Setlist Sunday: Green Day: Rock Band

Guitar Hero had been doing the band-centric games for a while, but in 2009 Rock Band took a different approach when they released The Beatles: Rock Band. While the Guitar Hero titles were mostly just glorified re-skins of recent Guitar Hero games and were a 60-40 split of the titular band with a slew of guest acts that were relevant to the group (or, in the case of Van Halen, Eddie’s 15 year old kid), Rock Band decided to craft a loving tribute to the career of The Beatles with songs exclusively by the group.

Fast forward to 2010 and Rock Band’s next band-centric title was released, this time focusing on a more modern but still huge selling act: Green Day. Because Green Day aren’t nearly as difficult of a band to work with as The Beatles, and had already had six songs featured in Rock Band as DLC, this meant that all the songs in Green Day: Rock Band could be exported to the main series. In addition, once the export had expired, all the songs were released as DLC.

The game still features a bit of a trip through history as opposed to a difficulty based progression, but not nearly as in depth. Featuring three venues, the first a generic punk club called The Warehouse set in 1994 which was meant to evoke the style of places like 924 Gilman Street, then was a stage based on their 2004 performance at the National Bowl in Milton Keynes where Bullet in a Bible was recorded, and then finally was the 2009 performance at The Fox Theatre in Oakland where 21st Century Breakdown was debuted.

As for the setlist, it’s all Green Day, of course. Two full albums are featured on-disc (and a third can be completed with the pre-existing Green Day DLC). American Idiot was chosen for inclusion in the game because is was designed to be listened to as a whole, ditto for 21st Century Breakdown. Then Dookie was added when Alex Rigopolis asked why Dookie wasn’t in the game. The remaining 7 songs are assorted singles from Insomniac, Warning, and Nimrod.

Feature-wise, it’s very similar to The Beatles: Rock Band with the addition of harmony vocals and not having talkies count. Playing songs in the game allows you to unlock photos and videos of Green Day that are era-specific, and after completing a venue there are setlists that can be played to unlock even more photos and videos. Drummers also get a practice mode feature called Tré’s Greatest Hits which features all the difficult drum patterns featured in the game.

Reception to the game was fairly positive with people saying that the game was as strong as ever, but the presentation didn’t feel nearly as in-depth or polished as The Beatles, especially with the limited venues. That said, heavy praise was put on them for capturing the spirit of being at a Green Day concert. Many reviewers also wished that more Green Day content from the non-Dookie, American Idiot, and 21st Century Breakdown albums had been featured.

Of the 44 songs featured in the game, a measly 5 are featured in Rocksmith for a grand total of 11%. While this percentage is low, it’s not the lowest we’ve seen so far. That still goes to Guitar Hero: Aerosmith‘s 10%.

NOTE: The Rocksmith version of Brain Stew does not include Jaded.

While in other band games, we’ve split it in to 5 guest acts and a dream 5-pack, but given that there’s nothing but Green Day here, here’s the 10 Green Day songs we’d like to see in Rocksmith 2014 Remastered!

Green Day – Boulevard of Broken Dreams

No, this song is not called “I walk alone” but now you know what it is right?

Green Day – Brain Stew/Jaded

One of the simplest power chord songs I can think of, but then it gets reallllly fast

Green Day – Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)

It wouldn’t be too unpredictable for Rocksmith to get this one

Green Day – Holiday

An infectiously catchy progression with a lead that pulls it all together

Green Day – Longview

Bassists everywhere are hoping for this one

Green Day – Peacemaker

Keep your strumming arm strong

Green Day – She

A classic song off Dookie

Green Day – Wake Me Up When September Ends

Your mom and dad love this song

Green Day – Warning

During Billie Jo’s weird cowboy era

Green Day – When I Come Around

I hope @UbisoftStudioSF hears me crying loud for this song…

There’s our picks, what songs would you like to see from Green Day: Rock Band end up in Rocksmith? Let us know!