Rock Band 4

 PlayStation 4
User Score
6.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 107 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 107
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 107
  3. Negative: 28 out of 107
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  1. Tridus
    Oct 26, 2015
    7
    It plays well, it's still fun, and the freestyle solos are a lot of fun to play. But for people who had multiple games with exported tracks in the past, having all those songs be missing is a major letdown. The included list is weak, especially compared to Rock Band 1 and 2.

    When they get all that old content back into this game, it will be much better for it.
  2. musicmaniac
    Oct 4, 2020
    0
    At the current state the game is unplayable.
    - Crashing, Freezing, Stuttering... it's a daily problem. They patched it out before but now LIE and say they cannot reproduce the problem when in their own DLC videos the problem occurs almost EVERY SINGLE WEEK. Terrible Developer.
    - THE CALIBRATION CHANGES IN THE MIDDLE OF A SONG. You can't be serious.. who coded this thing? - The DLC as of    At the current state the game is unplayable.
    - Crashing, Freezing, Stuttering... it's a daily problem. They patched it out before but now LIE and say they cannot reproduce the problem when in their own DLC videos the problem occurs almost EVERY SINGLE WEEK. Terrible Developer.
    - THE CALIBRATION CHANGES IN THE MIDDLE OF A SONG. You can't be serious.. who coded this thing?
    - The DLC as of late (which for some won't matter but for me it does because I want diverse tracks each week) has been Tiktok GARBAGE.    … Expand
  3. Captiosus
    Oct 7, 2015
    5
    Why is this game being rated so highly? It takes so many steps backwards it's not even funny.

    Pros: + Typical, refined, Rock Band gameplay that made the franchise fun to play. + Better solo system. Cons: - Scaled back character creation. - Scaled back production (text only loading screens, for example). - NO ONLINE COOP OR COMPETITION (something this franchise pioneered back in    Why is this game being rated so highly? It takes so many steps backwards it's not even funny.

    Pros:
    + Typical, refined, Rock Band gameplay that made the franchise fun to play.
    + Better solo system.

    Cons:
    - Scaled back character creation.
    - Scaled back production (text only loading screens, for example).
    - NO ONLINE COOP OR COMPETITION (something this franchise pioneered back in RB2!)
    - Lackluster on disk set list.
    - No Midi (pro) drum support.
    - No old keyboard/keytar support.
    - Increased cost per track of all old DLC.
    - Problems importing old RB1 and 2 DLC and tracks.
    - The instruments use the same original design and still feel flimsy.

    I get that nostalgia is a powerful thing but looking objectively, this game isn't even on par with what Rock Band 2 brought to the genre back in 2008! The lack of online coop and online competitions basically turns this back into the PS2 era all over again... newsflash, not all of us can get together and have epic band play in the same room all the time. That's what made the online coop and the battle of the bands functions so meaningful when they released them. Yet those got stripped out...

    This feels like a cash in, a cheap indie title designed to upsell you on endless DLC tracks - and if you switched platforms or didn't use your old import license, they'll be happy to sell you all the tracks you've already bought again for a higher price.

    I sincerely hope no part of the Amplitude reboot was delayed due to this and I regret letting nostalgia drive my purchase decision.    … Expand
  4. NegativeCreep
    Oct 21, 2015
    6
    I am a pretty serious Rock Band veteran. My main instrument is drums and I've been playing at expert level since 2008. Rock Band 4 had consistently existed on my "dream sequels" list for the past several years and so I was thrilled when it was finally announced. That's what makes it a special shame that this game, in its current state, is pretty disappointing.

    I'll start off with    I am a pretty serious Rock Band veteran. My main instrument is drums and I've been playing at expert level since 2008. Rock Band 4 had consistently existed on my "dream sequels" list for the past several years and so I was thrilled when it was finally announced. That's what makes it a special shame that this game, in its current state, is pretty disappointing.

    I'll start off with what I think is good; The "shows" feature in which setlists are voted on from a random pick of songs is a pretty good inclusion. I didn't think I would care for it at first, but it's refreshing and fun to not know what song is coming next and to be able to make your selection from what is presented to you. As a drummer, I also like the new dynamic fill feature, for the most part. Like setlist voting, the unpredictability of it is what makes it fun and unique. It was a pretty good decision on Harmonix's part to dump the "create your own" fill section from previous titles, as it quickly got boring. The new fills can sometimes be annoying however as it may present you with a totally off the wall fill which doesn't fit in well with the current section you're playing and cause you to get off track, but for the most part I enjoy having a new fill to play every time. I have played with the new freestyle guitar solos a bit, and I think it's interesting although personally I'd probably prefer just to play the charted solos.

