Video Game Review: Step Into Your Favorite Show in ‘Karaoke Revolution Presents American Idol Encore 2’

Video Game Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – If you’re like most people who own a television, you’ve probably seen “American Idol” at least once in its near-decade of ratings dominance and thought that you could do better than the pop star wannabe on the stage. Now you can try and achieve “AI” dominance on your own with “Karaoke Revolution Presents American Idol Encore 2”. Practice your Mariah Carey note runs.

“Karaoke Revolution Presents American Idol Encore 2” is a pretty simple game. In fact, it’s too simple, but we’ll get to that. But if you’ve enjoyed a few nights at the local karaoke bar and want to recreate that sensation without the bar atmosphere and in front of digital recreations of Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell, and Randy Jackson then this is the game for you.

This title may seem like a redux of the more complicated and popular “Rock Band” and “Guitar Hero” games, but the “Karaoke Revolution” games have actually been around for years with titles for nearly every system from Xbox to PS3. The first “Karaoke Revolution” was released in November 2003 with the first “American Idol” title hitting in the first week of 2007.

Karaoke Revolution Presents American Idol 2
Photo credit: Konami

Last Fall, Konami updated the first “American Idol” karaoke title with new songs in this sequel that essentially is just the exact same game with even the same menu screens and options.

The gameplay couldn’t be simpler. Players choose a character, a location, and a song and then do their best to hit the notes and words as closely as possible. For example, you can do your best with “Losing My Religion” in the audition room or go all the way to the final stage to show how much you rock “Livin’ On a Prayer”.

Karaoke Revolution Presents American Idol 2 Photo credit: Konami

The game includes over three dozen songs with more tracks available for download. Other songs included on the disc are “Hey There Delilah” by Plain White T’s, “Big Girls Don’t Cry” by Fergie, “I’m Like a Bird” by Nelly Furtado, “Imagine” by John Lennon, “Maggie May” by Rod Stewart, “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers, “Speed of Sound” by Coldplay, and, a karaoke staple, “Stayin’ Alive” by The Bee Gees. Other tracks are unlockable as you progress through the game.

The song selection is somewhat predictable. Karaoke bars everywhere are thumping to the beats of The Go-Go’s, Kelly Clarkson, Sheryl Crow, Hall & Oates, and Tommy Tutone. There are a few surprising choices, but a game like this relies heavily on its song selection and the disc songs are a little “eh” and they’re not even original masters. They’re covers with some pretty poor mixing.

However, with dozens of songs available as DLC, players truly can make a playlist they truly adore if they’re willing to pay a little extra cash. It does raise the question as to why the tracks on this actual disc weren’t just DLC for the first version, but music games always run into that problem.

It feels like a lot of corners were cut with “Karaoke Revolution Presents American Idol Encore 2”. The songs aren’t mixed very well. The “AI” judges look mediocre at best and don’t add much to the game. They’re pretty much just there to get excited if you do well and sad if you don’t.

Karaoke Revolution Presents American Idol 2 Photo credit: Konami

What’s truly most surprising about the title is that it doesn’t really feel like “American Idol”. Ryan Seacrest didn’t give voice or likeness rights. Even the audition background doesn’t include the former “AI” winners like the show with fake characters replacing icons like Kelly Clarkson and Jordin Sparks.

Why not make a true “AI” game? It doesn’t seem that complicated. It would have ALL the likenesses and personalities from the show. You could play multiplayer online and stage your own competitions with someone getting cut by Seacrest as he does on the show each round. Fans of the Fox mega-hit would love it.

To be fair, you can set up mini-tournaments online with this version but it doesn’t feel like the actual show. It feels like a basic karaoke game with the “AI” brand pasted on.

Ultimately, “Karaoke Revolution Presents American Idol Encore 2” is a party game and should be treated and reviewed as such. After a few drinks or for the hyper kids at a family function who just want to sing for Paula, they won’t be disappointed at all. Kind of like the show itself, it works as escapist entertainment, but not if you look at it too critically.

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com