The game that both makes you feel like a rockstar and have a blast with your friends, guaranteed!
But even if you decide forgo the party element and play solo, it's hard to deny that Harmonix is doing something right with their most recent rhythm game, the seventh title in a music-based series that grows more popular with each peripheral they add to the mix. Frequency and Amplitude were sleeper hits. Guitar Hero was, and still is, wildly popular. Rock Band, therefore, should be an instant classic. But even if the steep $170 price tag turns some people off, it's hard to deny the title is fun, with a fantastic music roster that should have a "go-to" track for just about everyone. There's the classic rock riffs of Black Sabbath, The Rolling Stones, and Boston. There's the contemporary hits that The Killers and Garbage performed. And finally there are the more obscure bands - Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Strokes, and New Pornographers - to appeal to the indie crowd. You can span the genres, pump the audience, and rock out in clubs around the world to gain the perks necessary for any musical legend in the making: jet, roadies, fans, and money. Groupies not included.
From the main menu, you can choose whether you wish to pursue a world tour with a band, or go the solo artist route. The latter works similarly to Guitar Hero: You choose your instrument and play five songs in various locations, trying to reach the illustrious five-star mark through playing streaks and gaining multipliers (both obtained by hitting a series of correct notes in succession), all on a new guitar with inlaid buttons and a strummer that doesn't emit that annoying click when you press down on it. In Rock Band, gigs earn you money and garments, and you can deck your character from head to toe in acid-wash denim. Or black leather. Or metal spikes. The possibilities are endless, and your cartoonish rock god will look good in whatever combination of clothes, hair, and ink you choose.
But the solo mode can feel like an afterthought to the game. Multiplayer mode is what makes the title shine, and unless you really want to play through the solo tour with the drums, the multiplayer is what justifies the price tag. Like in solo mode, the band world tour makes you move from city to city, only this time you're playing whole sets instead of songs, and gaining fans instead of just points. Make your own playlists and work together to get through each city. It's fun and addictive, and being a little easier to get through than Guitar Hero III, chances are you'll be playing at least one late-night pan-European marathon with your friends at some point.
So yes, the multiplayer is fantastic, and the graphics are crisp and entertaining to watch. The controls are responsive and the sound, of course, is top-notch, with most of the songs being performed by the original artists. However, there are a few drawbacks, most notably the short song list. You have around fifty songs to choose from, and though you have the option of purchasing new tracks, you might feel gyped at having to shill out an additional ten or so dollars to expand your library. In all honesty, Rock Band should come equipped with something more than a song list that's roughly the same length as a three-disc CD set.
Still, if you're willing to make that investment, and you're looking for a party game, you can't go wrong with Rock Band. The playlist provides a good variety of old and new, popular and rare songs to rock out to, which you will be doing for hours. Gather three friends and work your way into the Hall of Fame.
Pros:
- Bright cartoon-inspired graphics that offer a lot of character customization and humor in their onstage antics.
- Song list offers something for everyone; every gamer should find a few songs they really enjoy.
- Peripherals (especially the drum) offers a fresh approach to the rhythm game genre - beat, strum, and sing your way towards a major label signing. Controls are sharp and easy to get accustomed to.
- Band World Tour is fun - one of the best party games to be released in recent history.
Cons:
- Roster of songs is on the short side, and requires players to go to the Xbox Live Marketplace to flesh out their track list.
- Solo mode is stripped down and not nearly as dynamic as co-op - play five songs, move to next town; play five songs, move to next town….
- Ease of the game may turn off hardcore Guitar Hero fans.