Rocksmith

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 62 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 52 out of 62
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 62
  3. Negative: 6 out of 62
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  1. GamingMarvel
    Oct 18, 2011
    10
    I have played for about 3 hrs so far on this game and I am quite impressed. It starts you off very slowly but lets you learn/progress at your own pace very easily. The game includes something called a Guitarcade that turns tedious exercises (like fret work and scales) into something enjoyable and fun. The dynamic difficulty is VERY cool as well. I found that I thought I had a song down andI have played for about 3 hrs so far on this game and I am quite impressed. It starts you off very slowly but lets you learn/progress at your own pace very easily. The game includes something called a Guitarcade that turns tedious exercises (like fret work and scales) into something enjoyable and fun. The dynamic difficulty is VERY cool as well. I found that I thought I had a song down and then it'd start adding notes it previously let out, and if I couldn't get it they backed off a tad so I didn't feel like a complete failure. The game also has an amp mode. This mode allows you to sue unlocked pedals, amps, and cabinets in a variety of manners, all of which sound amazing. The game (in my opinion) is well worth the buy for some one looking for a tool to learn guitar better, for some one liking guitar hero-esque gameplay, or even for a budding musician who just wants to use the game for the amp effects on his recording. Overall WELL worth the buy.… Expand
  2. grendelpoots
    Oct 18, 2011
    10
    Put in 4 hours and I'm really impressed. Tons of fun and great for learning/practice. Decent song choices, excellent mini games, and oodles of tone customization. Once you set it up as described in the insert included in the game, the lag is minimal and doesn't really detract from the experience. If you have a guitar and like to play/want to improve, this product will not disappoint you.
  3. mojeda
    Oct 18, 2011
    10
    rocksmith is less of a game and more like a solid, guitar teaching software. it works great and after playing it a couple of hours last night and all day today i am loving it!! i will admit that i did have some prior guitar lessons though ive never seen myself skilled in any way. the software truly adapts to your skill set and level and smoothly adds more notes and techniques through outrocksmith is less of a game and more like a solid, guitar teaching software. it works great and after playing it a couple of hours last night and all day today i am loving it!! i will admit that i did have some prior guitar lessons though ive never seen myself skilled in any way. the software truly adapts to your skill set and level and smoothly adds more notes and techniques through out the course of the "campaign".i can tell already that if you stick with the lesson plan and practice daily your skills will improve. i recommend this for everyone seeking a different way to learn guitar.… Expand
  4. musstang62
    Oct 18, 2011
    9
    Played the game for a few hours last night, and it has definitely exceeded my expectations. I've been casually playing guitar for about 4 years now and I'm pretty decent at it. Most of the tutorials and challenges that are in place, I can finish on the first try without any trouble. That being said, I'm glad that this game is heavily tailored for beginners early on because it should makePlayed the game for a few hours last night, and it has definitely exceeded my expectations. I've been casually playing guitar for about 4 years now and I'm pretty decent at it. Most of the tutorials and challenges that are in place, I can finish on the first try without any trouble. That being said, I'm glad that this game is heavily tailored for beginners early on because it should make the game much more accessible. That and the note highway will take a few songs to get used to. Though I am pretty decent at guitar already, even after playing for just a few hours, I feel like I have improved at playing guitar. Probably the biggest improvement has been my knowledge of the fretboard, it's good to be able to shift without looking and hit the right notes clean. I'd say I'm also improving a bit on string accuracy. This really impressed me since I didn't really expect to improve much from playing the game, I just wanted to learn some songs without reading through a f***ing tab again. In my opinion, rocksmith outguns guitar hero or rock band in all of its gameplay elements AND actually teaches/improves guitar skills. The only reason I am not giving this game an emphatic 10 is because I wish the song list had a bit more metal or hard rock. That being said, don't let that deter you from buying this game, it is well worth the money. And future dlc will probably fix any issues with the song list, I'd shell out 10 bucks for a few tracks. Saves you a lot of time compared to learning the songs by tab. Also, fair warning, if you get this, don't play any of the guitarcade games. You will become crack addicted to them and be unable to stop playing. Seriously, it's like a collection of heterosexual wii games, you won't put down the guitar until your body demands it.… Expand
  5. biscuitstix
    Oct 18, 2011
    9
    Basically takes all the stuff you have to do to practice...and takes away the boring, you will get faster, clearer, and just plain better at guitar. Only problem i have with it is i would like to be able to select the difficulty, but it doesn't really affect the experience. Honestly this is worth it just to hook the sound up to your amp and use all the affects pedals that would costBasically takes all the stuff you have to do to practice...and takes away the boring, you will get faster, clearer, and just plain better at guitar. Only problem i have with it is i would like to be able to select the difficulty, but it doesn't really affect the experience. Honestly this is worth it just to hook the sound up to your amp and use all the affects pedals that would cost hundreds outside of the game… Expand
  6. Akuto
    Oct 23, 2011
    8
    A few days ago, I bought the game I'd been waiting for all my life. At first, I was a bit put off by the very specific hardware setup required to ensure accuracy. However, after some time alone with this beauty, I've come to love it more than I had ever expected. To be honest, the track list isn't all that impressive, and the game doesn't promote creativity per se, but more than ever IA few days ago, I bought the game I'd been waiting for all my life. At first, I was a bit put off by the very specific hardware setup required to ensure accuracy. However, after some time alone with this beauty, I've come to love it more than I had ever expected. To be honest, the track list isn't all that impressive, and the game doesn't promote creativity per se, but more than ever I find myself picking up my old Les Paul to really put some time into playing, which is rare since I don't have musician friends to jam with. More than anything, I feel this will help budding guitarists who pluck around a bit as it is to motivate themselves to play full songs by placing them in the position of guitarist with a band around them. Not to mention there's just something truly fun about fighting zombies using a guitar (and not as a melee weapon for once.)… Expand
  7. LP68CA
    Oct 20, 2011
    9
    Do yourself a favor: ignore that tossed-off Joystiq review and recompute. Rocksmith gets your fingers up off the couch and gets you playing. It doesn't teach you theory. You won't know what key you're playing in, what note you're sounding, why that chord you played is an E major and all of that (very important stuff), but it gets you PLAYING. You're making music. You're moving yourDo yourself a favor: ignore that tossed-off Joystiq review and recompute. Rocksmith gets your fingers up off the couch and gets you playing. It doesn't teach you theory. You won't know what key you're playing in, what note you're sounding, why that chord you played is an E major and all of that (very important stuff), but it gets you PLAYING. You're making music. You're moving your fingers, building up finger independence, getting experience at picking/strumming notes on the appropriate frets and strings, working on your timing, building familiarity with the fretboard. You're getting a real workout. It might not be as technical as those dusty old Guitar Magazine tabs from some 80's hair-band guitarist that your instructor gives you for homework, but at least it's fun to practice. Like anti-depressants and psychotherapy, Rocksmith and a good guitar teacher together are a much more effective in combination than taken alone, but at least the game gets you started and motivated. Realize that what you're getting when you buy Rocksmith is a practice aid and not a guitar teacher, and you'll be happy with your purchase. A quick note on the exercises in game: Rocksmith contains something like a glossary of guitar techniques, with videos and skills challenges for practicing them, and some of the mini-games reinforce these techniques. Other mini-games give you practice at scales, chords, speed-building, etc. There are very short videos that cover things like how to hold the pick and the guitar, how to string the guitar, etc. Tips: to reduce lag, use analog audio connections from your PC or console to your stereo, digital induces lag. And if you're a beginning guitarist, the highlighted section of the 'noteway' indicates where you should place all 4 of your fingers on the fretboard, your index finger should play the lowest numbered note, and your pinky the highest. This is proper technique that the game does not explain, and it should, as it essential to playing many phrases of the songs, and building your speed. Good luck.… Expand
  8. Unkemptwolf
    Oct 19, 2011
    10
    TL;DR - This is not an advanced RBGH, its a guitar learning tool. It takes a little patience to learn guitar. If you're a gamer who wants to learn how to play guitar, then this game is for you. If you're already good at guitar, or you just want a harder GHRB, you should probably take a pass. For those who put in the effort though, this game is both rewarding and fun!

