28/08/2008
Sony has taken on the concept of karaoke for the PS3 in an interesting manner; primarily because, as is the case with other games of its genre, SingStar Vol. 2 isn’t merely a boring music sequencing box. This new addition to the hugely successful franchise features 30 new tracks and a brand new harmony duet mode, allowing two players to sing different lines to a song at the same time and show off their harmonising skills. Special tracks have been added for this purpose, including The Mamas & The Papas: California Dreamin'. As the first player takes on the Papas singing "All the leaves are brown", the second player takes on the Mamas singing the same line, off-set by a second or two and at a different pitch level.
Scrolling lyric tickers appear at the top and bottom of the screen, with the pitch meters in the centre so that no one gets confused about who sings which part and which prompts to follow. In some songs, players sing different lines, and then culminate on a shared note, holding it at different levels. In addition, Sony has also added PSP Remote Play functionalities and a link to My SingStar Online. Beyond these new features, Sony has also introduced a few aesthetic tweaks to the on-screen layout, altering the backgrounds a little to freshen things up and ensure that it isn’t just a cheap rehash of Vol. 1
Overall the SingStar Vol 2 experience comes with a slick in-game design and it's good to see the SingStore getting into shape. What will probably determine whether you buy the game or not depends on the songs that are available for you and your friends to croon to… There are those who’ll love and hate a large number of them, but everyone should be able to find at least a couple of songs they enjoy. Unless of course they have no taste in music at all… Philip Enwonwu
The full track listing is:
· Aerosmith - “Dude Looks Like A Lady”
· Blur - “Country House”
· Bobby Brown - “My Perogative”
· Eminem - “Without Me”
· George Michael - “Freedom 90″
· Gorillaz - “Dare”
· Gossip - “Standing in the Way of Control”
· Hot Chocolate - “You Sexy Thing”
· Kaiser Chiefs - “Ruby”
· Kool & The Gang - “Celebration”
· Joe Cocker - “Summer In The City”
· Maximo Park - “Our Velocity”
· Morrissey - “Suedehead”
· Nirvana - “Lithium”
· Panic! At The Disco - “But It’s Better If You Do”
· Paul McCartney & the Frog Chorus - “We All Stand Together”
· Pulp - “Common People”
· Radiohead - “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”
· Shakespears Sister - “Stay”
· Spandau Ballet - “True”
· Suede - “Metal Mickey”
· The Cure - “Pictures of You”
· The Killers - “When You Were Young”
· The Libertines - “Can’t Stand Me Now”
· The Offspring - “Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)”
· The Police - “Don’t Stand So Close To Me”
· The Proclaimers - “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)”
· Tom Jones with Mousse T - “Sexbomb”
· Tone Loc - “Funky Cold Medina”
· Young MC - “Bust A Move” |
