Rock Band 2

"Puts the 1st Rock Band to shame"

Intro: Rock Band 2 is the sequel to the original Rock Band, which was based on the concepts created by Guitar Hero. In case you've been living on a different planet for the past couple of years, Rock Band involves the use of special game controllers modeled after real instruments. You can play Bass, Guitar, Drums, or Sing. All the instruments bundled in the special edition bundle are wireless, barring the microphone, which uses a standard USB connection. However, instruments from the 1st Rock Band will work, along with ALL Guitar Hero instruments. In addition, any USB-compatible microphone can be used in place of the one bundled with the game.

Gameplay: 10/10 The premise is simple: colored notes stream down a virtual highway towards the screen. When a note reaches the bottom of the note highway, you hold the appropriate fret and strum the strum bar, or strike the right drum pad. For vocals, you sing the lyrics on time and hold the correct pitch. The gameplay is very deep and you can easily get hooked. As you play the game, you eventually move off the easy difficulty, and move up until you reach expert, which is designed to be as close to the actual note chart as possible. Playing by yourself is fun and all, but this game is meant to be played with other people, hence the name Rock Band. Once you start playing with other people, a new dimension of depth opens up as you work together with your bandmates. But what if you don't have friends? Well, unlike the first Rock Band, you can play with other people all over the world using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. And after you've exhausted the games 80+ song soundtrack (all original recordings), you can download new songs through the in-game music store using Wii points. This game is a game that you can come back to all the time, without ever getting bored.

Graphics: 10/10 By now, we're all used to the fact that the Wii can't render the same graphics as the Xbox 360 or PS3, but what is shown here is impressive nevertheless. To start, all the graphics are run in real-time with full character customization, unlike the first Rock Band. The same great Rock Band art style carries over to this version, as well. The graphics are both varied and technically taxing on the wii. There are almost 60 different venues to choose from, and most of them look strikingly similar to their Xbox and PS3 counterparts. My jaw dropped when I saw Wilshire Forum, and it positively disconnected from my face when I saw the Gorilla Dome. The character models and lighting effects are also very well done, and the presentation is second-to-none.

Sound/Music: 9/10 This is what everyone wants to know about a new Rock Band game: What are the songs? Rock Band 2 has you covered with 80+ master recordings. You will play along to the likes of Metallica, System of a Down, Survivor, and Bon Jovi. The songs are mixed very well, and have a certain amount of fidelity that can only be found in a master recording. After you get tired of the on-disc songs, you can visit the music store to download new tracks. The sound is also very well done. If you play good, the in-game crowd will cheer you on, but if you play badly, they will boo you off stage. My only complaint with the soundtrack is that not everyone will enjoy every song on the disc, but everyone should find a good amount of songs they will like. This is one of the best soundtracks in any music game.

Overall: 9/10 Rock Band 2 is a game that you will have fun playing form the 1st minute of gameplay. And you will have fun with it for months and months. But it doesn't stop there. Every time you have a party, or have friends over, this is the game that you will turn to for entertainment. Playing alone, this game could last you months, up until the next Rock Band game. But if you're playing with friends, this game will last you for years. This is a must-buy, and one of the best games of this generation.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 02/19/09

Game Release: Rock Band 2 (US, 12/18/08)