Hands-on review: Rock Band 2

At last, Rock Band 2 (the game, not just the instruments) has arrived. I've already covered the instruments a bit... but now I've been using them to jam all day with the new code. At last, here are some thoughts on how this game compares to the other rhythm games on the market. (Short version: It rocks!)

Harmonix didn't reinvent the wheel with Rock Band 2. It's largely the same game you know and love, just with better instruments, more (and arguably better) songs, and some moderate improvements and interesting changes to the gameplay.

The biggest change you'll notice is that solo mode, as you've known it since the original Guitar Hero, is gone. No more cranking through a static list of songs. Now if you want to play by yourself, you create a band, and jam alone through the multiplayer tour mode that you remember from the original Rock Band. As a "band" you can switch instruments, add new players (even pick up folks from online), and change things around as often as you like. It's like a digital version of Yes.

In Rock Band 1 your band was tied to a character: In my band, you had to have the same drummer play every song, and at least one other character (didn't matter who) joining in. Now, anyone can play in the band, any time, on any instrument (characters can finally swap instruments instead of being tied to a single one now), which makes it so much easier to just pick up and play while still advancing your band's "career."

Some new game modes are also available if static touring bores you: The "No Fail" mode is going to be much appreciated by many players who have no sense of rhythm. With No Fail turned on, you guessed it, you simply can't fail out of a track (though you can't save games or earn achievements while you have it on). More interestingly, players tired of merely touring will probably dig the new Battle of the Bands mini-sets that Rock Band 2 throws at you. Reportedly there will be a new one every day, each one featuring some odd theme (metal, bass challenges, etc.) and with leaderboards tracked in real time. (If you're the kind of guy that regularly gold-stars songs on expert, you'll be spending a lot of time here to earn bragging rights.) There's also yet another playing mode, which offers a series of "tour challenges" that you must pass in order to reach... another challenge. It's sort of a cross between a standard single-player mode and the new world tour. Interesting, and I need to spend more time exploring them (though they can be quite time-consuming).

Of course, that's the real goal here: Rock Band 2 has so much content out of the box that you'll spend months (maybe a year) exploring it all. (The goal is obviously to keep you busy until Rock Band 3!) To the 84 songs on the disc, add in your songs from Rock Band 1 (exporting them takes about 10 minutes, one time only) and your previously downloaded bonus content, and the 20 extra songs you'll be able to download for free at a later point in time (the code is included with the game, but the songs aren't ready yet), and... wow, that's a whole lot of music that you can jam through time and time again.

I have a feeling productivity is about to plummet around here, as I've just scratched the surface of the game and have miles to go before I gently weep. Sorry, boss!