There have been quite a few band specific rhythm games over the years, yet not one of them has made me want to buy them, not even The Beatles. But if you’re like me and have grown up with the tunes of Green Day, from the early angst filled years to the politically themed American Idiot, then this could be the one for you.
The game manages to pack in a lot of the bands music, with over forty tracks that can be transported to your Rock Band database for free – a very nice touch for the future games. It does feature a lot of tracks off their new album, which I’m not a huge fan of, but thankfully there are many of their early songs as well as the huge hits of American Idiot.
It was in these early shows that I had the most fun. The characters were well rendered, catching the youthfulness of the band with Billie Joe’s bright green hair. The venue is small and poky, not quite the auditoriums and stadiums you play in the next two sets. The songs wonderfully nostalgic with hits from Dookie, Nimrod and Warning, and this is where the games main strength lies; it allows you to tap into your youth by singing along to those songs that you’ve sung so many times – if you were a fan, of course.
Through the early shows, and into the American Idiot era, you learn the nuances of the vocals, as you don’t have to sing every song differently like most rhythm games. It’s the same with the instruments, you can enjoy playing the songs without having to slog through tracks you have never heard of or severely dislike. The only issue with the Green Day Rock Band setlist was the new album, of which I have only heard a few times, and it left me in an unusual position compared to the rest of the game. Of course this was my personal problem and not one that everyone is going to have.
The thing about Green Day, compared to the likes of Metallica, Van Halen and even the Beatles, is the fact that their music is relatively easy to play. There are a few difficulty spikes of course, but not the kind that you usually hit in Rock Band games. This is far from a bad thing and makes the game very enjoyable. The lack in difficulty is catered for with the inclusion of challenges that you unlock by spending your Cred points.
These challenges are intended to add some longevity to the game by making you play mini setlists with the task of getting a high number of stars. I doubt people will play these straight after completing the game, but they are fun to come back to with friends. When, or if, you manage to complete the challenges you unlock a Green Day video; eventually giving you a nice database of live performances. Something the fans will appreciate.
Visually, the game does look good, with the last setlist almost hitting the graphical highs of Guitar Hero 5. It comes with a lot of style and some very nice touches, specifically in the menu animations and the introduction. The venues look good and the band move about stage well; specifically Tré, who during a drum-free section of an early song, ran about the stage amping up the crowd. Even with this there is a lack of excitement in the venues, a lack of atmosphere that could have been easily remedied with some crowd noise or ideally some recorded speech from the band members.
The same has to be said for the venues, although impressive looking there is not enough of them. I don’t see why you have to play three setlists in one venue, specifically the early venues where you sing from multiple albums. It would have been more impressive if they included a couple more small venues, and maybe even a festival or a music video.
What the game lacks in atmosphere, it makes up for with some great songs from the bands impressive back catalogue, and the tons of fun you are going to have playing them. This time, nice guys don’t finish last.
VideogameUK verdict: 7/10
