Today, we had a chance to hop aboard a Gibson bus and chill with the folks behind Guitar Hero II, the good people at Red Octane. We have some interviews coming up for you that'll go into more detail about the game and what to expect in the sequel, but, for now, you'll have to enjoy our hands-on impressions.

The big item that was shown off to us with GHII was its multiplayer aspect. Two players can now join in and play different instruments, with one taking the lead guitar and the other taking bass or rhythm guitar. We had a chance to try out a few songs, including the Reverend Horton Heat's "Psychobilly Freakout", "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath, and "a few others by Van Halen and the Butthole Surfers. All these songs are once again covers, but they're very well done.

The interface shows two characters, Judy Nails and some male guy with a bad Fonzie outfit and a disturbing physique, taking the stage and grabbing their proper instruments. Then the song starts, and you see that the layout for each of the rhythm tracks are different, and must be followed to a T in order to build up the combo meter. Once that is filled, both players, not just one, have to do the "jerk" in the air with their guitar peripherals and come back down to activate it, a nice little achievement that shows teamwork. This is a nice touch on multiplayer competition, as it's no longer just two players playing the same thing (although that option is still open if you're up for it).

The gameplay is still just as fun as always, and the challenge levels vary quite well. If you start on medium, you'll jump right into four-button interaction, along with the strum bar. Go hard or expert, however, and all five of your fingers go to work, blazing through rhythms like patchwork. The good news is, both players can actually pick their varying difficulty, so you don't have to screw your buddy if you find yourself more talented at finishing "Bark At the Moon" than you are.

This game's looking to be just as rockingly good as the first game, and that's enough to make you go into a...psychobilly FREAKOUT! Guitar Hero II arrives this November.