One Man Band- Rock Band Unplugged Reviewed

Rock Band Unplugged for the Sony PSP. Developer: Backbone, Publisher: Electronic Arts


The critical and commercial success of the console Rock Band series can be credited to two factors. First, the music title offers a fantastic verisimilitude dependent on the incorporation of simulated guitars, drums, and bass instruments. These devices are vital in the game’s attempt to recapture the excitement and energy of live performance. Secondly, Rock Band offers a cooperative multiplayer experience without peer. Playing the title with three friends nearby is one of the top communal gaming experiences around.

So when Electronic Arts first announced their intention to bring Rock Band to the PSP platform, many had reservations. Without the game’s signature plastic instruments, the might as futile as playing Dance Dance Revolution with a control pad. Additionally, the title’s brilliant local and online groove sessions were expected to be omitted, leaving many to presume that the Rock Band port would be a diluted and insipid experience.


In essence, Rock Band Unplugged, the Backbone developed adaptation, harks back to the mechanics of PS2 title’s Frequency and Amplitude. Players tap one of four buttons in time to music, as bars come cascading down from the top of the screen. However, instead of maintaining a single track, Unplugged requires the player to juggle four instruments. By pressing the left and right triggers, gamers can shift control to the desired alley. Once a series of notes has been played successful, the title’s virtual musicians go into auto-pilot for a short duration. While this sounds incredibly arduous, the game’s range of skill settings means that even the most bungling PSP owner will give a suitable performance. While Unplugged lacks some of the core features of it's big brother, the title's gameplay is vigorous enough to maintain a player's concentration. The incorporation of sustains and overdrives offers just enough variety to dispell the monotony of repeated button-pushing.
 
While Unplugged reigns as the best music-based PSP game, surpassing the utilitarian port of Parappa the Rapper and offering a more accessible experience that DJ Max Portable, the title isn’t without flaws. For a game likely to be enjoyed in short bursts on trains or buses, pausing Unplugged introduces a frustrating impediment. Players are given no grace period when exiting the intermission, meaning gamers will likely miss some notes. As an opening splash screen suggests, playing the game with headphones is nearly a requisite- so wannabe rockers can distinguish which musical track they need to jump to.


Graphically, Unplugged does an admirable job of aping the aesthetics and camera filters of its now-gen brethren. The UMD contains the familiar Rock Band art style in everything from menus to the distinctive head-banging loading animation. Band members are amazingly well drawn, and thanks to a large number of unlockable items, distinctive is appearance. Many players will be too busy tapping out combos to notice that the title’s character animation doesn’t sync with the actions; sadly, guitar solos won’t activate a fevered animation sequence.

Gamers expecting a comprehensive recreation of the ubiquitous now-gen music game may be disappointed by Rock Band Unplugged. Playing a solo game with sound emitted from a pair of earbuds cannot complete with the bombast of the home version. However, gamers seeking an enjoyable music-based diversion on the go, with find little competition for Unplugged. With a selection of forty top-tier songs, and the ability to download additional music, the title offers plenty of enjoyment for gamers on the go.


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Posted by DesertEagle at 6/12/2009 6:02 PM
Categories: PSP,Reviews
 

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