Rock Band 2 Review

By Tom Bramwell Published 8 October, 2008

Time to get back together.

Version tested: Xbox 360

Harmonix may have dragged us to the peak of novelty mountain with Rock Band and its drum kit, guitar and microphone combination, but as we all lay around at the top coming to terms with the thin air (and even thinner wallets), things became awkward. The Tour mode was offline-only, and effectively restricted you to playing the main mode only when your whole band was around, which is either dimwitted or conceited depending on your point of view. As for the instruments, the guitar strum bar was dreadful, the drums' foot-pedal was made of matchsticks, and in-game the lead guitar was too easy and the bass guitar too boring. Plus, of course, online play was limited to one-offs. And it rained.

In hindsight, it's amazing we liked it as much as we did, but the gameplay drove every player into self-absorbed rock fantasy, and with its cunning multi-part "Overdrive" sequences - where each player enacts a bonus modifier accumulated separately - and an interesting blend of rock sub-genres and eras, many bands found themselves in a shared zone of pitched concentration, where the notes and flourishes escaped through the fingers before conscious thoughts had time to catch up. Harmonix long ago mastered the way these games work - having the player react to prompts that descend from the top of the screen, with the exception of the vocal line, which owed more to SingStar and Karaoke Revolution - and had no difficulty articulating its vision on the screen.

For Rock Band 2, however, that wasn't going to be enough. Activision is fighting back with Guitar Hero: World Tour, due out next month with an array of - at least to our eyes and limited finger access - more impressive peripherals, a towering tracklist and a number of interesting new ideas, including a music studio. Rock Band 2 can't very well revolutionise its peripherals, so the core software has to be pitch perfect, eliminating every flaw, nailing the tracklist and offering up a few special surprises to justify a full game purchase to existing fans already partly sated by premium DLC downloads.

Of course, the fact the disc contains 84 songs - with 20 more promised as free DLC later this year - is a good start, and the selection is very agreeable, including a new single from Guns N' Roses, and classics from The Guess Who, Nirvana, Beck, Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fleetwood Mac, Duran Duran, Billy Idol, Bon Jovi, The Who, Steve Miller Band, Smashing Pumpkins and Bob Dylan. We didn't recognise all of the 84 by name, but many of them turned out to be songs we knew, or had heard, and it's hard to think of one that came up during gameplay that we disliked.

'Rock Band 2' Screenshot 1

The interface should be familiar by now, and the venue graphics are still quirky and stylish. The music video shoots are a bit strobey though.

In the original Tour mode in Rock Band 1, the band's vocalist was the one who suffered the most for a lack of musical knowledge, but, as well as physically swapping the microphone to somebody who does know the track, it's also possible to switch instruments in-game for Rock Band 2, allowing you to continue with your custom character and gamertag on a new toy, and while bands are owned by their creator's profile, you can access and play in them whether that's active or not. It can all still be a bit fiddly, but this is more to do with the way Xbox 360 is designed than anything.

Even so, it's clear Rock Band 2 has been designed to be more accessible. Another big benefit is that the main Tour mode, which unlocks all the songs, can be played through by a single player, so even if your band-mates aren't around - as seems likely some of the time - you can explore and experience the game's most charismatic content without them. With or without friends, you can move between a huge range of venues, with multiple songs open at any time and a load of mystery setlists to tackle. These also integrate DLC songs, and for a one-off fee of 400 Microsoft Points (GBP 3.40 / EUR 4.80) it's possible to import 55 songs from the original Rock Band, which will also appear in mystery lists, giving the Tour mode a potentially enormous soundtrack. And if for some reason you are on your own, now you can play on Xbox Live, either with friends or randomers.

Otherwise, Tour mode itself hasn't evolved particularly - you still work your way around the US with your custom characters, smiling at load screens with band-name bumper stickers and ticking off Achievements, and occasionally pausing to tackle a challenge posed by the developer, such as performing a random song as part of a 'video shoot', adding a drum-heavy song to your set to impress a potential sponsor, or gambling your earnings or the amount of fans you'll retain on your performance. Eventually you buy a jet and take off around the world, and this time you can hire people to support your band, who act as passive modifiers to your earnings and fanbase, among other things. There are minor irritations here (the occasional challenge claims it applies to a song and then spans five, multiplying success or failure rather unexpectedly), but it's generally sound.

