Slog - Comments on Rock Band 2 Review http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review Rock Band 2 Harmonix/EA/MTV Games (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii) While trying out Rock Band 2, I've enjoyed not having to review it. It's the same basic concept as Rock Band 1, which was already Guitar Hero on steroids--two people on fake guitar/bass, one on a USB microphone, and one on a four-pad drum kit play along to popular rock songs from the '60s to today. Play songs to unlock more songs, along with trinkets for your virtual egotists. There are improvements, and I'll get to those, but by nature, RB2 is decidedly similar. New songs, same play. So I've... Copyright 2008 Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:55:45 -0800 Tue, 21 Oct 2008 15:04:52 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by bobcat come on Sam, that came out last month. You should be covering the awesomeness that is Saints Row 2 or Dead Space.

]]> bobcat http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179115 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179115 Games Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:59:27 -0800 Comment by Sam M. @1: The full bundle, along w/ the PS3 and Wii editions, saw release this week. I delayed the review to correspond with that. And I should point out that the Wii RB2 is significantly better than Wii RB1, which is to say, it's no longer crippled.

I'm too buried in games to get excited about Dead Space or GTA 4.5, though. Warhammer Online has proven far more fun than I could have ever expected, and Mother 3 is everything I'd hoped for and then some. Might be up there in my Game of the Year count...

But I'll try to sample Dead Space soon; everything about it at PAX seemed boring, but people keep insisting that there's something great there. I'm wary of what looks like yet-another-sci-fi-game, of course.

]]> Sam M. http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179135 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179135 Games Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:19:20 -0800 Comment by Sam M. Erm, scratch that bit about the Wii edition. That's coming out way later. Therefore, they still have time to prove my "better than Wii RB1" assumption wrong.

]]> Sam M. http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179151 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179151 Games Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:29:58 -0800 Comment by E You could purchase a REAL guitar and amp for nine dollars more than this game, and actually learn to play music, instead of this pretending...
Example: http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Squier-Stop-Dreaming-SE-Special-Pack-With-Squier-SP10-Amp?sku=513287

]]> E http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179153 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179153 Games Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:34:14 -0800 Comment by Dawgson I love it, but gosh darn, those drums are HARD!

]]> Dawgson http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179160 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179160 Games Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:42:16 -0800 Comment by w7ngman #4, ohmigosh, I've never heard that before.

I think I was most pleased with the new non-clicky pick on the guitars.

]]> w7ngman http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179167 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179167 Games Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:51:42 -0800 Comment by litlnemo The Wii version will have DLC, but it will be a long time before it has the selection that the other platforms have. 50 songs to start, I hear.

]]> litlnemo http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179186 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179186 Games Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:11:20 -0800 Comment by john waste of time. stop it, you'll hurt your throat.

]]> john http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179196 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179196 Games Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:21:53 -0800 Comment by Dominic Holden I love the idea of Rock Band but I only know, like, two songs. How long until they release Soul Band, Hip Hop Band, and Broadway Musical Band?

]]> Dominic Holden http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179198 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179198 Games Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:26:30 -0800 Comment by Joh Sam has a wonderful singing voice.

Also, if he's on drums, you're going to lose. He's jinxed!

]]> Joh http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179201 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179201 Games Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:29:13 -0800 Comment by bobcat Saints Row 2 is no GTA. It is the other way around, whereas GTA had a rigid storyline with a constant ringing of needy girls to date and dudes to go to strip clubs with, Saints2 has some real fun sidequests like FUZZ (a COPS ripoff) that has you enforcing the law in your own way - it even has the 'battle of the century' you need to break up: Pirates vs. Ninjas. The septic avenger subplot where you spray shit on people is fun as hell along with the one where you set yourself on fire and blow up as much stuff as you can.

The best aspect of SR2 is that it incorporates "The Godfather" game in it where you control turf, buy shops and have to protect it from rival gang invasions. Toss in co-op play and yeah anyway it kicks ass.

Mother3 is pretty fun, the translation is damn good. Reminds me of the dejap project from 2003 where I was able to play DragonQuests (http://www.dejap.com/projects.php)


Rock Band 2 was pretty satisfactory though - Good choices I wasn't impressed by the venue thing but if you want to get some achievements sing / bass / drum "So Whatcha Want".

]]> bobcat http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179204 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179204 Games Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:30:25 -0800 Comment by Levislade Rock Band is a better game than Guitar Hero, but their guitars (at least the 1.0 ones) are much, much worse. The fret buttons are much harder to press down in a rhythmic fashion.

]]> Levislade http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179234 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179234 Games Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:51:08 -0800 Comment by bobcat I use the Guitar Hero controller with Rock Band, went thru 2 of the Rock Band ones already - fuckers break too easy.

How fun is it to sing "Kickstart My Heart" by Motley Crue? "Aqualung" is another good one as well.

ok, back to Saints Row 2....

]]> bobcat http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179419 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179419 Games Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:25:38 -0800 Comment by alex Rock Band depresses me.

]]> alex http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179474 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1179474 Games Mon, 20 Oct 2008 23:06:03 -0800 Comment by a Agreed with #12 in regards to RB1, but I think you'll be pleased with the ones that are shipping with RB2.

]]> a http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1180033 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/rock_band_2_review#c1180033 Games Tue, 21 Oct 2008 15:04:52 -0800