We're jammin'
If you've played any of the Rock Band titles, you'll already know how much fun it is to jam along to some top tunes with a bunch of friends. You'll also be aware of the floor space required for an entire Rock Band set-up.
There's certainly no way you could whip out an Xbox 360, a guitar and a drum kit on the train and have a quick bash. Which is why the arrival of Rock Band Unplugged on the PSP is so welcome.
Forming your band
Get stuck straight into World Tour mode and your first job will be to form your very own, four-person band. You select and name your band members, choose a logo and are then ready for the road. On your journey to the top, you can visit the shop to buy all sorts of outfits and equipment, to tailor your band to your own specific tastes.
Buy all sorts of outfits and equipment, to tailor your band to your own specific tastes.
However, in the end, it's all about the music. If you've not played a rhythm action game before, the idea is simple. Coloured blobs fall down the screen and represent the notes and rhythms that need to be played. When a blob hits a certain mark, you strum or bash your instrument. Get your timing and consistency right, and your sessions will be, literally, music to your ears. And the better you perform, the more success you'll experience, which will see your combo playing ever-bigger venues, earning loads of cash and acquiring an impressive road crew.
One man band
What makes Rock Band Unplugged different from other games in the series is that, rather than taking on a single instrument, you have to control the whole band. But don't panic, it's not as ridiculous as it sounds. You can select instruments using the shoulder buttons and then play along with one band member for a bit. Once he or she's playing nicely you can switch to another band member and concentrate on getting their performance right. It's a neat mechanism, but if you find it a bit daunting, there's always a warm-up mode in which you can concentrate on a single area of the performance and mess up as much as you like.
Thanks to the Rock Band Unplugged Music Store, you'll also be able to download additional tracks.
Most importantly, the track listing is fantastic. There are 41 songs available on the disc, including the Killers' Mr Brightside, Tenacious D's Rock Your Socks, Foo Fighters' Everlong, Pearl Jam's Alive and classic tracks from such veterans as The Police, Jethro Tull and The Who. And thanks to the Rock Band Unplugged Music Store, you'll also be able to download additional tracks. The only downside is that there's no multi-player mode, but maybe that's something we can look forward to in future releases.
GAME's Verdict
- Looks good.
- Design your own band.
- Control all instruments.
- Amazing track listing.
- Download additional tracks.
Review by: Simon 'Mark E. Smith' Kirrane
Version Tested: PSP
Review Published: 09.07.09