neversoft
Latest
Slash & Poison launch Guitar Hero III in Los Angeles
Slash, Poison, the casts of Reaper, Chuck, and that chick with the awesome power to learn things by watching them on TV from Heroes were just a few of the celebrities who helped launch Guitar Hero III at a Best Buy in Los Angeles this past Saturday night. They also had a really awesome launch party up on the roof, which included different stations where each version of the game were set up, free food and booze (a rock and roll staple), and a concert from Poison, complete with the Burning Man-esque stage from the game.However, proving that every rose does indeed have its thorn, the upstairs roof-raising party wasn't open to the general public. So while the masses waited below to buy their copies at midnight, the red carpet and velvet rope brigade partied upstairs on sushi, BBQ, and Red Bull. Just like the real rock and roll world. Check out video from the event after the jump, along with some sneak peeks from our gallery. So, how many of you picked up a copy on Sunday?%Gallery-9284%
Walmart's devious Guitar Hero III bundling
Warning future Guitar Hero III purchasers ... Walmart is evil. And yes, we know the word evil carries a lot of emotional weight behind it, but we're comfortable and confident in using such an adjective to describe Walmart seeing what they're doing with their Guitar Hero III bundles.You see, Walmart somehow received an exclusive GHIII bundle from Activision in which they sell the game with old GHII guitar controllers. That means Xbox 360 owners who'd buy the bundle wouldn't get a wireless Les Gibson and instead get the corded Xplorer. A bundle that was never previously announced and smells of clearancing out old inventory. True, the bundled boxes specifically show which guitar is included in the box (like the picture above), but some may not notice the guitar switch or just aren't informed enough to know the difference. Talk about shady GHIII bundling practices Walmart ... we're disgusted.[Thanks, Daren]
Rock Band strat may not rock with Guitar Hero 3
Although various guitar models provide disparate tonalities, string action, etc., they all still let you pluck through the arpeggio intro to Green Day's "Good Riddance" (we only wish it had such a power). Such is not the case for the virtual world of Guitar Hero 3 and Rock Band. According to early tests conducted by IGN, the most compatible controller is Xbox 360's Guitar Hero 2 X-plorer model, which works with both upcoming titles, although you cannot use the special effects due to the lack of a five-way switch. The GH3 Les Paul controller works with everything except the PS2 version of GH2 (played on a PS3, natch) and, like the X-plorer, cannot activate effects.Rock Band's Stratocaster, however, does not work with any Guitar Hero title on the Xbox 360. (IGN has not been able to test the PS3 version yet.) A statement released by Harmonix said, among other things, that they "welcome any 3rd party software that wishes to support Rock Band guitars. If a 3rd party guitar / music game does not support the Rock Band guitar controller, questions regarding this should be directed to the game manufacturer." There is no word yet from Guitar Hero publisher Activision. And when everything is finalized, we'll be sure to make you an colorful, easy-to-read compatibility chart.
Prepare to rock Europe, GHIII arrives Nov 23rd
Poor Europe, Activision has been stringing you along for quite a while now regarding the topic of a Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock's release date. But things have been figured out and they've dotted their I's and topped their T's with the annoucement of the official release date for the game in Europe. November 23rd will be the magical day Europeans rock out to the sweet, sweet music of GHIII and let out a collective scream, releasing any built up excitement that has built up these past few months. And yes, an official release date announcement is great, but our fellow European fanboys must be just a little ticked off at the fact that the game will be releasing next week in the US. Maybe shipping those guitar boxes takes a while and takes a lot of logistic work or maybe they're just slow over at Acti. But whatever the reason, don't be depressed. Slash doesn't like it when you're sad.
Hear GHIII's final track: "The Devil Went Down to Georgia"
After finishing "Free Bird" in Guitar Hero II, you may have thought that it could never be topped as a "final" song. Oh sure, a more difficult song, but not a more fitting song. Allow us to present to you the final track of Guitar Hero III then: "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." The Charlie Daniels Band classic has been revitalized for the game, replacing its fiddle (don't you dare call it a violin) with, well, a guitar. The guitar is played by Steve Ouimette, who is apparently better than the Devil himself. Don't take our word for it, though. Give it a listen and judge for yourself.Check out the up to date track list for Guitar Hero III after the break.