The umbrella Tour mode also encompasses Challenges and Battle of the Bands elements. Challenges are increasingly difficult setlists with different themes and requirements - a bias towards bass, a two-member minimum, or a fondness for a particular artist - and these again take in DLC and imported songs, with more and more unlocked as you complete each. Battle of the Bands, meanwhile, pits you against groups from around the world, generating a comparable multiplayer score (even despite differences in band line-up depth) for your performance during a particular set. This can be played as often as you want, in order to try and ride up the leaderboard, and new BotB challenges are set daily. BotB challenges also make it impossible to fail by missing a bunch of notes, so everyone can reach the end of the song - and this "No Fail" modification is actually a toggle available as an extra for general play, along with a few unlockable others.

If that sounds a bit wimpy, you'll be pleased to hear that Rock Band fans who felt the original game's difficulty levels were out of whack are also appeased, with an "Expert" guitar level finally worthy of the name, while the bass is now an entertaining instrument to play (less flamboyant than lead, but more capable of driving you into the zone thanks to its escalating "Bass Groove" multiplier), and the drums are still thrilling, with a special Drum Trainer section (for which you can even drum along to your own MP3s) to help newcomers over the hump. Vocalists still have fun too. The scoring is a bit suspect here and there, but it's worth it for every time you get to sing "Livin' on a Prayer" or "White Wedding".

'Rock Band 2' Screenshot 2

The character customisation suite is okay, and the new Rock Shop is welcome, but it's a relatively pedestrian set of tools compared to other games from distributor EA.

Finally, then, we come to the new instruments, but at this stage they're not really in our thoughts - and not least because we couldn't import them in time. Having played with the new guitar at E3, we know the strum bar's better, but we still prefer the wireless Guitar Hero III controller, and the same event also gave us a sense of the quieter, wireless drum-set, with a new foot-pedal that's less likely to shatter at the first sign of a foot. We'll take a closer look at those when the game's out here.

What's most impressive about Rock Band 2, though, is that it doesn't have to trade on the novelty of new instruments this time. More or less every concern and complaint we had about the original game has been addressed, the new tracklist is very much to our taste (with 20 more free songs to come, remember), and with the rebalancing of difficulty, modes like Battle of the Bands and the No Fail modifier and Drum Trainer, Harmonix has completed the awkward job of broadening the game's appeal at both ends of the skill spectrum successfully. It's an excellent, measured sequel that should appeal to all.

9 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (73) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • KingOfIceland #1 3 years ago

    Is this actually coming out soon?

  • andywilkie35 #2 3 years ago

    I heard 21st of November but then that could just be a massive lie that I heard

    either way, I want this. I still play Rock Band pretty much everyday, too fucking good

  • andywilkie35 #3 3 years ago

    shame that they've made it a lot harder, I liked Rock Band because on expert for the most part it was still a challenge but at least I could enjoy it and get to the end of the song, unlike Guitar Hero III where it was just stupid.

  • woodnotes #4 3 years ago

    GHIII expert mode wasn't hard, it was just lame. They've even released DLC tracks that are literally impossible to play, so they have to patch them.

    That's what happens when you try to emulate what Harmonix invented.

  • StevilKnevil #5 3 years ago

    Love RB even though Im crap at it, will be getting this. When is it out EG?

  • jaluuk #6 3 years ago

    More of my money will still go on GHWT though - I like their drum set more.

  • yupyup #7 3 years ago

    The new Xbox ads airing in the UK say "Rock Band out now, Rock Band 2 out in November"

    Quite like the idea of drumming to my own mp3s.

  • kinky_mong #8 3 years ago

    Despite the fact that this is (rumoured to be) released in November at the same time as 7 other games I want, if it comes out at the same time as my November pay cheque and I can convince my housemate to chip in a bit I'm definitely getting it. The first one is far too good, so if the second one irons out all the faults then this will be amazing.