    There's a few reasons why I think the game deserves a low score, and it's all to do with its relativity to the other games. The core experience of the game is still well-established in RB4. There's hardly much different about it at all, really, and it's still as fun as it was previous games. This means that the main improvements to the game should have been in other areas in order to enhance the overall experience, and in most cases this didn't happen. Probably the two biggest surprises I had upon playing the game were that there was no practice mode and no ability to create and play your own setlists. These are pretty dumbfounding features to cut from the game, and so it leads me to believe that the game was likely rushed. Online multiplayer is also notably absent, and Harmonix has gone on the record several times to say that it is planned for a future update. I expect that both of those other features will be implemented in a future update as well, but it's still wildly bizarre that they were missing from launch. The career/tour mode, by far one of the most important parts of the series for me, is a bit better than RB3's, but still a let down. Some of the game's marketing before launch portrayed the career mode as "practically a full-on RPG", which is absolutely untrue. It's so frustrating how Harmonix has had 4 iterations to work on this mode and it's still nowhere near achieving its potential. At least you can choose your own cities again. But this leads me to another point: There are 3 venues in the entire game. A lot of people aren't going to care about that, but to me I found the venues thematically important and it's really disappointing that such a huge step backward was taken here, and it contributes to the feeling that the game was rushed. Something that especially hits hard, given that this is the first Rock Band game on next-gen is that the animations in this game are absolutely dreadful. The guitarist/bassists arms are so stiff that they look like robots and half the time the on-screen musicians don't seem to be playing the actual parts. This is especially disappointing as I loved how in Rock Band the avatars would accurately play the songs, and you could see it. Not so here, and it's extremely puzzling given that they have all the more power to work with. The game's UI and menus also feel really lackluster and it's apparent that they were having budget trouble as a new independent studio.

    The hardware itself is ok, but I've been having consistent issues with drums. From 16th notes and on, I have trouble hitting the notes even if I play them the exact same way I did in previous games and got credit for them. I don't know if that's a calibration issue or what, but it's pretty annoying.

    The core experience of Rock Band is still totally in tact here, and it's still fun. But the lack of improvements made, and the flat-out steps backwards that were taken are disappointing and upsetting.    … Expand
  5. Sp1ffy84
    Oct 8, 2015
    4
    Sp1ffy84
    Oct 8, 2015
    4 I don't know why this is rated so high? I love ROCKBAND, and have purchased one, two, three and Beatles. This is by far the worst I've ever played. The mic and instruments have delay issues. We tend to turn the vocal track all the way down and sing like karaoke, but it's impossible when there is a delay in when you sing vocals and when you hear them. The kick    Sp1ffy84
    Oct 8, 2015
    4
    I don't know why this is rated so high? I love ROCKBAND, and have purchased one, two, three and Beatles. This is by far the worst I've ever played. The mic and instruments have delay issues. We tend to turn the vocal track all the way down and sing like karaoke, but it's impossible when there is a delay in when you sing vocals and when you hear them. The kick pedal on the drums is not suited for rapid taps like in metal songs.(it just won't register) The DLC is Broken. There are songs even newly available for purchase that won't download when you buy them. I bought a few songs just last night that I was able to pay for without a problem, but wont download. The character creator leaves alot to be desired. I guess Harmonix is missing that MTV money, because they did not give us what they promised and if this is the best they have to offer than Rockband is on it's last legs. I will not buy another product, song or piece of software from them until they get this game in a working condition. So just to let you know if you loved the old Rockband and don't mind: not playing story, not buying new tracks, not re-downloading old tracks, not playing songs from previous games (have yet to release them and won't say when they will be able to), not playing drums, not hearing your voice when you sing, not playing online and being pissed off that a great game and franchise is now a nostalgia cash cow. Have I got just the game for you. To quote the late and great Freddie Mercury, "Another one bites the dust."    … Expand
  6. Streecs
    Oct 26, 2015
    8
    Как купил игру, два дня рубился в неё с друзьями. Доступных песен много, хотя для меня там мало известных групп, но это не значит что песни мне не нравятся. Контроллеры сделаны качественно, игра не глючит. Из явных недочетов это не работающий магазин и иногда отключающиеся контроллеры (для контроллеров Mad Catz уже сделали обновление прошивки исправляющее этот косяк). Магазин, похожеКак купил игру, два дня рубился в неё с друзьями. Доступных песен много, хотя для меня там мало известных групп, но это не значит что песни мне не нравятся. Контроллеры сделаны качественно, игра не глючит. Из явных недочетов это не работающий магазин и иногда отключающиеся контроллеры (для контроллеров Mad Catz уже сделали обновление прошивки исправляющее этот косяк). Магазин, похоже просто не работает в России. Кастомизация персонажа скудновата - мало одежды, мало инструментов (особенно барабанов), мало причесок. Всего мало. Но это не так важно - главное геймплей. Тут с ним все в порядке. Хотя ябы был рад добавлению более сложного режима, но с игрой только на 4-х кнопках на гитаре.… Expand
  7. Videocade
    Oct 6, 2015
    8
    It's been 5 years since Rock Band 3 launched on the last generation of consoles. In that 5 years rhythm games have taken a back seat and ultimately fell of the radar. Now seemed like as good a time as any to bring them back, and it seems to be for the best. Upon picking up Rock Band 4 I was happy to see a lot of the same features from the previous entires, something that might usually be aIt's been 5 years since Rock Band 3 launched on the last generation of consoles. In that 5 years rhythm games have taken a back seat and ultimately fell of the radar. Now seemed like as good a time as any to bring them back, and it seems to be for the best. Upon picking up Rock Band 4 I was happy to see a lot of the same features from the previous entires, something that might usually be a negative but in this case works perfectly. The style of the Rock Band series has always been praised for it's "easy to learn, hard to master" philosophy and its ever expanding library of songs. It was a delight to launch the game and find myself knowing exactly what to do and where to go. Though don't let this fool you, theres a lot more to the game. An exciting new Career mode lets you make choices that affect your set lists and rewards. The game lets you explore options and tailor your experience to your needs. The game adds a new feature called "Freestyle Solo" which allows you to get as creative as you want during solos in the game, as opposed to following a pattern. It keeps songs feeling fresh and new even if you've played them before. Now in terms of songs feeling new, thats where the game loses out a bit. The on-disc track list is significantly weaker than the previous entries, with the game appearing to rely heavily on past and hopefully upcoming DLC. Some players can see this as feeling that they aren't getting a complete experience from the get go, and with a steep price tag attached it can feel like you aren't getting the best value for your dollar. Users who don't mind the DLC add-ons are in for a treat as the library of songs to download is extensive.

