Singstar Pop returns for an encore with Vol. 2 for the PlayStation 2. As the title suggests, it's pretty much the same game , so if you didn't get into the first one, the inclusion of the gorgeous Colbie Caillat and the presence of the Hives won't make it feel any different.

Gameplay hasn't changed much either. You use the official SingStar microphones (the series still doesn't support third-party ones) and sing along to the songs, watching the words scroll across the screen. The better you perform, the higher your ranking. There are also three modes to choose from. Solo lets you sing on your own, Battle lets you compete against a friend and Duet lets you belt out a tune in co-op fashion.

Singstar Pop: Vol. 2's problems are also shared with the previous game. You can't mute the master vocal track, meaning that you can't hear yourself performing the song without hearing the original artist. You can only remedy this by blasting the microphone volume higher than intended.

For fans, there's 30 pop songs and their accompanying videos, including tunes by Duran Duran ("Ordinary World") and The Outfield ("Your Love") to contemporary favorites from Fall Out Boy ("Thanks For the Memories") and Fergie ("Big Girls Don't Cry"). But that's it. Considering that SingStar for PS3 is more expansive (and customizable), this comes up short, even for a reasonable $30 price tag.

As an expansion pack, Singstar Pop: Vol. 2 is acceptable to the core audience that loves the original. Unfortunately, it just doesn't have enough options. Upgrade to the superior PlayStation 3 edition if you can.

Related Links

Singstar Pop, Vol. 2 Game Guide

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