Ok, every game blogger has written a review for Green Day: Rock Band already. So, why should I? Well, I’m pretty sure I will have a different spin on it, plus I will definitely focus on some different aspects of the game.

Opening Cinematic

Let’s start at the very beginning, the start up video when you pop in the disc. Lot’s of red and black imagery with bizarre looking characters, grenade explosions, and a make-out scene. My first take ,”boy that was short.” And then, “this is going to scare the sh** out of my kids”. I’m underwhelmed by that opening. It’s not very vibrant, it’s short, and not very welcoming…of course it is reflecting the dark lyrics of Green Days songs, so I suppose it’s fitting.  Though, it does not hold a candle to The Beatles: Rock Band opening cinematic.

Rock Band Stage Kit

I have very bad news here.  Just like with The Beatles: Rock Band, the light/fog capabilities on the Xbox 360 Rock Band Stage Kit do not work with Green Day: Rock Band. This (to me) is a HUGE disappointment. Especially since Harmonix was trying to recreate the live Green Day experience in this game. Why would they not include the lighting effects of this device?

Drumming

Drummers out there, you will struggle on many Green Day songs…and other songs will be a breeze. Needless to say most of you will play through this once and come back again to perfect it. It follows the traditional Rock Band 4-lane drumming, so it’s still the very familiar and comfortable format…though you will have some lightening fast hi-hats and fills.

Vocals

The 3 part harmonies are wonderful. Keep in mind, I love singing Green Day during drunken karaoke outings…so this is fitting territory to me. Even the 6 songs previously released for Rock Band DLC, have been updated with 3-part harmonies. It’s done well, and very fun to sing with others in the same room.

If you want to lower Billie Joe’s vocals to hear your own, you have to pause the game and select “Lower Vocals” from a menu, just like The Beatles: Rock Band. That’s unfortunate, where Rock Band 2 would allow the vocalist to lower/raise vocals during game play.

Set List

I’m super biased. American Idiot, Bullet In A Bible, and 21st Century Breakdown are three of my most listened to CD’s over the past five years. Oddly enough, after Insomniac came out in 1995, I stopped buying Green Day albums until Idiot came out.  The on disc set list, for me, is the best Rock Band on disc set list to date. Now, you know my bias…I will move on.

Pre/Post Song Visualizations

There are three venues. With each venue, there appears to only have one or two pre-song and post-song visualizations. The visualizations get old fast, watching Tre stand on his drum throne. I’m wishing those visuals were more varied.

Online

Playing Xbox Live last night, I saw about 15 people on my friends list playing. I played with some, and searched for players as well.  Match making was fine.  There were times when no one was available for match making…I’m hoping it’s just because the game is new and not many were online yet. I did have a couple players disconnect mid song, and the old typical issues still exist. If a player gets disconnected, you slowly fail out of the song…versus my suggestions to drop that player and continue on.

Extras

I have seen some of the photos that are unlockable. The photos are cool, but the text to go with them sucks.  The text just says “Photo unlocked by achieving 3 or 5 stars in XXXXX song”.  Instead of The Beatles: Rock Band where unlocked photos would have contextual info about the photos origin. I haven’t unlocked any videos yet, but am looking forward to them. I haven’t played any challenges yet, but I know there are full album challenges which I can’t wait to try out and hope the song transition visualizations are more varied.

Overall

I love the set list, I love the graphics, I love the harmonies. I love the speed and menuing. It’s a lot like TB:RB with Green Day in place. The export capabilities and hints of more DLC continue to add future life. For $50-$60 (depending where/when you buy), it basically is the cost of DLC with added capabilities. If you love Rock Band and like/love Green Day, it’s a must have.

I am disappointed with a few things, most notably the lack of Stage Kit support.  I will get over it, as I enjoy the music above all else.

If you read my earlier post, you already know that I picked up the Rock Band Stage Kit on a whim (and on the cheap). Now, based on popular demand, it’s time to let you in on my first and thorough impressions of this add-on for Xbox 360 and Rock Band.

Yes, it works with Lego Rock Band!

WHAT IS IT:

The Rock Band Stage Kit is an add-on light and fog system for Xbox 360 and Rock Band games. It’s made by PDP, a peripheral manufacturer for video games and other toys. As far as Rock Band goes, you know PDP as the makers of drum silencers, pedals, and other gear. The RB Stage Kit was released in the holiday season of 2008, with some excitement from the die hard RB community, but little external marketing.

What it does, is shines colored LED lights (red, blue, yellow, red, orange, and green) in specific patterns to the music of Rock Band songs.  The actual “authoring” (as the cool kids call it) of a song in a Rock Band venue determines which lights and which pattern will display during a song. On top of the LED’s, there is also a strobe light/fog machine, which is also activated by the venue authoring of a Rock Band song.

