Rock Band

Don’t have the budget to buy both band video games and need a few tips on where your money should go? I wrote a detailed piece for Gizmag that might help you make that decision.

Guitar Hero World Tour vs Rock Band 2 [Gizmag]

• Lips: Microsoft and Elite Beat Agents developer iNiS take on SingStar
• Sony to unveil the next generation of SingStar at Leipzig
• Rock Band 2 allows you to import most of the songs from Rock Band disc
• Rock Band 2 features unlockable No Fail Mode for party-friendly play
• Peak announce full-size, hardwood bodied Starpex guitar for Guitar Hero & Rock Band
• ION Audio’s Drum Rocker/Premium Drum Kit for Rock Band 2
• Guitar Hero: Aerosmith patch adds Rock Band guitar compatibility on Xbox 360
• Amazon taking pre-orders for Rock Band 2
• ‘Hot For Teacher’ and ‘No Sleep ‘Til Brooklyn’ confirmed for Guitar Hero World Tour
• Guitar Hero World Tour will support all MIDI drum kits
• Rock Band hits seven more European countries on July 24
• Rock Band 2 E3 trailer reveals gameplay, psychedelia
• Metallica’s upcoming album “Death Magnetic” coming to Guitar Hero
• Rock Band 2 track list revealed - 84 songs, all master tracks
• Guitar Hero World Tour screenshots look awfully similar to Rock Band

The Crüe Fest Pack is now available from Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network, including the following tracks at a discount $0.99 (80 MSP) price:

• “Who’s Going Home with You Tonight?” - Trapt
• “Time Is Running Out” - Papa Roach
• “Down at the Whisky” - Motley Crüe

A free track from Vesuvius, “Promised Land” is also available.

A ScoreHero member who recently play-tested Rock Band 2 was apparently willing to break a non-disclosure agreement to announce another 11 tracks that could be in the game.

Read the rest of this entry »

G4’s X Play recently aired some footage showing off Rock Band 2, and a member of the Score Hero forums armed with a TiVo spotted something of interest - a song selection menu with what could be nine of the tracks in the set list.

Read the rest of this entry »

Here’s the re-designed Rock Band 2 guitar controller. Apart from the new faux-wood-finish, I’d expect something that feels identical to the axe you’re familiar with - perhaps with a strum bar less likely to crap out.

Read the rest of this entry »

The fact that Rock Band is yet to be released in many PAL territories has not stopped Harmonix from officially announcing Rock Band 2. An Xbox 360 release is scheduled for September with other platforms “later in the year”. The game will be available separately, and compatible with existing Rock Band instruments, however a new bundle of redesigned instruments will also be available, offering quieter drums and other yet-to-be-announced improvements.

Read the rest of this entry »

This week sees another full album hit Rock Band - and unfortunately, it isn’t Nirvana’s “Nevermind”. The Pixies album “Doolittle” and three tracks from Weezer will have to do. Tracks are the usual $1.99 / 160 Microsoft Points each, with discounts for buying the whole pack.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Offspring are the latest band to simultaneously release their latest single as Rock Band DLC. I think it’s a shame it’s not better bands that are doing it, your milage may vary. Click through for the tracks.

Read the rest of this entry »

A BemaniStyle forumite with an incredible attention to detail has noticed a couple of as-yet-unannounced Rock Band tracks appear in an advertisement for the MTV2 track pack currently airing on MTV.

The screenshots look legitimate to me - here are the tracks:

• Machine Head - “Aesthetics of Hate”
• Avenged Sevenfold - “Afterlife”
• Nirvana - “Breed”
• Nine Inch Nails - “Burn”