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"autobots.. ROLL OUT"
Regular
on 30/05/2008 at 3:06:58PM
Edited: 4/6/08 22:19 Total Posts: 191 |
Like… a fat kid… coming in… last… at sports day… Harmonix… and EA… finally.. get Rock Band… to Europe.
Unlike said fat kid, Rock Band doesn’t get a consolation medal. You know, the crappy blue ribbon that is almost more degrading than nothing at all. No, it get’s the ‘FREAKING AWESOME MEDAL’.
…or does it?
I am pained. Never before had I had to rejig my thoughts quite like I have with this review. This is because Rock Band is a bittersweet experience, for a number of reasons. The set up and execution is near enough flawless - a fantastic range of kit with some cracking songs guaranteed to keep you going until you get yourself a bit of DLC.
Less flawless… in fact, unavoidably flawed, is the price.
But let’s get to that later, shall we? I’m certain you learned gamers know the premise of Rock Band, but in case you don’t, here’s a shrewd, obscure simile – it’s like the less demanding offspring of Guitar Hero 3 on acidmating with a drunk Amplitude. Too intense? Put simply, you take any combination of guitar, bass, drums and vocalist (providing you have enough peripherals), and must whack, strum or warble your way through a series of ever-harder tunes, all the while gaining fans, gaining cash, gaining wheels and eventually gaining severe and unrelenting hand cramps.
If you’ve played any track-based music game you’ll have a rough idea of what to expect. That said, it wouldn’t be anything special if that was it. And it’s not. It is special. The addition of a multiplayer ‘World Tour’ mode, progressing through gigs, mystery setlists and arena concerts with up to 3 of your friends is an immensely satisfying experience. Everyone can cheer on each other and strangely there is nothing funnier than having your vocalist crash spectacularly out of ‘Roxanne’, taking the rest of the band with them. That said, our vocalist was me. And by ‘funny’ I mean ‘more likely to get your vocalist a beating’.
The other BIG POINT to make is the addition of drums. Everyone’s had a shot of Singstar, so vocals aren’t new, but few have had the joy of Drum Freaks. Now... they can. 4 pads and a bass pedal make up the sturdy kit, as well as the inclusion of 4 face buttons and a D-pad. The sheer pleasure of thumping the pads, even on Easy, rivals the excitement of Expert solos on the guitar. There already are battle scars amongst my flatmates from the ‘who gets drums?’ fights. It also gives you a new found appreciation for drummer in bands, who doesn’t seem to ever get much credit. Unlike the bassist, who is definitely s**t.
Those accustomed to the silly difficulty spikes of Guitar Hero 3 will be glad to know that few such irritating moments exist in Rock Band. In Solo mode each instrument’s setlist is tailored to the difficulty of that instrument’s part in the song. Even more ‘family-and-inept-friend-friendly’ is the ability to set each instruments difficulty separately in Multiplayer mode. So you’re game-shy cousin can play Easy bass, whilst your strangely attractive mum can rock out the drums on Expert. This also works for Online multiplayer, which is just super.
I guess we now need to confront the BIG BAD POINT of Rock Band… it’s bloody pricey. To be fair, you can get the game ‘solus’ for around £40 online, and if you already have a GH3 guitar then you can blast away solo-style. But for the full experience, drums and all, you really need to shell out the full amount – somewhere between £140 - £180, depending where you shop. Considering the game + kit costs $170 in the U.S., it really feels like Europe is being slowly but forcefully bent over, then lubed up. I mean, come on! Over double the price! Not only that, but the only extra songs we get are some terrible European songs, and a fairly poor Blur song. Boo, EA! Booooo!
If you can get over the thorough Euro-shafting, you’ll have an amazing time with Rock Band. It has everything that was good about the previous Guitar Heroes – great songs, a decent difficulty curve, and fun multiplayer – then builds upon it, with lovely next-gen effects and graphics, some really cool visual touches, an effects switch on the guitar, mostly master recordings, plus plenty of multiplayer flourishes that I won’t spoil for you. Not only that, but The Music Store is well integrated into the game and the song choice is varied and interesting, and needless to say like most current 360 games the XBL integration is excellent. A wise buy for parties, nights in and pre-nights out.
If you can’t get over the pricing? Persuade a friend to get it!
