I always loved the Rockband games. In fact, they were some of the first games that I picked up with I first bought my Xbox 360. I played everything, whether Rockband or the other titles, even some really weird zombie killing guitar game. All of them were fun, although some were just downright stupid hard.
As I transitioned to the Xbox One a year or so ago, I was sorely disappointed to see that none of the music based games were going to be on the new platforms. Then I got great news that Harmonix and Mad Catz had teamed up to take over Rock Band and release Rock Band 4 for the current gen platforms. I received my Band-in-a-Box set plus an extra guitar and started jamming.
Rock Band was one of the first games that purchased for my Xbox 360, so I was excited to try this new edition. So, let’s get right to the review.
The Basics
The tutorial is very solid for the guitar. What was lacking was a tutorial for the drums or the mic. I know that most of that was pretty basic, but I could not figure out how to activate the star power on the drums and the mic I only knew from memory, making a loud noise when you see a sparkly gold section appear in the text line. Otherwise, gameplay is very similar to previous versions. Notes come down the highway, they are colored to match the buttons on the guitar, and you tilt the neck up when you have enough star power and want to activate it.
Solos
There were some improvements in this new version when it comes to solos. As a solo comes on, there are several ways to play and the addition of using feedback to gain bonus points. Very cool. Also, you can strum once and then just hit the buttons in an almost keyboard like way to make some sweet bank in the score department.
Getting the Band Back Together
One of the most fun features of Rock Band 4 is creating a band and customizing your characters. From crazy hair to skin-tight clothes, Rock Band 4 has everything you need to make your band what you want it to be. Multiple tour decision points also add to the replayability of the game by allowing you to choose between gaining fans, earning major bucks, or getting cool clothes and equipment.
And the multiplayer functionality is another great bonus with this game. I love playing with my whole family. One of my daughters is amazing with the drums, I play guitar, my wife plays bass, and my other two daughters fight over who will sing. My two boys couldn’t care less most of the time. But, all of us playing and having fun with this game makes it a 5-star selection for my games list.
An amazing music catalog and the promise of more additions throughout the coming year make this one of my top picks for a family game.
You can find out more about this game from Harmonix.