    I see a lot of    TL;DR - This is not an advanced RBGH, its a guitar learning tool. It takes a little patience to learn guitar. If you're a gamer who wants to learn how to play guitar, then this game is for you. If you're already good at guitar, or you just want a harder GHRB, you should probably take a pass. For those who put in the effort though, this game is both rewarding and fun!

    I see a lot of reviews for this game that fall into two categories: people that expect this to be like RBGH but harder, and people who already know how to play guitar and want to shake their cane at the game and tell it to get off their lawn. Lets be clear: this is a guitar learning tool as much or more than it is a game. If that doesn't sound like something you want to play, then this isn't for you. If you're a gamer who wants to learn to play guitar and have fun in the process, go buy it right now.

    I've been a casual player for over 15 years now but being self taught I am, by my own admission, terrible. I know some chords, a few riffs, but guitar doesn't come naturally to me like it does to some people. Lessons are expensive, and I don't have time for them anyway. With that in mind I thought Rocksmith seemed like the perfect way for me to learn. I couldn't have been more right.

    I learned more in three hours of playing Rocksmith last night than in my last year of self teaching. Not only that, but I had fun doing it.

    The songs are great, you can pick out a style for each one: chords, single notes, or combos (not all styles are in all songs). After going through the tutorial I loaded up House of the Rising Sun and played through all the chords, followed by Vasoline in single notes. It was awesome to see the game scale up as I learned parts of the songs, and then scale back down when I was over my head. I always felt like I was improving, but never wanted to quit out of frustration.

    I also tried the minigames. Dawn of the Chordead (chord practice) was great fun, you have to play the right chords to keep yourself from being attacked by zombies. I picked up a couple of chords I didn't know, and got to kill zombies in the process! I also tried out Ducks (fretting practice) which was very addicting. Honestly, that game would be fun even if it wasn't teaching a skill.

