Rocksmith

Overall Opinion: For a while, it felt like you couldn't throw a rock without hitting a music rhythm game. Plastic peripherals that simulated the look and feel of microphones, guitars, and drums seemed to be everywhere, and with good reason. Everyone wants to be a rock star (or at least to pretend to be), and these gaming peripherals did a pretty accurate job of making you feel like you were standing on stage before millions of adoring fans. But fundamentally, none of these accessories really resembled a musical instrument in any meaningful way. They were simply creatively designed video game controls with slightly differing forms of input. As the popularity of these games has begun to wane, UbiSoft is looking to revitalize the genre in the form of Rocksmith. Rocksmith claims that it can do more than just make you feel like a rock star. It can give you the tools to actually become one. It claims to be less a game and more an instructional tool, building off the fundamentals of the music rhythm formula but trading in fake plastic controllers for real deal guitars. It works better than it should, but it doesn't come cheaply. In addition to the core software, you'll need to invest in both a proprietary cord an a licensed guitar that can plug in and interface with your computer and the Rocksmith software. Once you've made the proper investments though, you're treated to an extensive library of tools and instructions on how to play guitar. A ton of guides and videos teach you the actual, raw fundamentals of learning an instrument, and they're of remarkable high quality. One could conceivably use Rocksmith as a replacement for more traditional guitar instruction courses, and that flat and upfront fee may be steep, but it could be justified in the long term. The platform's value is further enhanced by the practice tools included. Because while Rocksmith presents itself as an instructional tool (and it succeeds), it's still fundamentally a game built off the well shopped formula that preceded it. Over sixty songs are included right out of the box, and the varying complexities and difficulties provide you with the desire to push yourself further with each session. Collectibles and unlockables further expand the value of the game and keep gamers coming back for more. It may take a bit of a learning curve to get good though. This is a game that takes itself serious about its integrity to the source, and if you want to give the impression that you can play alongside the masters of rock, you'll actually have to develop those talents. Luckily, the instructions are both thorough and well paced, guiding you through a basic understanding of frets and chords all the way up through more complicated components. Rocksmith can be a lot of fun, and it can serve as a valuable training aid, but don't buy it if you're expecting a simple arcade game you can just pick up and play.

Pros: Tutorials are thorough and escalate at a smooth and accessible progression Gameplay improves immensely on the musical rhythm formula

Cons: Costly overhead to get started Some level of imbalance in the musical genres included