    Rock Band manages to deliver exactly what its been good at for years. fun rhythm gameplay with a quality soundtrack. The games weaknesses lie in its small amount of on disc songs and its steep price tag for users not looking to spend extra on DLC. Though its easy to look past those flaws due to its stellar gameplay and ability to bring the noise!    … Expand
  8. Aldaniss
    Oct 8, 2015
    7
    I've played a LOT of Rock Band 3, so I was really looking forward to this new installment. Overall it's a pretty good experience, the new guitar controller feels more solid and the buttons make less noise which is nice. The drum set doesn't feel like you'll break them with a nice bounce to the pad. And the new Freestyle Solo system really makes you feel like a rock star shredding away onI've played a LOT of Rock Band 3, so I was really looking forward to this new installment. Overall it's a pretty good experience, the new guitar controller feels more solid and the buttons make less noise which is nice. The drum set doesn't feel like you'll break them with a nice bounce to the pad. And the new Freestyle Solo system really makes you feel like a rock star shredding away on stage.

    My complaints are there isn't much added to the genre. The whole thing feels more streamlined and it's still a blast to play with friends but if you are looking for something new, Freestyle Solos are the only real noteworthy addition. The character creator seems to be lacking. Only two body types "Masculine" and "Feminine", it would be nice to have a little variety with that, but it's purely cosmetic and doesn't affect gameplay. No online co-op or vs mode at the moment, but it is possible these features will be added in the future. If they do I'd bump the score up, but as of now the game could use some work.    … Expand
  9. elcanadiano
    Oct 21, 2015
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I think this game is pretty good overall. Harmonix has admitted that the game was going to be at best a Minimum Viable Product and then they will be expanding on the game. I think they did a really good job on the tour mode, which I've been really enjoying - a major improvement over the challenges in Rock Band 3. The instrument build itself feels like an improvement over previous Rock Band instruments - not so much relative to the Beatles and Rock Band 3 instruments but still a massive improvement over what they had in Rock Band 1 and Rock Band 2. The soundtrack is something I think people have to grow into, but I have been able to enjoy a lot of songs that I have not heard before - some notable ones being Milwaukee by The Both, Albert by Eddie Japan, or I Miss the Misery by Halestorm.

    I have a lot of fun inviting friends over to play. It still does a formidable job in this category.

    As for the cons, the instruments do tend to disconnect from time to time - this was intended to be fixed via. Firmware Updates but I have yet to get it working successfully on the PlayStation 4. For what it is worth, the Xbox One instruments have upgraded for me without a hitch - so this is specifically a problem with the PS4. Moreover, the microphone volume has a very high latency from when you sing to when your voice gets played on the speakers - that too has been a sore for me. It would also be nice if they eventually implement Practice Mode and Synchronous Online play with your PlayStation Network or Xbox Live friends (not so much matchmaking). However, the latter is not as important to me as I do invite friends over periodically to play.

    One other minor gripe I have is whenever you have to input words for search/bands/etc., the letters/characters in the typing interface is in one row and it becomes a bit of an annoyance to type. Perhaps they could amend it by displaying the available character options in a series of rows - this would really reduce the amount of movement you have to make to type stuff.

