Rocksmith

About

Rocksmith is a unique music game that allows players to plug in their own electric guitar or bass and play along to a variety of songs in different styles. With innovative game design and adjustable difficulty, it caters to both beginners and experienced musicians, helping to develop real skills and styles. Local multiplayer mode for up to 2 players, with mini-games and split screen option, makes it perfect for friendly competition or collaboration.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 859 reviews

music95 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

Great tool for learning guitar and bass, with a fun and engaging way to practice.
Dynamic difficulty adjustment keeps the game challenging and rewarding as you improve.
Decent song list with the option to purchase additional songs as DLC, allowing for a wide variety of music to play.

Requires a proprietary Real Tone cable, which can be expensive and hard to find.
The menu interface is clunky and can be frustrating to navigate.
Some users experience latency issues, which can affect gameplay and learning.

music
484 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
77%
4%
The music aspect of the game has received generally positive feedback, with users praising its diverse song catalog and the ability to learn and play along with real instruments. While the game effectively combines gaming and music learning, some players express frustration over the high costs of downloadable content and the need for additional resources to fully grasp advanced techniques. Overall, it is seen as a valuable tool for both beginners and experienced players looking to improve their skills while enjoying a wide range of music.
- “The song selection is fantastic; there will be songs that are not only fun to practice but are actually really enjoyable to listen to as well.”
- “Rocksmith is a cool concept, and it is fun to play around in for a while, but it did not retain my personal interest because as someone who could just as easily learn a song from top to bottom in my leisure, I could more easily look up the tablature and get the techniques and timing down by ear.”
- “This is a must for anyone that is looking to learn the guitar, not just music.”
- “I hate music license bullshit.”
- “The songs in the game are lame as hell.”
- “The only thing I have against this game is some of the songs you have to learn in order to progress.”
gameplay
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
55%
15%
The gameplay in Rocksmith is primarily focused on teaching guitar through an engaging, intuitive system that resembles Guitar Hero but uses a real instrument. While the remastered version excels in song learning and adaptive difficulty, it lacks a story mode and can feel repetitive, with some users noting navigation issues. Overall, players appreciate the freedom to play without strict gameplay rules, though opinions vary on the excitement level of the gameplay itself.
- “Rocksmith is a teaching tool; the gameplay is similar to Guitar Hero, but instead of a plastic toy, you use a real guitar.”
- “The 2014 version is better in terms of gameplay, but this version really pushes you to master all of the in-game content and is much better at gradually increasing the difficulty.”
- “The songs are solid, the gameplay is intuitive, and you get to be a rockstar to crowds of enthusiastic 2D cut-outs.”
- “The main part of it is ok, or as good as Rocksmith ever gets in any version (which can be really quite good), but the training mechanics are incredibly awful. My first impression was 'this has to be the worst possible way to learn a song anyone could think of.'”
- “While an awesome concept with many awesome tools and things to do, I found the gameplay to be a bit boring.”
- “I should note that I spent very little time actually playing this game, so the review may not be so much on gameplay, but the time spent with the menu made me absolutely hate this game before even going into playing it.”
graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
62%
23%
The game's graphics are generally considered mediocre, with some users finding them plain and simple, yet acceptable given the focus on gameplay rather than visuals. However, the complexity of the backgrounds can make it difficult to see important elements, leading to suggestions for options to disable or simplify these graphics. Additionally, performance issues may require high-end hardware, which could be a barrier for some players.
- “Decent graphics”
- “As for graphics in this game, it's plain and simple, but it's forgivable since you're playing an instrument and not looking at the scenery.”
- “The menus are often awkward to navigate, and if you're used to other rhythm games, the complexity of the visuals can be headache-inducing.”
- “Overall, the game works well, if you can get its graphic settings low enough to get it to behave.”
- “Prepare to shell out more money on a top-of-the-line graphics card, as even a decent graphics card won't do it.”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The game's story aspect is generally viewed as underdeveloped, with players noting a lack of depth and progression in the narrative. While the addition of a near story mode offers some enjoyment, many feel it is too simplistic and lacks the engaging elements needed to fully invest players. The remastered version, while great for learning songs, misses out on the story-driven missions that provided a sense of direction and progression in earlier iterations.
- “The story-driven element of the game makes you feel like you have proof of the game's educational bend.”
- “It's not as polished, but the near story mode was a nice addition that's fun to play through.”
