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Guitar Hero 5's new 'Rockfest' multiplayer revealed
Yes, there are new things in Guitar Hero 5! Producer Brian Bright told 1UP about the new "Rockfest" multiplayer, which he described as "a suite of new multiplayer game types in Guitar Hero 5 that can be played individually or in teams." These different games can be strung together in a "playlist" so that each round of multiplayer involves a different goal. That's kind of clever!The "Rockfest" games include: "Momentum," in which all players start at medium difficulty, which increases with every 20-note streak and decreases with three missed notes. "Streakers," in which points are awarded only for consecutive notes played while nude in multiples of ten. "One point for the first 10 note streak, two for reaching 20, three for 30, and so on." "Perfectionist," in which each section of a song is scored by percentage of correct notes, with the top player receiving four points, the next best player receiving two, and third place receiving one. "Do or Die," which knocks a player out for the remainder of a section for missing three notes (otherwise known as the "Not Fun" variant). "Elimination," in which low-scoring players are eliminated at regular intervals. "Pro Face-Off," which is a basic score competition. We're surprised to see the inclusion of game mode that deliberately kick players out before the end of the song -- in some cases, quite early into the song. You know, since drop-in gameplay has been the other biggest feature announcement. Bright did say this is for the "more competitive players," so maybe it's seen as compensating for the "Party Play" mode. See some footage of Rockfest play after the break.%Gallery-63471%
Wii Guitar Hero 5 doesn't use in-game Friend Codes
And we thought the announcement of a returning feature from a previous game was exciting. In an interview with IGN, Vicarious Visions' Karthik Bala revealed that the Wii version of Guitar Hero 5 won't bother you for Friend Codes when you try to play online."For GH5, we've implemented support for your global Wii Friend Codes," Bala told IGN. "If you've got friends in your Wii address book, they'll automatically be added to your friends list in game, so you can easily connect up with them in online multiplayer games."GH5 on Wii is now at "full feature parity" with the other versions, Bala said. It includes eight-player online play (no longer limited to two Wii consoles), and also adds a couple of Wii-exclusive features like a "Roadie Battle" mode and DS control of aspects of the (updated) Mii Freestyle.
Guitar Hero 5 also supports Miis
Wii owners: don't feel left out by the Xbox Guitar Hero 5's support of Avatars! You'll also be able to make your big-eyed simulacra windmill their (nonexistent) arms like lil' Pete Townshends (even as lil' Pete Townshends, now that we think about it). An Activision rep confirmed to Eurogamer that Mii support would be present in GH5.Of course, the exact same "Mii Freestyle" mode was already present in the Wii version of Guitar Hero World Tour, so its inclusion in Guitar Hero 5 is less groundbreaking than the Avatar support -- if only because that particular ground has already been broken in the Wii games. Unfortunately for Quincys about to rock, there are "no plans to have Home Avatars for the PS3 version."
Xbox Avatars to appear in Guitar Hero 5
We're always lamenting how few things our precious Xbox Live Avatars are good for, but this seems like a darn fine implementation of them: Activision announced today that you'll be able to import your e-doppelganger into your Guitar Hero 5 band to rock alongside the other characters that you've created. (We're hoping there won't be any prejudice against the curiously malformed musicians taking the stage, but you never can tell.)The possibilities are endless. For starters, your Avatar could play alongside Kurt Cobain and whisper the encouragement in his ear he so desperately needed, thereby keeping him from taking his own life and changing the very course of history. Or, if you want to keep it simple, an all LeChuck band. The mind boggles.
Bill O'Reilly doesn't exactly hate naked ladies in new Guitar Hero 5 ad
digg_url = 'http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/31/bill-oreilly-doesnt-exactly-hate-naked-ladies-in-new-guitar-he/'; What's better than naked ladies covered in sultry lyrics from Guitar Hero 5, you ask? How about putting them right next to Bill O'Reilly's head while he commentates? Talk about two great tastes that taste great together! Alright, it's not quite bread and olive oil. Rather than spit his usual slurry of vitriol and nonsense we're so accustomed to, O'Reilly initially calls the commercial's actresses "pinheads" but quickly retracts judgment. "Are the ladies pinheads? I guess it depends on your point of view," O'Reilly wondered aloud on his show, The O'Reilly Factor. Frankly sir, we're appalled. Shouldn't you be cutting its mic and saying it's demeaning for everyone involved? Madness, we say! Hit the break to see the O'Reilly spot as well as the viral ad in full and judge for yourself!
Activision confirms familiar-looking setlist for Guitar Hero 5
Why, you may be wondering, does the recently finalized setlist for Guitar Hero 5 look familiar? Well, for starters, it looks a heck of a lot like the unofficial track list we compiled earlier this month. Like, a lot. Like, every single track that was on that list is on this one.Yes, the confirmed list of 85 songs (posted after the break) that will be featured in the next installment in Activision's rhythm franchise bears no surprises, except for the fact that it's surprisingly not terrible. Song 2? Elton John? Raconteurs? Double Bowie? Yes, please.
