I have found a new game addiction, something that might just have achieved the impossible. See, I once thought there was no game in existence that could surpass Tetris in terms of addictiveness. In the world of videogames, Tetris was crack.

But if that's the case, then what's Guitar Hero II? Heroine?

Either way, I've had a copy of GHII for about a week now, and I struggle to put it down. I also struggle on anything aside from Easy mode for right now, but more than anything, I have trouble putting the guitar down.

Time to go to work ... but one more song!

Time was, I swore I'd never touch this game. I thought it was nothing more than a pointless little gimmick, some company's attempt to cash in on the whole Dance Dance Revolution craze (DDR being a game I have played and loathed unlike just about any other game I've ever loathed).

But when I finally gave in and strapped on the plastic guitar, I was humbled -- and hooked.

Not to the point where I'll modify my PlayStation2 in order to try and play custom songs that aren't in the original game, but hooked to the point where I make time to play GHII at least once a day -- most days two or three times.

I'm going on vacation next week ... and taking my PS2 with me, just so I can play Guitar Hero.

I may be late to the party, but now that I'm here, I'm having a ball. And better to be late to the party than to miss it entirely.