Rock Band 4

I’ve waited 5 years for this.

Ask anyone that knows me, and they’ll tell you that rhythm gaming has always been one of my passions. Ever since Guitar Hero 2 slammed onto the Xbox 360, I’ve been hooked ever since. Even when both series were drowning under the over-saturation of the genre that eventually killed it stone dead, I was always eager for more. When Rock Band finally called an end to its weekly DLC, effectively closing the series with some finality for the time, I was utterly disappointed. So much had been released, to the tune of nearly 2000 songs, and yet I felt that it shouldn't have ended like that.

And now they’re both back.

So what’s new, besides the soundtrack? Well, in terms of how much the game has to offer, it serves as a stripped down experience compared to Rock Band 3. Gone are the Road Challenges, or the many goals that tracked your every move. Instead, the game’s main career mode is closer to that of Rock Band 2’s World Tour Mode, where you will construct a band and go through the motions of bringing them from the local garage and into the national stadiums of the world. Along the way, you can make decisions that affect what kind of band you’re playing in. Choosing that RV will get you the fans much quicker, but that artist might offer you up some nice new clothing options. Overall they don’t have much impact on actual gameplay beyond changing the story (which is only told through text) and unlocking all the good stuff in the Rock Shop. Character customization has taken a big downgrade from Rock Band 3 however, with very little in the way of options to set your character apart from the rest.

When actually performing the music, however, they are a few new features to notice that are especially geared towards the newcomers or more casual players who can’t blast everything on Expert. Guitar players will have the all new Freestyle Solos to play with, using simple cues and pre-designed riffs and licks that play in sync with the music, provided you play right. This is an excellent feature not just for people who want to play their own way, but is also fantastic for putting off learning those more extravagant solos. Suddenly, Slayer and DragonForce don’t look so intimidating. Drummers have the new Dynamic Fills, which give you one of a set of pre-made drum fills to play, allowing you some creativity outside of the boundaries of whatever you’re playing without needing the improvisation required in the old games, although that is still an option if you prefer. Lastly, vocalists are no longer chained to the precise pitches of each song; Freestyle Vocals allow you to sing at your own pitch, provided that you are in key with the song, thus easing the pressure when it’s a song that you’ve never heard before. Overall, these changes and additions make it easier than before to settle in to the band.

But while additions have been introduced, many removals have been made. The most alarming absence is of the game’s online functions and practice modes. Harmonix has explained that, in a past survey taken, these two features ranked among the lowest by fans, but honestly, I think that making a game purely around a marketing survey is a scary thought. Online is such a basic thing in this day and age that to see it gone is something that cannot be buried, and the loss of practice mode, such a fundamental feature for anyone looking to put a song to the grind and work towards a perfect combo, is also not understandable in the slightest. In my opinion, you should never remove something like that unless fans are explicitly stating that they DON’T want it, and the survey did not ask that at all. In Harmonix’s defence however, they have stated plainly that Rock Band 4 will serve as a platform, which they will seek to refine and improve over time thus negating the need for yearly releases. If this does hold true, then I make no bones about it; both online and practice mode MUST return.

The transition over to next-gen is also not a painless one, although compared to Guitar Hero Live, at least there is a transition. All of the official DLC from Rock Band 1, 2 and 3 will transfer over free of charge, provided that you have stayed in the same console family. (So all you PS4 owners that had the games on 360 are out of luck) Instruments are also compatible too save for the Keyboard, although Xbox One owners will need the currently very-hard-to-get Legacy Adaptor, and even then only the wireless stuff will work, leaving ION Drum and MIDI Drum owners out of luck for the time being, as Microsoft won’t let 360 controllers plug straight into their new console. Thanks, Microsoft…

The soundtrack is also a talking point. While it doesn’t feel or sound nearly as weak as Rock Band 3’s soundtrack did in its attempt to make the Keyboard feel at home, it still leaves something to be desired. Despite the debut of big names like U2 and Van Halen to the series, the game was made on a smaller than usual budget, and it shows in certain areas, along with the generous percentage of mainstream modern pop-rock in the soundtrack such as Mumford & Sons, and Imagine Dragons. Still, despite the soundtracks weaknesses (and its strong lack of punk) it is so much fun to play, and there is still a wide-reaching array of genres here. Not to mention the massive DLC library that has just about every artist you could ever want, and if the launch DLC is anything to go by, with tracks from Mastodon, Earth Wind & Fire, and BABYMETAL, Harmonix has not lost its magic touch when it comes to picking the best tracks to play, rather than being a vehicle for artists to advertise their music.

Overall, Rock Band 4, despite its faults, is still Rock Band through and through. And make no mistake, it is a good game, and worth it if you can afford it. However, it is a little off from being a great Rock Band game, but if Harmonix is genuine on their wishes to make this a platform that they can build on, then I hope they can do some great things with this game, not just with the soundtrack. Online mode would be a great start. For now though, I’m content to rock with my local friends. For now…