    However, I still think it's a pretty solid game overall. If you're in the fence to buy it, I wouldn't rush it, but you could always just get the game digitally or something like that.    … Expand
  10. hiddenpheonix
    Oct 31, 2016
    0
    On Easy, the game still rates me a 1 star. I've performed on stage, live, with audience who've cheered me. And this game and it's retarded mic, on easy, tells me I'm constantly crap.
    Don't if the software or hardware is broken.
  11. LandonT
    Oct 6, 2015
    7
    The new design of the music tracks and the songs are good, but what I don't like is the lack of character customization options. They didn't include near as many as the past games. The song selection menu is nice because it tells you all the instrument difficulties, the year the song was made, and the genre it is. Another thing too, they didn't put RBN songs for purchase on the store. ButThe new design of the music tracks and the songs are good, but what I don't like is the lack of character customization options. They didn't include near as many as the past games. The song selection menu is nice because it tells you all the instrument difficulties, the year the song was made, and the genre it is. Another thing too, they didn't put RBN songs for purchase on the store. But overall, this is a good game for the series.… Expand
  12. lord_galathon
    Nov 3, 2015
    2
    I'm also a pretty serious Rock Band veteran, even have one of the songs I produced on DLC for RB2.0 and as a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist I had high hopes to finally play Rock Band on next-gen. I was disappointed when first the game required a 1.1Gb patch to be downloaded and installed, then the store server wouldn't connect to re-download the massive DLC content I had purchased forI'm also a pretty serious Rock Band veteran, even have one of the songs I produced on DLC for RB2.0 and as a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist I had high hopes to finally play Rock Band on next-gen. I was disappointed when first the game required a 1.1Gb patch to be downloaded and installed, then the store server wouldn't connect to re-download the massive DLC content I had purchased for RB1, 2 and 3 and I was redirected to the PS Store and its incredibly bad interface to try to download the songs, of which I own over 100 titles.

    Then when I finally got around to playing, the game algorithms decided that the stand-in singer for Beetlebum should be a girl, no big issue until I realized my microphone (original RockBand kit) didn't work. Later I figured out that the game defaults to the playstation camera microphone. Get out of the game, disconnect the camera, restart and play only now there's an appaling full second delay in the vocals, exacerbated by the fact that the vocal processor in the game filters out the vowels (A-E-I-O-U...) which are DESIREABLE in vocals, and instead, boosts the clicking/hissing sounds (ssssk, ssschh, chhhhk, kkksss, etc.) which rendered the game unplayable even after re-running the calibration.

    Too bad. Game was returned to the store, exchanged for a game that is actually fully functional at launch.

    My main question though remains: WTF was the 1.1Gb patch for?    … Expand
  13. hairlooksgreat
    Oct 15, 2015
    4
    Rock Band 4 lacks many of the features of previous iterations. Setlists in quickplay? GONE. Practice mode? GONE. Trainer? GONE. Online Play? GONE. Character creator is a joke. Freestyle solos are fun but I prefer to play using charted notes. Vocals are totally messed up because there are apparently exploits that make the leader boards a joke. The stock drum kits have many issues with lag.Rock Band 4 lacks many of the features of previous iterations. Setlists in quickplay? GONE. Practice mode? GONE. Trainer? GONE. Online Play? GONE. Character creator is a joke. Freestyle solos are fun but I prefer to play using charted notes. Vocals are totally messed up because there are apparently exploits that make the leader boards a joke. The stock drum kits have many issues with lag. The store is currently in disarray. Some songs I know I own but I'm being asked to pay for again. Firmware update through Windows PC with bluetooth is annoying as hell. There have been 2 updates already with apparently a third on the way. I know that Harmonix is an indie studio now but that's not my problem. The game is a shell of it's former self and feels as empty as Harmonix hallways. Sticking with RB3 for now. I'll check back in after the holidays and maybe a few free updates.… Expand
  14. prinny
    Oct 20, 2015
    4
    I really wish I could get a refund on this, as the only reason I bought this was to play online with a friend, and would not have bought it until that feature was available had I known. The new "make your own" solo section I just sit staring at the screen pressing random keys - really boring new feature. A lot of the practice features and extra options are absent. We have been presentedI really wish I could get a refund on this, as the only reason I bought this was to play online with a friend, and would not have bought it until that feature was available had I known. The new "make your own" solo section I just sit staring at the screen pressing random keys - really boring new feature. A lot of the practice features and extra options are absent. We have been presented with less than the bare minimum for what could have been a great re-launch of a beloved series. Beware and check out reviews and compare with your own situation first - don't assume it has the features or setlist you'd expect.

    Pros: Old controller works flawlessly, note highway/game feedback seem better than any previous RB.
    Cons: Australian Pricing (see below). NO ONLINE MULTIPLAYER - I would have never even expected to have to check this was a feature and it's ridiculous this wasn't included out of the gate. Game lags inexplicably during some sections of songs despite PS4 hardware upgrade. Fairly mediocre setlist (this one is subjective - check the list out for yourselves).

    *Australian pricing at launch: $85 for digital copy, $100+ for boxed copy, $250 if you need a guitar and $500 if you need a drumkit. Insane pricing that I would not have gone for if I hadn't owned an old guitar.    … Expand
  15. dillysfriend
    Oct 16, 2015
    10
    I got the band in a box. After updating the firmware and putting in new batteries, I have had no problems with the controllers. They feel better than my previous RB2 controllers. The gameplay is the core gameplay, similar to Rock Band 1 and 2. Show mode doesn't save scores, which is interesting and has lead to me mostly playing quickplay. Quickplay is solid though and is exactly what II got the band in a box. After updating the firmware and putting in new batteries, I have had no problems with the controllers. They feel better than my previous RB2 controllers. The gameplay is the core gameplay, similar to Rock Band 1 and 2. Show mode doesn't save scores, which is interesting and has lead to me mostly playing quickplay. Quickplay is solid though and is exactly what I expected.

