Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore review

Like a pop hit, Encore is superficial but fun while it lasts

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The PlayStation 2 iteration is essentially a cut-and-paste job from last year's title, lacking the updated interface and improved visuals of the Xbox 360 version. Online play is more sorely missed than the HD makeover, but the PS2 Encore makes up much of the difference with additional offline modes, such as Karaoke, which drops all of the meters and scoring, and a thicker set of party play types. Additional unlockables and EyeToy facial mapping further sweeten the pot, making this the go-to version for offline-only antics.

Each of the prominent singing games on the market has a hook- SingStar has authenticity (via original songs/videos) and Rock Band has the multi-instrumental appeal- but the Idol license alone doesn't set this genre originator apart from the pack. Encore is a solid sequel and an enjoyable experience, but in 2008, Karaoke Revolution is starting to feel a bit outdated compared to the emerging competition.

Feb 11, 2008

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GenreFamily
DescriptionWhile it saved some of its best tracks for the repeat performance, the overall experience hasn't changed much.
Platform"Wii","Xbox 360","PS2"
US censor rating"Everyone","Everyone","Everyone"
UK censor rating"","",""
Release date1 January 1970 (US), 1 January 1970 (UK)
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Andrew Hayward
Freelance writer for GamesRadar and several other gaming and tech publications, including Official Xbox Magazine, Nintendo Power, Mac|Life, @Gamer, and PlayStation: The Official Magazine. Visit my work blog at http://andrewhayward.org.