Alright, listen. In the past few months, I made a lot of somewhat disparaging comments about the possibility of Harmonix making a LEGO Rock Band game. I didn't see the point, nor the need for such a title to be created. Now, after playing it, I can say with certainty that I was wrong. That's not saying it isn't an obvious cash-in on two popular IPs, but there's definitely room in the industry for some more block rock.

The visual style is a bit jarring at first. The typical Rock Band effects remain, with film grain and dark lighting, but the characters are... LEGOS. The same gameplay is intact, but the notes are now... LEGO pieces. It's easy to judge from afar and make fun of the title, but grabbing the controller and playing provides an experience nearly indistinguishable from traditional Rock Band. The full version will have adventure and challenge modes, but the version I played was as close to the Rock Band formula as The Beatles Rock Band. Except, you know, with better songs. Just kidding. But only kind of.



After playing it I was able to finally grasp the point of LEGO Rock Band. It isn't supposed to be a different game. It isn't supposed to be original. It's more or less a track pack with different visuals, made to deliver a Rock Band experience that can be played by a younger generation. Some parents might be interested in buying a music game for their nine year old, but aren't too sure about the content - and who can blame them? Rock Band has some saucy tracks. Hell, the original has "Gimme Shelter," which has a woman screaming, "RAPE! MURDER!" for four minutes.

There's really not much more to say. I'm sure there will be silly customization, funny challenges, and a bunch of LEGO-y modes when the game is out this fall. With a steadily growing list of songs that I want to play ("Song 2" and "The Final Countdown"), I might end up biting the bullet and picking it up after all. And no, I never thought I would say that.