We presume we don't have to explain to you what Rock Band 2 is, as the first installment took the video game world by storm, expanding the scope of Guitar Hero to include vocals and drums, thus creating the ultimate party game. This time around it's more of the same from Cambridge's Harmonix Studios, but when we say more, we really mean more.

In this installment there are 84 songs right off the bat, 20 available for free download after launch, and lots more downloadable content to come (all master tracks, by the way). You can also import all of your songs from the first game for a one time fee of $4.99. That's at least 180 songs ready within minutes of turning on the game, and the new songs cover all the bases: Pearl Jam and Paramore, Panic at the Disco and Presidents of the USA. AC/DC, AFI, L7. Mastodon, Megadeth, and Metallica. An exclusive GNR song from the mythical Chinese Democracy named "Shackler's Revenge". The "setlist" leaves nobody wanting, and we at BMS have been trying to master everything since we received the game (note: Dave Grohl is a good drummer).

Perhaps the most exciting element of the Rock Band series is the local flavor added by Harmonix, who have made Boston the default hometown for any created bands. Gamers then have to play their way up from the Charles Pub to The Establishment to the Hancock Theatre, venues loosely based on actual bars and clubs in the area. Boston bands are also well represented, with the likes of Bang Camaro, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Dinosaur Jr, Anarchy Club, and more. Bang Camaro has even made a tribute / promo video for the game featuring their song "Pleasure, Pleasure" which can be seen at www.rockband.com/life.

Harmonix made sure that that local connection was felt this weekend at the Boston Music Festival, where they participated in the events on the main stage by hosting a Rock Band 2 competition for concertgoers and also lent the day's headliners, Anarchy Club, a band comprised of some Harmonix team members. Harmonix staff members populate various local bands including Freezepop, Bang Camaro, Anarchy Club, and more, so the Rock Band DNA is already well disseminated into the Boston scene.

Another highlight of the game is its ability to actually teach one how to rock. Rock Band 2 builds on the original game's promise of teaching independant limb control to blossoming drummers by including a more advanced drum tutorial system that allows the student to work on fills and drum patterns, learning skills that almost directly translate to a real instrument. One can save all kinds of money on beginner drum lessons all while actually playing along with Bob Dylan or Bon Jovi.

Bands can also compete in the new Battle of the Bands mode, which consists of a set of online challenges that Harmonix will update from week to week. Gamers from around the world will attempt to complete the challenges with the highest score, challenges that range from fun for beginners to as specialized as you can get ("Battery" on expert, anyone?).

If you had the first Rock Band then its pretty much a no-brainer to upgrade to the newest version. But if you never took a virtual band from local anonymity to international stardom, why start with this edition? There are several reasons: it's the ultimate party game, you can learn how to actually play, or it may be your only chance to play a Slash solo. The fact that Harmonix is a Boston-based company is also another plus. The team sold its Guitar Hero franchise, which it created, to Activision just before the first Rock Band was released. So, in a way, buying Rock Band over Guitar Hero is sort of like supporting local music.

The bottom line is that the game is a lot of fun, and it demystifies rock music in a way that makes it accessible to a wider audience in a way that is strangely similar to the way punk bands used three chords to reclaim rock from its overblown self. Rock Band just uses red, yellow, green, and blue to bring the experience of going on a world tour into your living room. And this second time around the tour is bigger, the setlists are longer, and the challenges are harder. Rock on.