Another 24 songs confirmed for Guitar Hero 5, more features demo'd
70 of the 85 tracks that'll come on the Guitar Hero 5 retail disc have been officially announced, and it's looking like our original complete track listing -- though still technically unofficial -- is so totally the real deal. Activision notes in this update that AFI's "Medicate," from its forthcoming album Crash Love, is exclusive to GH5, as is a new recording of Public Enemy's "Bring The Noise" in collaboration with guitarist and known Ozzy Osborne associate Zakk Wylde.Oh yeah, about that video above. It ostensibly contains footage of more new features in GH5, specifically "star power overflow," "band moments" and the ability to resurrect band mates who've failed out. With everything that's happening on-screen, though, spotting these features in action is kind of a game in and of itself. Good luck with that. We can assure you that finding the newly confirmed tracks after the break is much easier.
Unlock items in Guitar Hero 5 through song 'challenges'
The neat features in Activision and Neversoft's Guitar Hero 5 -- that's the next full-band installment in the franchise, if you'll remember -- keep on piling up. The latest addition is what Neversoft calls "challenges." Sure, the name lacks creativity, but the feature itself is ingenious -- each song contains an additional goal that, when completed, unlocks new items for your faux-rocker.For instance, the end of David Bowie's "Fame" contains the titular word 24 times in a row, starting at an inhumanly high pitch and then descendng. If you hit five of the "fames," you unlock the gold challenge record, 20 "fames" nets you a platinum challenge record, and hitting all 24 "fames" gives you the diamond challenge record. Also, if you can make it through all of Rammstein's "Du Hast" without tearing your ears off, you get a multi-diamond challenge record.Okay, that last one was fake, but for more real song-specific challenges, Destructoid's got a huge list of examples.
Santana (officially) joins Guitar Hero 5 roster
It's a new week, and Activision is already at it confirming more tracks for Guitar Hero 5 that we've already told you are in the game. Today it's a jam from none other than the king of Latin rock himself, Carlos "Santana" Santana. A live version of the track "No One to Depend On" from the band Santana's second self-titled album, 1971's Santana, will appear on the game disc. Santana himself -- well, a polygonal likeness, at least -- will also appear in the game as a playable character. Might we suggest that fans of the guitar god celebrate this news with a glass of Santana DVX, the sparkling wine of which "each sip hits your lips like a landmine."
Activision confirms 22 more GH5 tracks, details pre-order bonuses
At this point, we're pretty much 100% confident that the "unofficial" Guitar Hero 5 track list we got last week was dead on. After confirming the entire list of bands back in May, Acitivision officially announced 22 more tracks today (in addition the already revealed 24, making a grand total of 46 out of 85 revealed so far. And wouldn't you know it, every one of those songs was already on that "unofficial" list we already had.The peripheral-inclined publisher also revealed the variety of pre-order bonuses that eager GH5 consumers will pick up alongside the game at various retailers, ranging from GameStop's two free playable songs (isn't that like, a demo?) to Amazon's promise of five free mp3s. Hit the break for all the officially confirmed tracks thus far.%Gallery-63471%
RedOctane unveils Guitar Hero 5 drums
We're guessing that of all the tiny plastic instruments you've collected in your den, drum sets are still the most uncommon. Therefore, you may be able to scrounge up a smidgen of enthusiasm for the image above, which depicts the drum peripheral that will come bundled with select versions of Guitar Hero 5 when the game launches this September.This revelation brings up two interesting points -- first, RedOctane is viciously taking the wind out of the sails of Logitech, who revealed its own cymbal-equipped drum peripheral yesterday at an unwelcoming price point of $229. Second, it looks like the leaked pictures and list of features we received earlier in the month were legit -- and as you surely know, every time a leak is proven legitimate, an angel gets its wings.[Via Engadget]
Guitar Hero 5 drum kit is faux real
Aaand it's out, the first official shot of Guitar Hero 5's redesigned drum kit thus confirming the pic and presumably, the specs we received last week. While no additional details are listed, this rig stands in stark, simplistic contrast to the overbearing GH kit launched by Logitech yesterday and will certainly cost less (much less) than $229. One more shot after the break while we wait for official pricing and specs in the run-up to the September launch.[Thanks, Juan]
Activision would love to sell you a new guitar with Guitar Hero 5
Surprise! There's a new, slightly different guitar controller bundled with Guitar Hero 5. The sparkly red controller includes a redesigned touchpad, which now uses digital input instead of analog. The touchpad area also has small dots to indicate the fret color, and "slight reliefs" on the neck. Neversoft's Brian Bright told IGN that "all of these changes to the slider allow you to hit the tapping sections with better precision – we also removed the purple rope in the tapping/slide sections of game play by the way :)."Activision has yet to determine whether this guitar will be available by itself or if it will be restricted to GH5 bundles. What is much more certain is that there will be a new Guitar Hero controller every single year, just in case Activision can convince some current guitar owners to upgrade.
