SingStar Pop Vol. 2 Review for PlayStation 2 (PS2)

System: PS2	Review Rating Legend
Dev: SCEE	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: SCEA	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: Sept. 23, 2008	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1-8	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Teen	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

SingStar Pop: Volume 2 is in effect a clone of it’s predecessors in terms of gameplay and organization; other than the songs, there isn’t much new here. I feel a little disappointed that all the games are so similar, and I wish the SingStar franchise would at least consider including some kind of single-player or story mode akin to the Guitar Hero or Dance Dance Revolution franchises.

SingStar Pop Vol. 2 screenshot

All these music and rhythm-inspired games have established themselves quite well, and it would be nice to see SingStar evolve its gameplay experiences the way these other franchises have managed to. Even a small step would be progress in this genre, and while I don’t expect much innovation in a game that revolves around singing, I can’t help but feel that SingStar is getting a little too comfortable with their formula.

Don’t get me wrong, SingStar: Pop Volume 2 is amazing fun, and singing pop hits with friends and family is sure to result in a good time, but with SingStar it seems like you are never actually buying a new game, just new song packs. If you don’t mind that, then this will be a worthy addition to your collection. But, if you are looking for a completely new SingStar experience, then you may want to look elsewhere.

By Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC Staff Contributor

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

3.3

Graphics
Visuals are unremarkable and consist of blue music bars in the foreground and music video footage running in the background.

4.0

Control
Pick up the mic and sing! That’s all there is to it!

4.0

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Tracklist is very good and has music by well-established pop acts like Ashlee Simpson, Michelle Branch, and Matchbox 20.

3.1

Play Value
Aside from the new tracks, SingStar: Pop Hits 2 is the same old song and dance.

3.3

Overall Rating - Fair
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

30 chart-topping songs.

Multiple gameplay modes, including Solo, Freestyle, Pass the Mic, Battle, and Duet.

SingStar technology accurately recognizes pitch, tone, and rhythm.

Record your favorite performances onto a Memory Card for future playback.

EyeToy USB camera compatibility.