I looked around and couldn't find a thread on this, so here goes.

As you all probably know, Rock Band's sequel is set to launch for the Xbox around September 14th. Most Rock Band 1 songs will be transferable onto your 360 hard drive for a small fee. Several new features are incorporated, including a better calibration process (although you may have to use the official Rock Band 2 stratocaster controller, I'm not sure on it), online Band World Tour, a revamped single player mode and exclusive rights to AC/DC's music.

The confirmed on-disc track list of 84 songs can be seen here. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_in_Rock_Band_2) In addition, 20 unannounced songs will be available for free to download, boosting the count to over 100 songs for your initial purchase. There are also currently nearly 200 songs available for purchase on the XBL marketplace.

All instruments have been redesigned and will undoubtedly be more sturdy and reliable than RB1's. The drums also support hi-hat attachments and two ports for a double bass pedal set up.

I know far less about Guitar Hero, but their drums have two hi-hats built into the kit, and I've always liked RedOctane's guitars better. The gameplay seems like it will essentially be the same. The main feature that stands out as being above and beyond Rock Band's offerings is the song creator feature. Read more on it here. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_Hero_World_Tour#Custom_songs) I'm not sure whether the whole bundle will be available at launch and/or individual instruments...

The confirmed (but apparently not complete) on-disc track list can be seen here. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_Hero_World_Tour#Setlist) Additionally, GH:WT will receive Metallica's new album, Death Magnetic, as full album DLC.

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I came here to make this poll because anywhere else you go, such a discussion would instantly devolve into mindless bickering. This also seems like a good place for an impartial audience to judge between the two games. Being a regular on the rockband.com forums, I see plenty of threads polling readers as to which game they would pick up, and Guitar Hero always gets a few mentions, but obviously Rock Band 2 always has the definite bias. I personally am picking up both game discs, and one of the drum kits, not sure which. I think Rock Band will be the overall better game, but Guitar Hero will do just as well or better because of brand name recognition.

Poll is multiple choice. Vote. ;)

Guitar Hero will be fun for a couple days. I'm sure I'll play through it on Medium and call it fun. User created track downloads is where the action is on that game. Rock Band 2 is the important one though. That is the one that will get play for the next year, until Rock Band 3.

Why Rock Band over Guitar Hero? Musicians make better music games than skaters do.

You missed a button: Both.

No sir, poll is multiple choice. If you're getting both, check both:cool:

Now that its confirm the instruments are interchangeable, I'm in the both category too!

Personally, im getting the RB2 disc for sure. Then Ill wait for which instruments work best for all 3 games (yes konami's included) and get the best instruments of the 3, then the games separate. My bets are on the RB2 kit but time will tell.

RB2 Disc is the only thing that is a must buy.

I'll probably rent GHWT down the road, if I like it I'll keep it.

I'm thinking about renting Rock Revolution just for Am I Evil, unless it finds its way into RB's DLC soon.

RB2 disc & ION drum kit. Now, if I can just find a wireless RB2 guitar that has a working overdrive out of the box.

Ok I'm about to go out on a dangerous limb here (And sorry, Id idn't know it was multiple choice!)......I'm going to skip RB2 and GH..whatever.

I'm a little burned out on the Rock Band lately. I might give it a little time before I go back to the realm of the virtual musician.

RB2 disc and the Ion drums. There's no way that Guitar Hero will have anywhere near the longevity as the first Rock Band has had for me. With the new daily challenges in Rock Band 2, I could care less about making music in Guitar Hero. I'll consider picking up Guitar Hero around Christmas for a lark if the reviews of the drum play aren't terrible, but I won't be investing the money into it that I have (and will) for the Rock Band franchise.

Paid off RB 2 teh RB2 strat and the RB2 drums. Today after work I'm going to go pay off the Mad catz cymbal expansions. Since GHWT will be compatible I'll rent first and see if it's worth owning. GH3 really turned me off the whole series. Renting GH:Aerosmith and doing everything worth doing in one night sort of dampened my feelings for GH even more.

I'm thinking about renting Rock Revolution just for Am I Evil, unless it finds its way into RB's DLC soon.

FYI all the songs in that game are covers and from what I've heard most of them are pretty bad covers at that.

Im leaning towards the GH full set, and the RB disc. I wasnt as excited by the Rock band tracks, and I dont pay for a lot of DL content so I never ended up getting RB. Im sure both will be great games, and personally I think if you like this type of game then there isnt any reason to not get both discs at least since the instruments are compatible. "Fanboy" type knocks against each game are pointless.

There's no way that Guitar Hero will have anywhere near the longevity as the first Rock Band has had for me

How do you know? Sounds to me just because you wont give it a chance.

How do you know? Sounds to me just because you wont give it a chance.If the note charts are anything like GH3, he's right

One main reason I'm not buying GHWT outright is because teh lead game designer Brian Bright has been talking a lot of crap for teh pas 3 weeks. It just really comes of as him knowing GHWT isn't all that great cmpared to rock band 2.

FYI all the songs in that game are covers and from what I've heard most of them are pretty bad covers at that.

Yeah, but that's to be expected from a smaller effort with zero name recognition and joining this late in the game. Cover quality isn't really an issue; I went and bought Guitar Hero 1 and a PS2 just so I could play More Than a Feeling, and that cover was... well, I guess Brad Delp's voice is difficult to match.

How do you know? Sounds to me just because you wont give it a chance.
I know because they won't have weekly pick your own track music downloads and daily challenges.

Plus the note lanes and entire interface of Guitar Hero is hideous and noisy.