It's called Rock Band and not Rock Soloist for a reason - you gotta do this with other people to truly appreciate it. There's something almost intangible about four people in the same room, jumping and screaming and saving each other from humiliation - and it's something that this game and this game alone enables. Part of the co-op game is working together and keeping an eye on your bandmates who might be struggling; your timely intervention can give them a boost and keep them in the game, or bring them back after they fail. Damned if you don't feel like you're actually making music - which is the developer's not-so-secret goal, but who'd have thought they'd pull it off? It makes GHIII feel like homework, a technical chore you have to do. Rock Band, meanwhile, feels downright inspiring.

As we've mentioned, the Wii version is more like the wimpier PS2 version thanks to a stripped down World Tour mode and the absence of both character customization, and any sort of online play or downloadable content.

The list of tracks skews toward classic rock - The Rolling Stones, Blue Oyster Cult, um, Mountain - for a total of 63 songs, most of which are original recordings from famous artists. That should keep you busy for awhile even without added downloadable songs - though our experience has shown that once you get through "Green Grass and High Tides" by the Outlaws, you'll probably never want to play, hear, or even think about it again. So effectively, it's 62 songs.

Expect this to be the hot holiday gift and party activity - playing rock and roll fantasy camp in your own living room is a thrill that can't be denied. The experience is well worth its $169 asking price (in the US, at least) and makes for one of the most rewarding co-op events you could ask for. This is the perfectly polished, logical extension of what Guitar Hero started and where the music genre needed to go. It's a real shame to see the Wii version stripped of some of the game's best features, but it still just flat-out rocks.

Jun 23, 2008