Some quick impressions of two of this week's new releases:

Guitar Hero Encore: Rock the 80s (PlayStation2; Activision, RedOctane/Harmonix): If RedOctance and Harmonix aren't careful, they just might ruin one of the best things to happen to gaming over the past couple years. Guitar Hero Encore: Rock the 80s is good, make no mistake, but this is less a true sequel and more an expansion pack for GHII. Problem is, Activision's selling it as a sequel, right down to the $50 price tag. GH freaks will pick this one up and find a lot to like, but the fact is ... this game has 30 songs (less than half the setlist for GHII) with no bonus tracks for purchase in the in-game store. The 1980s restyling is nice, but the gimmick wears off fast. Early tracks are boring (aside from "We Got the Beat," which is way too difficult to be the second track in Career mode), but things get much more interesting the longer you go. Rock the 80s will tide us over until Guitar Hero III in October, and it's a fun ride, but this would feel like a better game if we'd only had to pay $25, $30 for it.

Rating: 4 out of a 5

NASCAR 08 (PlayStation2 -- also available for PlayStation3 and Xbox 360; EA Sports): I was underwhelmed by NASCAR 07; the career formula had grown stale and the physics needed a bit of an overhalu. While NASCAR 08 does little to change the career mode (you still run qualifier laps to improve your initial contract offers and work your way through Modified, Craftsman Truck, Busch and Nextel Cup Series), it tightened up the physics and made the game more user-friendly for the NASCAR novices among us. The Car of Tomorrow makes its digital debut and actually does handle differently from its current counterpart. Add a slew of bigtime NASCAR names and every Nextel Cup track, and this game could be a gearhead's dream. PS2 visuals do show their age, but renewed physics and true-to-life NASCAR action make this a worthy addition.

Rating: 4 out of 5