- “This game is fun, but it is still missing some more elements, like a story, something to get you further invested. I love how the Ubisoft team developed the venues and how you progressed to a whole new scene after beating venues.”
- “The remastered version is great for learning songs, but it lacks any form of story mode or story mechanic, and you basically only learn songs.”
- “This game is fun, but it is still missing some more elements, like a story—something to get you further invested. It needed chapters, more unlockables, and a sense of direction of what kind of guitarist you wish to be.”
- “The new version does not have these types of missions.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
90%
The stability of the game is frequently criticized, with users reporting numerous glitches, crashes, and performance issues across both the original and remastered versions. While some players appreciate the learning potential and concept, the software is described as poorly coded and outdated, leading to a frustrating experience marred by bugs and inconsistent performance. Overall, while the game has redeeming qualities, its stability issues significantly detract from the enjoyment.
- “I wasted a lot of time (around 20 hours), money (more than 200 EUR, not including my instruments, of course), and nerves around troubleshooting and testing various setups (both with the original and the remastered version).”
- “I mean yeah, it's Guitar Hero but with an actual useful skill, but it does require proprietary hardware, is pretty badly coded software prone to glitches and crashes, and it's outdated thanks to 2014.”
- “Great for learning but oh my goodness is this buggy as hell!”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally smooth, with engaging crowd interactions enhancing the performance experience. However, some users report issues with point registration during performances and glitches in specific mini-games like Scale Runner and Harmonics, which detract from the overall enjoyment. Despite these drawbacks, the main gameplay remains enjoyable and is recommended.
- “The simulated crowd response to your performance is a fun gauge of just how well you're playing, and the song selection is varied and entertaining.”
- “Except that, the game runs smoothly and I highly recommend it!”
- “The only problem is that sometimes in the middle of a performance, nothing I play registers for points.”
- “And there is no soft reset in a performance.”
- “If you score well enough in the performance, you unlock an encore song or two that you haven't yet practiced.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
83%
Users generally find that while grinding in the game can feel tedious at times, particularly with beginner tracks and a frustrating UI, the incorporation of mini-games and adaptive difficulty helps make practice more engaging and less monotonous. The gamification elements effectively encourage skill development without overwhelming players, making the learning process enjoyable despite some repetitive aspects.
- “The game has many great features, such as the automatic difficulty adjustment, ensuring you're never forced to play below or above your skill level. The technique challenges are easy to pick up but challenging to master, and the game cleverly hides techniques and skills within enjoyable minigames, making the learning process fun rather than tedious.”
- “The UI is terrible and there are many small annoying things that can make learning from this product tedious.”
- “I had some of the same feelings that I had with Guitar Hero, grinding tracks, trying to get higher scores.”
- “Every track starts at a beginner stage, making them tedious, hitting single spaced out notes waiting for the 'AI' to pick up and them be fun to play.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that the monetization strategy may involve persistent advertisements that some users find off-putting, particularly due to the intrusive nature of the voiceovers. Overall, there seems to be a sense of frustration regarding the impact of these ads on the user experience.
- “Not sure how much all that adds up to, but there's always next year if my patience builds back up.”
- “I can't skip the annoying voice (sounds like a classical German advertising voice).”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users highlight that the distinct facial expressions of audience members serve as powerful emotional triggers, enhancing the immersive experience of playing lead guitar. This improvement fosters a sense of authenticity and makes players feel like genuine rock stars, contrasting sharply with the more cartoonish experience of previous games like Guitar Hero.
- “The audience members' faces are distinct and serve as a real emotional trigger for improvement.”
- “It was a huge leap toward really being able to play lead guitar for me, and made me feel like a real rock star rather than a cartoon one, as I did when I used to play Guitar Hero.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its engaging crowd dynamics, particularly during moments of achievement like scoring higher and leveling up, despite some initial delays and tuning steps that slow down the gameplay.
- “Though slow with all the additional tuning steps and delays in getting the game going, I really enjoy the crowd atmosphere, especially when you're achieving higher scores and increases in levels in real-time.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is derived from its intentionally poor user interface, which some players find amusing despite the frustration it causes. Overall, while the UI may be "hilariously-bad," it doesn't detract from the game's effectiveness as a guitar training tool.
- “The good news is, once you grit your teeth through the hilariously bad UI and maybe pay a few more dollars than you should for a couple of DLC tracks so you can actually rock, Rocksmith is an absolutely excellent guitar training tool.”