Drum Hardware and Gameplay
The drums are easily the most anticipated aspect of Rock Band because we haven’t really seen anything like them as far as in videogames here in the US. Sure, we had Taiko Drum Master on the PS2 and the Donkey Konga games on GameCube, but we haven’t had a full drum kit yet. The Rock Band drum kit features four pads and a bass pedal and is fully adjustable to be any height you need. It comes we real wooden Ludwig drumsticks as well. Putting the set together is very easy and you probably won’t even need the instructions.Playing the drums is pretty similar to the guitar parts. The drum pads are red, yellow, blue, and green, and you just hit them when the notes scroll down the screen. The bass pedal is played when a full line is lit up, not just one note. All in all, playing the drums is fairly intuitive, and once you get used to your feet and your hands moving at different rhythms, they are very fun. You really feel like you are really playing, which is a great feeling. With the guitar, you are always aware that it is just a plastic videogame guitar. But the drums are pretty darn accurate to the real thing. And, in all seriousness, once you get to the hard and expert level difficulties, you could probably sit behind a real drum kit and play that song, which is very very cool.
The drums aren’t easy, however. Easy difficulty is mostly about keeping the rhythm and occasionally using the bass pedal. From there on, though, you are expected to use the bass and play some pretty intense stuff. Don’t expect to sit down and be an expert right away.
Singing Hardware and Gameplay
To sing, you can either use the included microphone, which is nice and heavy and seems to be fairly high quality, or you can just use any Xbox Live headsets you have around. No matter what microphone you use, though, you have to turn on a separate controller.
Getting the Old Band Back Together
Playing all of these instruments by yourself is fun, but Rock Band was designed to be played in a group. When you can bring a group of people together to play guitar, bass, drums, and sing, Rock Band is one of the most satisfying and fun party games ever. One of the best things about it is that people have a choice of what they want to do. Some people aren’t as good at guitar, so they can sing or play drums. Of course, since the difficulty of the guitar sections has been toned down a bit, it is a lot more accessible and appealing for many people than it might have been before. It is also quite funny and cool to see just how much a so-so drummer or slightly off bass player can throw everyone off. Just like in real life.The only problems with Rock Band, really, are that it just takes up too darn much space and that if you do have a full band playing, you’ll need to use the included USB hub. The USB hub has to be plugged into a power source, which if you are like me, you probably don’t have any available outlets around your entertainment center. The space issue won’t be a problem for some people, but if you live in an apartment or anywhere small, finding enough room for two guitarists to stand up (because you gotta stand to play!), a singer to be somewhere that they can actually see, and a ton of room for the drum kit plus a chair, is just a pain.
As far as the graphics go, you can’t really complain too much about how a music game looks. With that said, I would have to say that Rock Band is pretty bland looking. Sure, there are fireworks and special effects going off all over the stage, but the characters are just plain looking. Also, the small little rectangular onscreen note indicators are a bit harder to see than the circle in Guitar Hero.
Sound
Sound is incredibly important in a game like this, and Rock Band doesn’t disappoint. The soundtrack on the disc is excellent and the upcoming DLC looks to be very solid. It is also noteworthy how each instrument really makes a difference in the overall sound, and if someone is off it is pretty easy to tell. You’ll have to turn up your TV to hear everything, though, because the drums are LOUD.
Bottom Line
The ultimate question regarding Rock Band is whether or not it is worth the $170 price tag. I’d have to say: Yes. The drums along with the game are probably worth the price, but you also get a good microphone and Stratocaster guitar as well. Now, I’m not a fan of the Strat, but you’ll probably have friends that don’t know any better that will love it. If you don’t plan on playing with other people very often, getting the game by itself for $60 and then using your GH guitars is a solid way to go as well. You can then pick up the drums when they are available next year. Overall, Rock Band is absolutely worth picking up.
