THIN LIZZY

THIN LIZZY Among Artists Featured On Sony's SingStar Rocks!

Tuscaloosa News ( www.tuscaloosanews.com ) has issued the following report from Billy O’Keefe:

Sony has a deal for you: Embarrass yourself in front of others, get a free microphone.

Unlike every karaoke game that preceded it - in other words, the four iterations of “Karaoke Revolution" - “SingStar Rocks!" stomps the notion of passing the mic by including two USB microphones in one $50 package and practically bribing would-be glass-breakers to duet, have a sing-off and even participate in team-based challenges. Soloists can hone their craft as well, but “Rocks!" takes the ball and runs with the notion that karaoke is rarely a solo affair.

The “SingStar" series has been a hit in Europe for a couple of years and has four versions of its own, so “Rocks!" isn’t exactly a rookie effort despite its brand-new status in America. The game’s voice- and note-recognition technology is serviceable, and the clean, minimalist layout is a time-tested means of attracting new players and non-gamers with as little fuss as possible.

Still, “Revolution" vets be warned: “Rocks!" isn’t quite as generous in terms of letting flat notes by, and there’s no satisfactory means of letting you know how best to adjust your pitch and tempo. This and the lack of a satisfying tutorial/practice mode means you’re left to figure this one out on your own - not a big deal if you’re goofing off with friends, but potentially aggravating if you’re discovering this one alone.

As for other “rookie" mistakes, the 30-song lineup - including THIN LIZZY, MARVIN GAYE, THE KILLERS, JOSS STONE and ROLLING STONES - is more authentic than “Revolution’s" sound-alike songs, but it’s also considerably smaller in size. And in a bizarre karaoke no-no, there’s no option to mute the original singers and sing along to just the backing music.

Still, even that last oversight can’t curb what is one of the PS2’s better multiplayer train wrecks-in-waiting. Karaoke in any quantity is an easy crowd-pleaser, but turning it into a group activity takes the fun (and trauma) to cool new heights. “Revolution" remains the better game overall with its larger lineup and variety of modes, but casual party gamers in search of an affordably priced party-in-a-box will find plenty to enjoy here