mtv-games
Latest
GHIII gets Velvet Revolver and Foo DLC [update]
Update: The official press release mentions that the Boss Battles songs ("The Devil Went Down to Georgia" and battle music by Slash and Tom Morello) will be made available on the XBLM for FREE later this month. Rock on!We saw this Guitar Hero III DLC coming a mile away and today it's available for everyone to purchase and enjoy. For 500 Microsoft points apiece you can grab either the GHIII Velvet Revolver Pack or the Foo Fighter Pack. Each track pack includes three songs performed by the original artist (would we have it any other way?) with "She Builds Quick Machines", "Slither" and "Messages" in the Velvet Revolver Pack and "The Pretender", "All My Life" and "This is a Call" in the Foo Fighter Pack. The DLC is still as expensive as ever breaking down to a little over $2 a song, but we knew it was coming. Enjoy, rock out and spend frivolously!
Today's iPod-rocking video: Phase trailer
MTV Games continues to publish new music titles in its $500 million spree, with the latest Harmonix development, Phase. The original Phase news reminded some of us too much of (non) game, Musika to buy. But this video clearly shows simple pattern-matching gameplay that may rock pockets better than the portable Guitar Hero.Check out the video, and contemplate your purchase after the break.
Rock Band is gold, game also sold separately
It's official future rockstars, EA, Harmonix and MTV Games have just announced that development on Rock Band is complete and the game has gone gold. It is currently being whisked away to an undisclosed manufacturing plant to be pressed to disc and nestled next to its numerous peripherals all packaged in one giant box. Or at least some copies will. In the press release announcing Rock Band's gold status, EA also confirmed that the game will be available in two flavors this year, the $169 peripheral bundle and as a stand alone game for $59. And we're glad to see the two flavor confirmation, because for a while we've received mixed messages regarding how it would release to retail at launch. Rock Band will be available November 20th and now you have two purchasing options.
Eight more Rock Band bonus tracks spotted
Our mother ship (which is more commonly known as Joystiq) just got the scoop on eight new Rock Band bonus songs thanks to a few tipsters and Harmonix being a tad careless with classified info.After watching 1UP's latest Rock Band video preview, a few Joystiq tipsters spotted seven "yet to be officially announced" bonus tracks, each broken up into separate categories based on their difficulty. Then, another tipster mentioned that the Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives' MySpace page confirmed their track "I Get By" to be a bonus track too. Bonus songs we're sure the EA gods didn't want anyone to see just yet, but can be viewed after the break.And after doing a little math and adding up the game's 45 officially confirmed tracks with the newly discovered eight bonus songs we get 53 out of the 58 total. Only five more to go.
EA: Rock Band will be hard to find
According to EA CEO John Riccitiello, Rock Band will be a very hot commodity this holiday season. During a recent conference call with investors, as reported by GameDaily BIZ, he noted that EA likely won't be able to keep up with demand for the game, suggesting that people should line up outside their local stores a day early if they want to secure a copy. We're not sure if it's necessary to go that far, but nevertheless, EA expects they will sell all of their initial supplies and further expects that the title will remain in short supply through the end of the year.In other news, Riccitiello also intriguingly notes not only additional songs coming to Rock Band, but also "add-on SKUs." Whether these are the individual instruments or something else entirely (custom instrument parts, perhaps?), we'll have to wait to find out.[Via Joystiq]
Come one, come all for a Rock Band unboxing
It's like Christmas when video game related unboxings occur and lucky for us, we've been treated to a big (emphasis on big) Rock Band unboxing.The WIRED Blog crew received an early copy of Rock Band recently (with the elephant sized box it came in) and decided to unbox the big guy for all to see. And after skimming through the unboxing pictures we realized a few things. First off, we truly realized how unusually large and girthy the box is when compared to an already big GHII box. We can almost guarantee there will be Rock Band box fort pictures popping up on the internet soon after release. The second thing we noticed was the sheer amount of cables, plugs, adapters and cords for all the game's peripherals. Big no-no Rock Band, we love ourselves wireless. But you're new to the game, so we'll let you off the hook this once. The final thing we noticed was the sheer amount of individually wrapped craziness going on. Bags, boxes, straps, paper ... it's like the packaging gods were on a mission to destroy the planet when they created this thing. Anyhoo, check out more pictures after the jump and allow yourself to dream of your own unboxing session that'll go down in a few weeks. Oh, and be sure to line up a dumpster rental too.
Rock Band kiosks being installed at Best Buy
Brian over at MEGATONik sent work that he spotted a Rock Band demo kiosk being set up at his local Best Buy store. The kiosk he saw wasn't fully functional yet due a scratched game disc, but he did get to play with and inspect the peripherals. We're guessing Best Buy's around the country will be getting Rock Band kiosk installations soon (if not already), so keep your eyes peeled. And since you've already had some hands on time with Guitar Hero III, your Rock Band vs GHIII comparison will be complete once your fingers grace Rock Band's instruments. Oh the anticipation!
