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REVIEW
Rock Band Unplugged

Since Activision has actively deployed their EA strategy regarding music games (that is, cramming the shelves so full that no alternative is visible) it’s possible that Rock Band Unplugged could suffer some consumer neglect. In the spirit of discretion, I’ll confess that I really wasn’t looking forward to another portable adaption of a peripheral-based console music game. I absolutely loathe the DS iterations of Guitar Hero. I simply can’t understand why developers went to the trouble of designing finely crafted plastic instruments only to then work at shoehorning the experience onto a handheld, cramping our hands beyond acceptable levels.

With the genre becoming so overloaded this year, Rock Band Unplugged could appear as little more than another cash grab release rather than an earnest attempt at bringing a unique experience to the PSP. But considering the title comes from the studio responsible for building the foundation on which we all rock out today, in conjunction with Backbone Entertainment, I was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt.

It’s apparent fairly early into playing Rock Band Unplugged that there’s a crucial difference separating this release from Guitar Hero on the DS. There is no attempt to downsize the console experience, or awkwardly adapt it to the PSP. The game is directly reminiscent of the spirit that made Frequency and Amplitude so addictively popular on the PS2. It’s a nice bonus that the game can accomplish this goal while bringing several important elements from the Rock Band series along for the ride. Since “addictive” is a word heavy with rhetoric, I’ll add that I actually had to lend the game to someone else so that I’d stop playing it long enough to write this review.

The four “instrument” types players know from Rock Band are all present and visible while playing: drums, guitar, vocals, and bass. But the notes for each instrument track have been broken into segments referred to as phrases. These phrases can be played quickly and, assuming the notes are hit, the instrument will begin auto-playing long enough for the player to continue the same sequence for each additional instrument. Songs begin with a lead-in instrument to facilitate this idea, and the top left and right shoulder buttons are used to swiftly switch to the next track as upcoming phrases become visible. It sounds more complicated than it is. Rock Band veterans likely won’t need to spend more than a few minutes with the tutorial. The progression of phrase segments is always visible while focusing on the track at hand, which allows plenty of time for the switch. Whenever I did miss notes there was every opportunity for a frantic game of catch-up that took me deeper into the game rather than proving a frustration.

The four possible notes of each track are assigned in pairs to either side of the PSP – Up, Left, Triangle and Circle. Additionally there’s a reminder beneath the notes regarding the corresponding buttons. The nurturing learning curve of Rock Band is present, assigning only two notes to easy mode and then raising the complexity as expected from raising the difficulty levels afterward.

Other familiar elements from the series have crossed over to the PSP. Players can build overdrive power to either score more points or save failing band mates – saving one’s self in this case. Successive note patterns will score “band groove” as well. Furthermore, instrument solos are still a part of the game, and during these solos, the burden of the other instruments is temporally lifted. All of this is available through a Tour Mode that takes players through cities and gigs that require the player to take on new songs as well as the dexterity of back-to-back performances. Quick Play Mode is also available, and just as self-explanatory as ever.

Earning money through shows is a familiar priority, and gaining more fans plays an additional role in unlocking larger venues, gigs, and songs. Players can hire staff as the band progresses, which ranges from an early reliance on family members and touches upon the more entertaining stereotypes of the Rock ‘n’ Roll lifestyle – each staff member has different status abilities that affect the results of a performance. For instance, a slimy executive can score your band more money per show, but you’ll lose fans for selling out. Occasionally the game offers a gambling option prior to a show, allowing the player to double the amount of fans or money won should they meet expectations – play a five star performance to double your cash, but get 4 stars and gain nothing.

What grabbed me was how personal the game felt. There wasn’t any need to round up friends because the band belonged entirely to me. And as a result I spent an inane amount of time customizing my band – they happen to be called The Kinky Kittens in case you were curious.

The music selection for the game suits my tastes; the song selection includes tracks from Modest Mouse, Weezer, Pearl Jam, Siouxsie & the Banshees, and even the Jackson 5. But players can also access the music store via wifi to buy additional tracks online. The gameplay options have been further polished with a Warm-up Mode that allows players to use a single instrument and a Band Survival Mode where instrument auto-play is disabled and the player chooses their own path while trying to maintain the performance. The possibilities for some form of competitive interaction or online/ad-hoc play abound but are absent in this release, but the mind runs wild with potential solutions that could be added and it’s a feature that would have put this release over the top.

It really comes back to personalization serving as the key to creating an experience that the console version can’t offer. Clutching the PSP is inherently personal, creating a different relationship between the buttons and notes that comes across naturally. The intimacy of the controls never had me mourning the loss of the physical instruments. This response is owing to the fact that this is a return to the rhythm games we used to play before music and rhythm were separated as genres. With no reliance on other players, the game becomes something quite different while working to maximize performance scores. Switching between the instruments is a game all on its own, layered after the fact with the core mechanics that make Rock Band successful. The essential hurdle of delivering a game that could exist without the franchise, or reach gamers that haven’t played Rock Band is met, and Rock Band Unplugged emerges as a game with its own addictive properties and never comes across as a stripped-down fan game. In many ways it’s the spiritual sequel to those early PS2 experiments, and it’s been a long time coming.

Watch the trailer for Rock Band Unplugged »

Track Listing -

AFI – “Miss Murder”
All-American Rejects – “Move Along”
Audioslave – “Gasoline”
Black Tide – “Show Me the Way”
Freezepop – “Less Talk More Rokk”
Jimmy Eat World – “The Middle”
The Killers – “Mr. Brightside”
Lacuna Coil – “Our Truth”
Lamb of God – “Laid to Rest”
Modest Mouse – “Float On”
Queens of the Stone Age – “3′s and 7′s”
System of a Down – “Chop Suey!”
Tenacious D – “Rock Your Socks”
3 Doors Down – “Kryptonite”
Alice in Chains – “Would?”
Blink 182 – “What’s My Age Again”
Foo Fighters – “Everlong”
Judas Priest – “Painkiller”
Lit – “My Own Worst Enemy”
Lush – “De-Luxe”
Mighty Mighty Bosstones – “Where’d You Go?”
Nine Inch Nails – “The Perfect Drug”
Nirvana – “Drain You”
The Offspring – “Come Out and Play (Keep ‘em Separated)”
Pearl Jam – “Alive”
Smashing Pumpkins – “Today”
Social Distortion – “I Was Wrong”
Soundgarden – “Spoonman”
Weezer – “Buddy Holly”
Billy Idol – “White Wedding Part 1″
Bon Jovi – “Livin’ on a Prayer”
Dead Kennedys – “Holiday in Cambodia”
Motörhead – “Ace of Spades”
The Police – “Message in a Bottle”
Siouxsie & the Banshees – “The Killing Jar”
Boston – “More Than a Feeling”
Jackson 5 – “ABC”
Jethro Tull – “Aqualung”
Kansas – “Carry on Wayward Son
Rush – “The Trees”
The Who – “Pinball Wizard”

Posted in PSP, Reviews |