    Also, if you don't use optical out, you'll probably have a a lot of audio lag (The PS4 in general seems to have much more lag than the PS3). I bought a converter to use my speakers with optical out and I have almost no audio lag.    … Expand
  16. Xexteir
    Oct 20, 2015
    1
    I don't like this game. I think Rock Band 3 is even better than this one newer. The same game.... Okay. Play ist.... super bad i think. If you are a person very nostalgic is your game but if you want something new: Guitar hero live. Furthermore the launch of Rock Band 4 was a big fail with a several troubles like this: Instruments of XBOX one were not in the bundle pack of XBOX one. ThereI don't like this game. I think Rock Band 3 is even better than this one newer. The same game.... Okay. Play ist.... super bad i think. If you are a person very nostalgic is your game but if you want something new: Guitar hero live. Furthermore the launch of Rock Band 4 was a big fail with a several troubles like this: Instruments of XBOX one were not in the bundle pack of XBOX one. There were the instruments of PS4 in the bundle pack of XBOX one. It's very funny.… Expand
  17. evile420
    Oct 14, 2015
    0
    Got this game last week and attempted to play it, however the controller kept disconnecting from my Playstation. When I called Madcatz (first red flag i should have noticed, madcatz make terrible controllers), i was told i would need to buy a blutooth device in order to update the firmware on the controller. the fact that i would have to purchase another item to get a working device forGot this game last week and attempted to play it, however the controller kept disconnecting from my Playstation. When I called Madcatz (first red flag i should have noticed, madcatz make terrible controllers), i was told i would need to buy a blutooth device in order to update the firmware on the controller. the fact that i would have to purchase another item to get a working device for something i already paid over 130$ for. and that was it, no other option no other help.… Expand
  18. Kaz-Gov
    Oct 6, 2015
    10
    Coming from a background of other harmonix products (rock band series, guitar hero etc.) this title show's the mastered format taken even further. With great additions like freestyle guitars/vocals and a tour mode that's more fun than in the previous titles - it's probably a game of the year for me. Tracks are top notch and the hardware provided sets a new standard for rhythm games. I'llComing from a background of other harmonix products (rock band series, guitar hero etc.) this title show's the mastered format taken even further. With great additions like freestyle guitars/vocals and a tour mode that's more fun than in the previous titles - it's probably a game of the year for me. Tracks are top notch and the hardware provided sets a new standard for rhythm games. I'll take Rock Band over Activision (guitar hero) **** any day.

    The game also supports legacy controllers, so no need to buy new instruments if you've got old ones lying around. Old DLC and library can also be imported to the RB4. Just plain awesome, game.    … Expand
  19. Avello15
    Oct 7, 2015
    8
    Same old, Same old.. but is this a bad thing? Not in my opinion, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Harmonix promises future updates to the game, stating that Rock Band 4 will be a platform and they are not developing a Rock Band 5. Yes the set-list is a little poor and there are a few features missing, but at the core is the same rock band we know and love. Give us online multiplayer and addSame old, Same old.. but is this a bad thing? Not in my opinion, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Harmonix promises future updates to the game, stating that Rock Band 4 will be a platform and they are not developing a Rock Band 5. Yes the set-list is a little poor and there are a few features missing, but at the core is the same rock band we know and love. Give us online multiplayer and add the remaining DLC, and this game is a 10/10 for me.… Expand
  20. JuanWay
    Oct 6, 2015
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm in love with the single player campaign! From "real-life" decisions, virtual requests from the audience, and quarrels between band mates, I love it all. I strongly recommend DLC for the ultimate experience, for the disc track is a little less than recognizable. All in all, this game is the best of it's genre!… Expand
  21. Tinagowtfay12
    May 2, 2016
    6
    Okay, so when this game was first released I gave it a fairly positive view, but sadly i'm going to have to change my review. I got the game early as I was chosen to be a part of the Rock Band Crew. I'm a huge fan of the Rock Band series. Buying the first Rock Band game changed my life. It was all I ever played and I loved it. It was a huge game in my family. We always threw parties andOkay, so when this game was first released I gave it a fairly positive view, but sadly i'm going to have to change my review. I got the game early as I was chosen to be a part of the Rock Band Crew. I'm a huge fan of the Rock Band series. Buying the first Rock Band game changed my life. It was all I ever played and I loved it. It was a huge game in my family. We always threw parties and had such a blast. I've kept those memories very close to me as they brought friendships and relationships closer. I bought every rock band game and each one amazed me, I think Rock Band 2 was my favorite. Had a really great setlist and brought in new game modes that I really enjoyed. Sadly, Rock Band 4 didn't do that for me. I was very excited when they announced it, but, the game is too broken. Without MTV and EA maybe thats why it didn't do as good? The setlist wasn't great and I can't even play the game. I've updated all instruments and yet they still don't work and I've recalibrated multiple times and sometimes the calibration can't even read the instruments. I've loved what you were putting out Harmonix. Guitar Hero 1 and 2 were incredible and the three Rock Bands were a lot of fun, but my family can't even enjoy playing this game. The game can be enjoyed if we weren't hoping for higher scores from previous scores, but other then that, the game isn't in sync at all and maybe they should update it. I'm not exactly sure if any update can help the gameplay of the game, it may be too late. I still have the urge and want to play this game, thats why i'll give it a 6, but it could've been soo much better.… Expand
  22. BrankTheDankest
    Oct 6, 2015
    0
    Was good until "Bet My Life" by Imagine Dragons started playing. Why would they do this to us? You got songs like Uptown Funk, Caught Up In You, Friday I'm In Love, I Will Follow, and other cool **** like that. THEN YOU GIVE US IMAGINE DRAGONS? Returned it immediately.
  23. khvivi
    Sep 9, 2018
    8
    Potentially a higher score than it deserves on its own, as it would require a lot of purchases to get all the songs you want, however it allows you to import everything from the previous games, and if you happen to have a load of the older games and dlcs it means you have a very large pool of songs to play
  24. DJNiceDoggy
    Oct 23, 2015
    9
    I could certainly go into detail about how Rockband 4 is better than the new Guitar Hero, but I'm not. Save time, buy this game and don't even worry about what you think you might be missing from GH Live. Trust me...it's not that great. Rockband has better songs and way more of a party game.
  25. wwwes
    Oct 12, 2015
    9
    The freestyle guitar solos and vocals are some of the most fun I've ever had in a Rock Band game. Tour mode is a bit of an update to Rock Band 2's tour mode, the best to date in the series. I miss the inclusion of features like online multiplayer, but I hold out hope that they will be added in future updates to the game.
  26. TriumphantBass
    Oct 16, 2015
    8
    In short, I'd say Rock Band 4 is exactly what it needs to be right now.