    Can't say I agree with the reviewers claim of a tracklist with no bad tunes (Living On a Prayer, the worst song ever unless you are a drunken idiot who frequents meat-market cheese clubs, is on there for fucks sake!) but if it only cost about £4 to get the tracks off of the first disc then there's no complaining here. Incidently does anyone know if you can do this on multiple machines with 1 disc?

  • actionfitz #9 3 years ago

    if they try to wallet-rape us Europeans again they can fuck right off.
    I see that for GHWT you can buy the game and 1 guitar... probably all I would need - fucked if i have space for huge peripherals about my flat. :/

  • That_Happy_Cat #10 3 years ago

    Thanks to all those (*%*&(%^( in the city, one copy of Rock Star is now worth more than my house.

  • myiagros #11 3 years ago

    PS3 version is available on import from the US on the 19th October. Region Free Gaming ftw.

    I get friends round for a couple of hours, once a week to play Rock Band. We all love it!!

    Hopefully the drum trainer will finaly get my foot going indepentantly of my hands.

  • MilkYMoO #12 3 years ago

    I wanna rock!.

  • Zomoniac #13 3 years ago

    More of my money will still go on GHWT though - I like their drum set more.

    Have you played it or are you wildly speculating?

  • SomaticSense #14 3 years ago

    Re: front page pic

    He's poking himself in the eye with the mic!?

  • nickthegun #15 3 years ago

    How much harder is the 'Expert' level? It was the perfect difficulty level for me on the original and I dont really want to drop back down to a slower, yet more artificially difficult Hard mode like on GH.

    Also, are the note charts still, arguably, more fun to play than the GH ones?

  • Beano #16 3 years ago

    "Where is the goddamn release date AAAAAAAAAGH"

    Yes... EG... give us a release date, goddammit !!!

    :)

  • Zomoniac #17 3 years ago

    Yes, how much harder is it? I finished GH1 and 2 on hard, got to the last block on 3 on hard and couldn't progress more than halfway on 2/3 on expert (got to BATM on 1 expert but never finished it). On RB I got all the way to GG&HT on expert (but never more than 94% through that track despite thousands of tries), and preferred it that way.

  • Garulon #18 3 years ago

    How can you review this without a release date EG? I mean thanks but is this a deliberate attempt to enrage me? Do Want!

  • 3william56 #19 3 years ago

    "and for a one-off fee of 400 Microsoft Points (GBP 3.40 / EUR 4.80) it's possible to import 55 songs from the original Rock Band, "

    Yeah, because they just don't have quite enough of your money. That's a stinker, right there.

  • jaluuk #20 3 years ago

    @Zomoniac I've played RB's drums and I prefer the look and the raised cymbals of GHWT, as well as the apparent difference in the way they work (I only have the interviews word for that though).

    Yes Rock Band's people talk about all the extra snap on bits they could do but that's guaranteed to cost extra. Best to get WT's instruments and then RB the game if all else fails.

  • sanctusmortis #21 3 years ago

    @3william56: 1 song = 160MSP, 55 = 400MSP, and you complain? It's a convenience thing: gaining 55 tracks for RB2 and being able to trade it in is pretty good, you ask me.

  • dr_faulk #22 3 years ago

    A nice Christmas present for myself, then.

  • Futaba #23 3 years ago

    what of that massive bug you reported the other day? And what was the Eurogamer band? Or did you review this purely on singleplayer? (º◇~)♭

  • polar #24 3 years ago

    The Rock Band 1 songs should automatically be free to those who've bought both games imo. I can't believe that being charged twice for the same content is a good thing for consumers given the amount of money that Rock Band and its peripherals cost in the first place.

    I think I'll wait for GHWT anyway - I much prefer the run-on notes. It actually made the complex guitar solos playable - something I found fun, instead of a chore. Has there been any change to the way the lead guitar plays other than the adjusted difficulty curve?

  • nickthegun #25 3 years ago

    I think they charge the fee because they have to relicense all the RB1 songs to use in RB2.

