Rocksmith

Critic reviews

• GameSpot

  NATHAN MEUNIER · Nov 10, 2011

  8.0

  There's definitely room for improvement down the road, but Rocksmith's debut has one thing going for it above all else: it's the real deal. This ambitious guitar game delivers on its promise of intense rhythm gaming action tied to the act of actual guitar playing. It has something to offer players of all skill levels, whether you're picking up and learning the guitar for the first time or have been playing for ages. After years of Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and a slew of imitators, it's refreshing to see someone finally make the big leap and succeed.

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• Destructoid

  Allistair Pinsof · Nov 07, 2011

  9.0

  It's a wonderful feeling that makes it easy to overlook Rocksmith's little quirks. It's as simple as this: if you want to have fun with friends in a rhythm game, buy Rock Band 3, but if you want to learn guitar, buy Rocksmith. It works, it's fun, and no strange man with a handlebar mustache will force you to play Soul Asylum here.

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• Games Radar+

  Rich Grisham · Nov 04, 2011

  7.0

  At its core, Rocksmith is wildly cool, innovative technology sitting on top of a tired formula many of us have played to death. Had the story mode been anything other than the tried-and-true Guitar Hero/Rock Band “play a few songs, unlock new venues, rinse and repeat,” it would have been infinitely more fun.

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• COGconnected

  Frank Naresh · Nov 02, 2011

  8.6

  Rocksmith does a lot of things right in terms of delivering an authentic guitar-playing experience in an enjoyable gameplay environment. Some may find the game a bit drab compared to the obvious comparables, but the spartan look is very functional. Compared to other rhythm games, the presentation is far less flashy or interesting. This makes sense to me though as the focus here is on playing a real guitar instead of memorizing a few coloured buttons.

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• Game Trailers

  Game Trailers · Oct 28, 2011

  8.0

  A niche title lacking the surface appeal of its party-game predecessors, Rocksmith’s not for everyone. Still, there‘s absolutely nothing else like it for its intended audience. Those who’d rather play than pretend will appreciate the lasting reward of learning riffs from Nirvana’s In Bloom far more than the shallow gratification that comes with pressing colored plastic buttons to a Top 40 hit.
• Game Informer

  Matt Miller · Oct 24, 2011

  8.3

  Rocksmith surprised me with its depth and usability. The eclectic song catalog stretches from The Rolling Stones and Nirvana to Radiohead and The Pixies, and on through Sigur Rós and Muse – around 50 songs in all. Plus, there’s so much to explore; many songs even have multiple arrangements to learn, representing different lead and rhythm parts.

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