    Rock Band 3 was an ambitious game when it released in 2010. It introduced "pro modes" with a 25-key keyboard peripheral and two separate 102 fret guitars (before Rocksmith was even announced). With the trainers and songs featured on-disc, you could very well learn how to play keyboard or guitar. However, RB3 was    In short, I'd say Rock Band 4 is exactly what it needs to be right now.

    Rock Band 3 was an ambitious game when it released in 2010. It introduced "pro modes" with a 25-key keyboard peripheral and two separate 102 fret guitars (before Rocksmith was even announced). With the trainers and songs featured on-disc, you could very well learn how to play keyboard or guitar. However, RB3 was released at a time where rhythm games were rapidly waning in popularity, and the install base for those new pro peripherals were rather small in comparison to Guitar/Bass, Vocals, and Drums. As much as I loved my keyboard, I can definitely see why they took it out to focus on the other instruments.

    And, all-in-all, I'd say they did a good job creating a focused game. While the character creator is pretty minimal right now, and the practice and training modes are notably absent, I'd say that the core gameplay is just as polished as ever. The addition of freestyle guitar solos gives a fun alternative to the scripted solos (which can still be used at any time), and I've been impressed at how good most of them sound. I really feel like I'm creating solos that fit naturally into the songs.

    The on-disc soundtrack is a bit smaller than Rock Band 2 and 3 (though larger than RB1), sitting at 65 tracks. U2, Van Halen, Cake, Gin Blossoms, The Protomen, Imagine Dragons, and Elvis are among the newcomers to the series, and there are a bunch of great tracks from returning artists including the Foo Fighters, Aerosmith, The Who, The Cure, Rush, Paramore, Ozzy, Fleetwood Mac, Soundgarden, and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones.

    Most impressively, the game is compatible with nearly all of the PS3 instruments (including GH equipment), and most of the PS3 song catalog, with over 1600 DLC songs already playable in RB4, and more coming soon with the entire disc soundtracks from Rock Band 1, 2, 3, Lego, AC/DC track pack, and Green Day (barring a handful of problem tracks).

    Overall, while I'd say the game definitely has some room for improvement feature wise, it is still a fantastic experience gameplay wise, and always a blast with local friends. I'd highly recommend it.    … Expand
  27. hoss4107
    Oct 16, 2015
    10
    I can't believe Rock Band has returned. I, for one couldn't be happier. I have been hooked ever since the first title was released. My music catalog has increased over the years with each game. Imagined how excited I was when it was announced that most content would be exportable to the next-gen consoles. Being able to play with pre-existing instruments was a plus, as well.

    This game    I can't believe Rock Band has returned. I, for one couldn't be happier. I have been hooked ever since the first title was released. My music catalog has increased over the years with each game. Imagined how excited I was when it was announced that most content would be exportable to the next-gen consoles. Being able to play with pre-existing instruments was a plus, as well.

    This game allows for you to bring out your inner "rock god" or "goddess". Create your own band, characters to fill it, and then hit the road "on tour". If you would rather play songs randomly in quickplay mode, you can do that. This game is one that can be enjoyed solo but it is so much fun sharing with others. Whether you are a beginner, seasoned veteran, or expert player; this game is for you. For any fan of rhythm games, I feel this is a must buy.    … Expand
  28. vfx
    Oct 18, 2015
    10
    Rock Band 4 is straight up fun.

    Beat matching is the meat and potatoes of Rock Band 4, but I LOVE the new improvised guitar solo. Don't get me wrong, I seriously stunk at first and got frustrated at trying to play the right combos (high vs. low notes, fast strum, etc). However, I just said the heck with it and just played what I wanted and ignored what was on screen (I found out later    Rock Band 4 is straight up fun.