    They dont own the rights to use them for whatever they want, in perpetuity.

  • Feanor #26 3 years ago

    "That's what happens when you try to emulate what Harmonix invented."

    Guitar Freaks says hi.

  • Apologie #27 3 years ago

    this game and guitar hero are the most pointless games in history.... if you want to play guitar do it for real and not with a plastic 3 button piece of shit in your hands.

  • kinky_mong #28 3 years ago

    this game and guitar hero are the most pointless games in history.... if you want to play guitar do it for real and not with a plastic 3 button piece of shit in your hands.

    With that logic anyone who plays CoD4 is wasting their time and should join the army. When are you heading off to Iraq then?

  • stepneg #29 3 years ago

    @Apologie

    "this game and guitar hero are the most pointless games in history.... if you want to play guitar do it for real and not with a plastic 3 button piece of shit in your hands."

    Yeah and forget Counter Strike or COD4 just go postal in a local school or shopping center with an AK47, what about every sports game ever made just get out there and sign for Man U forget Fifa. What a stupid and pointless comment.

  • Waldo #30 3 years ago

    Didn't take long for the obligatory "If you want to play a guitar, buy a real guitar!" snob comment to get posted.

  • sharky_ob #31 3 years ago

    Apologie, as always your comments live up to your reputation. What's the matter, not being released on the PS3 soon enough for you?

    I play real guitar (bass first and foremost), and Rock Band is still amazing. I've actually learned some drumming skills from playing the first one, can't wait for this.

    Edit - for plurals
    Edited by 1 at 08/10/08 @ 15:11

  • yupyup #32 3 years ago

    Apologie, you have Fight Night 3 on your owned games list. Please take up boxing and get beaten to a pulp.

  • Garulon #33 3 years ago

    Or Pain (it's a PS3 exclusive of course he'll have it) and throw yourself under a bus.

  • Garulon #34 3 years ago

    Also, Rock Band isn't just guitar - drumming and singing are well, just like drumming and singing; it's just the guitar that's simplfiied. Because it's a game. Why do the "buy a real guitar" people make me so angry? Why do EG review a game and not tell us when it's coming out? Why isn't this out in the UK yet? WHY?

  • Garulon #35 3 years ago

    Is it to make me even more angry?

    I DEMAND AN ANSWER! Ragghh!

  • rumrum4444 #36 3 years ago



    AWESOME on the xbox360.


    On the ps3 not so good !


    .

  • Arwin #37 3 years ago

    There were some complaints though after some longer play experience in last week's Player One podcast, that I don't think I've seen return in this review. Among this is that during career mode there's a lot of random set-lists to deal with that can at times pick songs that are impossibly hard, songs you really hate, or worst, a combination of both. They suggested that you should be able to exlude certain songs from this mode if possible. They did mention that the drum-trainer is quite good.

    There's a big risk on importing the PS3 version though isn't there? Typically, DLC isn't region free, for some annoying reason, and so you need to be able to purchase DLC using a U.S. account from the U.S. store as well.

    I think I'm going for Guitar Hero and then use those instruments for Rock Band 2 whenever that comes out.

  • andywilkie35 #38 3 years ago

    "this game and guitar hero are the most pointless games in history.... if you want to play guitar do it for real and not with a plastic 3 button piece of shit in your hands."

    I personally am very accomplished at guitar, bass and piano, but this is still great fun if you get some mates together.

  • Goodfella #39 3 years ago

    ]AWESOME on the xbox360.


    On the ps3 not so good ![

    Oh God, it's that moron again.

    Funny though because technically it's better ont he PS3 due it having a wireless guitar.
    Edited by 1 at 08/10/08 @ 15:43

  • Rodafowa #40 3 years ago

    "and for a one-off fee of 400 Microsoft Points (GBP 3.40 / EUR 4.80) it's possible to import 55 songs from the original Rock Band, "

    Yeah, because they just don't have quite enough of your money. That's a stinker, right there.

