Whatever mode you're playing in, or whatever instrument you're using, Rock Band is at its best when you have a full four man band all together in a single room. As the four of you get into a song and really start hitting your notes, there's a sense of satisfaction in the air that easily surpasses anything you've experienced before in a music rhythm game. Before you know it both guitar (lead and bass) players are tapping their feet and bobbing their heads while the drummer begins to pound those pads with increased accuracy and enthusiasm. You'll notice that the vocalist abandons all feelings of shyness and their voice, for better or worse, grows bold and powerful. You can't help but catch a glimpse of just how awesome it must be to be in a real rock band. The true magic of Rock Band is addictive, and we've spent more hours than we dare admit crammed into a basement staring down scrolling note charts and keeping time with one another. We really can't deny that Rock Band has lived up to everything Harmonix promised it would be.

There really is plenty to gush about when it comes to Rock Band, but suffice it to say that with the various game modes, a great soundtrack, downloadable content, replay factor, and just overall addictive quality beg more description than we can fit into the space we're allotted here.

What's Not
Despite the fact that Rock Band met nearly all our expectations, there are still some issues that are worth noting. First of all, there is a valid concern about the reliability of the guitar controller. Our guitar lasted about ten hours before reliability issues began to crop up and maybe another five before it became almost entirely unplayable. To EA and Harmonix's credit, however, we were given a replacement guitar in about two days. As of the time of writing, we haven't had any problems with the replacement guitar, which has seen another fifteen hours of play time. Yeah, we've played the game that much. Thankfully there haven't been any problems with either the microphone or the drums.

Another issue is with the fact that on the 360 version of the game you need a powered USB hub in able to connect all four controllers. The hub comes with the game, but it would be nice to have fully wireless instruments or not to have a free outlet for the hub itself. This may be a total non-issue for some, but we had to unplug something else to make room for the hub when it was being used.

From a gameplay standpoint there aren't many red flags, but at times it's obvious that certain songs cater quite heavily to one instrument while sacrificing the experience to be had with another. Songs like Coheed and Cambria's track on the game are heavily geared toward the guitar while the bassist is doomed to repetition for a solid five minutes. This problem is kind of rare, but it does get noticed from time to time. Across the entirety of either the Solo or World Tours, however, each member of the band will be given their opportunity to shine.

Final Word
Rock Band may not be the type of game that defines a generation, but it's definitely the kind of game that raises the bar in its respective genre. After spending some quality time in Rock Band's multiplayer modes, it's tough to deny the greatness of the game and the fact that a new pinnacle in rhythm gaming has been reached. For those a little apprehensive about the drumming or singing portions of the game, you really owe to yourselves to check your inhibitions at the door and give Rock Band a complete effort. We don't hesitate to give Rock Band a very strong and confident recommendation for any fan of music/rhythm gameplay.