Rock Band 2 (Xbox 360)

GameSpot editors' review

• Reviewed by:
  Aaron Thomas
• Reviewed on: 09/16/2008
• Updated on: 09/17/2008
• Released on: 09/14/2008
• Originally published on GameSpot: Rock Band 2 (Xbox 360) Review

The first Rock Band revolutionized the way music games were played; however, its sequel is more of an evolutionary step forward. A huge song list and the ability to play World Tour mode online are the biggest attractions--very little else has changed. It's more of the same, but it's still awesome.

The gameplay you've come to know and love from the first game is intact in Rock Band 2. You can sing, play drums, guitar, or bass alone, or get three friends together and jam as a band. There are a few drum solos here and there (scored in the same way as guitar solos) and spoken-word parts seem to be more forgiving, but those are the only noticeable differences in the gameplay. RB2 is compatible with the instruments from the first game as well as the Guitar Hero 2 & 3 controllers. If you're in the market for new equipment, Harmonix has released a new guitar and drum kit that are now available as individual purchases. For more information on the new hardware, visit our reviews blog for hands-on impressions.

Rock Band was a great party game, but even on the lowest difficulty setting its learning curve could be daunting for some. Nothing would bring a jam session to a screeching halt like failing a song repeatedly because someone couldn't play the bass part on easy. That's no longer a problem thanks to the no-fail setting, which will let you continue rocking even if your band is so awful it makes Paris Hilton seem like a talented musician. Another tool designed to help newcomers (or experienced yet lousy) drummers is the drum trainer. This presents you with a series of progressively more complex beats that you'll need to be able to play to get through the game. It's a neat idea, but once you've gotten the basics down you're probably better off practicing actual songs in Practice mode than spending time with the drum trainer. The fill trainer, however, is more valuable. It teaches you a number of fills to use during gameplay. Not only will this spice up your fills so they'll sound good, but it will also help your bandmates stay with the beat because you're playing something that makes musical sense--not just banging away like some sort of rhythmically challenged kid playing with pots and pans.

The Rock Band 2 disc includes more than 80 songs encompassing a wide variety of bands and styles. The full track list is available here. Pearl Jam, The Who, AC/DC, Bob Dylan, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, and Smashing Pumpkins are among the game's better-known artists, but there are plenty of newer acts, such as Avenged Sevenfold, Interpol, Rise Against, and Paramore. The tracklist is generally quite good, but it's not always fun. The focus on niche artists and lesser-known cuts from popular artists will present a challenge for most singers since it's unlikely they'll know many of the tunes right off. How many folks can even name a tune other than "Whip It" from Devo? Yet, we get "Uncontrollable Urge" instead. Some songs, such as "Tangled up in Blue," "Hungry Like the Wolf," and "Bad Reputation" are simply too long to be enjoyable more than a few times. The ability to play shortened versions as you can in the SingStar karaoke games would have been welcome.

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