Guitar Hero III demo disc online, magically works on any 360
We're but simple bloggers, unfamiliar with the illicit, seedy underbelly of pirating video games, so we won't pretend to understand how all of this works. What we do know is that the demo for Guitar Hero III – which came bundled in with Tony Hawk Proving Ground and the December issue of OXM – isn't on the Xbox Live Marketplace but if you burn this magical disc you can play it on your regular old 360. No soldering, no flashing ROMs, or any of that other stuff we're vaguely familiar with from peeking around inappropriate internet sites. Just burn and shred. Now that we've got your attention, here's the track list for the curious amongst you. "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" – Pat Benetar "Lay Down" – Priestess "Even Flow" – Pearl Jam "Rock You Like a Hurricane" – Scorpions "The Metal" by Tenacious D
The Wii Guitar Hero controller works just fine
To be honest, we've always thought of Guitar Hero as a casual series, even though Hard Mode and above are too hard for us. This perception is mostly due to the fact that it's so popular. But Josh3D's performance of Dragonforce's "Through the Fire and Flames" destroys that perception and any other thoughts we may have been having. After completing the song, he takes off the guitar controller, revealing the Wiimote held inside, therefore confirming that this video depicts the Wii version of Guitar Hero III.Some of you may contend that this person could have spent more time learning skills that are applicable in real life instead of practicing Guitar Hero so much, but Josh3D has clearly exited our reality and entered one in which it's possible to do this. Who knows what kinds of skills are useful there?[Via NeoGAF]
Aerosmith, Cream, Disturbed, many others added to Guitar Hero III
Activision released a ton of Guitar Hero III (due out on Oct. 28) tracks this morning, some you've probably heard rumored before, some of which are likely surprises to you. Either way, we've provided a ridiculously clickable list that may or may not include a little profanity. We apologize in advance. Same Old Song and Dance (by Aerosmith) Helicopter (by Bloc Party) Stricken (by Disturbed) Monsters (by Matchbook Romance) Before I Forget (by Slipknot) Kool Thing (by Sonic Youth) When You Were Young (by The Killers) Devil Went Down to Georgia (as made famous by Charlie Daniels Band) Sunshine of Your Love (as made famous by Cream) Holiday in Cambodia (as made famous by Dead Kennedys) Cliffs of Dover (as made famous by Eric Johnson) Hit Me with Your Best Shot (as made famous by Pat Benetar) Black Magic Woman (as made famous by Santana) Story of My Life (as made famous by Social Distortion) Pride and Joy (as made famous by Stevie Ray Vaughn) The Seeker (as made famous by The Who) Black Sunshine (as made famous by White Zombie) What's that? You've already forgotten the previously announced songs? There's a big list after the break.
It's Guitar Hero Day in New York, apparently
The city of New York must have a lot of time on its hands. After all, they have enough time to spare to declare today, Sept. 26, 2007, as Guitar Hero day throughout the city.Never mind that Guitar Hero III doesn't actually come out until Oct. 28, or that the original game came out on Nov. 7, 2005. Never mind that publisher Activision is based in Santa Monica and developer Neversoft is from Westlake Village, CA. Never mind that the city saw a massive publicity blitz for another game as recently as yesterday.Forget all that... "fans are ready to rock the streets of Manhattan," according to the press Activision press release, with "thousands ... expected to gather in celebration of the day, with guitar controllers in hand." This is kind of surprising to us, seeing as we hadn't even heard about the event before today, but we suppose getting thousands of people together on short notice can't be too hard in a city of millions.Apparently, the day is just "one of many Guitar Hero events taking place in New York City this week," including an opportunity for members of the public to actually play Guitar Hero III at the DigitalLife festival starting tomorrow. So while we're generally against pointless publicity stunts like this, we suppose we can turn a blind eye given the public demo. Citizens of New York, do yourselves a favor and go check it out.
Gun sequel announced via poster in THPG demo?