    -

    The Rock Band 1 songs should automatically be free to those who've bought both games imo. I can't believe that being charged twice for the same content is a good thing for consumers given the amount of money that Rock Band and its peripherals cost in the first place.

    Bloody hell. Some people are never happy.

    All the RB songs ARE automatically free to those who've bought both games. In the same way that all the GH/2/3 songs are available to anyone who's bought all those games. Just, y'know. Put in the other disk.

    Personally, three quid to have all the songs nicely integrated into a tuned-and-tweaked whole? Unbelievable bargain, and hopefully it'll set a new standard going forward for any game of this type. If you don't agree, don't pay. Entirely up to you.

  • Rodafowa #41 3 years ago

    Among this is that during career mode there's a lot of random set-lists to deal with that can at times pick songs that are impossibly hard, songs you really hate, or worst, a combination of both. They suggested that you should be able to exlude certain songs from this mode if possible.
    This.

    The other feature I'm desperate for in RB3 - backing vocals. How groovy would that be?

  • patchbox360 #42 3 years ago

    glad for the 9 but should have got a 10, the more kids play virtual guitars the less they should actually play real ones, rock music dies, alls well that ends well

  • Garulon #43 3 years ago

    "Funny though because technically it's better ont he PS3 due it having a wireless guitar"

    360 version is wireless. All the controllers are wireless this time around, so not any more!

    Technically the 360 version is better because we get songs two days before you lot. Ha!

  • metalnut #44 3 years ago

    I still can't understand why people whine about the RB1 strum bar. I owned GH1-3 and have a GH3 Les Paul, and I still prefer the RB Strat. Sure the strum bar is weird at first, but it is *much* better for up & down strumming than the triangle shape on the Les Paul, and the ridges at the top & bottom of the neck buttons make orientation after quick slides much easier.

  • Goodfella #45 3 years ago

    Technically the 360 version is better because we get songs two days before you lot. Ha!

    Technically you don't because I have a 360 as well as a PS3 (and a Wii but I don't like to mention it).

    Anyway, my comment was in respect of Rockband, not Rockband 2.
    Edited by 1 at 08/10/08 @ 16:22

  • kinky_mong #46 3 years ago

    I was under the impression that both the PS3 and 360 releases of rawkband 2 had wireless guitars but wired drums.

    I thought all the peripherals were wireless for number 2, and I've read the drums drain the batteries quicker than a Game Gear. I'd much rather have a wired drum kit because it's not as if I'm going to be moving the kit all over the place while I do my Keith Moon impression.

  • Garulon #47 3 years ago

    "Technically you don't because I have a 360 as well as a PS3 (and a Wii but I don't like to mention it)."

    "Anyway, my comment was in respect of Rockband, not Rockband 2. "

    Huzzah for big stack-o-console guys :)

    Like all RIGHT THINKING PEOPLE I use the GH III X-plorer controller on the 360 anyway, as the RB1 strat is absolute cack and impossible to get Overdrive on, although as mine makes a funny noise when you shake it it could be mine being broken...

  • andromeda #48 3 years ago

    when oh when will these music games with their horrible graphics FUCK OFF!!

  • kangarootoo #49 3 years ago

    The opening paragraph struck many chords with me. I thought I was the only one having issues with various aspects of RockBand 1. Everyone else seems to think the note charts are great, but I found them repetative and pedestrian.

    And I'm not GH legend by any stretch, but I like a challenge. I can't quite comple GH3 on hard, and can five star only a handful of tracks on expert (some other tracks I fail within about 20 seconds on expert). I can't believe people are complaining about the expert mode of GH3 being tough. I mean, its the hardest setting of the game, and should therefore be rock hard for the majority of players. If everyone could finish the game on the hardest setting, it would hardly be expert mode would it?

    I for one am glad that RB2 is a bit harder. People shouldn't take it as a challenge to their manhood or anything (some people just seem annoyed that they can't beat the hardest setting, like the bloke in the gym determined to move the pin down the stack even if he splits discs in the process). Just see it as them shifting everything up one level, and quite rightly chucking away the frankly useless easiest setting. Lets face it, RB1 on medium was trivial and tedious, god knows what it was like on easy.

