It’s probably best that you know this now, Lego Rock Band is practically identical to Rock Band 2, sure there are Lego based differences, however it is essentially the same game in that you still go on tour, you still play Guitar, Drums and Sing and you still do everything else which you would relate with the Rock Band series. This game also comes as a disc only experience, therefore if you don’t own a previous version then you better get on eBay for some plastic instruments.

 

 

The main mode of play in Lego Rock Band is the Career mode, here you create your band, choose a name and then get on the road. All of the venues which you will visit are based on classic Lego sets, therefore you will hold your concerts in places like Castles, Train Stations and Mines. The sets all look great and are a nice change from the regular club/stadium venues that you will be used to as a Rock Band fan.

 

The greatest thing about Lego Rock Band though has to be the setlist, with tracks such as Kung Fu Fighting, Ghostbusters, Breakout and The Final Countdown there is no doubting the quality on offer. Perhaps the only real disappointment when it comes to the tracks is that there really isn’t enough of them, in fact there are only 45 songs on the disc, which when compared to other versions makes the choice on offer here quite lacking, no matter it’s quality. Thankfully for a small premium you can also use songs that you have previously downloaded from other versions of the game.

 

Lego Rock Band does introduce a few new modes to the gameplay. First up is Super Easy Mode which is a family friendly setting, this takes away the fret button for guitar and bass, leaving you free to just concentrate on strumming, although you are still free to use the frets if you want to. The drumming is similar in that you can hit any of the pads while the kick drum also works automatically, therefore as long as you are drumming in time the points will add up. Finally the singing removes the pitch measuring and adds a bouncing ball, making following the lyrics and scoring points all very easy.

 

The other new feature is Rock Power Challenge, this basically sees you using your power of rock to perform strange feats like destroying buildings or creating thunderstorms, it’s all a bit wacky and bizarre.

 

As you would expect from the Lego based game, the presentation is wonderful. As with other Lego games, the cutscenes provide plenty of humor with the bands and their roadies getting into all sorts of mischief. The on stage action looks great, especially the characters who are based on the bands themselves, such as Damon Alburn and his band Blur. The overall graphics are certainly very sharp and help to make the whole thing a very enjoyable experience.

 

 

Unfortunately Lego Rock Band does lack in quite a few areas, for one there is no online multiplayer and all of the single player challenges have been removed. When you add in these considerations with the fact that the disc only carries 45 songs, you are left quite disappointed after the novelty of watching your little Lego men rocking out wears off.

 

Lego Rock Band is a fairly decent addition to the franchise, it brings humor, a decent setlist and something slightly different from the usual. It’s just a pity that the game is lacking in features such as online play and that the disc is quite light when it comes to song choice, otherwise this could have been a truly great game.