Rock Band is a very expensive way to have more fun this year.
+Much like the Wii likes to claim, the game
-USB hub is really annoying and cluttering around the 360.
-Song list just flat out sucks.
Guitar Hero obviously did well. If not, we wouldn't have a new Harmonix game every 6 months now. But it's not really that bad of a thing. Unlike some games such as Medal of Honor or Burnout, we can all sit down and bore ourselves silly with these games. I think the big "I dunno" for me (and many others) was the price of the game. $169.99 for a game? It seems to be way too expensive, and for some it really is. I have real friends and family around me to play the game, so for me, it was money well spent. Of all the games I've spent money on this year, so far, Rock Band has been the most played multiplayer game for me hands-down. Seeing as Call of Duty 4 ($60) and Halo 3 ($60) only lasted me a week, this game seems very well priced for what I'm getting in the box.
For those familiar with Guitar Hero, you should already know how this game plays. It's the same feeling, but this time with a set of drums and a microphone for karaoke modes. The drums are pretty much the big reason people drop the cash on the game. How often did you get to claim after playing Guitar Hero you knew how to play a real instrument? In Rock Band, after playing the drums, you'll be able to move them to the side and play on some starter drums. That's pretty cool, and if you're interested in drums, cheaper than drum lessons. The microphone is really cool. It's basically like having a voice instructor on how to pitch your voice. However, just because you can pitch your voice doesn't mean you can sing well. Ask my dad. The only instrument I don't like is the guitar. Compared to the guitars from the Guitar Hero series, this guitar just feels a little stiff. Some newcomers that have played it have said they like it better. Like any review, it's all a matter of opinion. The only complaint with the game's accessories, which only applies to the 360 version, is the USB dongle kit. It really just ends up getting in the way.
The create a character really adds to the gameplay. Building up the most drag looking glam metal singer can be pretty fun, especially when playing in a band with just some normal looking guys. There's plenty to pick from and well priced out that you won't have everything after a few songs. The tattoos are my favorite as you can really build an authentic tattoo look on your characters arms, chest, and/or face. The graphics are good. Judging from the demos and videos, I thought the game would be laggy and pretty ugly. It really isn't. that was a pleasant surprise. I'm just going to throw this out there but the sounds are perfect. Really well redone soundtracks.
The biggest problem with the game is the songs. For the amount of money you lay down for this game, you'd expect something more than Guitar Hero 3's current 70+ songs. No, in fact, you get around 55+ songs in the game. That really sucks, especially since the game becomes quite short through just the single player. The multiplayer is cool but they also forgot about an online co-op mode which makes Guitar Hero 3 a new standard for these games. With new songs coming out, maybe they'll release some free ones during the holidays. Hopefully, some more songs like Rush or the Chili Peppers. Some other problems from the songs is some of them have such slow guitar portions that the game feels more like Drum and Karaoke Hero than a Rock Band.
Overall, a well done game. I just really hope to see some future songs soon that are rockin' and not suckin'.