I am not sure how I ended up being a writer, it sure wasn't something I ever dreamed of being when I was a kid. I lay in bed at night pretending I was Eddie Van Halen and while I mastered his movements with my trusty tennis racket, I never really got the chops down.

The legendary Guitar Hero, now in its third iteration, was the game to change all this, we could all prance around our bedrooms in our underwear while hammering out tasty licks to many a classic rock song. Rock Band takes this a stage further with the aspirations of allowing you to play with your buddies. Guitar, Bass, Drums and even vocals are the name of the game and with developer Harmonix already having plenty of experience with Guitar Hero they should on paper deliver an awesome multiplayer gaming experience.

Guitar Hero, focused primarily on the art of shredding, so much so that V3 required you to have the dexterity of Ynqwie Malmsteen with the riffing skills of Toni Iommi, all in one package. Yeah, i'm sure some of you are already calling me a lameass and have mastered "Through the Fire and the flames" on expert, but for the rest of us mere mortals, songs like this were extremely frustrating.

Rock Band is pitted in a different direction with the solo play taking a backseat to the multiplayer as this game is all about the performance as a band and linking the bonuses together. There are 45 songs in total (and 13 bonus songs) with a good variety of material on display. Initial downsides are the steep $170 asking price which will immediately put it out of range of the youngest kids and there are some issues with the hardware ... but who said the life of a rock star was ever easy?

It would be fair to say that Rock Band is several games crammed into one package, you have the traditional guitar game which is very similar (but easier) to Guitar Hero, allowing you to tackle the bass as well as the guitar. The similarities end here, as the guitar in Rock Band is substantially different, it has a longer neck and the body feels stronger, which is a good thing as it felt as if the Guitar Hero guitars could easily snap in two if you got carried away mid solo. There are also a second set of buttons on the higher reaches of the fretboard, and these are there for the blistering solos. Yes you will look even better playing solos in Rock Band ! All you really need now is a pair of spandex pants and your amp cranked to 11. It doesn't end there however, we also now have an effects switcher with flange, echo and wah wah effects able to be transposed over the main track.

PS3 owners get a better deal as the Xbox 360 guitar is currently wired, although amends are made a little as 360 owners get a USB hub. I may be in the minority, but I find the effects switching more annoying than useful, perhaps if the wah wah didn't sound like a cat being run over by a car my opinion might change. It is also worth mentioning that  the strum switch doesnt "click" when you move it and the fret buttons seem slightly less responsive. Harmonix have stated that when the game hits Europe in the next few months that the quality of the guitars will be better, so I have my fingers crossed for you guys.

The first downside rears its ugly head, if you want to fully avail of the "rock band" experience, you need to purchase an additional guitar (for the bass parts), so the $170 you just spent needs to be further appended to enjoy the game totally. Those of you working in Macdonalds might need to start working double shifts.

Playing the game in multiplayer means everyone has to deliver the goods with their respective performances especially if you wish to attain the highest epic scores. Each instrument comes with its own overdrive (AKA Star Power) system. Individually, they rack into 2x multiplayer for the player entering overdrive but you can join up with other player's overdrives to creative huge multipliers for the band. If you get all four members into overdrive at the same time then you get the bonus x8 multiplier.

The guitar game is overall very good, however there are several points which might alienate Guitar Hero fanatics. Remember I said earlier that Guitar Hero 3 was too hard? Well Rock Band is just too easy. Yeah, im a hard man to please I know, but seriously, if you can play Guitar Hero 3 on Hard level, then expert level on Rock Band will not prove much of a challenge. Clearly Rock Band is aiming more towards the gaming instrument newbies and unfortunately it shows. However, if you suck at Guitar Hero then this might not be entirely a bad thing. Additionally the notes that can be played via hammer-ons and pull-offs now appear half sized in Rock Band rather than the glowing circles in GH. I screwed up numerous solos in the first few hours until my brain adapted, but then again i'm pretty old. Unlike GH, guitar players can now boost overdrive even when it is activated if you are skilled enough by nailing everything after it lights up. Expert players will be able to use this extra overdrive to resurrect their downed band members and this is the main strength of Rock Band, the multiplayer. If you are contemplating Rock Band just to play the guitar parts on your own, be warned, unless you particularly suck at Guitar Hero, the challenge is just not there, even on expert. Add this to the rather unresponsive controller and I find it hard to recommend singularly for the guitar players out there.

The "Unity Sections" in each song add a nice twist to the gameplay ethic. If the guitarists and drummers nail these sections perfectly the whole band earns a bonus and on specific songs there are similar bonuses with big finishes in which the guitarist and drummer can just go crazy to end the song. Improvisation? well, let's not get carried away, while its an interesting and clever concept, it just means everyone makes a racket for 30 seconds before the song ends. Just like the Sex Pistols in their prime.