In what could be considered the weirdest game announcement ever, Joystiq has discovered that there is a Gun sequel poster hidden inside the newly available Tony Hawk's Proving Ground demo. The poster, as seen in the screenshot above, depicts what looks to be a Gun sequel called Gun: Magruder's Ghost featuring the cliche tag line "Even from beyond the grave". So, we're left wondering if this is a real Gun sequel announcement or if those artists over at Activision like messing with our heads and find it to be a funny easter egg joke. We find it a little odd but plausible that Gun: Magruder's Ghost would be announced this way, so we'll leave it up to you to make the call to what this all means. And if you're one of those fanboys who doesn't believe picture evidence, instead needing to experience it for yourself, then this is how you find the poster. Simply fire up your newly downloaded THPG demo, head down the beginning hill until you spot a large staircase on your left. You'll be able to see the poster on top of said staircase.
GUN sequel poster in Tony Hawk Proving Ground demo
Those who downloaded the new demo for Tony Hawk Proving Ground demo on Xbox Live may have spotted the above poster in the sample. The poster advertising rumored sequel "GUN: Magruder's Ghost" is either a really big tease or a really unconventional game announcement. Our heart says the latter, but, well, you can probably guess which one our brains say.If you want to see the poster for yourself, head down the hill at the beginning of the demo and keep on that road until you see a large stairway on your left. You'll find the poster at the top. We'll be a little too busy dreaming of Lance Henriksen-soaked gaming goodness.[Thanks, Squeedom]
Video: DragonForce will own you in GHIII
Not too long ago, it was revealed that DragonForce would finally be gracing Guitar Hero for it's third outing. The song chose for the game: the incredibly difficult "Through the Fire and Flames." But hey, don't take our word for it, just check out the video above. The amount of skill and practice required to nail this song borders on lunacy. Wherever the song isn't a maelstrom of hammer-ons and pull-offs, it is filled with machine gun strumming on multiple frets. It is both a nightmare and a beauty to behold, and we bet your little brother will master it in a week.
New GHIII tracks with international flair
Not to be outdone by the peripheral wizardry of Rock Band, for which ten new tracks were announced today, Activision has announced a new set of tracks for Guitar Hero III as well. The new tracks are comprised mainly of international bands with which our American readers likely won't be familiar. All 11 of the new tracks are master tracks, meaning that fans won't be forced to cringe at the sound of horribly impersonated lead singers. Behold: "Minus Celsius," by Backyard Babies "Hier Kommt Alex," by Die Toten Hosen "In the Belly of a Shark," by Gallows "I'm in the Band," by The Hellacopters "Avalancha," by Heroes Del Silencio "Take This Life," by In Flames "Ruby," by Kaiser Chiefs "Closer," by Lacuna Coil "Generation Rock," by Revolverheld "Mauvais Garcon," by NAAST "Radio Song," by Superbus You'll find a list of all other confirmed tracks after the break.
EA and Activision find mud, start slinging
We knew it had to happen eventually. EA and Activision have officially begun sniping one another in regards to Rock Band and Guitar Hero III. In one corner, you have Activision's Will Kassoy who sees Guitar Hero III as a highly accessible sequel in a genre-defining series. Furthermore, he says that Rock Band may prove too complicated for the average gamer, while Guitar Hero III offers fun for everyone. EA, naturally, takes a different stand. According to EA's Frank Gibeau, the various choices available in Rock Band (guitar, bass, drums, and vocals) is precisely what makes it accessible. As Gibeau notes, some folks would rather sing than play guitar. Which will ultimately win? Gamers will decide later this year.[Via Joystiq]
Dash update preps 360 for wireless guitars
Major Nelson sends word that a Dashboard Update is now available. Users will be prompted to download the update the next time they sign into Xbox Live. Before everyone goes crazy looking for fabulous new features, you should know that this is not the Fall Update. Most of you probably figured this out, as it is still summer. All the update does is ready the 360 to accept those fabulous wireless guitars that ship with Guitar Hero III and Rock Band later this year. It's good to know that the 360 will play nice with the wireless guitars and all, but we'd really like to know how much they're going to cost.