    Beat matching is the meat and potatoes of Rock Band 4, but I LOVE the new improvised guitar solo. Don't get me wrong, I seriously stunk at first and got frustrated at trying to play the right combos (high vs. low notes, fast strum, etc). However, I just said the heck with it and just played what I wanted and ignored what was on screen (I found out later you can do full-time solo too, which is fun). Anyhow, once I nailed the performance aspect of solo, it was more satisfying when I went back to learn the scoring system. So yeah, I eagerly await my solos now. I know I'm not actually making music, but I guess you could say I'm 'shaping' it and it just feels so good when you nail a solo. There are fewer things more satisfying when your band-mates and audience cheer your performance. :)

    I'm relatively new to RB so I don't necessarily miss any of the features that didn't make it over from the previous titles. Frankly, I just want to play and don't really sweat the other stuff. Though, I kinda wish they had a short and chubby body type in the character creator... I can understand people being bummed about stuff they liked being dropped, but IMO, it feels pretty well balanced. That said, I gather the developer plans to continuously update the game with new features, so that's pretty cool.

    I have to admit I am not familiar with most of the bands in the library (I skew on the older end of their target market I think :) ), but have no problem buying the music I want as DLC (Pixies, here I come!). Besides I've discovered a few cool bands that I would have otherwise never heard.

    Zero issues with instruments syncing, lag, etc. I had a buddy who's guitar was acting funky but it was a simple fix (via Mad Cats website). Again being new to RB, I didn't own any of the older instruments, but the friends I used to play with seem to be impressed by the new equipment. Fingers crossed they will survive being played by my band-mates (which includes my 4 year old son) and myself. I'm pretty confident they will as it just feels like quality kit.

    So yeah, the game is fun, it looks good, it sounds good and is something I'll be playing a while. Perfect for parties, rocking with my 4 year old, or just noodling a solo over a song when I wanna rock out.

    Totally recommended!!    … Expand
  29. epistm87
    Nov 15, 2015
    10
    Retains the spirit and sincerity of the original games Classic note-matching gameplay is still a total party Freestyle Solos offer fresh, rewarding gameplay
  30. ablaise82
    May 4, 2017
    0
    I cant even connect the **** guitar , even with online help and multiple tries. Who designed this **** Terrible. Maybe when it actually works Ill write it another review.
  31. TatsMcGee
    Sep 8, 2018
    8
    Was it fun?

    The “Fad” of Rock Band and Guitar are kind of over but they’re still fun games. Especially if you’re into Rock Music. If you still have your old instruments from Rock Band 1,2 or 3. I recommend picking up Rock Band 4 for the new gen systems. Then get together with a few friends and jam out for a couple hours every once in awhile. Its a good time, I highly recommend it to    Was it fun?

    The “Fad” of Rock Band and Guitar are kind of over but they’re still fun games. Especially if you’re into Rock Music. If you still have your old instruments from Rock Band 1,2 or 3. I recommend picking up Rock Band 4 for the new gen systems. Then get together with a few friends and jam out for a couple hours every once in awhile. Its a good time, I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a fun game to play with friends.

    Are there any similar games?

    Same concept of Guitar Hero but you can also play drums and sing.

    Favorite Instrument?

    I play Bass and I am also the lead vocalist.

    Would you play it again?

    I play it every Friday night with friends. We get a pizza, play and hang out. I’ve been meaning to write about this game for months but just keep forgetting.

    Any Complaints?

    It can be a little buggy but I still enjoy the game.    … Expand
  32. Labyrinth64
    Sep 7, 2020
    3
    Rock Band 4 is a husk of it’s nostalgic beginnings, the final nail in the coffin that rendered mainstream rhythm games obsolete. People are being way too nice to this game. Lets compare this game to Rock Band 3 to see what we are working with.

    Rock Band 3: Has 83 memorable, rhythmically complex base songs that many people know and love. Has minimal DLC, and instead, a system where you can    Rock Band 4 is a husk of it’s nostalgic beginnings, the final nail in the coffin that rendered mainstream rhythm games obsolete. People are being way too nice to this game. Lets compare this game to Rock Band 3 to see what we are working with.

    Rock Band 3:
    Has 83 memorable, rhythmically complex base songs that many people know and love. Has minimal DLC, and instead, a system where you can buy a spin-off Rock Band game, and add the songs to the base game.
    Game provides a challenge of some sort.
    Game has a cool “solo” system, where during guitar solos, it displays how many notes you hit in that part, as well as your score for that part.
    Came with all features at launch.

    Rock Band 4:
    Has 65 songs by either bands you’ve never heard of, or a well known band’s latest music (which is usually not even rock music).
    There are no ‘spinoff’ games. Instead, to get actually good songs, you must spend a fortune buying individual songs.
    The base guitar literally has alternative buttons so that you don’t need to strum the notes. In place of the “challenge”, Harmonix added “Brutal Mode”, which is just doing the same as taping some paper to the bottom of the screen so you can’t see the notes. It’s lazy and doesn’t even make the game that much harder.
    Also has this same solo system, but also adds some weird “freestyle” mode, which is easy as hell and sounds really bad. Who tf decided this was a good idea?
    I had to wait a YEAR for practice mode and multiplayer. A YEAR. And they have the balls to make the multiplayer DLC. This game was obviously released unfinished just so that it could beat out Guitar Hero in sales. It’s a greedy shell of what rhythm games used to be.

