PS2 version of Rock Band lacks online play, world tour mode

by Griffin McElroy { Dec 15th 2007 at 5:30PM }

We all expected certain elements of Rock Band to take a hit when it made the jump from this-gen to last-gen, but we expected the brunt of those differences to fall in the graphical department. However, as you can tell from the footage above, the visuals for the PS2 version aren't too dumbed down -- instead, the game lacks a number of gameplay features that we've come to know and love in our Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game.

Rock Band for PS2 lacks any online support, meaning no online co-op or, unsurprisingly, downloadable content. Harmonix has also removed the multiplayer World Tour mode featured in the other versions, where your band travels to a number of different venues, collecting fans and cash whilst opening up new locations, gigs, and songs. Instead, available songs will be presented in a tiered list, much like the single player mode of Guitar Hero.

Also missing is the ability to create your own rocker and, therefore, your own band. Instead, you'll play as a pre-made band each time you load up a song (the band differs based on the genre of the song you chose). Personally, we'd spend the extra ten bucks just to play as The Collins Collection, our fictional supergroup composed of Bootsy Collins, Phil Collins, Sam Collins and ... another Bootsy Collins. However, if you've yet to make the leap to the seventh generation, you can pick up the game when it releases for the PS2 on Dec. 18.

Tags: Harmonix, MTV, PS2, Rock-Band, RockBand

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

XanthouS @ Dec 15th 2007 5:44PM

Yeah, this sucks. It's also old news.

Here's some key excerpts from the official response from a member of the dev team:

"[W]e chose to prioritize core gameplay. You can play 4-player songs at Expert, and the framerate is a reliable 60 FPS, because this was the priority for us"

"Since we knew we couldn’t do everything we would have liked, our choice was to focus on the gameplay. We stand behind that choice, and we think that being able to play 4-player Rock Band on a $129.00 console is actually pretty cool."

It's fun doing Joystiq's work for them ;)

Link: http://community.rockband.com/vbforum/showthread.php?p=194046#post194046

Jeff @ Dec 15th 2007 6:13PM

This was more informative than the news post itself by a long shot. Thank you.

Moofree @ Dec 15th 2007 5:48PM

The servers would have been turned off after a couple years anyway.

Tiptup300 @ Dec 15th 2007 8:15PM

This harmonixes way of saying "GET A NEW CONSOLE ALREADY!"

gonk @ Dec 15th 2007 8:51PM

tiptup, it's EA that shuts down their servers, not harmonix

jackbauer @ Dec 15th 2007 6:03PM

boo!

serotoninzero @ Dec 15th 2007 6:07PM

Eh. I couldn't imagine spending $170 on a game for a console I can get $30 for at on trade in if lucky. At that point wouldn't you just consider buying a new system if you're into gaming that much to put $170 into a game? And lol @ bass player on that clip too.

Jeff @ Dec 15th 2007 6:15PM

Well, what if the only game you're interested in IS Rock Band?

As a PC gamer, I have no internet in 360 or 3. But god knows I want Rock Band...

Getting a cheap ps2 + Rock Band... along with all the awesome ps2 titles I missed out on... (Shadow of the Colossus, how I long for thee) sounds pretty fucking awesome.

Brb going on amazon. =P

Jeff @ Dec 15th 2007 6:18PM

*interest. lmao

serotoninzero @ Dec 15th 2007 6:23PM

I guess its possible. I just don't see it that way, but obviously I don't know anything cause I'm just me. Seems a bit gimped though in comparison, so when you're throwing that much money down. I dunno. Obviously you see things on consoles that you wanted to play cause you just mentioned SotC. Maybe you would like a console too? There are a lot of good games that just don't hit both ends. Rock Band included, apparently.

obo @ Dec 15th 2007 8:21PM

The PS2 peripherals are the same as the PS3's (http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/puzzle/rockband/news.html?sid=6184009&tag=newlyadded;title;2), including the wireless USB guitar dongle. So, if someone hasn't made the leap to next-gen and likes Rock Band, they'll get the PS2 version and won't have to repurchase the peripherals when they get a PS3.

So, instead of spending $400 on a PS3 and $160 on Rock Band, they can spend $150 on Rock Band, wait for PS3s to inevitably hit $250-$300, then buy the system and the standalone game.

By that time, there'll be a ton of DLC released and everyone will be well-versed on the basics of how to play. And in the meantime, their guitar, drums and mic will all be compatible with their rich friend's PS3. The downside is that, well, you're stuck with the PS3.

For the incredibly cheap — for whom DLC is a non-starter anyway and online play probably isn't a high priority, either — this isn't a bad deal. Sucks to lose World Tour and character customization, but that's nothing that can't be fixed a year from now when Rock Band 2 comes out and everything people are hyperventilating about is old hat.

Saneless @ Dec 15th 2007 11:32PM

Well, if GH guitars work, you'd pretty much need the game only and maybe some drums eventually.

Kyattsuai @ Dec 15th 2007 6:12PM

Looks like the PS2 version of Rock Band is undergoing a Wave of Mutilation.

Hashbrown_Hunter @ Dec 15th 2007 6:37PM

....I see what you did there!

tank @ Dec 15th 2007 6:24PM

Im still buying, gettin it for christams

Hashbrown_Hunter @ Dec 15th 2007 6:38PM

Goddamn the drummer sucks.

meledeo @ Dec 16th 2007 2:36PM

Not as bad as the bassist.

Roto13 @ Dec 15th 2007 7:56PM

What a load of crap. World Tour mode was the reason I wanted the game in the first place. Now I'm going to have to wait until I get a PS3 at some point.

This, and the fact that I can't find a copy of Guitar Hero III for Wii in my shitty home town, sucks. :P

greatslack @ Dec 15th 2007 10:04PM

Why not just buy it when it comes out for the Wii?

Roto13 @ Dec 15th 2007 10:23PM

Because there is no Wii version in the works as far as I know.

phihexy27 @ Dec 15th 2007 8:03PM

I'm not surprised that it lacks online play. Not even Guitar Hero 2 for the 360 had online play. The drums are so much fun to play that for me the absence of online play would not be such a big deal. That being said I'm happy that I was able to get it for 360.