Edit Notes:
I've posted this on my personal blog at Synae.co.uk
Also, thanks for the Gameaday! Always appreciated guys :) |
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phuzzy
"autobots.. ROLL OUT"
Regular
on 05/06/2008 at 12:16:12PM
Total Posts: 191
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pb: I can understand your wife's drum prohibition - they are loud as hell. The old lady that lives underneath us was not chuffed the night I got Rock Band... the bass pedal slams fairly hard against our carpetless flooring and the mad 'tapa tapa tapa' of the pads is extremely annoying, to say the least.
As far as I'm aware, the Activision / EA legal / driver shenaniganations have stopped the PS3 guitar working with Rock Band, which is utterly gash. Hopefully it'll be resolved by the time PS3 RB rolls around.
And cheers for the comment :)
Leutchyboy: It's pretty rubbish that the UK once again gets a shafting on the limited bundle front. Maybe time for an import?
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Luetchyboy
Regular
on 05/06/2008 at 11:51:15AM
Total Posts: 298
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phuzzy wrote:
> Some people seem to forget that up until Rock Band, it was
> Guitar Hero and, err, Guitar Hero. No vocals, or drums, or bass.
> So even though some of the peripherals are pricey, they are
> totally optional. Also, it seems people are implying that because
> the game has a multiplayer mode then you have to have to
> play it multiplayer. In fact, the solo tours are accomplished in
> their own right, if not as socially stimulating. I didn't play GH
> multiplayer until number 3, and even then it was just for the
> co-op....
>
> As for a PS3 + MGS4 instead, I get that. Shame I'm absolutely
> gash at MGS games... :(
>
> EDIT: Well done on the win by the way :)
>
> Cheers! :D
I absolutely love MGS games, I'm a little disappointed however that UK won't be getting a special bundled edition of the console and game which looked extremely tempting to me, now it's just very tempting :(
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pb
"Shoryuken!"
Moderator
on 05/06/2008 at 9:53:21AM
Total Posts: 10397
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Nice review, well deserved GAD.
Can't remember if the PS3 Guitar Hero Guitar is compatible with Rock Band, otherwise I might be tempted by the solus version. The wife doesn't want the drums in the house though, even if I could afford them.
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phuzzy
"autobots.. ROLL OUT"
Regular
on 04/06/2008 at 10:16:38PM
Total Posts: 191
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hippyman wrote:
> I already have the guitar from my Guitar Hero and to do the
> singing I use my 360 headset.
See, this is where Rock Band is pretty cool, peripheral wise. Yes, there is the drum kit shenanigans, but to be honest you can still have a great time with a guitar and vocals - and indeed, only shell out for the solus game.
Some people seem to forget that up until Rock Band, it was Guitar Hero and, err, Guitar Hero. No vocals, or drums, or bass. So even though some of the peripherals are pricey, they are totally optional. Also, it seems people are implying that because the game has a multiplayer mode then you have to have to play it multiplayer. In fact, the solo tours are accomplished in their own right, if not as socially stimulating. I didn't play GH multiplayer until number 3, and even then it was just for the co-op....
As for a PS3 + MGS4 instead, I get that. Shame I'm absolutely gash at MGS games... :(
> EDIT: Well done on the win by the way :)
Cheers! :D
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hippyman
"Proud Gashead!"
Regular
on 04/06/2008 at 6:36:40PM
Edited: 4/6/08 18:37 Total Posts: 2721
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I already have the guitar from my Guitar Hero and to do the singing I use my 360 headset.
May buy yhe drum kit at a later date, but my mates already have one. We play online and all I paid was the £44.99 for the solus copy.
That may be the best option, providing you don't mind doing the singing (I couldn't sing before, but people tell me I've improved greatly)
EDIT: Well done on the win by the way :)
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Luetchyboy
Regular
on 04/06/2008 at 4:45:12PM
Total Posts: 298
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Hmm these types of games don't really appeal to me. It's like you'll need four people each time if you really want to enjoy the game. Plus as stated the price is mental and for me it's worth bearing in mind that the price represents a huge chunk of a Playstation 3 with the eminent release of Metal Gear Solid.... Which I am hugley hugely tempted to buy...
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phuzzy
"autobots.. ROLL OUT"
Regular
on 01/06/2008 at 2:34:27PM
Total Posts: 191
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Perhaps the most expensive single I've ever bought :D
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The Reaper
"Mooching around"
Regular
on 01/06/2008 at 1:20:18AM
Total Posts: 4176
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At least we get Hysteria :)
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phuzzy
"autobots.. ROLL OUT"
Regular
on 30/05/2008 at 3:06:58PM
Edited: 4/6/08 22:19 Total Posts: 191
|
Like… a fat kid… coming in… last… at sports day… Harmonix… and EA… finally.. get Rock Band… to Europe.