So far you would be assuming that Rock Band rewards you for being part of a band and you would be right, granted you don't get punished for standing in a corner, ignoring your bandmates and playing perfectly but the rewards for playing cooperatively are substantial. Interestingly, there are solo career modes for singing, lead guitar and drums, so if you fancy yourself as a bit of a Freddie Mercury or a Cozy Powell, Rock Band aims to have something for everyone.

Singing into the microphone is either a make or break experience in Rock Band, you don't need to be Celine Dion to hit all the high notes perfectly, as long as you can match the pitch line that appears on screen you will make a good front man (or lady). Each of the songs is broken down into phrases and your performance is rated on how well you handle each section. There is a small meter at the bottom of the lyrics which fills when your pitch matches the one shown on screen, and if you fill that meter before the end of the section you will get an "awesome" which boosts your multiplier.

Differences being a singer mean you can only have 15-25 phrase sections to perfect rather than tying together 300+ note streaks. Strangely you don't get penalised for singing before a note or for holding it longer which allows the singer in the band to test for the right pitch before the notes appear on screen. Increasing the difficulty makes the game much tougher, especially the jump from medium to hard, and unless you know a lot of the songs it is going to take considerable trial and error to perfect the sequences. Again my lameness shows, as I find the game more enjoyable on medium, however I am tone deaf. If you prefer talking then you will be pleased to hear that there are sections in Rock Band which require you to match the words that appear on screen, frequently they would be "yeah yeah yeah" or if you decide to partake in the Beastie Boys "Sabotage" then it's the whole song ! Imagine a sad white man's version of rapping and you get the idea.

Overdrive is a little different for a singer, when your meter hits maximum you must wait for an empty section during the vocals, the screen then turns yellow and you can shout anything you want, my favourite is "you ALL SUCK!", which initiates overdrive. Ah well, it's not as fun as it sounds, trust me.  I can safely say the singing aspect of Rock Band is my least favourite, although im sure it will appeal to the egotists reading this who like prancing about in front like a drug addled Scott Stapp from Creed.

So you fancy a change from all the string mashing, fancy yourself as Jon Bonham? Then how about pounding out the skins and taking on the role of the hot headed womanising drummer?

Unlike the guitar, the drum kit is actually well made, it comprises two feet, a kick pedal, six metal tubes and the four panel drumpad as well as the sticks (which are incidentally made by Ludwig). Thankfully assembling the drum kit should take no more than 10 minutes, even if you are hamfisted (yes as well as being tone deaf I have fingers like bananas) and the kit is reassuringly sturdy, it even feels like it might take some abuse! As I am a relatively tall guy it was nice to see that the kit is height adjustable as well as detachable for use on a table. It all sounds great so far, but unfortunately the first reviewers kit in the mail for Gaming Heaven was broken, with the kick pedal being broken into several pieces, apparently during rough shipping. This shouldn't be a problem if you are purchasing locally in a store as you can check out the box for impact marks. The Ludwig sticks proved useful on the USPS man however.

The challenge of drumming is not quite as easy as the guitar parts, and the difficulty level on hard takes a serious amount of skill to master, especially when you progress from medium. Compared to the other instruments, I had the most enjoyment drumming, as I felt it really improved my knowledge of the songs, especially Bon Jovi's excellent "Wanted Dead Or Alive". Hell, if Jovi are touring this year just email me for my phone number guys, you don't need Tico anymore. The drumpads are just plastic therefore there is not much "feel", and it is especially hard to time fast runs however in the grand scheme of things its a good experience, especially considering the price. If you do manage to get 100% in Rush's "Tom Sawyer" on expert level then my hat is well and truly off to you.

If you suck at keeping time then be prepared to come under some flak from your band mates, it is very hard for the other members of your band to play well if you are in the middle of the room looking and sounding like a demented gorilla. If you struggle on hard, then make sure you master medium first before you have to start using the kick pedal (which is a b@stard!). On expert level, you are playing the real drum parts, so be prepared for a hell of a challenge if you fancy being the drummer in your rock band. Overdrive again works differently to the guitar players in that you have to wait until a fill in the song appears to add your own improvisations and tap the green pad in perfect rhythm. This can be difficult to initiate as the orange kick bar on the note scroll is simultaneously accompanied by a multi coloured splash on the screen which semi conceals it.