    My only complaint is that there isn't any gear unlocked in amp mode by default. It would've been nice to have a basic setup out of the box, but its a minor issue.

    All in all: if you're a gamer who wants to learn guitar but cant afford or don't have time for lessons then Rocksmith is defiantly for you.    … Expand
  9. NurseYoda
    Oct 19, 2011
    9
    Rocksmith is pretty amazing. I have been playing guitar for about 20 years and I can tell you that this is a must-have title for anyone who loves rock and guitars. The learning curve is great, and the adaptive difficulty is amazing. The fact that you rehearse songs and it throws more at you as you get better at the song is JUST LIKE LEARNING FOR REAL...thats because YOU ARE learning toRocksmith is pretty amazing. I have been playing guitar for about 20 years and I can tell you that this is a must-have title for anyone who loves rock and guitars. The learning curve is great, and the adaptive difficulty is amazing. The fact that you rehearse songs and it throws more at you as you get better at the song is JUST LIKE LEARNING FOR REAL...thats because YOU ARE learning to play the guitar FOR REAL. Just a really amazing piece of technology. I have been jamming out with this for about 8 hours so far and can tell you that it is a much needed change of pace to my regular practice techniques. I love the mini-games, especially the scale runner. Rocksmith is a great tool for those who want to learn guitar, those who play already and just want to pick up some new techniques, and those experienced players who want a new way to practice. BEST MUSIC GAME EVER!!!… Expand
  10. Pantsman
    Oct 26, 2011
    10
    I can't help but give this a 10 since it came out of left field and exceeded all my expectations. If you want to learn to actually play a real guitar then this is an awesome, and fun, learning tool. I've owned a guitar since high school but never could bring myself to take lessons and books/videos always bored me and were hard to tell whether or not I was doing things right. This gameI can't help but give this a 10 since it came out of left field and exceeded all my expectations. If you want to learn to actually play a real guitar then this is an awesome, and fun, learning tool. I've owned a guitar since high school but never could bring myself to take lessons and books/videos always bored me and were hard to tell whether or not I was doing things right. This game solves all those problems in one swoop. The mini-games take the place of the boring drills to learn the string/fret locations, the game will only recognize what you are doing if you do it correctly (it is only going off the sound after all) and the dynamic difficulty works extremely well. I consistently find myself hitting 70-80% or so of the notes which to me says it's doing a dang good job of managing the difficulty to keep me challenged without overwhelming me. Kudos to the musicians and developers who worked on this. It really is incredible.… Expand
  11. sbkline
    Dec 15, 2011
    9
    Positive: My father played guitar when he was young, so as a kid I always wanted to learn. Got a guitar for my 15th birthday, (I'm 21 now). Never really got the hang of it, I tried learning from tabulator, and being self taught. Got me to loss interest in the instrument very quickly, since my father had lost his skills many years ago, he could not teach me much. I occasionally strummed itPositive: My father played guitar when he was young, so as a kid I always wanted to learn. Got a guitar for my 15th birthday, (I'm 21 now). Never really got the hang of it, I tried learning from tabulator, and being self taught. Got me to loss interest in the instrument very quickly, since my father had lost his skills many years ago, he could not teach me much. I occasionally strummed it ever once and a while but to no avail to learn anything. But here comes along rocksmith, and what's the best way to learn anything in the world?....Well you turn it into to a game of course. I found myself totally addicted to this game, that has an excellent learning curve mechanism, which allows a player to slowly build up to the full songs difficulty. If your a beginner, or now a little guitar it matches your skill level perfect. I let a roommate play it, he never touched a guitar in his life. Watching him struggle with his fingers, was very entertaining. However after a hour of playing, he improved drastically. He was able to use different fingers to play different frets quickly, unlike before where he was trying to use one finger (pointer) to play every note. The beauty of this game, is to take the boring repetition practice, that a guitar player needs, and makes it fun. I first I thought I couldn't learn a song from this game, I could only improve my hand skills. I was wrong, the drive to try to get 100,000 points or 100% on "I can't hear you" by dead whether. Made me play the song so much, that I had accident'y memorized the song, not perfect of course but it was better start than any other song i've tried to memorize. If you want a fun addicting game, pick up rocksmith, i promise you its well worth the money.

    Negatives: Not really much to say, Some tone issues, missing palm mutes can be annoying, there is some lag, but some of its not even noticeable. I was hoping for a recorder as well, while I'm playing open mode with the built in amp.    … Expand
  12. cegli
    Nov 27, 2011
    10
    Amazing game. I actually bought an xbox 360 just for this game. I was a novice guitarist (knew most basic chords, could read tabs slowly, knew a couple songs, didn't know any scales, etc.) and my guitar skills have improved so much since getting this game. I can now play about 15 songs from this game 100%, which would have taken me forever without it. It's getting easier and easier toAmazing game. I actually bought an xbox 360 just for this game. I was a novice guitarist (knew most basic chords, could read tabs slowly, knew a couple songs, didn't know any scales, etc.) and my guitar skills have improved so much since getting this game. I can now play about 15 songs from this game 100%, which would have taken me forever without it. It's getting easier and easier to sight read other songs on the game's interface, and I believe in the future I'll be able to mostly download a song on it and play it straight through. Plus it makes practicing scales fun, which if you've ever practiced scales before, you know is pretty crazy.

