When
Harmonix added a microphone and drums to its successful Guitar Hero formula and created Rock Band, battle lines were drawn. Guitar Hero III, taken over by Tony Hawk developer Neversoft,
attracted technical performers, while Rock Band redefined party games for
non-gamers. Even as Neversoft preps Guitar Hero: World Tour, complete with drums and a
mic, Rock
Band 2
proves that Harmonix is determined to retain the party-friendly crown.
The
disc's 84 master recordings, with 20 bonus songs available soon as a free
download and compatible downloadable content from Rock Band, are a more significant
offering than any other similar game has managed. Though tracks by Megadeth and
Dream Theater cater to serious fret-mashers, most songs seem to have been
chosen to score in a group setting. (Albeit a group comprised of 25- to
35-year-olds.) Custom playlists are easily assembled, and a "no-fail" mode
ensures that drunken gatherings need never suffer a booing digital crowd.
Other
aspects of Rock
Band 2 feel
more "expansion pack" than "standalone sequel." Tour Mode set lists are finally
the game's primary structure, whether you're playing online, in a group, or
solo. (No more Guitar
Hero-like
progression for lone wolves.) But the same Tour Mode, which can force replays
of any given song several times in a session, is barely changed. Real bands may
play the same songs over and over, but they also choose what and when to play. Putting
more options into players' hands would sweeten this encore.
Beyond
the game: Music
games are increasingly eager to debut new songs. While the other guys got
Metallica's new disc, Rock Band 2's set list includes "Shackler's Revenge," the first
official release from Guns N' Roses' long-awaited (or dreaded) Chinese Democracy. Not included: a can of Dr.
Pepper.
Worth
playing for:
Ranked challenges and Battle Of The Bands events, which fuse the satisfaction
of rocking out with the instant competition of live leaderboards.
Frustration
sets in when: Microsoft's
standards-and-practices department comes calling. Kids can call each other "fag"
all day long over an Xbox Live headset, but the band Pornographic Ultrasound,
featuring John Paul Balls, can't be seen on the system's scoreboards. That
ain't rock 'n' roll.
Final
judgment: Rock Band steps up from clubs to
arenas and barely misses a beat.