The twenty song expansion is a great addition to Rock Band 1, but owners of the sequel have a harder decision. http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/reviewArt.cfm?artid=17611 Although technically a stand-alone title, Rock Band Track Pack Volume 2 is more of an expansion than it is a game. The first edition of Rock Band for Wii (and PS2) did not feature any sort of downloadable content. As such, a number of popular downloadable tracks for Rock Band 1 were bundled together to form Track Pack Volumes 1 and 2.
This second track pack features a nice selection of songs, ranging from The Police to Avenged Sevenfold. As a value proposition, Rock Band Track Pack Volume 2 is a smart investment. At $29.99, players can rock out to a total of twenty songs at $1.50 a track. Now that Rock Band 2 is out in the wild with full downloadable content, a number of the songs in this track pack are available online for 200 Wii Points ($2.00) each through the in-game store.
Of course, if you only own Rock Band 1 and its associated equipment, and you want more songs, the choice is easy. Players who do decide that the disc is a better investment won't be disappointed with the tracks and the quality of their note charts.
The choice is tougher for Rock Band 2 owners. If you are happy with the song selection and don't mind swapping discs in order to play them, this track pack is an excellent investment. Unfortunately, unlike the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions, these tracks cannot be copied to your SD Card (HDD). Therefore, if you own Rock Band 2 and would like all of your tracks to be in a centralized area, you should avoid purchasing this disc and only buy the songs you really want through the online store. Also, just like the original Rock Band, none of the tracks can be played online, adding another disincentive to the pack.
All of the Rock Band 2 equipment works like a charm, and all of the tracks are available from the get-go without the need to unlock them through the included Tour mode.
Rock Band Track Pack Volume 2 is a no-brainer for fans looking to cheaply expand their song list and only have the first Rock Band at their disposal. Owners of Rock Band 2 are better off picking their favorite tracks from the pack and buying them individually through the online store.
- Avenged Sevenfold - "Afterlife"
- Blondie - "Call Me"
- Weezer - "El Scorcho"
- Devo - "Girl U Want"
- Maximo Park - "Girls Who Play Guitars"
- Disturbed - "Indestructible"
- Angels & Airwaves - "It Hurts"
- The Cars - "Just What I Needed"
- The Police - "Message in a Bottle"
- Pixies - "Monkey Gone to Heaven"
- Duran Duran - "Rio"
- Mötley Crüe - "Saints of Los Angeles"
- Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Simple Man"
- Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Snow ((Hey Oh))"
- Nine Inch Nails - "The Perfect Drug"
- Fall Out Boy - "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race"
- Papa Roach - "Time Is Running Out"
- Garbage - "Why Do You Love Me?"
- Judas Priest - "You've Got Another Thing Comin'"
- Smashing Pumpkins - "Zero"
As of this article's publishing date, some of this track pack's songs are not available for purchase through the Rock Band 2 in-game store.
Pros:
If you want all of the tracks, this pack will save you $10. Nice selection of songs Cons: Cannot play songs in Rock Band 2 via SD card. No online play Frustrating HDTV calibration Graphics: 6.0 The title looks identical to the first Wii Rock Band; Models are low poly and look like an early PS2 game. The animations are all well mapped, but all that matters are the note charts, anyway.
Sound: 10.0 The sound quality is fantastic and has no obvious flaws. The song selection is varied and interesting, giving the track pack broad appeal. All of the included tracks are also master tracks, and not remakes done by the internal Harmonix musicians.
Control: 9.0 The Rock Band (and Rock Band 2) equipment works without a hitch when you finally get it all calibrated properly to your TV. Unfortunately, calibration can be quite tedious.
Gameplay: 9.0 This release plays no differently from either Rock Band. Unfortunately you can't play any of the tracks online.
Lastability: 8.0
There are twenty songs in the pack, and depending on your affinity for them, they will last a variable amount of time.
Final: 7.0
Rock Band Track Pack Volume 2 is a great opportunity for fans with only the first Rock Band at their disposal to cheaply expand their song list. For owners of Rock Band 2, the online store is recommended, regardless of the additional cost.
Topic: REVIEWS: Rock Band Track Pack Volume 2 (Read 2295 times)
