Rock Band 4 is the fourth game in the Rock Band series released five years after the previous main title. It continues the concept of the earlier games where players simulate playing music using peripherals designed as instruments to mimic playing the lead and bass guitar and drums, and singing the vocals to songs. Unlike the contemporary it has backwards compatibility for the instruments and content of the previous games in the same console family. The wireless guitar and drum controllers from the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of previous Rock Bands can be used. The gameplay is identical to the earlier games and the visual style is still based on animated characters and environments. One or more players use the instruments and microphone to play and sing through songs by following the cues on the screen. The score is based on the accuracy. Certain sections are marked with coloured notes. When these are completed successfully, an Overdrive meter is filled. When sufficiently full it can be activated to double the score multiplier for a short while.
Freestyle solos are a new feature for the game. There are sections with solos for individual instruments where there are no prompts on the screen to follow. The player is entirely free to improvise, but to score there are a few general rules to follow. Using the guitar a blue colour shows the upper buttons need to be used and an orange colour the bottom ones. There are also hints when to match the beat, when to fingertap or to only use long notes. Optionally this feature can be disabled and then a predetermined solo needs to be followed.
For the drums there are now drum fills replacing the freestyle sections of the previous game. For the vocals, when playing on 'hard' or 'expert', it is possible to boost the multiplier by singing an octave higher or lower as soon as the pitch is generally correct. Like in earlier games some songs have harmonies for up to three parts.
In the main career mode a starting band is introduced who needs to make it to the top. Instead of just completing songs to progress, the game presents various options for gigs that hold certain risks and rewards, from the attendance of fans based on the chosen region to the amount of money that can be earned and the opportunities it opens for the future career.
The gameplay is identical to the earlier games and the visual style is still based on animated characters and environments. One or more players use the instruments and microphone to play and sing through songs by following the cues on the screen. The score is based on the accuracy. Certain sections are marked with coloured notes. When these are completed successfully, an Overdrive meter is filled. When sufficiently full it can be activated to double the score multiplier for a short while.
Freestyle solos are a new feature for the game. There are sections with solos for individual instruments where there are no prompts on the screen to follow. The player is entirely free to improvise, but to score there are a few general rules to follow. Using the guitar a blue colour shows the upper buttons need to be used and an orange colour the bottom ones. There are also hints when to match the beat, when to fingertap or to only use long notes. Optionally this feature can be disabled and then a predetermined solo needs to be followed.
For the drums there are now drum fills replacing the freestyle sections of the previous game. For the vocals, when playing on 'hard' or 'expert', it is possible to boost the multiplier by singing an octave higher or lower as soon as the pitch is generally correct. Like in earlier games some songs have harmonies for up to three parts.
In the main career mode a starting band is introduced who needs to make it to the top. Instead of just completing songs to progress, the game presents various options for gigs that hold certain risks and rewards, from the attendance of fans based on the chosen region to the amount of money that can be earned and the opportunities it opens for the future career.
