TGV Review: Rock Band 3 — The only rhythm game you will ever need

Seriously. You will never need another rhythm game.

[Sidology]

This was probably the hardest review I've ever hard to write. I had to pull myself away from the game long enough to actually say something about it.

[MinionStarwind]

Sounds like thats the whole review. =P

[Sidology]

That's what I wanted to do, but I was sure I would lose credibility as a writer by doing so.

[borisfett]

I want this game so badly.

[TANUKI]

Wow, this game is doing crazy good. Congrats to Harmonix and EA.

[Sidology]

Anybody who bad-talks the game isn't looking at what's really important about it.

[DaBadGuy]

Kudos on the Empire-Death Star reference.

The AC/DC Live track pack is great and all, but I wish they would release the proper studio versions of songs, with Bon Scott doing Dirty Deeds, Highway to Hell, Jailbreak, Whole Lotta Rosie, etc. and Brian Johnson doing Thunderstruck, Shoot to Thrill, Hell's Bells, etc.

Nothing against Brian Johnson I love the stuff both of them have contributed to AC/DC, but Bon's songs are special because he made them so, and I wish they could get more than Let There Be Rock, but alas.

And besides, who the hell can match Brian Johnson's voice, I mean really? I tried on Thunderstruck on the Live track pack, I nearly tore a vocal chord and still couldn't match it.

[TheLastGuardian]

I love the setlist the new menu navigation, getting to learn keyboards is so fun and awesome. I just wish I didn't have to pay to export RB1 and 2.

[NMC2007]

So they added turntable support and Daft Punk songs?! AW SNAPEROOS!!! I don't bad talk Rock Band I just don't like the entire style of everything that has to do with Rock Band.

I hate everything created in the RB engine, from the charts to the frets to the visual style to the menus to the career to the HOPO setup of shrinking the frets to the slow version of hyperspeed and more.

The best thing about RB to me is the amount of songs they have and the types of clothing you have to customize your character, so judging by what you say in your last post here, tell me, what do I find really important? What is so important about RB? I thought it was me having fun and liking it but alas I am wrong and anyone who dislikes it.

*goes and plays DJ Hero 2*
The only rhythm game i'll need, pfft, i'm only responding to your hyperbole of a title and your last post in this comment section.

[Sidology]

I guess Rock Band is for people who love music. I'm a musician — I love music. I love what Harmonix have done for music. They've not only created a ground where popular artists can move material, but where up-and-coming artists can move material as well.

Harmonix are grounded in dedication to everything they do. It's not about just the game or the interface or what songs you can play, but it's about the idea that drives the game. It's where the game comes from.

Like I said in the review, Harmonix love music more than anything on this planet. Rock Band 3 is a labor of love more than it is a game.

DJ Hero 2 is not a labor of love. It is cobbled together to make money. Do Activision even support DJ Hero anymore? Not at all. Making the first game's DLC compatible isn't "supporting" the first game.

Harmonix continued to support Rock Band 1 well after Rock Band 2's release and only stopped supporting both games with new content solely because Rock Band 3's DLC would be a new ball game, incompatible with both previous iterations.

If the "amount of songs" and "types of clothing" are what's "best" to you about Rock Band, then you're focusing on the wrong things. What's important is the music itself, the community, the amount of time, care and support that goes into each individual song to make sure they're dutifully crafted to play just right. The hours and hours of time and energy creating the charts, then testing them, then going back to recreate them for PRO mode (if applicable).

What's so important about Rock Band? It's there in the review. It's absolutely blurring the line between a mere game and an actual real-world skill. That's what's important about Rock Band.

DJ Hero is never going to teach you how to be a DJ, no matter how fun it is to play, no matter how many hours you put into it. You'll look like a complete tool if you're like "HEY, I'M AN EXPERT IN DJ HERO, CHECK OUT THIS MIX" and try to scratch records.

This was a long-standing joke that Guitar Hero was the butt of for years. Now that Rock Band 3 is here, that joke doesn't really apply. "Play a real guitar," they would say. Well, now you can learn how and words are eaten.

And let's be real — with Daft Punk's popularity, it's a matter of months (maybe weeks) before they make their way to Rock Band 3. Added keys support only solidifies. Snoop Dogg is already available, so I don't see how Daft Punk is far-fetched. Maybe there won't be a turntable, but still.

Also, think of this: DJ Hero wouldn't even exist if it weren't for Harmonix.

[VenomProject]

^ What a BADASS.

/s

[Lich120]

Well ultimately what it boils down to is whether you like these kinds of games or not. However, you clearly don't like these games so why bother posting on something directed at people who already know they like these kinds of games?

[DaBadGuy]

The game has probably the greatest tracks in rhythm game history. And if you import your stuff from the past two games, you're on freaking easy street.

The Doors is just the beginning, there's Dire Straits, The Police, Queen, Foreigner, Ozzy, Jimi Hendrix, Def Leppard, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bob Marley, Whitesnake, The Who, James Brown, Joan Jett, Tom Petty, John Lennon, Elton John, Night Ranger, David Bowie, Huey Lewis, Warren Zevon, and that's not even all.

Bon Jovi Greatest Hits is coming Tuesday.

Billy Joel is coming in December, I think.

There is one, well, two huge pieces of the puzzle missing.

We got the Beatles.

Let's get to work on Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd.

The day that I can play The Wall from In The Flesh? to Outside the Wall nonstop will be a good day.

And I don't have to sell you on getting Led Zeppelin: Rock Band.

[Redempteur]

i have +280 songs ( including exports and dlcs ) and seriously ... you cannot ask for more varietty.

[JackBNimble]

I have around 750 but after a while I did get bored with RB2. My wife and kids love the game so I will be getting RB3 and my daughter is learning to play guitar , only problem is she is a lefty and I don't know if they are going to release a lefty fender (not the crappy plastic one).

Now when people dis you for playing RB and tell you to buy a real guitar you can make them eat their words.

[helrazor343]

what I want to know is, if I imported the RB1 playlist to RB2, is that file playable in RB3 or do I have to import from the 1st game again into RB3? Yeah I know I have to do it for RB2, but just wanted to know if the save for the RB1 would just load into 3 (I'm only asking cause I no longer have the 1st game, just 2 and 3).

[JackBNimble]

If its in your RB2 library then I don't think you need to worry. I'm guessing you got rid of RB1.

EDIT: rockband.com has all the answers

[CernaML]

I rented RB3 and all of my RB1 songs were in the game once I booted up RB3. No need to repurchase a key. :) You will need a key to transfer your RB2 songs into RB3 however.

[GiantJedi]

"The only rhythm game you will ever need"
That's what they said about the other ones

[CernaML]

Disagreed. I can't use my DJ Hero controller with it. :[

But yeah, the game is pretty awesome. I love all the new features and technical upgrades they made. Have you noticed that there are like... no loading screens anymore? Everything transitions so seamlessly. This is what you call a real sequel!