Unlike said fat kid, Rock Band doesn’t get a consolation medal. You know, the crappy blue ribbon that is almost more degrading than nothing at all. No, it get’s the ‘FREAKING AWESOME MEDAL’.
…or does it?
I am pained. Never before had I had to rejig my thoughts quite like I have with this review. This is because Rock Band is a bittersweet experience, for a number of reasons. The set up and execution is near enough flawless - a fantastic range of kit with some cracking songs guaranteed to keep you going until you get yourself a bit of DLC.
Less flawless… in fact, unavoidably flawed, is the price.
But let’s get to that later, shall we? I’m certain you learned gamers know the premise of Rock Band, but in case you don’t, here’s a shrewd, obscure simile – it’s like the less demanding offspring of Guitar Hero 3 on acidmating with a drunk Amplitude. Too intense? Put simply, you take any combination of guitar, bass, drums and vocalist (providing you have enough peripherals), and must whack, strum or warble your way through a series of ever-harder tunes, all the while gaining fans, gaining cash, gaining wheels and eventually gaining severe and unrelenting hand cramps.
If you’ve played any track-based music game you’ll have a rough idea of what to expect. That said, it wouldn’t be anything special if that was it. And it’s not. It is special. The addition of a multiplayer ‘World Tour’ mode, progressing through gigs, mystery setlists and arena concerts with up to 3 of your friends is an immensely satisfying experience. Everyone can cheer on each other and strangely there is nothing funnier than having your vocalist crash spectacularly out of ‘Roxanne’, taking the rest of the band with them. That said, our vocalist was me. And by ‘funny’ I mean ‘more likely to get your vocalist a beating’.
The other BIG POINT to make is the addition of drums. Everyone’s had a shot of Singstar, so vocals aren’t new, but few have had the joy of Drum Freaks. Now... they can. 4 pads and a bass pedal make up the sturdy kit, as well as the inclusion of 4 face buttons and a D-pad. The sheer pleasure of thumping the pads, even on Easy, rivals the excitement of Expert solos on the guitar. There already are battle scars amongst my flatmates from the ‘who gets drums?’ fights. It also gives you a new found appreciation for drummer in bands, who doesn’t seem to ever get much credit. Unlike the bassist, who is definitely s**t.
Those accustomed to the silly difficulty spikes of Guitar Hero 3 will be glad to know that few such irritating moments exist in Rock Band. In Solo mode each instrument’s setlist is tailored to the difficulty of that instrument’s part in the song. Even more ‘family-and-inept-friend-friendly’ is the ability to set each instruments difficulty separately in Multiplayer mode. So you’re game-shy cousin can play Easy bass, whilst your strangely attractive mum can rock out the drums on Expert. This also works for Online multiplayer, which is just super.
I guess we now need to confront the BIG BAD POINT of Rock Band… it’s bloody pricey. To be fair, you can get the game ‘solus’ for around £40 online, and if you already have a GH3 guitar then you can blast away solo-style. But for the full experience, drums and all, you really need to shell out the full amount – somewhere between £140 - £180, depending where you shop. Considering the game + kit costs $170 in the U.S., it really feels like Europe is being slowly but forcefully bent over, then lubed up. I mean, come on! Over double the price! Not only that, but the only extra songs we get are some terrible European songs, and a fairly poor Blur song. Boo, EA! Booooo!
If you can get over the thorough Euro-shafting, you’ll have an amazing time with Rock Band. It has everything that was good about the previous Guitar Heroes – great songs, a decent difficulty curve, and fun multiplayer – then builds upon it, with lovely next-gen effects and graphics, some really cool visual touches, an effects switch on the guitar, mostly master recordings, plus plenty of multiplayer flourishes that I won’t spoil for you. Not only that, but The Music Store is well integrated into the game and the song choice is varied and interesting, and needless to say like most current 360 games the XBL integration is excellent. A wise buy for parties, nights in and pre-nights out.
If you can’t get over the pricing? Persuade a friend to get it!
Edit Notes:
I've posted this on my personal blog at Synae.co.uk
Also, thanks for the Gameaday! Always appreciated guys :) |
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