Rock Band 4 Review - \m/ ^_^ \m/
- Thread starter Encaen
- Start date
I'm interested, being a Rock Band addict who would love a reason to jump back in. The problem is that even a former addict like myself can't immediately figure out a lot of answers; are there pro versions of the instruments? Are any old instruments compatible? Do I have to buy the whole band kit to get RB4? Is the keyboard really gone? Are there vocal harmonies? If my entire catalog was on the 360, do I have to get an X1 in order to have access to all the music I bought?
I didn't really expect a review to cover technical details like that, but I imagine average consumers who didn't spend much time on this shit are really expected to just buy a new band setup and start fresh on the current-gen consoles. With the amount of plastic that EA and Activision sent to landfills in their over-saturation arms race, is there a feeling that people are willing to fill their living rooms with this stuff again? So many questions, but I am without PS4/X1. And if it's X1 or no access to bought DLC, then I guess I'm never going to play this, which would be a shame.
Edit: I just looked this stuff up, and it's pretty disappointing. I'll share what I've found for other curious posters:
The only Pro instrument is the drums, but ION and other MIDI drum-kits aren't compatible at launch.
You can only move DLC from 360->X1 and PS3->PS4.
The Rock Band 3 disc isn't exportable at launch and may never be.
There really is no keyboard, not even for playing guitar with it.
They're suggesting that pre-orders are the only sure way to know that you'll get the game, and you have to buy at least a new guitar with it. The band kit is like $250.
There's no online play, at all. Apparently only like 10% of people's playing was online.
So...I see no valid reason to get this game, especially if I have to buy a new console in order to do so. I have my RB3 with tons of DLC, pro versions of every instrument, ION drum support, online play, and graphics that aren't shit because graphics don't matter for this game anyway. I'm not buying an X1 to keep some of my DLC, not have pro guitar/bass/vocal harmonies, not have support for ION drums, and not have online play. This is a genre I'd really love to keep alive, and I appreciate that Harmonix is attempting to do so, but such a leap backwards in features and modes that requires a new system purchase and at least $100 for the game is not a way that I'm willing to keep the genre above water.
I didn't really expect a review to cover technical details like that, but I imagine average consumers who didn't spend much time on this shit are really expected to just buy a new band setup and start fresh on the current-gen consoles. With the amount of plastic that EA and Activision sent to landfills in their over-saturation arms race, is there a feeling that people are willing to fill their living rooms with this stuff again? So many questions, but I am without PS4/X1. And if it's X1 or no access to bought DLC, then I guess I'm never going to play this, which would be a shame.
Edit: I just looked this stuff up, and it's pretty disappointing. I'll share what I've found for other curious posters:
The only Pro instrument is the drums, but ION and other MIDI drum-kits aren't compatible at launch.
You can only move DLC from 360->X1 and PS3->PS4.
The Rock Band 3 disc isn't exportable at launch and may never be.
There really is no keyboard, not even for playing guitar with it.
They're suggesting that pre-orders are the only sure way to know that you'll get the game, and you have to buy at least a new guitar with it. The band kit is like $250.
There's no online play, at all. Apparently only like 10% of people's playing was online.
So...I see no valid reason to get this game, especially if I have to buy a new console in order to do so. I have my RB3 with tons of DLC, pro versions of every instrument, ION drum support, online play, and graphics that aren't shit because graphics don't matter for this game anyway. I'm not buying an X1 to keep some of my DLC, not have pro guitar/bass/vocal harmonies, not have support for ION drums, and not have online play. This is a genre I'd really love to keep alive, and I appreciate that Harmonix is attempting to do so, but such a leap backwards in features and modes that requires a new system purchase and at least $100 for the game is not a way that I'm willing to keep the genre above water.
That's been my biggest issue to; for as cool as Harmonix has been with letting all your DLC move with you, a lot of stuff I can't find answers to...DrunkOnEstus said:
The question you have that I can answer is old instruments will work but you have to buy an adapter. The rest I do not know.
My own issue is that I can't figure out if the damn drum set has the cymbals attachment options
I've always loved drums but never pulled the trigger on the cymbals since that came later (I came on board right away with Rock Band 1 and the cymbals were added to Rock Band 2s kit).
I would be happy to buy a new drum kit if I knew I could get cymbals (or I'd buy a true electronic drum kit if I knew a pro adapter was coming for the One like on the 360) but I can't find that information anywhere. I even went to Rock Band's Facebook page and just plain asked but no one knew and Harmonix never responded...
Damn.DrunkOnEstus said:
Well that pretty much kills it for me.
I had so much music in my 360 library, but I have no desire to get an X1, nor do I want to have to spend all the money it would take to rebuild my library on my PS4.
So I guess no Rock Band 4 for me
Yea, this is killing me. On one hand, I really liked the old games. On the other, this isn't anything new, there hasn't been so long of a gap since I stopped playing that I'm itching to play again, there really isn't anything new and cool I'd like to try with this, the set list is underwhelming, and all those tracks I imported from disc won't be available.
On top of that, I'd have to get an xbone to use my old DLC (which I'd really have to do, I wouldn't want to start that over), which means it's a $600 investment just to get started in playing. That's a pretty big chunk of change right there.
On top of that, I'd have to get an xbone to use my old DLC (which I'd really have to do, I wouldn't want to start that over), which means it's a $600 investment just to get started in playing. That's a pretty big chunk of change right there.
Pro Drums and harmonies are back (harmonies were also retroactively added to ALL legacy songs by the community) Pro Keys and Pro Guitar/Bass are out.DrunkOnEstus said:
As of right now, on the PS4, all wireless PS3 instruments are compatible without any problems. On Xbox One, you'll need a special dongle to have compatibility. The dongle is included with the base game if you do not buy an instrument bundle (although it raises the base price of the game.) Wired instruments, including ION drum sets and E-kits are currently not compatible, although they hope to add support "eventually." Microphones should work no matter what.
No. There is a band in a box bundle, a guitar only bundle, and a game only bundle (with dongle for Xbox One.)
Yes.
Yes. And like I said previously, the community added harmonies to ALL legacy songs, which Harmonix have incorporated into the game.
Yes. And you have to use the same gamertag as you bought the DLC with. DLC transfers from xbox to xbox and from playstation to playstation but not cross company.
welp, I already wrote the rest of my comment up before getting to this point in your comment. Screw it, I'll post it anyway.
This is incorrect. Vocal Harmonies are also in the game.
Also incorrect. There's a standalone game disc available for purchase.
Sadly, I share your pain regarding ION support. I'd also have to buy a whole new console (last gen I played on 360, but this gen I bought a PS4, so my DLC won't transfer) to play it without re buying all my DLC, which would have been fine for me. But not being able to use my awesome $400+ ION kit is a dealbreaker for me.
I believe that there is asynchronous online at launch. As in, you can score compete against friends on some kind of social leaderboard, but you can't physically play with your friends online at launch. They hope to add it post launch but who knows when that will be.Paragon Fury said:
These are the main reasons I'm passing on it. Though I would have if the soundtrack was stronger, liked to try the vocal mode. Vocal improv as long as you're on key sounds cool, but not worth it for this soundtrack and none of my DLC.DrunkOnEstus said:
