Rock Band does not disappoint- it is quite simply the best party game ever made.
Good- Setup is a breeze. The drums take 5 minutes or less to set up and the USB hub needs to be plugged into a power outlet. Then it's time to start rocking. The Equipment. I am a drummer, so I was concerned about how solid the drums would be. I am happy to report that the drums are absolutely stellar. The pads feel very responsive and the framework is comprised of sturdy plastic and metal. The microphone is also very well done and I have no complaints with it. The guitar is going to polarize lots of people. The strum bar makes no noise and does not click to register a strum. The frets are larger, but much less distinct. After playing Guitar Hero III just yesterday for a few hours, I can tell you that personally it was not that hard to adjust. I really enjoy the new guitar because it feels much less like a toy and much more like a real guitar. The clicking noise on the GH hardware irritated me like nothing else, so I could not be more thankful for the new guitar. I am able to play on expert difficulty and hit most of the notes with the new guitar, so it does not hinder or help my existing skills. My friend on the other hand, something of a guitar god on GH, was extremely frustrated by the new guitar. After about 2 songs, he asked to use my GHIII guitar. I do believe that your mileage will vary with the new guitar, but I encourage you to give it a good college try- you make like it much better than the GHIII controller (or GHII controller for that matter). Difficulty is fair. This game is meant for social situations and it succeeds admirably in being balanced and fun for people of all skill levels. The Band experience. I have had people in and out of my apartment all day playing Rock Band, and having all 4 parts playing together is truly one of the best experiences in gaming. Do not doubt for 1 minute that this is going to be the party game of the decade. Music. The tracks are all original, so they sound superb. I really find the drum parts to be outstanding in particular. Online. Xbox LIVE band experience is impeccable. You pick your own instrument and then LIVE matches you with 3 other people to form a complete band and you are rocking in no time. The matches I played in were lag-free; whatever voodoo Harmonix worked into their game to make it like this is incredible.
Bad- Not a single complaint so far. I have played over 10 hours already and could not be more pleased.
Verdict- YES this game is worth $170. It might be the best money I've ever spent. Not only does it feature 3 complete world tours for vocals, drums, and guitar (i.e 3 different games packed into 1), but stellar multiplayer, both online and off. With ridiculous amounts of already announced DLC, this game is surely going to have enormous replay value. If you remotely like rhythm games, rock music, or getting your (girl)friends to play games with you, look no further than Rock Band.
Rock On.