Rocksmith +, impressions of the beta
Rocksmith +
Not many weeks after the announcement during the most recent Ubisoft Forward, we had the opportunity to experience Rocksmith +, the return of the popular rhythm video game that transforms lessons to learn how to play the guitar into a kind of game. The closed beta of the title, despite being devoid of many contents that will be present in the final version, has already given us a substantial idea of what we can expect from this new edition, whose arrival on the market is scheduled for this summer on PC and console. So let's see what are the peculiarities and the innovations introduced by Rocksmith +.Rocksmith's particular gameplay
Rocksmith +: a renewed interface The charm and success of titles like Guitar Hero and Rock Bands were related to the feeling of being able to play your favorite tunes without necessarily learning to do so by following real notation on a real musical instrument. The concept of Rocksmith, on the other hand, is to bring the player to play those songs as they were conceived, learning notes and chords and using a real guitar, no longer a plastic reproduction with a couple of keys that also tend to get stuck.Rocksmith + basically proposes what we have already learned about with the previous chapters. The game interface has been updated, but you can see that the base is substantially unchanged, which is not a bad thing, given that it was functional to its purpose, that is to clearly show the notes to be played and their positioning on the keyboard. . For the occasion, an alternative interface has also been introduced, which allows you to see notes and chords in a more similar way to how you would do with a normal guitar tab. To make the association between the various notes easier, the strings are again differentiated by color, however leaving the possibility to change it from the settings.
Rocksmith +: few notes to play during the first games with a new song Obviously the algorithm is also back, able to dynamically set the difficulty according to the player's performance, so as to be able to gradually become familiar with the song ; a solution that has represented one of the most interesting and successful elements of Rocksmith and Rocksmith 2014, and which allows you to have a learning experience perfectly adapted to the skills of the player. In a song, for example, the game could increase the difficulty level in a portion where you have become particularly good, instead taking a few notes for a riff in which we still find it difficult. Furthermore, it is also possible to choose which arrangement to play, whether the lead guitar part or the rhythm part or, perhaps, other variations proposed by the players themselves who, through the Rocksmith Workshop, can share their own versions of the available songs.
The algorithm works incredibly well, never making you bored or whipped; it almost always remains within the reach of the player, apart from a few times when he tries to push the player to exceed his skills, which is absolutely legitimate and, indeed, adds that extra pinch of pepper that invites you to try and try again. song even several times in a row.
Rocksmith +: an example of the maximum difficulty level, that is the one that should coincide with the original performance of the song At the end of the "game", the percentage of notes played is shown, the level of mastery achieved with that specific song and the longest series of corrected notes. Based on the result, you can then choose to repeat the song or do some practice. In this case, you can freely choose to perform it in its entirety, at a slower speed, or to concentrate only on a piece of the piece during which we were not particularly brilliant.
Learning to play having fun
Rocksmith +: the "Learn" section, where you can hone your knowledge with the instrument Rocksmith + is not only aimed at experienced guitar and bass players, but also (and above all) amateurs who want to hone their skills. In this, the game strongly meets those with little experience, proposing, in addition to video lessons, also ways that allow you to learn the basic chords or other skills useful for tackling the most demanding pieces.Rocksmith +: several are available practice options These are lessons that, in reality, are a bit good for all those who approach the title, even if they are more experienced in the musical field, since they show the visual representation of the notes chosen by the developers. As mentioned, however, if you prefer a more classic notation approach, you can activate traditional tablature at any time, even while the song is playing.
A constantly expanding library
Rocksmith +: the library currently available At the moment, the music library present in the Rocksmith + beta is not particularly large, although the constant addition of new songs bodes well for support in the months following the launch. Ubisoft's goal is to make available from the first days of release a library consisting of hundreds of songs, from the most popular, to the cult ones, up to the least known (find songs by Jefferson Airplane close to those of Lewis Del Mar already gives an idea of what we can expect), with constant support even in the months and, presumably, in the years to come.Rocksmith +: the "Home" section, with various shortcuts to immediately start playing what we like. The library can be navigated through various reference categories that adapt to the player's musical preferences. During the first configuration, in fact, your favorite genres are requested, as well as a small selection of artists from which to start to recommend songs that may be to your liking. At the moment, given the not excessive vastness of the musical offer, there are often recurring tracks, but we are sure that the situation will change once the title is released in its entirety.