    You have to make sure you hook the audio cables up correctly, or you will get lag, which makes it tough. If you hook the cables up correctly (I use the digital out straight into my Z5500 logitech 5.1 system), there's no lag at all! If you hear people complaining about the lag, they have it hooked up incorrectly. The ability to play with all the amp effects/pedal and the ability to use my Z5500 system as an amp is worth the price of entry alone.

    My complaints would be: The menu interface is cumbersome, and practicing in riff-repeater mode you get 5 "lives". After that you have to wait through the loading/menu to retry again. I'm not sure why it doesn't just repeat forever until you quit. If you're a very advanced guitarist, you may get angry with how slow it advances you. There isn't a good way to just skip to maximum difficulty. This is fine if you're just trying to learn guitar, but if the reason you're getting this game is because you're already an expert and just want to rock out through each song really quick, you may be frustrated with how long it takes to unlock the full song.

    These negatives are not a huge deal, just stuff I hope to see improved in Rocksmith 2 (that I seriously hope comes out.)

    Oh, also this game helps you get better at guitar, which actually helps you get laid. How many games actually make you more attractive to the other sex :-P? Seriously though, check it out if you're interested in putting the time in to become a better guitarist.

    Hope this review is helpful!    … Expand
  13. icarus1080
    Oct 18, 2011
    10
    After just a few minutes of playing Rocksmith, you'll find that you don't even want to describe it as a game. Rocksmith is an amazing piece of guitar teaching software. It will literally hold your hand, and walk you through step by step how to perform the basics, enhance your techniques, and ultimately play every song in it's library with style and precision. The career mode isn't the mostAfter just a few minutes of playing Rocksmith, you'll find that you don't even want to describe it as a game. Rocksmith is an amazing piece of guitar teaching software. It will literally hold your hand, and walk you through step by step how to perform the basics, enhance your techniques, and ultimately play every song in it's library with style and precision. The career mode isn't the most flashy that we've seen in a guitar game, but all the elements that make it enjoyable are there, and doing well is extremely gratifying. Messing up is a unique learning experience, as you see the upcoming notes simplify before your eyes when the game's dynamic difficulty adjusts to your apparant skill, and something inside you musters even more determination to succeed next time. Aside from the career mode, you can browse almost the entire song library from the start, accessing different play options for each, such as the option to practice specific parts of a song that might be giving you trouble in performance. There are also challenges to complete relating to a vast array of guitar playing techniques, which you can also find in the individual song options, showing you what you need to be proficient in to perform it with mastery. Then there is the Guitarcade, a section of mini games that further test both your basic and advanced technique with puzzles, skill games and other creative and entertaining activities, all using the guitar as your controller. In amp editing mode, you can customize a rack of guitar pedals based on what you've unlocked in career mode, save multiple presets, and assign them to the face buttons of your Dualshock for quick effects changes during your rehearsal or performance. The only imperfection about Rocksmith is the minuscule latency in the sound of your guitar through the speakers, but even with more complex arrangements of notes at faster speeds we experienced no problem enjoying the game, feeling like things were in sync, or missing notes due to the barely noticeable lag. It's hardly worth mentioning at all, considering what amazing benefits this software offers to anyone who owns it. Rocksmith is a masterwork of educational software like nothing the world has ever seen. It is the Rosetta stone of guitar lessons. For $79 (plus your guitar), this is the best thing money can buy for an aspiring guitarist, or an experienced player looking to perfect their technique. If you spend time with Rocksmith, you WILL learn to play the guitar well, period.… Expand
  14. edjr
    Jan 3, 2012
    6
    Artist "Muse" song "unnatural selection" Fret numbers are wrong, I have to play this song down a fret compared to what is on screen, the arrow is on red 5, i have to play red 4..........any one else have this problem? this is as far as i have made it so far, just wondering if there are any other songs with this problem?
  15. shinhito
    Oct 19, 2011
    10
    This is an incredibly robust piece of gaming software. I use the world gaming loosely because this is a fully functional guitar teaching tool. If you are like me, and you have a hand-me down guitar and you've been meaning to start teaching yourself for years, then Rocksmith was pretty much tailor made for you and I. After I set down my guitar after my first session with the game and wasThis is an incredibly robust piece of gaming software. I use the world gaming loosely because this is a fully functional guitar teaching tool. If you are like me, and you have a hand-me down guitar and you've been meaning to start teaching yourself for years, then Rocksmith was pretty much tailor made for you and I. After I set down my guitar after my first session with the game and was making dinner, I just wanted to go back to my guitar. That sort of motivation and excitement that this game provides is priceless, and that combination of emotion is key when learning an new instrument.… Expand
  16. venom5150
    Oct 20, 2011
    9
    I dont get the review at 50%. At fifty percent, that review makes it out to be a horrible game. Far from that! I bought it day 1 and I cant put it down. I am not a very good guitar player (Horrible may be a better term) but I have been able to bring out my Strat and get into playing the guitar again. This is what I have been looking for for years and Rocksmith allows me to noI dont get the review at 50%. At fifty percent, that review makes it out to be a horrible game. Far from that! I bought it day 1 and I cant put it down. I am not a very good guitar player (Horrible may be a better term) but I have been able to bring out my Strat and get into playing the guitar again. This is what I have been looking for for years and Rocksmith allows me to no longer have to play with a plastic guitar. My main problem is with the song selection as I am not a fan of quite a few but I dont really care since I am enjoying how to play the guitar more that anything.… Expand
  17. Sandrick
    Aug 19, 2012
    10
    Got this yesterday and having a blast with it. You will wonder what all those guitar games were about before this... this actually has you learn something useful that you can enjoy long after the game ends.

