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New Def Jam Rapstar screens still not impressing us
click to Rapstar-size We've seen nearly nothing of Def Jam Rapstar since we got a chance to check it out at E3 this year, though today 4mm passed along a handful of new screens. Here's the thing: It's more of the same stuff we've already seen. A couple screens do offer a glimpse at the community features and user video upload features, but the majority just give us more shots of menus or points screens.We like hip hop, we even like some rap -- with that in mind, we're left wondering what Def Jam and 4mm are thinking by showing off Young Jeezy and T.I. instead of Notorious B.I.G.'s 'Hypnotize' or even Pete Rock & CL Smooth's "T.R.O.Y." (both of which were playable at E3), two songs that actually highlight major rap stars. While we wait for more info on the game, we'll remain hopeful that Def Jam Rapstar will become something more than SingStar Mostly Pop Rap.%Gallery-64860%
Overheard@E3: Get off that mic, Rapstar!
"Internally, we used that as the architectural model of how not to do this game" -- Paul Coyne, Executive Vice President of 4mm Games on (the comically terrible) Get On Da Mic versus Def Jam Rapstar.
Voice-on: Def Jam Rapstar
(click to Biggie size) Earlier today, we spent nearly an hour with newly-formed 4mm's Def Jam Rapstar, doing our best to not totally embarrass ourselves while rapping a couple of the seven "maybe final" tracks included in the demo (after the break). While the game hits a woefully underserved demographic with the rap/hip-hop community, what we saw of the still very early in-development game didn't leave us feeling ecstatic.Between the SingStar style gameplay (music video in the background) while lyrics stream across the screen, the You're in the Movies style video creation/editing feature and the Halo 3 style community features, we didn't find a whole lot about the game -- other than its theme -- to get excited about. Though we've been assured by 4mm that the game is still rather early, and before it's "Winter" release window, a lot still has to be polished, we're sticking with the alternatives for the time being.%Gallery-64860%
Interview: 4mm raps with us about Def Jam Rapstar
When Rockstar founders Jamie King and Gary Foreman announced plans to start up a new company earlier this month, even the clairvoyant among us were taken aback by the pair's plans to take on an already bloated music game genre with an entry of their own. However, that appears to be exactly what the newly founded 4mm Games is up to, and together with Def Jam Interactive and with considerable backing from investment firm CEA Autumn Games, Def Jam Rapstar was born. While 4mm is keeping much of the game's details safely away from the mic until E3, Joystiq recently caught up with company CEO Nicholas Perrett backstage to talk about Def Jam Rapstar, as well as what else the company has planned and the reason behind calling the studio "4mm."
4mm unveils Def Jam Rapstar
Ask anyone who knows us: Joystiq understands hip-hop culture. So does the recently-revealed 4mm which today unveiled its maiden project: Def Jam Rapstar, a trailer for which we've nestled lovingly after the break. How do you know it's speaking to the hip-hop community so well with its new rapping game? Because CEO Nicholas Perrett manages to use the phrases "games that live long beyond the box," "MMO-esque," "long tail" and "game-like" in a single paragraph of the announcement story. Street? Street. As for actual gameplay, we know only that it will include rapping. We'll let you know more at E3. [Thanks, Storm Eagle]
Former Rockstar Games founders form 4mm Games
Eager to fill their lungs with the clean air of independent living, Rockstar Games co-founders Jamie King and Gary Foreman have headed for the hills. Along the way the pair picked up Nicholas Perret from Image Metrics, known for its amazing yet slightly creepy Emily video, and entertainment exec Paul Coyne. Next stop: 4mm Games, a new game studio that, according to CEO Perret, aims to "deliver groundbreaking content with global appeal to a consumer who lives online."4mm isn't talking specifics, though the company has netted "significant" backing from game-focused investment firm, CEA Autumn Games. According to 4mm, the companies have agreed to a multi-year partnership, which includes multiple titles and platforms. Beyond this, 4mm is keeping quiet on what it plans to spend its new-found cash on, but we'll keep our eyes on the horizon as things develop.
