Rock Band 2 Review

 

Harmonix has graced our existence with the release of Rock Band 2. Rock Band 2 continues the saga of allowing you to create a band and rock the world, just as you did with Rock Band. In fact, there are very few minor changes, and even less major changes between the two games.

It really surprised me how much a couple of changes can make an already great game even better.  Some of the more subtle changes include an increase of character customizations. There are more clothes, tattoos, and facial/hair styles to choose from. Minor graphic upgrades are also slightly noticeable. Some of the bigger changes, such as the removal of a band leader and added gameplay modes  can easily make a person rock out with even more enjoyment when playing Rock Band 2.  Even with these changes, a big fan of the series might have some trouble seeing a big difference between the two games.

The game comes shipped with 80 tracks, and Harmonix promises that another 20 will be free within the first few weeks of its release. Below is a list of the songs available on the game disc:

“Ace of Spades” — Motörhead

“Everlong” — Foo Fighters

“Pinball Wizard” — The Who

“Panic Attack” — Dream Theater

“Any Way You Want It” — Journey

“Chop Suey” — System of a Down

“Kids in America” — The Muffs

“Give It Away” — Red Hot Chili Peppers

“Hello There” — Cheap Trick

“Pump It Up” — Elvis Costello

“Almost Easy” — Avenged Sevenfold

“Bad Reputation” — Joan Jett

“I Was Wrong” — Social Distortion

“Livin’ on a Prayer” — Bon Jovi

“Rock ‘N Me” — Steve Miller Band

“Testify” — Rage Against The Machine

Just to name a few.

Also, right now there are 282 songs that can be purchased online. The list includes almost all the songs that were available for Rock Band, and more are being added almost weekly. Speaking of Rock Band songs, if you still have your Rock Band disc, and 400 MS points ($5) you can import all the on-disc songs from Rock Band to your memory unit to play on Rock Band 2. This option gives you an enormous library of song to rock out to!

Another big change to the game play is the added “special venues”. In these special events, you will randomly be given options to play at charity events, where you don’t receive any cash, but instead receive many more fans for doing it. There are also events where you play for private parties and the more “high society” croud, where you receive less fans, but much more money. You also have the option to not do these events, but there really isn’t a reason to turn them down.  For the younger, or more inexperienced crowd, there is also an option added called the “No Fail” mode. With this mode, the song doesn’t end no matter how poorly you play. This makes the game enjoyable to anyone that wants the feeling of rocking out in front of a crowd. There is also the drum trainer that helps you learn how to jam out on the drum set. There is even a freeform drum selection that will let you jam out to songs that you have saved onto your consoles hard drive. But don’t think that with a “No Fail” mode that Harmonix has went soft, the overall challenge is even more difficult than the first, so you may find expert to mean it even more than before.

The online play is even more seamless than it was before, and its also easier to find a band playing a song that you want to play. There are added contest that make it even more fun than Rock Band, which is hard to believe since it was near-perfect to begin with. The load time seems to be quicker as well, though that could be due to internet connections and server speed.

As far as the instruments are concerned, I have got the privilege of playing the new and improved guitar and drum kit. If you are happy with the instruments that you already have, then I don’t see a need to shell out bucks for  the new ones. Of course, if you are unhappy with the jello-like feel of the strum bar, or tired of waking the neighbors with the loudness that comes with pounding on the drum heads, then you will find the new instruments to be just what you are looking for. There is also a feature on the new drum kit for cymbals to add later, though no information has been released at the time of this writing. Oh yeah did I mention they are both wireless too. You can also purchase the instruments separately, with the wireless guitar costing you $69.99, and the wireless drum kit running at $89.99.

Of course, the game is not perfect, but it’s damn near. There is not a clear way of unlocking new songs, and you will notice the occasional repeat of songs throughout the game, which can become frustrating when you are given a song you dislike to play again and again. The story is almost the same, and the venues have not changed at all. They even appear the same.

Final verdict: I can’t think of a reason for anyone not to get this game. It’s a fun game that can be enjoyed either solo or with a room full of friends and family. And if you are already a fan of Rock Band, then Rock Band 2 is a must have for your collection.

 

-Sean Taylor