    The track list is pretty good but definitely missing some much needed greats like ZZ Top and other classics. Still, a great learning tool and I cant suggest it enough!
  18. gazgg
    Oct 10, 2012
    9
    Been playing guitar for nearly 10 years and I wish something like this was available when I started learning. It makes a lot of the more tedious aspects of learning the instrument quite fun and encourages you to keep improving yourself. Even for someone like myself it's a great way to learn new songs and to brush up on a few things that I've never been that great at (learning chords,Been playing guitar for nearly 10 years and I wish something like this was available when I started learning. It makes a lot of the more tedious aspects of learning the instrument quite fun and encourages you to keep improving yourself. Even for someone like myself it's a great way to learn new songs and to brush up on a few things that I've never been that great at (learning chords, scales).

    Unfortunately the game is marred by some bad design choices. The menus are extremely unintuitive and user unfriendly, at times its like navigating a maze to try and find something that should be quite straightforward such as practicing a particular piece of a song. Once you navigate through the menus the loading times are quite long and you are forced to check your tuning before you start any song or exercise. Upon completing the song you are straight into another long load screen before any option to retry is presented meaning going through the loading and tuning routine again. This gets very tedious very quickly.

    Lag is also an issue but can be corrected by using different setups as shown in the manual. A hassle for sure but this is the fault of the post processing done by your TV, not the Game or Xbox and is unavoidable.

    All being said the positives of this game far outweigh the negatives. The negative points can mostly be put down to a poor user interface whereas the main part of actually playing and learning the guitar is done a lot better than I thought it would be. I really hope Ubisoft see fit for a sequel as if the poor UI were fixed and a few nagging design choices changed this game would be pretty faultless.    … Expand
  19. dorfmeister
    Dec 6, 2011
    8
    I cannot give a full accounting of Rocksmith as I have only had it since last night at 7 pm. I have played it for about 2.5 hours so far so these are my early thoughts. It will be interesting to see how my experience develops with this.

    At this point this appears to be a great tool to painlessly assist you in getting the fundamental patterns of rock guitar under your fingertips and it    I cannot give a full accounting of Rocksmith as I have only had it since last night at 7 pm. I have played it for about 2.5 hours so far so these are my early thoughts. It will be interesting to see how my experience develops with this.

    At this point this appears to be a great tool to painlessly assist you in getting the fundamental patterns of rock guitar under your fingertips and it will help your time. While it won't give you a feel for playing with a band it will get you used to playing with other instruments. It will teach you some songs and it will show you some common patterns used in rock songwriting.

    It may get you to play your guitar an hour or two a night.

    Are those good things? I think so.

    This thing is not going to teach your theory. It is not going to be better than disciplined study with a teacher or from well put together study material. It is not going to be any kind of be all or end all. If you are a serious student of guitar it is probably not the best use of your time. Of course Rocksmith is not going to teach you how to be creative.

    The problem is that most people are not all that disciplined and this seems like an easy way to get you playing quite a bit. The more time spent with the guitar the better you will get. If you have the discipline to work through Berklee's Modern Method for Guitar you would get way more than you would from Rocksmith; however, most people don't have that kind of discipline.