Rocksmith + Connect
Rocksmith +: the interface of Rocksmith + Connect, the new app that allows you to also use acoustic guitars The peculiarity of Rocksmith has always been to offer a very special gaming experience, given that, unlike products like Guitar Hero and Rock Band, the instrument you use is real; a real guitar that becomes a controller when it is connected to the gaming platform through an adapter (the official one is the Real Tone Cable). The fact of using the guitar through a jack implied that the instrument had to have electronic components in order to be compatible with the game, thus excluding all owners of acoustic guitars without adapters or other third-party components.With Rocksmith +, Ubisoft seems to have found a team able to satisfy any guitarist (or aspiring one) thanks to Rocksmith + Connect, an application for smartphones and tablets able, through the device's microphone, to send acoustic signals to the game . This makes it possible to use virtually any type of guitar without any problems. You can even use the app with an electric guitar connected to an amplifier, if you don't have the Real Tone Cable or another adapter to connect directly to your gaming platform.
Rocksmith +: the application when connected to the game, with button to pause, microphone indicator and battery status, as well as a button to activate eco mode The currently available version of Rocksmith + Connect, however, is not very stable. In fact, we encountered several problems and difficulties when connecting the two devices in more than one game session. We tested the app on both an Android (with a Samsung Note20 Ultra) and iPadOS (with an iPad Pro). In the first case, there were several problems with the microphone, blocked to the point of having to restart the phone, otherwise it did not even work on other applications (it could also be just a bug that is created with this device, but, however it is , we feel the duty to bring it back); in the second, however, the situation was a little less turbulent, but the application still needs a nice polish before the official launch.
Rocksmith +: the tuner present in the application can be used at any time It must be said, however, that the reactivity is impeccable and, even with the windows open in the middle of the Roman traffic, the recognition of the notes is always precise (maybe the passage of the trains is a bit too much for the microphone to bear, but we understand which represents a fairly particular case study). For the rest, the app itself is valid even if you don't use it while playing, since it is equipped with a tuner that can be used at any time.
Personalization
Rocksmith +: the dedicated section to personalization Even if it lacks a real campaign, Rocksmith + still offers elements to personalize your experience, especially on an aesthetic level. It is, in fact, possible to change various elements of your virtual guitar or bass, such as the headstock or keyboard. In addition, the various effects that visually accompany our performance can also be modified, while the customization of the plate to show off in the online rankings is inevitable. Among the game components not yet made available, however, the section dedicated to tones, with the possibility as it was in the old Rocksmith to customize the sound through amplifiers and pedals (obviously virtual).Rocksmith +: the brands currently available with which to customize your tool All these cosmetic elements can be unlocked by leveling up, but also thanks to the now inevitable mechanics of the seasons, which will give access to different rewards. From what we have seen, it seems a feature that will remain accessible to everyone without the need for further payments beyond the subscription (which we will talk about in the next paragraph), but we could easily find ourselves with battle pass able to unlock most of the rewards without minimum effort.
A subscription structure?
Rocksmith +: Can the addition of new songs justify the subscription price? The main novelty of this Rocksmith + is that, through a subscription, it will allow you to access the entire library made available by the developers, without the need to purchase songs and packages individually as was the case in past editions of Rocksmith. This solution brings it closer to that already proposed by other companies that have launched into music learning via apps (such as Fender). Three plans will be available: one monthly from 14.99 €, one quarterly from 39.99 € and one yearly from 99.99 €. Prices are not discreet, but, if the title will actually be supported on a weekly basis for several years, with the constant addition of songs that will expand the music library available, then, perhaps, the cost may be partly justified (after all, the licensing of rights to use thousands of music tracks is not a small expense). The on-screen lessons will also be important, which in the beta are limited to a short introduction for beginners (from the guitar grip to the first and simpler power chords), but which presumably will be comparable to what was seen in Rocksmith 2014 when Rocksmith + officially comes out.Rocksmith + seems to be in all respects the worthy evolution of its predecessor, with the inevitable landing in the world of subscription services, a path already pursued by other companies in the field of virtual music learning. For the moment the contents of the beta are a bit narrow, but enough to satisfy those who want to learn a certain song well. It is necessary to understand how they will manage the question of the seasons and if the contents proposed cyclically will be sufficient to justify the price of the subscription. However, it's also true that Ubisoft is proving quite attentive to post-launch support for its titles. For now, we can only wait and see if Rocksmith + proves to be a success or a new Guitar Hero Live.
