9. Rock Band 2

Although Guitar Hero II came first, it's Rock Band 2 that epitomizes music games right now. Harmonix's revamping of its Guitar Hero formula has given the world a new way of approaching both rhythm games and the music industry as a whole. How many bands have you discovered through Rock Band? Probably more than a few at this point. Once you factor in the ability to load nearly all of your songs from the first game on your hard drive, you've got an experience that can only continue and grow. With Rock Band 2, you've got the ultimate party game. Just try not to piss off the neighbors.





Sterling: For now, this is the gold standard for music games. Rock Band laid the groundwork with its model for downloadable music, but Rock Band 2's refinements added features that we'd wished for -- importing content from the previous game, "No Fail Mode" -- but never imagined we'd see.

Gerald: Rock Band 2's "ultimate party game" status is undeniable. While I can't do much better than play bass on medium, our friends and family all think better of gaming when I can set aside the shooter to pull out the drums and guitars. I wish they could be as enthusiastic about Call of Duty 4, but I'll take what I can get.

Sterling: To me, Rock Band 2 epitomizes this era of gaming: Hardcore fans can sink in the hours, but it's also an immediate winner at house parties. It's a karaoke title that seems to transcend the social barriers associated with singing in public. It has enough challenging gameplay for insatiably hardcore gamers. Fresh content is constantly becoming available. To be honest, I'd rather cramp my fingers playing "Alive" than watch a killcam showing me how I got sniped.

Gerald: I do have one major issue with Rock Band and Rock Band 2: I'm going broke because of it. I just can't keep myself from downloading every new song pack and album, just on the notion that somebody, sometime in the future, may possibly appreciate having that song available. The only songs I've been able to resist have been Jimmy Buffet's, and that's because I've been warned that Cheeseburger in Paradise will get me thrown out of the house.

Sterling: Rightfully so. That shit gets you in trouble when you've got a random setlist and you don't know the song that's coming in. But you know you've got a great game when the biggest complaint you have deals with playlist management.