    All in all this appears to be a great tool.....you just need to see its limitations. It is not a be all or end all.    … Expand
  20. Asterion
    Oct 21, 2011
    10
    I've been a amateur music guy for years, I never got into GH or RB but this game captured me the very first minutes and time passed like nothing, it's a great way to improve your guitar skill from a absolutely beginner or low level to something very presentable. The game adjust the difficulty on the fly so you never feel left behind, and it adds more complexity as soon as you're feelingI've been a amateur music guy for years, I never got into GH or RB but this game captured me the very first minutes and time passed like nothing, it's a great way to improve your guitar skill from a absolutely beginner or low level to something very presentable. The game adjust the difficulty on the fly so you never feel left behind, and it adds more complexity as soon as you're feeling comfortable, so it doesn't stop being engaging. Even when I wasn't familiar with most of the playlist, they're very enjoyable songs to play... 100% recommended for anybody how likes Rock, Guitar Hero and or Video Games.… Expand
  21. zyryx
    Dec 30, 2011
    10
    This is more than a game, it's an interactive guitar teacher. The AI that constantly monitors your playing ability and challenges you works amazingly. Fun games to build and improve basic skills keep things interesting.Built in chord library. This truly works with any guitar, I have had zero problems with my 12 string Rickenbacker. The track list has something for everyone. I do have a fewThis is more than a game, it's an interactive guitar teacher. The AI that constantly monitors your playing ability and challenges you works amazingly. Fun games to build and improve basic skills keep things interesting.Built in chord library. This truly works with any guitar, I have had zero problems with my 12 string Rickenbacker. The track list has something for everyone. I do have a few complaints. While everything works great with my 12 string, the tuner does not realize I have 12 strings. it will only tune the lower octave of each string. Secondly, having to check the guitar tune before every activity gets old quick, There should only be a tune check when you first start the game. I'm still exploring all the option, so maybe I missed it, but there should also be an option to loop activities or parts of songs infinitely in practice modes. But beside those point, this is a near perfect game for music lovers who wish to learn guitar, or existing players wishing to improve their playing. I give it a 9.… Expand
  22. Niixx
    Oct 25, 2011
    8
    The game starts slow and builds from there. I've been playing guitar for about a year and it quickly found my skill limit in just a few songs (power cords are about all I can do at this point). It's hard to review a game like is on release date as it takes time and patients to progress and progression is what the "software" is all about. I hesitate to call this a game as it's all aboutThe game starts slow and builds from there. I've been playing guitar for about a year and it quickly found my skill limit in just a few songs (power cords are about all I can do at this point). It's hard to review a game like is on release date as it takes time and patients to progress and progression is what the "software" is all about. I hesitate to call this a game as it's all about practice and learning, still though, it's quite fun. That being said, I started playing this last night and only put it down when I could no longer use my left hand :D. I couldn't be happier with this "Software". It makes practicing fun. If you allow it to recommend what to play next it never gets old, and the fact that the game constantly adds new notes makes sure that even songs you've played 5 times still seem new and challenging. Only time will tell if this will help me learn to play guitar well, but it has addicted me the same way Guitar Hero and Rock Band did. Knocking 2 points due to poor navigation (have to use a controller) and poor UI design, as well as a fairly weak set list (only about 8-10 songs that I would put on my MP3 player).… Expand
  23. jmp_2k
    Oct 19, 2011
    8
    Played the game for several hours, took a look of every thing I could get to. The game started slow but picked up during the event tour and the fun side games. I have only been playing for a year, but I could play Rebel, Rebel (not lead) right away. The game is great for the people tying to find time to play guitar but are not that motivated. Controls and a few bugs need to be fixed,Played the game for several hours, took a look of every thing I could get to. The game started slow but picked up during the event tour and the fun side games. I have only been playing for a year, but I could play Rebel, Rebel (not lead) right away. The game is great for the people tying to find time to play guitar but are not that motivated. Controls and a few bugs need to be fixed, but overall I'm going to spend a lot of time playing this game. Well worth the buy if you already have a guitar and play video games. Look out David Bowie!… Expand
  24. Kingnothin
    Oct 19, 2011
    9
    A GREAT way to learn guitar. I've had a guitar sitting around for years but never took the time to learn to play. For the first time now I think I may eventually get there. After only playing for a couple of hours I can already see an improvement in my playing, and how comfortable I am finding my way around the neck of the guitar. The dynamic difficulty does a great job keeping you on theA GREAT way to learn guitar. I've had a guitar sitting around for years but never took the time to learn to play. For the first time now I think I may eventually get there. After only playing for a couple of hours I can already see an improvement in my playing, and how comfortable I am finding my way around the neck of the guitar. The dynamic difficulty does a great job keeping you on the edge of your ability. Even when it gives you more than you can handle, it's useful to know where things are heading, and it doesn't take long before it drops back down a notch. Although everyone will have there own opinion on the songs available, you can definitely tell that the songs were selected to provide a manageable difficulty curve which is really important for a game like this. I'm very hopeful that the game does well enough to get regular DLC content.… Expand
  25. Flatline
    Oct 19, 2011
    9
