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Rocksmith 2014 Edition—Remastered (for PC)

 & Jeffrey L. Wilson Managing Editor, Apps and Gaming

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.

Many Music Modes

Rocksmith has a ridiculous number of modes that offer guitar and bass instruction. It includes the in-depth Learn A Song that teaches you how to play popular songs, as well as Guitarcade, which contains instruction-focused mini-games.

Familiar Gameplay

On the surface, Rocksmith looks like Guitar Hero or Rock Band, but it's actually a completely different beast. Using the instructional gameplay and live-action video, Rocksmith teaches you how to attach a guitar strap, and learn notes, slides, and hammer techniques.

Live-Action Videos

Rocksmith contains a collection of introductory videos that is designed to get you quickly acquainted with your axe. If you've never touched a guitar before, consider these videos must-watch material.

Jam Session

Session mode is where you go to have an jam session with AI musicians that adapt their music playing on the fly.

Multiple Mini-Games

Rocksmith's many mini-games help you master advanced techniques outside of the main instructional mode.

Downloadable Content

Ubisoft supports Rocksmith 2014 with a wealth of DLC options that expands your song library. That said, the funk genre is surprisingly underrepresented.

About Our Expert

Jeffrey L. Wilson

Jeffrey L. Wilson

Managing Editor, Apps and Gaming

Since 2004, I've written about consumer tech for many publications, including 1UP, Laptop, Parenting, Sync, Wise Bread, and WWE. I now apply that knowledge and skill set as the managing editor of PCMag's apps and gaming team.

The Technology I Use

As a member of the App & Gaming team, I use a wide variety of apps and services. Google Drive is an essential file-syncing service for moving documents between team members in this work-from-home era. Scrivener has been an invaluable writing tool as I rework my fiction manuscript. YouTube Premium and YouTube TV deliver hours of entertainment (though I only use the latter service during the F1 and NBA playoff seasons).

In terms of hardware, I use a Lenovo Thinkpad Carbon X1 laptop for work and an Origin PC tower for playing PC games. I also have a Steam Deck, which lets me play my favorite titles under a shade tree. Of course, I have a smartphone, and the Google Pixel 9a is my handset of choice.

My main input devices are the Das Keyboard 4 Professional and Logitech MX Vertical Ergonomic Mouse, though I bust out the Hori Fighting Commander Octa or Hori Fight Stick Alpha when mixing it up in fighting games. I have a thing for arcade sticks. I collect Neo Geo AES games, too, but only if I can find the carts on the (relative) cheap.

For video and music consumption, I fire up my Lenovo Tab P11; it has a sharp screen and great Dolby Atmos-powered speakers. My Kindle Paperwhite has received much use, too. I have a standalone, Sony Blu-ray player connected to a TCL television when it's time to go full cinephile. I'm also a vinyl guy, so the Bluetooth-enabled Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT keeps the wax spinning.

My first computer was a Commodore 64. Long live BASIC and retro computers!

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