Rock Band 4

For existing Rock Band fans, the only reason not to purchase Rock Band 4 is that you’re perfectly happy with all the instruments and music you have available to you already, and don’t foresee interest in the bevy of inevitable new tracks that Harmonix will be releasing for the PS4 and Xbox One...And if you’re deciding whether or not to buy Rock Band for the very first time, I wish I could convey just how much I wish the instruments had been this high-quality and the song library this deep when I first started playing Rock Band eight years ago.

Rock Band 4 may have lost a few features (some temporarily, some permanently) in its transition to Xbox One and PlayStation 4, but the core gameplay is dramatically improved by allowing us to be more expressive, while preserving the older mechanics for those resistant to change. It’s player choice at its finest, and a welcome return to fake plastic rocking.

With the 65 songs available with Rock Band 4, a downloadable library that can add up to 1,500 songs, and the future exporting option of previous Rock Band discs, you’ll playing for a while.

Rock Band 4 hasn't been a prominent fixture on the scene for half a decade, but it's return shows that Harmonix hasn't missed a beat since the last entry.

Like many, I've been a fan of Rock Band for years, and Rock Band 4 fills all of those gaming inclinations. The several minuscule issues coupled with the primary, yet still small concern of ambiguous song difficulties mean it's imperfect, but not by much.

Rock Band 4 is a fantastic game to feel music games with the new generation of consoles. The improvisation mode is very fun, though we would have liked to see new features.

Rock Band 4 makes smart choices in bringing the series back, even if its setlist is somewhat disappointing.

Rock Band 4 is pure fun, and a polished to a high standard product. But maybe Harmonix thought that there was no reason to take any risks with this game.

Mechanically Harmonix has outdone themselves. The freestyling for guitarists and vocalists works well and adds to an already motivating partygame. But the omissions of quickplay setlists, treaining or asynchronous competition as well as the unoptimized import of legacy content rather makes me go back to the old gen versions, which, at this point in time, deliver a more complete experience.

Despite its lack of big upgrades and unsatisfying track list, this is still a blast to play with friends. If video games intend, in part, to deliver fantasy, then Rock Band is, once again, a resounding success. You play this game, you feel like a rock star. It’s that simple.

More an update than a new game, it's great to be able to re-access your songs and freestyle solos rock.

When a favourite song comes on, it is impossible not to feel like you are a part of the music, making it happen, and it is a glorious feeling when you nail that song at 100 per cent accuracy.

It seems like every aspect of the game from its’ backwards compatibility for both instruments and DLC, to its playable music platform approach, ultimately has every Harmonix fan at heart. This culminates in a very welcome return to form for the series, and a very worthy first entry to the new console generation.

If Harmonix continues to build upon what its laid down, Rock Band 4 could end up being a monumental interactive music experience.

The parts of the game we fell in love with feel like they’ve gotten a fresh coat of paint, but the feature set, and currently incomplete pieces, feels like a Kickstarter title that didn’t quite hit all of its funding goals. The parts that matter, however, are rock solid, and the new solo improvements are a hit.

It's a return to form, putting the focus back on four-player fun without any overly-complicated mechanics. The new additions all focus on just letting loose and having a good time and even those mechanical additions aren't forced. The DLC situation is something of a mess, but those willing to bear through it will have a sure-fire party gem on their hands.

Despite the omission of pro guitars, keyboards and online play, Rock Band 4 remains a very good, impressively well-made and infinitely replayable rhythm game that fans are sure to enjoy. Harmonix also sees it as a platform instead of just a game, meaning that this is just the beginning of what's to come.

In the end, Rock Band 4 offers up plenty of fun, especially if you can regularly gather a group of friends. It's an excellent party game and an enjoyable way to pass the time solo. However, it isn't really an upgrade from Rock Band 3. Rather, Rock Band 4 is more like a straightforward HD update for the current generation of systems.

Rock Band 4 is, by no means, the best entry in the series. It has a limited set list and many of its trademarks were either omitted or diluted. Having said that, Harmonix improved the most important aspect: gameplay. The Freestyle Solos and a more social mode enhance the experience, making it deeper, and safeguarding the legacy of the franchise.

Rock Band 4 is stripped down to the essentials, but despite its leanness, it's pulled off something encouraging: It's made me want to play Rock Band again, even after the dozens of hours and countless parties I've spent with the series. It isn't Harmonix's boldest or biggest game. But Rock Band 4 lays a foundation for Harmonix to move forward.

It's neither revolution, nor true evolution, but when the planets align, with a few like-minded friends who've had a few drinks, there's nothing that can touch it, and you'll have tremendous fun.

Rock Band 4 is fundamentally an excellent update to what was arguably the finest rhythm-action game of the last generation. However, it currently feels like it lacks ambition, and some features haven’t been given the update they could have had while others have been removed.

On one hand, it's not only a hassle to switch generations due to the fact that so many elements don't work with the new one, but additionally -- Rock Band 3 is still a thing, supports all of your DLC, and has more features. On the other, there's nothing inherently wrong with this iteration, and for those of you who missed out in the past or have broken 360s or PS3s, you'll still be able to rock out into the night with friends and have a whole lot of fun.

Rock Band 4 is made for two audiences and it succeeds only a little bit. The gameplay is a lot better, but the features are definitely worse. Making this game backwards compatible is a nightmare, but as long as you just play the new stuff, you will have a good time with Rock Band 4.

If you plan on having your friends over to experience the game with you, it’s absolutely worth it — if not, this game might be better left off and unplugged.