Rock Band Review: Have Fun Rocking Out

Metallica is household name. Now, gamers have a chance to unleash their inner Rock (ala Metallica) in Rock Band. Rock Band comes from Harmonix, and the game is not a rehashed adaptation of Guitar Hero. This game is not as arduous as the aforementioned Guitar Hero, but it still enjoyable. The game comes packed with a guitar, microphone, and drums. A bass can be added by using another guitar, but it does not come with the package. There is a grand total of 58 tracks, and 13 out of those 58 are extra tracks. The best gameplay feature has to be the career Band World Tour mode. This mode must have a minimum of two players. You begin by creating a character by giving that person clothing, accessories, and more. The Band World Tour mode has your up and coming band play at small venues earlier on. As the game progresses, you will play at concerts in front of legions of avid fans. The majority of the gameplay will take place in the career mode. If anyone is pondering whether or not this game is a Guitar Hero emulation, then the answer to that question is no. Guitar Hero had a more individual gaming experience; conversely, Rock Band had a more collective team effort. Each instrument has its own overdrive style. This overdrive works in a way that is eerily similar to Guitar Hero’s Star Power mode. The trick is to have all four members in your group execute a picture perfect overdrive that will increase your score by eight times. Furthermore, the overdrive can be utilized to prevent a teammate from failing. For example, you are playing poorly on the bass. This can be remedied with an overdrive from the drums. The drummer can use his or her overdrive to keep the bass player in the game. Having an overdrive is the equivalent to having a Beyonce Knowles in your band. Remember how Beyonce Knowles had to carry Destiny’s Child on her back for countless years because she was the real talent in the group. That same rules applies with the overdrive. The person who has the overdrives is the real talent in the band. As a result, the crowd will continue to cheer for your music. In layman's terms, an overdrive can prevent the band from getting booed. Rock Band is a fusion of games such as Guitar Hero, Donkey Konga, and Karaoke Revolution. The name of the game in Rock Band is the cooperative play mode. As mentioned earlier, there is a total of four members that can be in a band. All of these members do various things that complement each other well. There is also a solo career mode for the singer, guitarist, and drums. Ironically enough, there is no solo career mode for the bass. The single player guitar mode is virtually identical to the gameplay in Guitar Hero. Many gamers will be playing the single player mode to hone in on their skills, but they will not be playing this mode for a prolonged period of time.The singing aspect of the gameplay requires that you actually “sing” the song that is being played on screen. All you really do is just match the pitch that you see near the lyrics. How well you “sing” depends on accurately you match the pitch. Although this may appear intricate, it is fairly rudimentary. Fortunately, you will not be penalized for “singing” before or after the words are on screen. A drawback of the singer is that he or she will not be presented with the opportunity to have a climactic conclusion to a song. The singer feels more like a napkin, and the other teammates are like the dessert. Likewise, how Beyonce was the dessert in Destiny’s Child when compared to the napkins Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Unfortunately, the bass player has the same fate as the singer. The bulk of the bass playing is not as entertaining as the guitar. It is merely a watered down element of the guitar. There is nothing original about playing the guitar. It is the standard approach that is seen in a game like Guitar Hero. The most appealing part of the game is playing the drums. A reason for that could be that the drummer is the main cog that keeps the engine running. Drummers will have the entire drum set at their disposal, and playing the drums have a Rock Band ambiance to it. Unluckily, the drum set itself comes with a fragile foot pedal. Pushing the pedal with an extreme tenacity will result in a broken pedal. Unlike any other instrument, playing drums in Rock Band actually feels like you are playing the drums in real life. As you increase the difficulty, you will notice that the game gets conspicuously more strenuous. The graphics in the game are cel-shaded, so do not expect the visuals to be on the same level as Mass Effect. Nevertheless, the lasers and lighting made each song worth playing multiple times. Interactive crowds is where the game shines. You will notice that the audience will sing along with the band when they are performing well. The licensed songs include tracks from bands such as Metallica, Nirvana, and Fallout Boy. Some of the songs are redundant, but that is a minor gripe. The online mode in the game has quick play, duel, and tug of war. Quickplay is where you and your band play to get a high score. Duel is where two players compete against each other. Tug of War is where two players play the same song. The person with the highest score is declared victorious. There were no frame rate glitches online, and it ran clearly. Rock Band is not recommended for people looking for a single player gaming experience. This game is meant to be enjoyed with other people. Rock Band is the game to play if you want to just relax with your friends and have an entertaining time at a party. Overall, Rock Band has endless hours of engrossing gameplay that will keep even the most casual players busy.

Final Verdict: 9 out of 10