When I first heard about Rock Band I thought it would be some cheap imitation of Guitar Hero. Upon learning more about though, I've changed my opinion. I doubt it will be too realistic and that the peripherals that come with it will last too much, given the pressure it takes to 'perform' one of the songs. The developers promise a large assortment of hits, plus additional 100 songs and full albums available on Marketplace. Looking at the screenshots, it looks a lot like Guitar Hero.

People, i.e. Xbox World 360's production editor Jem, argue that Guitar Hero is a waste of time; that players should just learn how to play the guitar instead. But when was the last time you recall someone picking up a guitar, cramming 60 notes' worth of lessons into one day and rocking out to Freebird's solo before the stroke of midnight? Didn't think so. But with Rock Band there's an even greater incentive to play - it will actually teach you the skills to play a real drum kit. Result!

The prototype drums we glimpsed were reassuringly sturdy - after all, you can't start bashing the hell out of something if it's held together with twine and glue. The mechanics are very similar to GHII, but here each drum is colour coded and the pedal acts as a fifth note.

teodortenchev via computerandvideogames.com »