This thing works automatically.  As a user, you plug the Fog Machine into an AC outlet, add some fog juice (more on that later), connect the fog machine to the LED/controller via an included cable, and plug the LED/controller to your Xbox 360 with a permanently connected USB cable. Other than turning on the two power buttons on the back of the fog machine (one for light power, one for fog power), that’s all you have to do to use this system. Setup is a breeze.

From there, play Rock Band like you’d normally play, and enjoy what I like to call a 3-Dimensional Rock Band Experience. Fog, strobe lights, colored patterns of lights really gives the illusion that you are on the stage in the game.

WHAT COMES IN THE BOX:

• Fog Machine (water based) / Strobe Light, with built in AC power cord.
• Fog Juice (1 quart, small bottle)
• LED/Xbox 360 Controller
• Connector cable
• Funnel for Fog Juice
• Manual

WHERE TO BUY IT (on the cheap):

This was released during the 2008 holiday season for $99.99. I do not believe it was a huge seller, due to lack of marketing, it basically being a peripheral with no actual added-value to the game, and the price being too high.  Now, the Stage Kit is being discontinued by some retailers, while others are still stocking it.  I have seen price ranges from $99.99  to as low as $19.99.

GameStop – $19.99, discontinued but still available in some stores. Call and check before you go. Not available online.
BestBuy – $24.99, discontinued but I saw many in the BestBuy I visited this weekend. Call and check before you go. Not available online.
Amazon – $79.99, free shipping. In stock online.
WalMart – $97.63, In stock online.

You can get extra 3rd party fog juice at Guitar Center, which the Rock Band forums are saying is cheaper and gets even better results. I haven’t tried it yet, but will soon, for $24.99.

WHAT GAMES DOES IT WORK WITH:

This works with most, but not all Rock Band games. It does not work with any Guitar Hero or Lips games.  I’ve confirmed that it works with Rock Band 1, Rock Band 2, Rock Band AC/DC Track Pack, and Lego: Rock Band.  It does not work with The Beatles: Rock Band and does not work with the demo of Green Day: Rock Band.

WHAT IS MY TAKE ON IT:

I would have never bought it for the retail price of $99.99.  But at the sub-$30 mark, it pays for itself at your first party.  The LED light are bright and do a great patterned effect on your walls and ceilings. The strobe light, surprisingly comes on at only the perfect spots. The smoke machine is awesome.  Though, the fog juice that comes with the Stage Kit will fog up your room in less than one song, to the point where you won’t be able to see the TV after 3 songs.  People have watered down the fog to get a lesser effect. Others, like me, just turn the fog off after 2 songs, while leaving the lights on.

One thing to note, if you have four players, the light controller must act as one of your Xbox 360 controllers.  This means the singer will have to use the light controller to make their selections.  This is only true if you have 4 players.  If you have 3 or less, the singer can user a standard Xbox 360 controller, as you’d expect.

Now that I have it, every time I fire up Rock Band 2 or Lego: Rock Band, I always turn on the Stage Kit (excluding the fogger). I save the fog juice for parties, but use the lights daily.  It truly makes for an immersive experience. I do hope thay Harmonix continues to support this for Rock Band 3, as it would be a shame to end support for this great 3rd party add-on.

Yes, it works with Lego Rock Band!

A couple co-workers dragged me kicking and screaming to Newbury Comics and Gamestop today at lunch.  One of them showed me the Rock Band Stage Kit for Xbox 360 with a sticker price of just $19.99. It’s original price was $99.99, which is still priced at Walmart. Amazon currently has it for $79.99.  So, I needed to inquire with a Gamestop employee.

They said the price was slashed because it hadn’t sold well.  The clerk checked and this was the last one this store had in stock.  They also looked it up and found the Stage Kit had been discontinued company wide.  So, if you have any thoughts on picking up the Rock Band Stage Kit, and haven’t done so yet….hurry before they are all gone.  It’s dirt cheap. There are none left on Gamestop.com, so you will need to get off your butt and head to the store. (Call first, to see if they have any left).

On a similar side note, I know the kit is compatible with Rock Band and Rock Band 2 (as stated on the box).  Though, I know there was sadness when people learned the Stage Kit was not compatible with Beatles: Rock Band.  For me, my current game of choice is Lego: Rock Band, so I’m most interested in the Stage Kit working with that.

According to this thread by Juniorpop on the Rock Band Forums, yes it is compatible with Lego: Rock Band!

Just got popped in L:RB and happy to see that the stage kit works!
Now just make it work for Beatles. ( Fat Chance)
Out of (my) 340 DLC, 166 work in Lego.
Also pretty nice surprise, 22 of the RB1 tracks transferred as well.

I will be trying this kit out over the weekend and reporting back my thoughts.