  • kangarootoo #50 3 years ago

    @andromeda

    Well they will fuck off out of your sight, as soon as you stop reading articles about them. I mean, durrr ;)

  • Futaba #51 3 years ago

    The graphics are fine, any time longer spent improving them would just be a waste of time and money.

  • Syrette #52 3 years ago

    Going to wait on the GHWT review before I decide on what to get. To be honest I reckon Guitar Hero beats it for features.

    Oh and I might actually need some money if I want to get it.

  • Chufty #53 3 years ago

    Should appeal to all? That there final line is a lie.

  • Nithron #54 3 years ago

    Interesting - if the guitar gameplay is genuinely more difficult and still fun, I may actually get it before it ends up in the bargain bins.

    I was totally put off Rock Band by the ridiculously easy guitar riffs. The drums were cool, but seriously, a large percentage of the guitar note charts consisted of just strumming the same note for an entire song.

    @flyingsupernerds: lol!
    Edited by 1 at 08/10/08 @ 18:17

  • Apologie #55 3 years ago

    choice number 1 - if you want to play something made for a 2 year old retarded individual, buy guitar hero or rock band... choice number 2- if you want to buy something for a 2 year old retarded indivudual not as expensive, buy thouse toys with 4-5 buttons that make stupid noises....

    and no, it's nothing like if you playing call of duty why dont you go to the army shit, call of duty is not played by pressing 4-5 buttons sequencially, it's not that retarded.

    Play real guitar or a real game... it's so much better and rewarding.

    the end...

  • Feanor #56 3 years ago

    Poor quality troll post there, not even slightly funny.

  • Chufty #57 3 years ago

    Er, I actually think people should learn to drive and play football (or other keep-fit sport). But that's a different argument.

    Yes, this won't appeal to everyone but let those people who do enjoy it do so without being called a retard.

  • Shakey_Jake33 #58 3 years ago

    Heaven forbid people have a bit of fun.

  • tufty #59 3 years ago

    It's great and all, especially with band mate roster flexibility. I do miss the Solo Tour progression through the tracks in tranches though.

  • Daikon #60 3 years ago

    Too bad the 360 version is region locked. Gamers in Asia are still waiting for the first one to come out...
    Guess I'll be getting the new Guitar Hero instead.

  • jogi #61 3 years ago

    Nithron wrote:

    "I was totally put off Rock Band by the ridiculously easy guitar riffs. The drums were cool, but seriously, a large percentage of the guitar note charts consisted of just strumming the same note for an entire song."

    Maybe you should try playing on expert?

  • curtlikesmeat #62 3 years ago

    I'm going to give this a miss. I'm not being a whiney git but the EU pricing for RB1 left a nasty taste and although I still got the original on release day I haven't forgotten.

    The tracklist is ok, looking through it I counted about 11 that really impressed me but there was a lot of filler and I certainly don't want to be buying new instruments again. I'll probably give these games a miss for 12-18 months and have a look again when the next round has been released.

    "including a new single from Guns N' Roses"

    lol, has Duke Nukem Forever been released too?

  • Garulon #63 3 years ago

    "and no, it's nothing like if you playing call of duty why dont you go to the army shit, call of duty is not played by pressing 4-5 buttons sequencially, it's not that retarded. "

    I play call of duty by moving the analogue sticks around and pressing some buttons. How do you play it?

  • curtlikesmeat #64 3 years ago

    Sorry for the spam but just to add:

    "73. The Offspring “Come Out & Play (Keep ‘em Separated)” 1990’s"

    They have a habit of picking good bands but shit songs, they should sort that. The Kids Aren't Alright would have been awesome.

  • kangarootoo #65 3 years ago

    @jogi

    I played RB1 on expert, and a whole bunch of songs are STILL very focussed around strum bar action, with the fret buttons getting very little attention other than the occasional chord change.

    I started on hard mode, and was 5 starring every song first time, some of which I had never even heard before. So I moved up to Expert, and that presented an "ok" challenge. Not ideal given that I have no further option when expert becomes trivial. And as I've said before I am NOT a GH wizard, just an average rhythm player who is also musical and has a decent sense of timing.