    The only reason it isn’t rated lower, is because it isn’t as bad as Guitar Hero Live. At least Rock Band 4 stuck to it’s roots in some way.

    In conclusion, just buy an Xbox 360 or PS3 and play the older Guitar Hero/Rock Band games. Don’t waste your time and money on this.

    3/10    … Expand
  33. Skydog
    Jan 4, 2021
    1
    Updating my review for 2021....
    The game has had some great DLC that we desperately needed. So i'm going to keep my score above a zero for that fact alone.
    Now this game has been a stutter, freezing fest on PS4 for over 3 years and the devs simply ignore Sony users request to look into a fix by simply saying "can't be reciprocated " when in fact most of my friends who used to put 100+    Updating my review for 2021....
    The game has had some great DLC that we desperately needed. So i'm going to keep my score above a zero for that fact alone.
    Now this game has been a stutter, freezing fest on PS4 for over 3 years and the devs simply ignore Sony users request to look into a fix by simply saying "can't be reciprocated " when in fact most of my friends who used to put 100+ hours a week into this game can reciprocate said issue every single time we play. Aka DEV laziness.
    The game is unplayable trash now. Avoid at all cost. Simple as that.

    Updating my review of this: (part 2)
    The game has been announced to get online multiplayer and song sorting issues fixed by the fall/holidays of this year (2016).
    So i've bumped the rating up about +2.    … Expand
  34. ChocolateMilton
    Jan 23, 2016
    4
    Does a few little new things right, but it doesn't compare to how the old Rock Band games were. Small list of songs, poor character creator, the store has massive connectivity issues, and more. Additionally, the Madcatz guitars and drums are much poorer quality than you are used to if you played the grand old rhythm games. Makes pulling off those hammer-ons much harder
  35. VertexEspada
    May 17, 2016
    6
    As many people have already stated, this game definitely takes a step back from Rock Band 3. No Pro mode, keyboard is gone, no bass effects, not to mention they moved the modifiers to the MAIN options menu.

    However, the setlist is...not "brilliant" as such but "great" at best. The interface is a lot tidier and clean. Freestyle guitar solos! Live pausing is also good too so you don't    As many people have already stated, this game definitely takes a step back from Rock Band 3. No Pro mode, keyboard is gone, no bass effects, not to mention they moved the modifiers to the MAIN options menu.

    However, the setlist is...not "brilliant" as such but "great" at best. The interface is a lot tidier and clean. Freestyle guitar solos! Live pausing is also good too so you don't have to disrupt your friends by changing options, difficulty etc.

    It's worth the buy if you're a Rock Band veteran, if you're a newcomer, best going with RB3.    … Expand
  36. KeySharkz
    Jun 28, 2016
    8
    Don't know why this game gets so much negative flack here, but I've owned it for months now and while the instruments for this version are not flawless they are very usable. If you are really worried about the instruments I'd get the older ones and use those. Other than that, it's Rock Band, what more can I say? My only real complaint is that not ALL the songs from previous versions areDon't know why this game gets so much negative flack here, but I've owned it for months now and while the instruments for this version are not flawless they are very usable. If you are really worried about the instruments I'd get the older ones and use those. Other than that, it's Rock Band, what more can I say? My only real complaint is that not ALL the songs from previous versions are compatible, but a vast majority are.

    The other real catch is this is a game that you'll need to spend more than the initial amount on if you want to play songs you actually like, which kind of sucks. I wish they would include like a voucher to pick maybe 10 songs from the store for being the $200 band kit.    … Expand
  37. MarcoBrenis
    Jun 18, 2019
    8
    Good, but personality i need somethings that we have in 3, i talk about the guitar pro and keys, that`s was an excellent idea, but, why push off that?

Awards & Rankings

72
#72 Best PS4 Game of 2015
78
#78 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2015
89
#89 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 51 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 51
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 51
  3. Negative: 0 out of 51
  1. CD-Action
    Dec 16, 2015
    65
    In comparison to Guitar Hero Live the new Rock Band game is way too conservative. There’s a certain tradition in the music business: when a performer grows a beer belly and can’t climb to the top of the charts anymore, you send him to tour Japan, so he can grab some more money from a bit more loyal local fans. After seeing Rock Band’s current shape all I can say to it is “sayonara”. [12/2015, p.63]
  2. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Dec 15, 2015
    80
    Go in expecting a “next-gen” evolution of Rock Band 3, and you'll wind up booing. Expect a slick, party-in-a-box, and you'll be wolf -whistling. [Christmas 2015, p65]
  3. PlaySense
    Nov 30, 2015
    70
    Pros: the gameplay is still awesome and enables us to use old instruments is a cool move by the developer. Cons: calibrating is way more of a challenge than it should be, and the lack of Rock Band 3 songs and online multiplayer is a downer. In this case, however, the good outweighs the bad.
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