The second band-centric game from Harmonix, Green Day Rock Band continues the tradition of strong co-op set by its forbears. It's still a great time to sing, strum, and hit plastic drum pads with a friend or five, and Green Day has some great songs that are fun to play. The problem is, Green Day Rock Band doesn't do anything particularly new. To be fair, lack of innovation is an issue facing the entire music game genre, but there is really nothing about Green Day Rock Band that sets it apart from similar music games in any significant way. Except, of course, the focus on Green Day.
Green Day is a bit of an odd choice following The Beatles. Though the band is quite successful, there are many other bands that were expected to get the deluxe video game treatment first. After the smashing success of The Beatles Rock Band, with both critics' reviews and buyer's wallets, expectations were extremely high for the followup. It's not really fair to Green Day, though, to think of their game as a direct sequel to The Beatles Rock Band; it should be considered on its own merits, though some comparisons must inevitably be drawn.
I consider myself a moderate fan of Green Day, owning a beloved copy of Dookie and several more recent MP3s. There are plenty of songs that I looked forward to playing in Rock Band format, and they are just as fun as I anticipated. The digital versions of Billie Joe, Mike, and Tre are spot on, even down to their mannerisms. There are some really fun interactions between the guys and the audience that I won't spoil; suffice it to say that you really feel as if you are at a Green Day concert. One weakness in presentation is the lack of variety in venues. There are only three stages, each taken from a particular period in the band's career. You'll be playing well over a dozen songs at each venue, and this gets stale after a while. There are a whole host of challenges, unlockable interviews, pictures, etc. that will please Green Day fanatics.
The six-player co-op from The Beatles Rock Band returns, and there are plenty of opportunities for harmonies for up to three singers. It's a bit odd to have six people teaming up with only three on-screen personas, but you get used to it after a while. When a teammate fails out, any other player can use their overdrive to get them back in the game in a flash. The feeling of teamwork and cooperation in Green Day Rock Band is every bit as strong as it is in other music games.
All of the tracks on disc are exportable, for a $10 fee, which is one advantage Green Day Rock Band has over the Liverpool legends' game. Additionally, the previous six Green Day DLC tracks are fully compatible, and come with all the challenges and custom animations that the on-disc songs have. If you are interested in the export feature, and don't have the DLC already, the special release Green Day Rock Band Plus comes with a free export, the six tracks for an additional $10 SRP over the standard verison.
Really, there isn't too much more that needs to be said about this game. It's Green Day Rock Band. Chances are, if you like Green Day's music, and/or fake plastic instrument video games, you'll enjoy it. I'd like to have seen more than 47 songs, and more venues. I was also hoping for more "dreamscape" style background videos, which would have been a good fit for many songs; "Brain Stew" comes to mind. Green Day's music does, indeed, translate very well into video game form. It's a very solid music game experience, though a bit overshadowed by polish and glamour of The Beatles Rock Band and the potential innovations coming to the franchise in Rock Band 3.