Only a few years
ago, the rhythm game genre was little more than a name for games like Dance
Dance Revolution and a host of Japan-only exclusives. However, with the release
of the original Guitar Hero (which only happened two years ago), the genre has
become a phenomenon, with millions of gamers investing in the opportunity to
rock out to some of the best rock songs ever. Now Harmonix, the developer of the
first two Guitar Hero titles, has moved on from the series that they built to
greener pastures, developing Rock Band for MTV Games.
A logical
continuation for the rhythm-game genre, Rock Band takes the beat-matching
concepts of Guitar Hero and applies them to other instruments, namely drums and
vocals, and lets up to four players rock out together. Rock Band functions like
no other music game before it, playing like a rhythm game with a party game
atmosphere with great multiplayer elements. While the game is not perfect, and
hardware issues and a steep price point might mire its all-out success, it’s an
exciting party game and carries the music game genre to new levels.
While the means
of conveyance is different, the principals behind the game should be immediately
familiar to anyone who has played the Guitar Hero series or Karaoke Revolution.
The note charts scroll down to a bar of different colored frets on the bottom of
the screen and you have to push the corresponding button at just the right time
to the music that plays in the background. This concept is applied to the
guitar, bass, and drum campaigns, each with their own note charts.
The vocals are
handled a bit differently, mirroring Harmonix’s Karaoke Revolution series. The
microphone (one is included in the Special Edition bundle) has a pitch register
that will pick up on whether or not you’re singing the right notes at the right
times.
Many of the games
concepts are pulled from other games in the rhythm genre, and therefore not
quite as groundbreaking when striped down individually. However, the game is
truly greater than the sum of its parts, since once you get into the four-player
co-op, it’s a rocking experience that’s not to be missed. The four-player game
modes are extremely fun, making for a great party experience. Each player can
get into their own instrument and play along to the songs and even do a
cooperative World Tour, unlocking songs and venues in order to become the
biggest band around.
Our group (named
Plymouth Rawk in honor of last week’s Thanksgiving holiday) played through the
Band World Tour with each of the instruments provided (and an extra Fender
controller for the bassist). After choosing the band’s leader (who will
essentially need to play every time the band does), you are then able to embark
on a multi-city trek throughout the world on the World Tour. On the World Tour,
you and your band can unlock new songs and outfits and aesthetic changes for
your characters, just as you can in the Solo Tour. As you and your group perform
more songs well, you’ll gain more fans and bigger venues.
If you go solo
Rock Band can still be a pretty fun game, although it loses a lot of what the
game is about when you play it alone. The note charts for the guitars aren’t
nearly as complex as the Guitar Hero games, playing more like a rhythm guitar
than a lead guitar. The solos lose a lot of their effectiveness and aren’t very
difficult (most GH vets will be able to nail many of the solos perfectly),
meaning that those picking up Rock Band for a solo guitar challenge might be a
bit disappointed.
Fortunately, what
the game lacks in guitar challenge it more than makes up for in the drums. If
you are going to play this game alone, the drums are definitely the way to go.
Depending on your personal skill level with drums, you’ll find plenty of
challenge here. Even music game pros will want to begin at either the Easy or
Medium modes, as the Hard and Expert drum charts can be extremely tough unless
you’re Neil Peart. However, if you get to the point where you can nail songs on
the higher difficulties, it can be extremely rewarding.
One of the main
trouble spots with the game are the peripherals. The controllers for the game
are wired for the Xbox 360, which is a bit of a turn off for many gamers,
especially with Guitar Hero III’s snazzy wireless Les Paul controller for the
system (which will work with Rock Band, should you have one lying around).
Secondly, they all feel pretty flimsy and lack the nice weighty feel of the
aforementioned GH III controller. The Fender guitar peripheral lacks a clicking
Strum bar, and that resistant feeling is greatly missed during some sections and
could cause you to miss some notes. The buttons will also stick sometimes, which
can be an annoyance when you’re playing through a long section. Secondly, the
drum heads have some response issues, as they can sometimes not register a
direct hit.
Rock Band’s
graphics are an improvement over what we’ve seen from other music game
franchises, with some great looking stages and special effects occurring
throughout (bandmates will lean in close to the lead singer and harmonize at
times, for example). All in all, Rock Band looks pretty next-gen.
While the
soundtrack might polarize the audience raised on GH3’s metal style, Rock Band’s
tracks weren’t picked with guitar solos in mind, but rather for the fun of all
players involved. Therefore, you’ll come across classic anthems like “In Bloom”
by Nirvana, pop rock like “I Think I’m Paranoid” by Garbage, as well as classics
that everyone should know the words to, like “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by
The Clash. The soundtrack is decidedly more mainstream and a lot less edgy than
Guitar Hero III’s, but considering the party atmosphere that the game is
shooting for, this seems appropriate in Rock Band.
Rock Band is an
achievement for this current crop of consoles, as well as for the music game
genre as a whole. By incorporating co-op elements like never before, Rock Band
is possibly the most fun you’ll have with your gamer friends this year.
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Gameplay:
9.5
Truly
groundbreaking in both premise and execution, Rock Band is as close as you can
get to really being on stage. With unique gameplay mechanics for each instrument
(vocals, guitar, bass, and drums), Rock Band offers up several different ways to
play, but the real meat of the game comes from the four player co-op modes,
particularly the co-op World Tour.
Graphics:
8.5
The
game has a great presentation with clean menus, and a smooth framerate. The
activity going on in the background is a step above what you see on Guitar Hero
III, with cool effects and more animated crowds and venues.
Sound: 9.0
While
the few cover versions throughout the tracklist sound a bit off, they are few
and far between in Rock Band, as the game boasts an impressive number of
original master recordings, which sound as good now as when they first hit the
airwaves.
Difficulty:
Medium
Concept:
9.5
Rock
Band turns the genre on its head, offering a highly polished rhythm game that
stands as the quintessential testament to all of the progress that the genre has
made over the past few years and allowing you to rock as never before.
Multiplayer: 9.5
Allowing you rock out with 3 friends across several different instruments is a
fantastic notion for the rhythm-game genre, and Rock Band carries it in brand
new directions. There are even some competitive modes in the mix to let you duke
it out with a friend. The only downer is the lack of an online multiplayer World
Tour.
Overall:
9.3
Rock
Band is the next step in the rhythm game genre and the party game genre,
effectively melding the two into an innovative package. While the build quality
of the bundled peripherals feels a little flimsy and the whole thing is a bit
pricey for many gamers’ budgets, the game is a wholehearted recommendation for
any fan of music-based games.