    I guess it comes down to the song choice, and some songs that are lots of fun to listen to not that athletic when it comes to the guitar work. I want to play songs that are interesting to listen to AND play, so I guess a balance has to be struck. For me, the balance was a bit off in RB. I should point out that I've not really played coop, and I would expect (I've certainly been advised to the same effect) that would be a lot more fun even if the songs themselves weren't chat challenging.


    Anyway, I'm going over old ground. RB2 is a bit tougher on expert, so hurrah.

  • andromeda #66 3 years ago

    @kangarootoo

    "Well they will fuck off out of your sight, as soon as you stop reading articles about them. I mean, durrr ;)"

    it's only by way of commenting within blogs like this that i can make my hatred of the genre known. Hopefully others will respond, sadly it looks like everyones been sucked in by this shit.

  • sharky_ob #67 3 years ago

    "I play call of duty by moving the analogue sticks around and pressing some buttons. How do you play it?"

    Maybe he uses the cock that's squarely mounted in the middle of his forehead?

  • sharky_ob #68 3 years ago

    @ andromeda

    It's got nothing to do with being 'sucked in'. I'm a musician, but I still enjoy Rock Band, what's the problem?

  • Zastai #69 3 years ago

    Important to note regarding the import of RB1 songs: the fee is only there because the songs for RB1 were licensed for use in RB1 only and extra licensing fees were required to make them available for the Rock Band platform (i.e. every future RB game). That's also why 3 songs were not taken across.
    Starting with RB2, all songs are licensed to the Rock Band platform, so they will be exportable _for free_ for use in the other games. Same goes for the AC/DC standalone track pack (out in December in Europe, for all platforms, lending credence to the November timeslot for RB2) - it's a RB game in its own right (albeit with a small tracklist), even with achievements/trophies, but the songs can be exported for use in RB2 (and RB1, not quite sure about that one) at no additional cost.

  • kangarootoo #70 3 years ago

    @andromeda

    Yeah, thats right. You are right, and everyone else has been "sucked in".

    Ooh, hang on, here is a zany theory. Maybe liking games is subjective? I know it sounds nuts, but it might just work.

    And "hatred"? Seriously. I don't hate a single genre of game. If you genuinely hate this sort of game, you need some anger management assistance.

  • Futaba #71 3 years ago

    Dear Apologie…

    Keep trying! :)

    @ andromeda

    Hatred of the genre... er okay, fine... But to criticise the graphics is just moronic. They're not even bad.

  • aphexstwin #72 3 years ago

    dunno what the rest of you think, but rb2 seems to me like a disk full of songs. meaning, surely they could have patched rb1 to get rid of flaws and add the tour to the online side of the game? those without tinternets wouldn't be missing out either. i feel theres other issues that have been ignored: the stupid placement of the drumfills on songs like run to the hills on hard (ie right before the iconic chorus opening fill) or, drums again, the horrid fill kit, why couldn't they have used original song-sampled kit sound for fills?

    but, i agree with those who find rb's charts dull, and those with strum bar foibles, its gh3 gibbo all the way.

    but im a drummer, i play drums on drums and cymbals on them round bronze things. thank god ghwt seems to have realised this. rb2's drums will suffer because of rb1 imo.

    (to add to comments earlier, play green grass or maiden in your coat, with the heating on, you'll get fit very quick and if you preorder ghwt from play the free controller is wired for 360, wireless for ps3. dont know about others, sorry)

  • curtlikesmeat #73 3 years ago

    "to add to comments earlier, play green grass or maiden in your coat, with the heating on, you'll get fit very quick"

    lol awesome advice there mate, I like it! :p

  • Blackthorned #74 3 years ago

    This is looking very tempting. I never bought the RB drum kick - just played the game with GH guitars and obviously missed out on a lot of the fun.

    Song list looks better than GH WT but I've still got a line in the sand on what I'll pay for a game and this is several miles over it.
    But with Christmas ahead…