Hang on, this is going to cost a packet!
So far it all sounds pretty awesome, yeah? Well it is, but Rock band isn’t without a few flaws, the biggest one being actually getting hold of the game for a reasonable price. You see, over in the US, you can buy the Rock Band Special Edition pack. This gets you the drum kit, one guitar, the microphone and the game for USD$149.99. It’s even cheaper if you shop around a bit. But over here in the UK we’re getting stiffed as the ‘Band in a Box’ kit, giving you drums, mic and guitar and costing from £99 does not include the game, which is another £39.99.Looking on Amazon right now, they’re offering up a bundle deal of the Band in a Box and the game for £139.97, which is just about as a good a deal as you’ll find but you still need to lob an extra £59.98 on top for the second guitar. Now I don’t mind paying out for a second guitar, after all, that’s what I had to do for Guitar Hero, but how come we have to pay so much more than our US cousins?
Click for larger imageIf it weren’t for the fact that the Xbox 360 version is region locked, I’d be recommending you all go to videogamesplus.ca and import the US/Canadian Deluxe Edition, which will have the instrument pack and the game imported to your door for around £116… which is an option for all you PS3 users as currently Rock Band is region free on the PS3.
But there is some light at the end of this expensive tunnel in that Rock Band on the Xbox 360 is compatible with Guitar Hero guitars. So if you’ve already got the guitars, you’re set to go with Rock Band once you’ve bought just the game on its own. If you happen to own a USB microphone such as the one that comes with Boogie, you’re even more sorted as any USB mic will work with Rock Band too. Which just leaves you needed the drum kit. Sadly, there’s no getting around this one, you’re gonna have to fork out for it but a £69.99 dent in your wallet isn’t as bad, eh?
Click for larger imageThe thing is, without the drum kit and microphone, Rock Band is little more than Guitar Hero with a different set of tracks and a new set of stage outfits. In fact, it’s less than Guitar Hero as there’s no in-game store to buy new tracks from… you unlock the songs in career mode and that’s it. It’s the mic and drum kit that makes Rock Band stand out from Guitar Hero… so even if you’re not interested in singing and have the GH guitars, you’re still going to have to drop about £100 on Rock Band to get going.
So is it worth forking out for the proper Rock Band instruments? Well the drum kit gets a big yes, purely because without, you can’t play drums (duh!). But it goes deeper than that as drumming is possibly one of the most satisfying sections of Rock Band and, apart from singing, the only section where you can play with flair, add your own breaks and totally get into the role of a rock drummer (other than overdosing on hard drugs and drowning in your own vomit).
Click for larger imageThe Rock Band guitars are worthy of a mention here as the size and build quality is far, far better than the Guitar Hero guitars. Whilst not quite a full size guitar, they have a bit more weight to them, are a bit larger and feel less like a kids plastic toy than the GH guitars ever did. The action on the guitars is slightly different too with a far more positive ‘click’ to the fret buttons and slightly softer action on the strum bar… and of course there’s those finger-pick buttons up at the neck for small hands or just plain flashness as you slide from one set to another mid-solo… (which is bloody hard to do but looks brilliant if you pull it off).
And finally, the microphone: Well, it seems a solid enough build so far. I’ve done the Roger Daltry ‘microphone whirl’, the Stone Roses ‘drop and walk off’ and even the ‘stuff the mic into your gob and yell’ and so far mine is still working perfectly… even when one of the kids got too excited and accidentally kicked the wire, ripping the USB plug out of the PS3, everything still worked. So no complaints there then.