Let the showdown begin: GHIII nabs Metallica
The gloves are off folks, after yesterday's revelation that Rock Band and Guitar Hero III would definitely be sharing songs, there was really only one other question that needed answering: what about Metallica? We know Metallica is in Rock Band, but what about Guitar Hero III? That question has been answered and answered well. As it turns out, Guitar Hero III will not only feature Metallica -- the news was slipped during an Activision conference call -- but the song to be featured is "One," and what's more, it's a master track. Metallica fans couldn't ask for much better than that. If the end result of having two competing music games is more awesome tracks for both of them, then we say bring on the competition.[Via Joystiq]
GHIII lays on 6 more tracks: Sabbath, AFI, more
Activision has announced the addition of 6 more tracks to Guitar Hero III. The new tracks consist of both newer bands like AFI and Queens of the Stone Age and classic groups like Black Sabbath and Blue Oyster Cult. Check out the new tracks below. "Miss Murder," by AFI "3's and 7's," by Queens of the Stone Age "Raining Blood," by Slayer "Reptillia," by The Strokes "Paranoid," as made famous by Black Sabbath "Cities on Flame," as made famous by Blue Oyster Cult "Mississippi Queen," as made famous by Mountain As usual, pay close attention to the distinction between "by" and "as made famous by." In other words, 4 of the 7 new tracks are master recordings, leaving "Paranoid," "Cities on Flame," and "Mississippi Queen" as the only covers. We also must note that "Mississippi Queen" was featured in a leaked video of Rock Band shortly before E3 (the video has since been pulled). While its inclusion in Rock Band is far from official at this point, it will be interesting to see if Rock Band and Guitar Hero III wind up sharing songs. We've posted a list (politely cribbed from Joystiq) of the 22 officially announced tracks after the break.
GHIII nabs DragonForce, Chili Peppers, more
The pleas of Guitar Hero fans everywhere have been answered. Yes, DragonForce will finally be featured in a Guitar Hero title, specifically Guitar Hero III. The fancy lads at ScoreHero have uncovered several new groups to be featured in the game including: The Red Hot Chili Peppers -- "Suck my Kiss" ZZ Top -- "La Grange" Iron Maiden -- "Number of the Beast" DragonForce -- "Through the Fire and Flames" Even better news, all the above tracks except "La Grange" are the master recordings. A new character by the name of Midori was also revealed, along with several new locations (we can't wait to see the Kaiju Megadome). Activision is adamant that Guitar Hero III is still a contender in the face of Rock Band. With impressive songs like these, as well as the ones we already know, they might be right.[Via Joystiq]
Chili Peppers, ZZ Top, Iron Maiden in Guitar Hero III
You're about to read a post about Guitar Hero, so go ahead and get the above video going to initiate face melting. Boy, those cats at Neversoft know how to take care of their fans. Not only did they fly members of fan community Score Hero out to check out Guitar Hero III, they let them get away with some new info. The first nugget, and the one you all care about, is four new songs. They are: "Suck My Kiss" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers "La Grange" by ZZ Top "Number Of The Beast" by Iron Maiden "Through The Fire And Flames" by DragonForce Of those, only "La Grange" isn't taken from the original master recordings. If you've forgotten what's already been announced, here's a refresher. SH also confirmed a new character ("Midori") and some of the locations like "Shanker's Island," "Desert Rock Tour" and "Kaiju Megadome." We know that GH III may not have the fancy drums and microphones of its competitors, but with a stellar song list like this, it sure won't be going down without a fight.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Today's which-one-is-evil comparison: Skate versus Tony Hawk
We've played Skate, and we've seen Tony Hawk's Proving Ground. Today's video picks compare the latest trailers for both games.Admittedly, we think the two titles can coexist, at least for this year. Skate is a completely different control experience, while Tony Hawk is the latest in a solid franchise. We can see both games appealing to different -- or even the same -- gamers.And we're glad Skate is here to keep Tony Hawk honest. Do we really expect a 1.0 game to dethrone Tony Hawk-we-stopped-counting-version-numbers? Maybe not, but competition should make them both stronger.See the new trailers after the break.