If you don't have quite the nerve to stand front stage playing lead guitar, or if the drums just prove too tiring, then there is always room for the bass player who normally stands off center, unless of course your name is Flea. It is not a glamourous job but every band needs a solid foundation and that is what a good bass player brings to his group members. Just like GH, the bass player is basically a dumbed down guitar player and this will suit many people who like to just join in and have fun. Being a good bass player in Rock Band is actually a key part of the game, as frequently he or she will be able to revive the drummer or guitar player when they make a mess of complex passages. However, to dismiss the bass player is just foolish, as anyone who has played Sabotage on expert will attest to. All in all however, the bass always proves to be the least favoured job in the band. There is not much else to say, as the rudimentary controls are just the same as the guitar player.

The Band World Tour is the backbone of Rock Star and it requires at least 2 players to partake in, with the AI filling the missing spots. Technically it is actually possible to play World Tour on your own while singing or playing the guitar, bass or drums, but if you are able to do this on higher levels, then you are probably called Don Henley.

Firstly you create a character in the character creation section of Rock Band and although there are only a few options for faces you can apply a wealth of tattoo's to your persona as well as makeup and a plethora of clothing. Next you name your band ("clenched buttocks" is my band of choice) and take to the stage, and with over 40 venues in total you certainly won't get bored of the surroundings, if you ever get the chance to look at them ! Just like a real band you start off in small clubs and bars with a limited selection of songs to play but as you progress to arenas and stadiums in your career the set list expands until the full list is available. The better you play the more fans you acquire while earning stars. These stars indicate your fame and can't be lost however if you fail a show then fans will abandon you. The amount of fans you win or lose depends on the size of the venue.  Therefore with all these things coming into play it is possible be hugely famous yet have a string of bad shows and be unable to play the bigger venues until your fan base grows again.

To further enhance the feeling of being in a rock band, you acquire a manager along the way and he is responsible for getting you a PR firm, roadies, a tour bus and even a plane! How do you "win" BWT? by getting inducted into the Rock Band Hall Of Fame. Sounds easy? Well it isn't and will take many many hours of skilful playing to achieve. To get into the hall of fame, everyone needs to be playing on hard level (at least) so the whole band will need to be proficient with their instrument of choice. As if all this wasn't enough on your climb to fame, you will end up with challenges to gamble against your fame, such as playing a gig for charity. When you play these gigs you lose the chance to earn cash however if you are successful you can double your fan base. If you are feeling frisky you can risk betting that you will get 5 stars in every song to quadruple your fan base, however if you fail the damage is equally as high. As they say, life favours the brave.

Thankfully to back all this up, the graphics on both the Xbox 360 and Ps3 are excellent and Harmonix have created characters who actually look like they are playing their instruments and the whole cartoonish experience we have gotten used to with Guitar Hero is much less pronounced (the drummer in Guitar Hero 3 plays like a cardboard cutout). Crowd interaction is much more improved as well, with the crowd singing along to the songs if you are playing well. This was an aspect of Guitar Hero I disliked as the whole crowd section of the game was just hideously programmed. I can certainly applaud Harmonix for their attention to detail and while it's still not perfect it is a vast improvement over their past offerings.

So how is longetivity for your $170+? with around 45 songs it could be better, especially in BWT mode as you will be repeating the same songs over and over again in your sets. Some of the songs you loved initially you will assuredly end up hating. I know if I ever hear Coheed and Cambria again I will end up in jail for manslaughter. Playing Devil's Advocate,  you can however purchase downloadable content ($1.99 for individual songs and $5.99 for three song packs). Good value? well they are certainly not bargain prices, but if you purchase several packs it will aid the life of the game.

Online options are offered in both PS3 and Xbox 360 versions. Quickplay allows you to play online with other people but won't progress any career style mode. Tug Of War pits you against another person playing the same instrument and you play different sections of the song (a familiar mode was in GH). The guy playing better wins over the crowd until a victor is chosen. This is fun in guitar or drum mode. The last mode is Score Duel which is really simple, the person who plays better gets the higher score and wins (doh!). I haven't noticed any lags when playing online and as much as I would like to blame my many defeats on a poor connection, unfortunately the fault is just down to me getting my ass handed to me by some spotty 15 year old nerd from Oklahoma (you know who you are, i'll be back!).

All in all, even with the many minor faults I have mentioned Rock Band is a killer title and Harmonix have taken their tried and trusted Guitar Hero to the next level. The game plays relatively well in single player mode, however it really kicks ass when you get a bunch of friends in your house and the beer is flowing. Even the ladies out there will like it, as they can sing karaoke and prance around to their heart's content.

There are flaws, the guitar isn't particularly well made and not a patch on the Guitar Hero version, and the drum kit pedal is rather flimsy, but I just don't remember the last time I had so much fun with my clothes on. Rock on !