Dust off your plastic instruments sitting in the corner and get ready to return to the stage for an encore performance with ROCK BAND 2, the sequel to the smash-hit rhythm game of 2007. ROCK BAND 2 brings with it what you loved from ROCK BAND and adds in some new features, while addressing gamer concerns from the first go-around.
Dust off your plastic instruments sitting in the corner and get ready to return to the stage for an encore performance with ROCK BAND 2, the sequel to the smash-hit rhythm game of 2007.
If you're craving a quick song or two, Quickplay allows you to play solo or with other people with your choice of instrument. Also included are "Tug of War" and "Score Duel," two multiplayer games where you battle against another guitarist, singer or drummer.
Included under the training menu are: two tutorials that teach you the basics of drumming; a practice mode where you can play through entire songs or portions, such as the verse, chorus or guitar solo, all the while choosing your preferred speed; and Drum Trainer, a fun and highly recommended training exercise where you can practice the various drum beats.
Want to know how you rank against other ROCK BAND gamers? In the Leaderboards menu you will have the option to check both offline and online top scores for each song. Also under the extras menu is the Modify Mode, which is essentially a "cheats" menu where you can choose various options to modify your gaming experience -- one of which is a "No Fail Mode," a self-explanatory option.
No doubt the category you'll spend the most time with, Tour is ROCK BAND 2's "story" mode where you create a band, including a playable character that you take on the road, traveling from city to city, earning cash and fans as you attempt to become worldwide superstars. Gaining fans and completing set lists unlocks more cities to rock out in. You'll go from Los Angeles to Seattle, from New York to Montreal, with stops in other major cities along the way.
So how's the gameplay you ask? If you've played any of the Guitar Hero games or the previous Rock Band, you'll have no trouble playing ROCK BAND 2. Gameplay is straightforward and easy to understand. Simply time your guitar strum or drum hit with the musical note scrolling vertically on the screen. Different difficulty levels make it so anyone can play, from the complete beginners to the Plastic Rock Gods. The guitar is sleek and built well with a nice weight and feel. Drums are adjustable for height with the option to expand them with plastic cymbals. The one occasional drum hiccup comes in the form of unresponsiveness. From time to time certain drum hits aren't recognized by the game causing a missed note, thereby ruining your note streak. It's doesn't happen that often though, but when it does you will notice.
Overall, ROCK BAND 2 is a highly enjoyable game that is worth the price of admission. With the built-in music store, ROCK BAND 2 is a game that, in theory, will never get old. Master all the songs on the disc? Simply browse, buy, and download new songs directly from Xbox Live. Where ROCK BAND 2 shines is in its ability to bring together people locally to rock out and have a good time. Sure, you may look silly rocking out in your pal's living room, but then again, who cares? All that matters is that you enjoy yourself and have fun -- and you'll no doubt have tons of fun with ROCK BAND 2.
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