Rock Band 3 is the newest installment in the “rock star simulation” genre — for this review, there will be an assumption the reader has either played or experienced or has a passing familiarity with this genre of game. The buzz leading up to the release of Rock Band 3 was that this game would be taking leaps forward, blurring the lines in a transition from simply playing a game to actually playing in a band. So, did it succeed?

First, although there are changes and upgrades over past versions of Rock Band, you do have the option of playing this game in the exact same manner as previous iterations, but with another 83 songs and some flashy new venues. However, what sort of primitive creature would stick to “playing it safe”? Although the new additions that make up Rock Band 3 might not be the equivalent of discovering fire, it’s close.

There are four major areas of “newness” to get oriented with: vocal harmonies, keyboard, pro guitar and pro drums. Of the four, I have not truly experienced pro guitar yet, as I am waiting until early next year, for the real (actually real, plug into an amp and play) stringed guitar controller, so let’s take a closer look at these other new additions.

I did not expect to gain a lot of satisfaction from the addition of keyboards to the rock simulation world ... all I can say is I was an ignorant fool. Keyboards rock! It’s not easy, but in pro mode, you can be playing, note for note, the piano/keyboard parts to various songs. It surpasses the guitar/bass/drums, in the reality department, as your fingers are hitting an almost exact duplicate of what you could be playing on stage somewhere.

I was familiar with the addition of vocal harmonies, as they were present in The Beatles: Rock Band, but again — a great addition to the game. As with the keyboards, it’s not easy, but with practice (and there is an amazing practice/tutorial section for all instruments and singing), you can be hitting triple harmonies on “Bohemian Rhapsody” and feel the adoration of your millions of fans, warming you like the sun ... or something like that.

The already solid drums are kicked up a notch in pro mode — with the addition of high hat and cymbals, further fleshing out the drum-playing experience. Although I am not in love with the Rock Band drum set, it does the job decently ... but what intrigues and excites me is the ability to hook up a different electronic drum set, utilizing a midi adaptor (the same can be done on keyboards, hooking up your own keyboard as a controller).

Also, the career mode has been re-vamped this time around. It’s a lot less structured but with numerous challenges and road trips to be enjoyed. I found it to be much more satisfying and less of a chore. It was nice not being locked into playing a song I hated just because it was required at “x” venue. Whether you desire to play a quick song or two or go on tour across Europe, your options are wide open.

The graphics for Rock Band 3 stay on par with where the game has been for the last several years ... OK, but nothing special. Some of the new venues are cool to look at, but sometimes the “light shows” that occur during gameplay are a bit distracting. Of course, I don’t play this game because I want to be impressed with graphics — I want to become a Rock God — and personally, I don’t need amazing graphics to achieve that dream.

Very few of the songs from before the release of Rock Band 3 are retro-converted for pro drums, pro guitar, keyboards or harmonies. Some Bon Jovi and Queen tracks have already been re-released as Rock Band 3 versions ... and guess what, you have to buy them all over again if you want to upgrade. I understand capitalism, but couldn’t they at least offer a discounted price for those who have already paid for the “old” version of the songs?

If you have never played Rock Band before, this is a good a time as any to join in the fun. Having played thousands of videogames, I can say that this series remains near the very top for me in the coveted “social/party” demographic. Male, female, old, young ... it doesn’t matter. Rocking out with your friends or family is one of the best ways to spend a weekend ... or Christmas ... or New Year’s Eve ... or ... .