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How Metascores Are Calculated
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Altered Beast
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games. |
Rock Band 2 builds upon its foundation as the first music game to introduce co-operative band gameplay, multiple instruments, a robust online multiplayer experience, an unrivaled offering of downloadable content and raises the bar by delivering an entirely new level of depth, connectivity, authenticity and features including: Backwards compatibility with Rock Band downloadable music content. All previously purchased tracks immediately load into your Rock Band 2 song list. No need to re-purchase or re-download. The biggest and most diverse soundtrack ever featuring some of rock's most prolific acts, comprised entirely of master recordings. Major new and dynamic online modes that connect the entire Rock Band community in more ways than ever before both locally and globally. More variety of instrument choices than ever before with new and improved drum and guitar peripherals, enhanced functionality and innovative new designs - all fully compatible with the original Rock Band instruments. [MTV]
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more... 100
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96
Planet Xbox 360
Between the steady stream of DLC and the ability to import your tracks from the first game, you are unlikely to stop playing Rock Band 2 anytime soon. The added ability to continue your World Tour band online, drum trainer, and daily challenges may sound like small additions, but they greatly enhance and extend the gameplay for what was already a must-own title; at least until the next Guitar Hero is released.
96
GameFocus
If the first game was a success on so many levels, the sequel brings the same success back but pushes it so high that at this point it will be hard for anyone to catch it up. I can’t finish my review without saying that if you never experienced Rock Band, you’re definitely missing something really special.
95
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Electronic Gaming Monthly
And once the music ended, it was pretty clear: Rock Band 2 is another chart-topper. [Nov 2008, p.79]
93
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92
Cheat Code Central
Rock Band 2 is definitely an upgrade over its previous entry. Although its best feature is probably the 80+ songs that come with it, you'll find a whole host of new and upgraded features that will keep you rocking for quite some time. Even if you have never rocked before, Rock Band's No-Fail mode makes this one an easy choice for casual or new players.
92
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Game Revolution
91
91
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90
Official Xbox Magazine
At its worst, Rock Band 2 feels like a massive expansion pack that fills in the gaps from the original game. At its best, it’s a rewarding and refined excuse to pick up your fake career where you left off — laughing and rocking with friends near and far for a group thrill that few other games can deliver.
90
90
Yahoo! Games
Whether or not you grab the new hardware, there is no question that the stand-alone Rock Band 2 game is worth its $60 price tag. Heck, you'd pay twice that just to download the 84 new songs; toss in the new online functionality, Battle of the Bands and the Drum Trainer and you get another desert island classic.
90
90
Wired
Rock Band 2 is a massive bullet-point list of new features, each of which makes playing the game a little bit more fun, a little bit less annoying. MTV has played it very safe: It has not broken anything, but neither has it taken any great risks to add any feature that is mind-blowingly new, the way it did when it added drumming and vocals to Guitar Hero in the first place.
90
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Eurogamer
More or less every concern and complaint we had about the original game has been addressed, the new tracklist is very much to our taste (with 20 more free songs to come, remember), and with the rebalancing of difficulty, modes like Battle of the Bands and the No Fail modifier and Drum Trainer, Harmonix has completed the awkward job of broadening the game's appeal at both ends of the skill spectrum successfully. It's an excellent, measured sequel that should appeal to all.
90
90
X360 Magazine UK
Rock Band 2 includes substantial improvements and a better setlist over its predecessor, making it the must-own music game for the 360. [Issue#39]
90
Meristation
Rock Band 2 is, basically, everything that the first one had. Which is not good, but great news. But everything that Harmonix has added this time makes the package even better. Improved, more sensitive instruments, the great backwards compatibility and indeed the new online co-op for both Band Tour and Multiplayer modes are the best of the mix. One of the few games which a sequel makes sense.
90
360 Gamer Magazine UK
RB2 improves on the original and does enough to distance itself from main rival GH, although uncanny similarity to the first game might leave a sour taste in the mouths of those that already bought one Rock Band game this year. Still, it’s the most refined and thorough example of the genre so far and for that alone must be applauded.
90
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Gamer.nl
Harmonix paid good attention to what made Rock Band such a success. It fully adapted Rock Band 2 to this knowledge and that's why single player and multiplayer mode gives you the feeling that you're playing one solid game. The game offers much more than its predecessor and even the tracklist (what seemed almost impossible) is even better than the first one. Harmonix has given the fans exactly what they want and has given newcomers a nice starting point.
90
Level7.nu
The second installment in the hard rocking franchise may seem familiar at first, but the fact is that there are several minor and major additions here that do a lot to improve the overall experience. You can now play the campaign online and there is a new training mode for all of us that are struggling with learning the drums. There are 84 new songs to rock out to and an additional 20 to download for free. This is in fact a buy even for those who bough the first Rock Band, and for those who own neither it's a must have.
90
Edge Magazine
By polishing away blemishes, Rock Band 2 carefully improves on its predecessor. Those expecting the likes of music-making functionality perhaps aren’t quite on Rock Band’s wavelength, which is about performance, not creativity. [Dec 2008, p.85]
90
games(TM)
The whole drop-in drop-out nature of the world tour, both online and off, is outstanding. It’s also worryingly addictive. There never feels like a good enough reason to stop. [Jan 2009, p.98]
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Xbox World 360 Magazine UK
HG's victory is an academic one. [Jan 2009, p.81]
89
ActionTrip
Jamming with friends to some classic tunes that span 4 decades and a variety of genres is a load of fun and a great way to waste an evening. The new features are not enough to convert anyone who can't stand rhythm games to begin with but to anyone who enjoys this kind of experience should go out and add Rock Band 2 to their library today.
88
88
HellBored
I don’t believe there will be much distinction between the franchises apart from the DLC tracks available. With both expanding as fast as we can report, and with names like The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix being added to the fray, I honestly reckon there’s enough music out there for both to be successful, and that if Harmonix can do something about their terrible staggered worldwide release schedule, they may still be in contention.
87
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83
sam r gave it a5: Brendan H. gave it a9: Jordan K. gave it a9: Mojo D. gave it a9: Nato V. gave it a7: William M. gave it a10: Nick M. gave it a10: |
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