Rock Band's USB hub caught on camera
The folks over at 1UP have gotten their mitts on the USB hub that will ship with the Xbox 360 version of Rock Band. At first glance, it doesn't look to bad at all. It almost looks like it would fit where the wireless adapter fits (assuming you're not using one already. However, it looks decidedly less chic when you find out that the hub is powered by an ugly A/C adapter. As a gamer, chances are you could do without another black brick behind your entertainment center. But hey, it's not like you actually have a choice in the matter, right? You've got to plug those instruments in somewhere, and the Xbox 360's three USB ports just won't cut it. Why the game makers didn't opt for a self-powered USB hub, we don't know, but there you have it. Hit the "read" link for more pictures.[Via Joystiq]
Rock Band's track list (almost) fully revealed
Official tracks for Rock Band have been trickling in every now and again, but today IGN received the (nearly) complete track list and decided to share. Posted after the break is a list of all 45 licensed Rock Band music tracks plus one that is unlockable. This is almost every song in the game except for the twelve yet to be revealed unlockable tracks which, when announced, will give us a total of 58. The game's musical selection is broken down by year released with music ranging from the 60's to the 2000's, so take a look already and see what 45 official tracks you'll be able to strum, drum or sing to this November. I wanna rock, ROCK![Via MEGATONik]
New Rock Band release date, website, song revealed
Hey, remember how Rock Band was releasing on Black Friday, the most hellish of all shopping days? Well, guess what? "What?" you say. Harmonix has confirmed that the release of Rock Band has been pushed forward to November 20, three days shy of the original November 23 release date. Of course, this means two things. One, you can avoid the hellmouth of your local mall come Black Friday. Two, you can play Rock Band on Thanksgiving. Rock Band is great, but Rock Band with a side of turkey and gravy is even better.Also revealed by Harmonix are plans to relaunch RockBand.com with new community features to help virtual bands get their message out. The new site is set to include leaderboards, band pages, personal blogs, forums, and a classifieds page (it's really hard to keep drummers). The site is also set to include a photo shoot feature that will allow players to light and photograph their in-game avatars.Finally, GameTrailers has revealed a new Rock Band track, "Green Grass and High Tides" as made famous by The Outlaws. You can check it out in the video above.
Rock Band achievements revealed
More Rock Band news today as the full achievement list has been revealed by DaKing240.com. There are 49 achievements in all, ranging across the various instruments and game modes. The most obvious are achievements for completing each instrument tour on each difficulty. In other words, you'll have to complete the easy, normal, hard, and expert difficulties with the drums, guitar, and vocals. It's unknown whether or not completing a certain difficulty will unlock the achievements from a lower difficulty. The list also reveals the various locales that will be featured in the game (good evening, Reykjavik!). There are a smattering of online achievements too, such as winning 20 ranked Duel matches.Gamers with commitments like, say, a job, will be happy to hear that there are no "five star all songs" achievements. There are achievements for hitting 100% of a song's notes with each instrument on expert, but that's not nearly as taxing. Our favorite achievement has to be beating the drum tour on expert, which is labeled "AN-I-MAL!!!" Head over to DaKing240.com for the full list.
Marvel at the Rock Band drum kit assembly video
Here at X3F, we have a profound understanding of the fears of our readers. For instance, we know right now that the primary fear of all our readers (on average) is how difficult it is to set up the Rock Band drum kit. Well, you can officially lay those fears to rest, as Multiplayer has posted a video demonstrating just how easy it is to disassemble and reassemble the drum kit. It really is a snap and the kit shouldn't be too big for anyone with even small amounts of storage space. The best part of all is that there are no screws or fasteners of any kind. Check out the video after the break.[Via Joystiq]
Rock Band: no separate instruments until 2008
Speaking to Bits Byets Pixels & Sprites, a Harmonix rep confirmed that Rock Band instruments will not be sold separately from the game until 2008. In other words, if you were planning on buying a copy of the game and a set of drums separately, you're out of luck. If you want Rock Band this year, you'll be paying $170 for the whole kit and kaboodle. The rep gave two reasons for this. First, creating multiple bundles would increase costs and lead to fewer bundles being available at launch. Second, retailers aren't exactly keen to have 3 different (and large) versions of Rock Band clogging their shelf space.The rep also speaks about a few other issues, the most pressing of which is probably DLC pricing, a hot topic among Guitar Hero II fans. The rep is quick to point out that Rock Band tracks require more development than Guitar Hero tracks, as there are more instruments to be dealt with. In other words, we're expecting they won't be cheap, though the rep explains that there are many ways to pick and choose DLC. For instance, whole albums will be available as well as single songs, and there may be special offers for those that purchase multiple tracks. DLC is expected to arrive every week after the game ships through the end of the year, starting with The Who's Who's Next. Finally, the game is expected to have nearly 50 songs on the retail disc, not including bonus unlockables.
