Rock Band 3 Review (DS)

Posted By Rollo T about 2 years, 7 months ago

Rock Band 3 Review (DS)

Rock Band 3 for the DS is a confusing, albeit interesting title. I hadn’t played Rock Band Unplugged or Lego Rock Band on the DS, so this experience was going to be all new to me. So, what was it like? Well, it wasn’t what I expected to say the least. From the gameplay, the track list, and even the experience I had, I can honestly say that Rock Band 3 surprised me—for better or worse.
 

 
So let’s get right into the meat of this game: the gameplay. Rock Band 3 carries on the growing trend of using specific timing to mimic playing the notes in a song, but unlike its console counterpart, Rock Band 3 on the DS doesn’t use any plastic instruments to give you the illusion you’re actually a rockstar. No, all four instruments are played without any additional medium instead using the DS’s D-Pad and face buttons to activate the notes as they scroll down the screen. The catch? All four instruments are played at once. Yes, you are in charge of managing the Bass, Drums, Vocals, and Guitar/Keyboard at the same time by switching between the tracks to keep all four playing at peak performance. This mechanic is a bizarre one to grasp.
 
Swapping between tracks is as easy as hitting the L or R button, but swapping between instruments is not the easiest task. As you switch from one track to the next the notes on the new track become active, so switching from Drums to Vocals could result in you missing a single note and thus killing the streaks you need to pass the songs at tougher levels. While you can see the notes coming down on the next track before you switch, it takes a lot of skill to flow seamlessly from one beat into another, and often times your proud x11 multiplier will be shattered just because you missed a single note on the switch.
 

Foreigner should be in every game soundtrack

 
The biggest problem with the gameplay is finding a way to escape into the game. With other “Hero” or “Rock Band” games this is as easy as clutching a plastic guitar or wailing on a sensor pad drum kit. With Rock Band 3 on the DS, there is no such advantage, and thus getting into the music is difficult. It feels as though an integral part of the experience is lost when you play Rock Band 3 without the fake guitars and drums. This is most apparent when playing with the game’s vocal tracks which play exactly the same as the instruments: you time button presses to match with the notes. However vocals in other rhythm games aren’t played by hitting notes but rather by matching pitch and lyrics. In Rock Band 3 the vocal tracks feel dull and lifeless; like the buttons you’re pressing have absolutely no relation to what you are hearing.

And yet, gameplay is still addictive. Call it a weakness, but I found myself enjoying the game. It’s simple to pick up and play, and there were tons of times where I found myself waiting for something for a few minutes so I would start up Rock Band 3 and play a quick song while I waited. Even if the vocal tracks are flawed, there’s still some enjoyment to be had with the drums, keyboard, and guitar tracks. However I would hope that you find the game addictive as the game’s “story” mode requires a healthy bit of grinding to advance. When you start the game up you create your virtual band and its members. Then you set off to complete Road Challenges to unlock the game’s version of achievements which when completed unlock new clothes and instruments for your band. The problem is that just completing a tour does not unlock the next one, and instead you may have to complete a Road Challenge two to three times a piece just to buff your score enough to move on to the next challenge.

RAD Episode 163-Rock Band 3

By Birdman

Birdman takes center stage in a game genre that suddenly seems endangered with our review of Rock Band 3.