    I have played guitar for about 4 years and have gotten into a bit of a slump as of late. This game / learning tool seems to be just what I needed to bring me out of it. I picked up the game and played for a few hours. Although it started out very basic the difficultly ramps up pretty quickly to become challenging. The mini games are pretty good. The setup wasn't difficult, but be sureI have played guitar for about 4 years and have gotten into a bit of a slump as of late. This game / learning tool seems to be just what I needed to bring me out of it. I picked up the game and played for a few hours. Although it started out very basic the difficultly ramps up pretty quickly to become challenging. The mini games are pretty good. The setup wasn't difficult, but be sure to hook it up the recommended way to prevent audio lag. My xbox is setup with the HDMI for video and a audio dongle adapter running the analog audio to a surround sound receiver. I do not get any lag with playing. Is the game perfect? No, but it is a lot of fun.… Expand
  26. deltron3030
    Oct 20, 2011
    10
    As a guitar player and an avid gamer, I was very happy to see my two favorite hobbies come together. I bought the game at launch and have put in about 12 hours or so into it. With that in mind, I can very easily recommend this game to anyone who has played guitar, or wants to learn to play. The game comes with a well constructed guitar cable, that plugs directly into any electric guitarAs a guitar player and an avid gamer, I was very happy to see my two favorite hobbies come together. I bought the game at launch and have put in about 12 hours or so into it. With that in mind, I can very easily recommend this game to anyone who has played guitar, or wants to learn to play. The game comes with a well constructed guitar cable, that plugs directly into any electric guitar (or acoustic electric). The game starts off players with a quick introduction on some of the basic of guitar playing, how to hold the pick, how to strum, fret notes... etc... All very well done, and I believe very easy for beginners to pick up and learn from. The game starts you off with the Rolling Stone's I can't get no Satisfaction. This is where the leveling comes in, as the game recognizes your skills it will increase or decrease the difficulty... each level of difficulty helps the player get to the next level... like taking babysteps. This is really where the game excels, all the while you are rocking, you are learning and getting better and better and closer and closer to playing the original song note-for-note. The mini games are fun and serve their purpose. But I would say that the meat of the game, other than the actual songs, are in the practice modes. Rocksmith offers 3 practice mode, a Free Play mode where the game pauses the song if you miss a note, a leveler mode where you play through the songs level by level, and slowed down mode that slows the song down so you can better learn the guitar parts at a manageable speed. The game is great. 10/10… Expand
  27. Mangazo15
    Oct 20, 2011
    10
    If you want to learn guitar, have fun, and most importantly have fun!! Then buy this game! Like anything in life worth having is worth working for...and yeah it will take some time to learn guitar but this game is an awesome tool! Buy it !
  28. sheaver
    Oct 21, 2011
    10
    I was very excited when I first heard about Rocksmith. I tried a few years back to pick up the guitar and learn from a DVD because I was unable to afford guitar lessons. I had some experience with rhythm having played an instrument in high school. Having only played this game for a few hours I can see myself continuing to play this and learn how to play guitar. The game has great miniI was very excited when I first heard about Rocksmith. I tried a few years back to pick up the guitar and learn from a DVD because I was unable to afford guitar lessons. I had some experience with rhythm having played an instrument in high school. Having only played this game for a few hours I can see myself continuing to play this and learn how to play guitar. The game has great mini games to help improve on your ability to find the right frets or to practice your chords. If a song brings out a new technique the game has a way to practice each technique. I have played the same song for over an hour straight and haven't even come close to getting bored. Coming from someone who doesn't have any guitar experience, if you want to learn to play guitar but can't afford lessons I would strongly recommend this. In the 3 hours or so that I played I could already tell a big improvement. I would highly recommend for new players to buy the game buy itself and go to a local guitar dealer and pick out a guitar that fits you. I did this method and I'm glad that I did. Many guitars can feel and hold differently and if you want to play guitar you need to play on something that is going to be comfortable for you.… Expand
  29. jfperusse
    Oct 24, 2011
    10
    Rocksmith just made me start playing guitar again! Very good "learning curve" with the way the game adapts to your experience. Great technique challenges to pratice those bends, slides, pull off... Mini-games add even more fun to the learning process, which, if you're like me, helps a lot continuing to practice. I don't understand the bad official reviews. The price is not too high forRocksmith just made me start playing guitar again! Very good "learning curve" with the way the game adapts to your experience. Great technique challenges to pratice those bends, slides, pull off... Mini-games add even more fun to the learning process, which, if you're like me, helps a lot continuing to practice. I don't understand the bad official reviews. The price is not too high for this game if you already have a guitar. And if you don't, then either this game is not for you, or you should buy a guitar and start learning to play in a fun way! When I was playing GH and RB, I would remember the songs (Yellow, Yellow, Red, ...) but now, I remember how to play real songs, which is awesome!… Expand
  30. Smogrocker
    Nov 1, 2011
    9
    As a person who had played guitar for a couple of years but then let it slide for a while Rocksmith is the perfect tool to get motivated again to learn great classic and contemporary rock songs! I played so much I already have wound fingers.
  31. smag
    Nov 8, 2011
    9
    I was excited about this game but didn't quite know what to expect from it. After my third day of Rocksmithing, I can say that it has totally beat my expectations. I became completely addicted from the instant I started playing; literally only limited by how much pain I can withstand from the blisters developing on my fingers.