Rock Band venues revealed, video preview
Rock Band is about more than just music. It's about Rock N' Roll, and that means glitz, glamor, and fame. Playing in a cramped club is a vastly different experience from playing in front of a stadium filled with thousands of people. A new video has been released featuring some of the venues that will appear in Rock Band. Alongside the video is a Yahoo Games interview with Rock Band senior artist Peter McDonald, who elaborates on the game's venues -- there are forty-one in total, by the way -- and what part they play. As you might expect, your band won't be playing stadiums from the get-go. You'll have to work your way up from smaller clubs and increase your fan base before larger venues become available. Also revealed, players can start in one of twelve different cities including Los Angeles, New York, Boston, and others. Hit the "read" link for the full interview.[Via Joystiq]
Rock Band questions answered (some of 'em)
The folks over at Multiplayer used their "We work for MTV" powers to get some answers out of Harmonix about Rock Band. Of course, the fact that Harmonix also works for MTV probably aided them in this process. Ah yes, they even mention it in the post, so there you go. Anywho, Harmonix answered a few frequently asked questions (there should really be an acronym for that) about Rock Band that have been plaguing the community. First and foremost, there are no plans to offer other hardware configurations aside from the drums, microphone, guitar, and game bundle that has been circulating for a while now. In other words, if you'd prefer a bundle with, say, just a mic and the game, you're out of luck unless you buy them separately (which is still cheaper than the monster bundle). Also of note, the 360 bundle (with a wired guitar, remember) comes with a USB hub for all those other instruments. Finally, for those with Guitar Hero II X-plorers lying around, 3rd party guitars and peripherals should work just fine with Rock Band. We're sure it won't take long for peripheral makers to produce some less expensive versions of the various instruments, so those not looking to break the bank on the bundle may want to wait. Of course, if you're planning on nabbing Guitar Hero III, you should be able to use its guitar as well.
Confirmed: Rock Band $170, out Nov 23rd
It's official fellow Rock Band enthusiasts, EA has announced that Rock Band will be hitting stores shelves on November 23rd (which is a Friday) and will cost a cheaper than expected $170 for the Xbox 360 version. This is of course great news seeing that everyone and their mother was projecting the price to be in the $200 range and the fact that it's going to be $30 cheaper makes us smile from ear to ear. No other details have been confirmed, but we'll take a concrete release date and official pricing any day of the week. Rock on!
A look at guitar in Rock Band, new REM track
While Rock Band looks to add a great deal to the Guitar Hero formula, there is a (legitimate) fear that hardcore Guitar Hero fanatics will find the game lacking. After all, it wouldn't exactly be fun for the rest of the band if the guitarist simply spent the whole song shredding while the rest of them stood silent. IGN takes a detailed look at this problem in a recent article. To sum up, Rock Band concentrates more on riffs than solos, but that doesn't mean solos aren't there. IGN concludes that they may not be as challenging as some of the most hardcore Guitar Hero tracks, but they can still have a high degree of difficulty. Furthermore, the article discusses Rock Band's version of star power, which is called overdrive. In an interesting trade off, a guitarist must use his or her overdrive in order to bring back a failed band mate. Ouch. The article also mentions the optional extras on the Rock Band Fender guitar, including the solo buttons close to the body as well as the effects switch. The effects switch can be used to turn on effects like wah wah during overdrive and solo sections. Finally, IGN reveals a new track for the game, "Orange Crush" by R.E.M. See it for the first time in the video above.
More Rock Band tracks: KISS, Soundgarden, RHCP
And the Rock Band tracks keep coming. EA, MTV, and Harmonix have announced three new tracks for the upcoming rock simulator. Again we see a mix of old and new tracks, in keeping with the songs that have already been revealed. Without further ado, here they are: "Detroit Rock City" by KISS "Dani California" by Red Hot Chili Peppers "Black Hole Sun" by Soundgarden Find a list of all tracks revealed thus far after the break.
First glimpse at ten-button Rock Band guitar controller
Harmonix was just getting us warmed up, it seems. Instead of the five fret buttons we've grown accustomed to on the past Guitar Hero series, the Rock Band official Stratocaster-based guitar controller displays ten fret buttons. On the second pic embedded below, you'll notice the five new buttons down at the base of the neck. We can only imagine what kind of sick guitar solo action Harmonix has in store for us with these.The pics arrive courtesy of a Gamestop newsletter, which also details the new features embedded into the guitar controller. As we reported earlier, guitar effects will play a large role, allowing the player to flange, wah, reverb and delay their way into guitar gaming bliss. No official pricing was included at this time, though we wouldn't be surprised to see something closer to $79.99 or thereabouts for the controller alone. Price be damned, we're still going to have to give this bad boy a spin. Anyone else?
