American Idol Encore 2 allows players to play the part of an American Idol contestant as they audition, earn an invitation to Hollywood and ultimately perform in front of the crowd on center stage. As they choose from 40 all-new songs, including hits from the show, they will receive verbal feedback on their performance from the judges. Just like the TV show, the evaluation by the game's judges will affect whether or not they move on to the next round of competition. Additionally players will be able to personalize their own contestant with clothing, hair styles and accessories in the Character Customization mode, creating a specialized look that is sure to catch the attention of the judges and the crowd.