Sup. Rock Band is a game that totally rides on the popularity of t...he Guitar Hero games, and nicely adds the full band to the mix. Whereas Guitar Hero only let you play as the Guitarist in the band, Rock Band now lets you add Drummer and Singing to it. It features a pretty good list of songs, (although there's some lame Emo stuff like Fallout Boy) and a ton of downloadable stuff as well. Rock Band can also use the Guitar Hero controller as well, so if you already have one, and buy the deluxe set of this game (which includes a mic, drumset, and guitar) you can also use you GH guitar controller as a bass. I bought this game as a present for a friend and it's absolutley his favorite game right now. I'd highley recommend it.
A few things you mig...ht want think about before purchasing a X Box 360 Rock band bundle, there is NOT a shortage of this item in many area's throughout the US as rumored to be. Many stores here in Iowa still have bundles to sell. There's also a widespread problem with the strum bar on the Rockband guitar. Retailers will not accept defective hardware or software, but the EA website has been very good in replacing the defective items. Many can be simply repaired by removing the back of the guitar & adjusting the 2 tension screws by the strum bar. Also spraying compressed air around the strum bar will do the trick. Just remember, removing the back of the guitar, may void the warranty, so I'd highly suggest going to the EA website for a replacement. Compatability wise, the GH II & III guitars will work with Rock band, but the Rock band guitar will not work with either GH II or III, so instead of buying an extra Rock band guitar for playing bass, the GH II & III guitars work just fine. One problem may arise, if you purchase only the Rockband software, if planning on buying the Microphone, Drums or Guitar, they're not available until Feb. '08, with you ending up paying another $80.00 buying the hardware seperately. If you're planning on just playing Guitar, the GH II & III guitars are compatible with "SOLO," "CO-OP" or "LIVE"(online). Another of the hot selling points is being able to download new material, not just being stuck playing the same songs over & over. As of yet, there's not many downloads available & if they are the cost is $6.99 for a block of 3. The same as GH III, having available downloads, GH III seems to have many more available & they are NOT compatible or interchangable with Rock band. On the upside, Rock band is one of the best video games available, great graphics, surround sound, co-op playing with 3 other bandmates at home or online. As of now, I've played with people from 3 different countries & 22 states, making new friends as you play & scheduling your next practice/playing session. It's a great game for the whole family, in my situation my 11 year old daughter & 14 year old son play along with me, their 50 year old Father or with many of their friends here or online. Each can play at their own skill level, be it easy, medium, hard or expert. My advice would be call around to find the bundle that fits your gaming system, X Box 360, Wii or PS 2. They're out there to be sold, there may be some shortages in certain area's of the US, but it's the best $180.00 odd dollars I've spent for the whole family to enjoy.
I Purchased this Item for my 5 ...kids for Christmas and they just love it. It was a simple set up, and they all seem to really enjoy playing it. It is capable of spanning a wide range of ages 10-18 in our case. The fact that three players can get on and compete is great. The only Con of this game that I have seen is that the songs are not that familiar to the younger generations. I am sure next year they will come out with a new disk that has more current rock songs, or perhaps different genres. Over all the purchase was a great Christmas present.
But peripheral wise stick with you...r Guitar Hero controller, unless you're like my brother and prefer the Stratocaster. The drum kit on this is awesome although I swear I'm hitting notes and it screws up my streaks. Mic I think needs some fine tuning, but fun to do karaoke at home nonetheless. Song selection in this is far superior, in my opinion, to Guitar Hero 3. Also the downloadable content is awesome, nothing like playing 'Ride The Lightning' on guitar. Also amazing customization of your avatar in game which is an awesome touch. Harmonix really out did themselves with Rock Band. If you like rhythm games, you'll love Rock Band.
I've always loved music, so i decided to buy a music-based game. ...I love the music included in the game, and the DLC is great, too. Playing along with my favorite hits is a thrill eveyone should experience. However, this game isn't perfect. The drum kit is my main complaint. As a drummer, I play this kit like any other drum kit, but the Rock Band drums can't handle that. After only an hour of playing, the sticks were broken and one the kit's legs was broken. A little duct tape fixed the legs, and i just use real drumsticks now, but the breaks were unexpected and quite annoying. In short, great game, not-so-great equiptment.
