Monday, July 20, 2009

23)Rock Band (Ps3/xbox360/Wii) Reviews


Rock On Witcha Bad Self!

Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
Rock Band for the PS3 is everything you'd expect a rhythm game with the word "rock" in it to be. If you're at all familiar with the Guitar Hero series of video games, then you pretty much know what this is all about. The bonus to getting this game is that you can play with a drummer, bassist, and a vocalist in addition to the regular lead guitar. My experience with this game is solely from the guitarist perspective, so I can't comment on the functionality of the other instruments,
but what I can say is that this game is addictive and pure fun. Much like Guitar Hero, the screen displays a scrolling track with colored dots that correspond to the particular fret on your guitar (I'm using the Harmonix Fender guitar that comes with the Special Edition). Your job is to press the correct fret button and strum in time with the music. Seems simple, right? Well, it is if you're playing on the easy mode, but it gets much more difficult as you progress through the higher difficulty levels. The better you do, the higher your score. The better your score, the more money you can earn from your "gig". You can then purchase various items in the Rock Band store, such as clothing, instruments, and jewelry. That's right. You can customize your virtual guitar playing character on screen (hair style, facial hair, tattoos, clothing, body style, you name it). The game isn't meant to be a graphical powerhouse, but it looks alright. No, the graphics don't look as good as Uncharted or Metal Gear Solid 4, but they get the job done. The sound quality is pretty good. Most songs that come with the game are performed by the original artists (e.g. Nirvana, The Pixies, Nine Inch Nails). There are a few (e.g. Mississippi Queen) that are performed by some no name band, but that doesn't really detract from the fun. You can purchase lots of extra tracks through the Playstation Network for $1.99 each. The game has several modes. You can go "on tour" and play several venues the world over. You can also do a tutorial to master various playing techniques. There is a multiplayer component where you can go head to head with other players online (I haven't tried that yet). You can go solo or add any combination of band mates you like (singer, drummer, etc.). While playing you might be surprised just how much the game makes you wanna rock out. I can't stop swaying to the music, tapping my foot, and grimacing while banging out those wah wahs. It really is a blast, so rock on witcha bad self!

5.0 out of 5 stars
By Christopher Deweese (Kansas City)

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