Photo: MTV Games

What It Is: The sequel to last year’s excellent Rock Band, the game that kicked the music video game arms race up a notch by adding drums and a microphone.

Who It’s For: Anybody who loved the first game or anybody looking to finally jump in, as the total experience finally justifies the price tag.

Why It’s Worthy: Most video game sequels are simple rehashes of what came before, but in the case of Rock Band 2, that’s exactly what was needed. The new game provides more of everything: more songs, more characters and more unlockables. Best of all is the easy compatibility. Got songs you downloaded for the first game? They’re all playable. Want to play the songs included on the first game without switching discs? You can import all those songs (for a one-time fee of 5 bucks). All the instruments from the first game work, but those looking to upgrade will find more fluid-feeling guitars and quieter drums.

Our Only Complaint: It’s not much of a complaint, but the scattered release schedule is odd. The game is currently out for XBox 360, though the bundle containing the new instruments doesn’t hit stores until October 19 (the same day it appears for PlayStation 3). Wii users have to wait another month after that.

Cost/Where to Get It: $59.99 for the game only, $189.99 for the bundle with drums, a microphone and a guitar. Check out order and pre-order info at the official Rock Band store.