls), I Wanna Rock (Twisted Sister), I Want Candy (Bow Wow Wow), Synchronicity II (Police), Shakin' (Eddie Money) and Bathroom Wall (Faster Pussycat), among others, each of which can be played on Easy, Medium, Hard and Expert difficulties.

Rocks the 80s plays like its prequels, as gamers (holding a plastic guitar) press green, red, yellow, blue and orange fret buttons in conjunction with colors on the screen, hitting them (sometimes several at a time) as notes pass along the bottom of the playfield. Easy makes everyone look like rock stars, with players tapping the green, yellow and red frets as notes slowly move along, but on Expert, weary souls succumb to musical fury. At least they can practice in the game's tutorial mode, as well as check out their stats, which display percentage of notes hit, their longest note streak (notes hit without missing) and the final score.

Career Mode offers the opportunity to unlock new venues, including The Blackout Bar, Rat Cellar and Nilbog High (a possible homage to the horror classic Troll 2) as well as new music. In addition, players earn money to purchase new guitars, like the Kramer Vanguard, Gibson Les Paul and The Fish. In addition, they can snag shiny finishes for their instruments as well as playable characters.

All of these similarities serve to remind gamers that Rocks the 80s is an extension of Guitar Hero II and not an official sequel, a shame, considering the untapped potential. The intro sports '80s colors and characters dance around in '80s threads, but neither of these visual nuances offer anything new, which makes its $49.95 price disappointing.

Recycled content notwithstanding, Rocks the 80s will sell hundreds of thousands of copies since more Guitar Hero, plus 80s music equals amazing. Look for the review on July 17, and prepare to rock on.

Related Links

Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s Game Guide

Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s Official Site