Guitar Hero 5 axe takes an evolutionary step forward
We've already noted drum alterations and turntable possibilities for Guitar Hero 5, so lets complete the set with some info on the new axe. The first major change is an utterly unnecessary but all the same appreciated white pick guard, which is paired up with a moody red paintjob for the body. Internal signaling has gone digital to minimize latency, while the strum bar has been tweaked for the sake of reliability. Ease of use has also been addressed through the addition of colored dots to the neck of the guitar and slight reliefs on the top, middle, and bottom fret buttons to allow full sensory awareness of the pseudo-guitar at all times. Eager rockers can get it alongside their annual copy of Guitar Hero this September.
Rock out to these Guitar Hero 5 features
Have you ever been so lacking in patience that you just want to jump right in while someone is playing a Guitar Hero track? Well, a new feature in Guitar Hero 5 (aka Guitar Hero World Tour 2) lets you do just that. There's also the option to play any four instruments you like, but we already knew that. Also, feel free to pause at the part where it shows all the band names and dream about what tracks will be available -- or you could just check out the full "unofficial" set list right here.
The complete Guitar Hero 5 track list
Amidst one of our furious brianstorm sessions, the staff at Joystiq concurred that site readers -- who never miss a beat -- would undoubtedly be hungry like the wolf for a full Guitar Hero 5 track list. Under pressure, we toiled six days a week and pulled together previously announced artists and trusted sources to obtain the complete (though not officially confirmed) set of tracks, soon to be transformed into rapidly approaching note charts. Why bother?Because we wanted to see smiles on all the pretty faces. And ... we're only happy when it rains. Smells like teen spirit is a song that is in this game.Update: This track list is official now.
Rumor: Guitar Hero 5 drum set to look an awful lot like Rock Band's
Is the drum kit above (to the right) what Guitar Hero 5 will be shipping with when it hits this September? We're not 100% sure, but a trusted source at our sister site Engadget sent in the blurry shot, leading us to believe it could very well be. The new set bears a strong resemblance to that other full band music/rhythm game -- hey, there's even a lower bar support where the kick pedal could possibly hook on! Additionally, as Engadget rightly points out, the system controls have been moved in front of the pads. The back of the set allegedly features two kick pedal jacks and a "mysterious black mini jack" as well. We've asked for comment from Activision for confirmation of the set and have yet to hear back.%Gallery-63471%
Guitar Hero 5's drums getting a Rock Band makeover?
Looks like that bulky Guitar Hero World Tour drumset might be getting itself an extreme makeover in time for the launch of Guitar Hero 5. According to our source, the blurred render above is the newest plastic percussion peripheral, and while functionality remains the same, it's moved the control console to the forefront, given the cymbals a more well-rounded existence, and done away with some of that body, particularly on the top and on the stand -- all in a all, a much more Rock Band look, if we do say so ourselves. The back of the unit contains three mini ports -- two for kick pedals, and one ever mysterious black mini jack. Yeah, Rock Band's drums have that mysterious unused port, too, and who knows what nefarious needs either will serve. What's suspicious is that it's two months before GH5's release and we still haven't seen this officially, whereas the previous set was ceremoniously unveiled almost six months prior to GHWT's launch -- not that we wouldn't put it past Activision to keep it under lock and key for now, but why not let its newfound beauty shine?
Glu also sticking Guitar Hero 5, Blur, Tony Hawk: Ride on cell phones
Activision has stuck with Glu for bringing more than just Modern Warfare 2 to mobile phones. Gamasutra reports that the studio will also create keypad-friendly versions of Guitar Hero 5, Blur and Tony Hawk: Ride for release this year, although we have to question how closely the gameplay of the latter with adhere to that of the peripheral-based console version.Again, these ports are all for mobile phones, not gaming handhelds masquerading as such, iPhone! (Which, when you think of it, would seem ideally suited for Ride.) They're being made for handsets running Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile and Java-based operating systems. In Ride's case, we imagine the phone must also be able to handle a rider weight of 300 lbs.
Jack White: learning about music through Guitar Hero is 'depressing'
Speaking at a press conference for a documentary, both the White Stripes' frontman Jack White and legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page discussed the popularity of music games like Guitar Hero. "It's depressing to have a label come and tell you that [Guitar Hero] is how kids are learning about music and experiencing music," White said. It may seem hypocritical that the man saying this fronts two bands in the new Guitar Hero 5, but White said he doesn't attempt to dictate "which format people should get their music in..."Page added, "You think of the drum part that John Bonham did on Led Zeppelin's first track on the first album, 'Good Times Bad Times.' How many drummers in the world can play that part, let alone on Christmas morning?" It's true -- video games aren't doing enough to teach kids to be like John Bonham.Neither one said that the games weren't fun, or that they shouldn't exist, or anything like that. If anything, the two musicians were commenting on the way kids choose to get their music now, which we understand -- having our music handed to us in game form by Activision is very different from discovering it on the radio or trading tapes. Plus, well, Page is old, and therefore gets a pass on matters of technology. And Jack White wrote "The Same Boy You've Always Known" and can basically say whatever the hell he wants, as far as we're concerned.[Via Eurogamer]