    It's awesome to see real progress as I play. For instance, on    I was excited about this game but didn't quite know what to expect from it. After my third day of Rocksmithing, I can say that it has totally beat my expectations. I became completely addicted from the instant I started playing; literally only limited by how much pain I can withstand from the blisters developing on my fingers.

    It's awesome to see real progress as I play. For instance, on one of the fretting mini-games, I managed maybe 5000pts the first day.. the second day I managed to get nearly 400,000pts on the same game as my muscle memory improved.

    The cable is a bit expensive ($30), but it's worth it, really. Of course this software has flaws, as anyone should reasonably expect from a 1st gen product. Maybe we'll see improvements in the coming months via updates. Regardless, I'll be getting Rocksmith 2 in the future I'm sure.    … Expand
  32. JAMR92
    Nov 11, 2011
    8
    It's an awesome learning tool for novices and beginners. You won't be Eddie Van Halen but you'll get a feel for the guitar. This game is perfect for aspiring youths looking for an easier and funner way to learn an instrument. It's perfect as a gift for a young relative or child, and adults who are looking for a new hobby.
  33. CouchFox
    Nov 20, 2011
    10
    This game rules. It's a little confusing at times, and I get thrown off a bit while playing songs that I already know, but I just started playing this game. It appears that it takes some getting used to, but it's well worth it. I love playing with the amps and pedals - that is worth the price of the game alone. I'm not experience any problems with the HDMI lag so far either. AlthoughThis game rules. It's a little confusing at times, and I get thrown off a bit while playing songs that I already know, but I just started playing this game. It appears that it takes some getting used to, but it's well worth it. I love playing with the amps and pedals - that is worth the price of the game alone. I'm not experience any problems with the HDMI lag so far either. Although video games are fun, I believe this is the first one that's ever been released where the gamer doesn't have to rationalize wasting his/her life playing video games. You are actually becoming skilled at something.… Expand
  34. jianadaren
    Feb 16, 2012
    10
    I've played this game for about 2 hours a day for the last 3 weeks. I've played guitar for about 10 years, but before this game I played very rarely - maybe once every two months.

    I learned the In Bloom solo in this game (I never could get it before).

    My calluses are back, I'm learning a variety of new songs and my playing is the sharpest it has ever been. Thank you Rocksmith.
  35. SwitSwat
    Sep 23, 2013
    10
    (I have also reviewed this for PC) What can I say? It's addicting... Very, and even though Rocksmith may focus more on just simply learning songs rather than on actually learning to play the instrument, it's still a great practice tool, and for anyone that likes to get to the knitty-gritty and actually start learning music, like me, then I highly suggest getting it. The downside of the(I have also reviewed this for PC) What can I say? It's addicting... Very, and even though Rocksmith may focus more on just simply learning songs rather than on actually learning to play the instrument, it's still a great practice tool, and for anyone that likes to get to the knitty-gritty and actually start learning music, like me, then I highly suggest getting it. The downside of the console versions is that the 'Bass Expansion Pack' costs extra, so I recommend you get the PC version instead if you have a decent computer. It's still a 10/10 though.… Expand
  36. TheMagicYeti
    Dec 24, 2012
    8
    Been playing Rocksmith ever since it was released in the UK and I've been quite impressed by how this game can actually teach you to play new songs. The only real issue I have with it is the menu layout which is sluggish when scrolling through songs and whenever you play one arrangement and then want to play another arrangement of that song, you have to go back to the song menu and scrollBeen playing Rocksmith ever since it was released in the UK and I've been quite impressed by how this game can actually teach you to play new songs. The only real issue I have with it is the menu layout which is sluggish when scrolling through songs and whenever you play one arrangement and then want to play another arrangement of that song, you have to go back to the song menu and scroll all the way to that song again.… Expand
  37. Aston
    May 3, 2013
    2
    Honestly? I looked forward to and then hated this game, I adored guitar hero and played til I beat everything and I also play guitar. I found the mini-games to be somewhat self-defeating, I figured this would be a big part of the game since alot of playing guitar is about basic practise, but instead most of the games practised skills that wouldn't actually help a guitarist. TheHonestly? I looked forward to and then hated this game, I adored guitar hero and played til I beat everything and I also play guitar. I found the mini-games to be somewhat self-defeating, I figured this would be a big part of the game since alot of playing guitar is about basic practise, but instead most of the games practised skills that wouldn't actually help a guitarist. The auto-difficulty changer wasn't for me either personally, I liked the star system in GH, I could try to get everything in 5 star, fail then try over and over, then do it all again in normal, hard and expert. The almightily sucking thing in the game is the song choices though, not alot of rock, or metal, or punk, just alot of half-hearted stuff inbeetween pop and country, I know this is made by a totally different bunch of people but they made this as a carry on of GH. I could get all of the information provided by the game from the internet for free and with advice from proffessional tutors, something you don't get in the game. The one great thing about the game is the amp that allows you to put effects on, I was surprised and impressed with the sound and variety I could get out of that little disk. But I can get that on the internet for free too unfortunately.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

84
#84 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2011
49
#49 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 30
  3. Negative: 0 out of 30
  1. X-ONE Magazine UK
    Dec 1, 2012
    60
    A novel idea and clever piece of kit, but indecision on whether it's a videogame or learning tool is a downfall, along with its confusing bespoke notation method. [Issue#91, p.82]
  2. Eurogamer Spain
    Nov 20, 2012
    80
    A great first step in a much needed new directions in the music game genre.
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  3. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Nov 16, 2012
    80
    You'd be mad to buy an electric guitar and not fork out for Rocksmith as well. [Dec 2012, p.95]
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