Rock Band 2

[Kassidy]

Pre-E3 2008: Rock Band 2 Hands-On


July 9, 2008 - Good news: Rock Band 2 plays exactly like Rock Band 1. If you are expecting some sort of revolution in gaming, get a grip on reality. While RB2 features welcome refinements, it wisely sticks to the winning formula of the original. Fans of the first will notice some graphical upgrades. There are splashier effects on the vocal tracks, for example. Anyone well versed in RB1 will be able to hop into the sequel without needing to adjust. This is a continuation of what went right, with some fixes, upgrades and more than 80 tracks on the disc.

Harmonix didn't have the new instruments ready for full testing, but I did see both the drums and guitar. The drums have a snazzy new look to the pads, with a target in the center of each. They deaden the sound of pounding sticks amazingly well. No more worries about keeping up your loved one. The foot pedal is now metal, making it impossible to break (unless you are orca fat). The guitar is the same design as the original but with a slick starburst print on the body. Harmonix says the strum bar has been improved -- and the guitar now auto-calibrates to your television.

So, you know all of the little annoying things about Rock Band 1, like the pain of getting a party set up or not being able to create your own set list in quick play? All of the little things Rock Band players have been wishing would be fixed have been fixed. It's now easy to start a band with three guests and yes, you can make your own quickplay set lists so you don't have to go back to a menu after each song. Finding songs is also easier as the interface no mimics the current Rock Band store. All-in-all, it's going to be a whole lot easier to play Rock Band at your next barbeque.

Once you start to play, it's really just more of the same (which is fine by me). Harmonix showed off ten songs from the new disc. It's an eclectic collection, with the big surprises being the inclusion of an Elvis Costello song and the selection of Journey's "Anyway You Want It" over the all-time great "Don't Stop Believin'." There's nothing to really report on how the game plays. It's Rock Band; it plays great. And the most fun song of the ten shown? The Muffs' "Kids in America."

First ten Rock Band 2 tracks:

* Cheap Trick "Hello There"
* Dream Theater "Panic Attack "
* Elvis Costello "Pump it Up"
* Foo Fighters "Everlong"
* Journey "Anyway You Want It"
* Motörhead "Ace of Spades"
* The Muffs "Kids in America"
* Red Hot Chili Peppers "Give it Away"
* System of a Down "Chop Suey"
* The Who "Pinball Wizard"


The major improvements to Rock Band 2 are all things Harmonix wasn't showing to the press. Band World Tour is now just "World Tour" and allows for solo play... and it's online (for real this time!). There are a number of new additions to World Tour mode. Tour Challenges are mini-campaigns that focus on a specific instrument, your favorite artist, preferred genre or even an album. These change and auto-update regularly as do challenges specific to content you've downloaded. So not only do you have the challenges you face to dominate in World Tour, but now you have a set of dynamic challenges that update regularly. Also online is a new Battle of the Bands mode where bands can face off for bragging rights.

Rounding things out is a new Drum Trainer mode. Harmonix realized that while many became drum masters with RB1, just as many struggled to move past medium difficulty. This specialized training mode will give expert tips and teach you how to throw down awesome fills.

Though the upgrades sound great, the real treasure is likely to be the song list. With more than 80 tracks on disc, the $60 investment will be worthwhile so long as the track list is superb. If it is, we'll be first in line to pick up a copy this fall.

 

[Soulpower]

Some good songs so far, others I couldn't care less about. I know it has a couple of new things, but I don't know if its enough to make me shell out the cash to buy this game.

 

[Kassidy]

E3 2008: Rock Band 2 Complete Track List Revealed
Guns N' Roses to debut new single! Plus, 83 other tracks to keep you rockin' late into the night and into the early morning.

July 14, 2008 - Last year, Rock Band was the only music game that enabled users to play as a full-fledged band. Things are different this year with Konami's Rock Revolution and, more dauntingly, Guitar Hero World Tour. Ultimately, no amount of features or new equipment is going to matter. The real winner will be whichever game has the best track list. Harmonix and MTV must be fully aware of this fact, because today, the two released the full 84-song set list. Judging by the impressive list, Konami and Activision have reason to worry. This is easily the greatest assemblage of music in a game to date.

The big jaw-to-the-floor announcement is that Guns N' Roses is set to debut a new song from the long-awaited album Chinese Democracy. It's not just that Rock Band 2 has GNR -- it has new GNR and effectively announces the imminent arrival of the band's oft-delayed album. Guns N' Roses' "Shackler's Revenge" is just the tip of the iceberg for a track list that features far more greats (Bob effin' Dylan!) than stinkers (Linkin effin' Park?!).

Joining GNR and Dylan are such surprises as Tenacious D, Pearl Jam, Beck, Talking Heads, and The Replacements. The list isn't so focused on spreading across decades as it is spanning genres. There's a lot more heavy metal this time around and the music from the '60s is better focused (and lacking the horror that is Green Tides and High Grass). Perhaps the only head scratcher is the inclusion of Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky," which most will recognize as an overused sports anthem.

Ah, but as great as this list may be, you love your old RB1 tracks and just don't want to give them up. Fear not. All downloadable content will work with Rock Band 2 and gamers can export tracks from Rock Band 1 to RB2. That's right -- from day one you can bring all RB1 tracks into RB2 to compliment your DLC as long as you own a PS3 or an Xbox 360 with a hard drive.

And there's more. Harmonix actually wanted to toss in 100 tracks total for the disk, but couldn't get them all in one time to ship for Xbox 360 by September. So this fall, MTV is releasing an additional 20 downloadable master tracks... for free. By year's end this will mean RB fans will have access to more than 500 songs.

That is the sound of Activision gulping.

Check out the full list of tracks. Note that all tracks on RB2 are master recordings. There are 75 tracks from famous artists, plus nine bonus tracks from various bands that feature members of Harmonix.

Master Tracks
# Artists Song Title Decade
1. AC/DC Let There Be Rock 1970s
2. AFI Girl's Gone Grey 2000s
3. Alanis Morissette You Oughta Know 1990s
4. Alice in Chains Man in the Box 1990s
5. Allman Brothers Ramblin' Man 1970s
6. Avenged Sevenfold Almost Easy 2000s
7. Bad Company Shooting Star 1970s
8. Beastie Boys So Whatcha Want 1990s
9. Beck E-Pro 2000s
10. Bikini Kill Rebel Girl 1990s
11. Billy Idol White Wedding Pt. I 1980s
12. Blondie One Way or Another 1970s
13. Bob Dylan Tangled Up in Blue 1970s
14. Bon Jovi Livin' on a Prayer 1980s
15. Cheap Trick Hello There 1970s
16. Devo Uncontrollable Urge 1980s
17. Dinosaur Jr. Feel the Pain 1990s
18. Disturbed Down with the Sickness 2000s
19. Dream Theater Panic Attack 2000s
20. Duran Duran Hungry Like the Wolf 1980s
21. Elvis Costello Pump It Up 1970s
22. Fleetwood Mac Go Your Own Way 1970s
23. Foo Fighters Everlong 1990s
24. Guns N' Roses Shackler's Revenge 2000s
25. Interpol PDA 2000s
26. Jane's Addiction Mountain Song 1980s
27. Jethro Tull Aqualung 1970s
28. Jimmy Eat World The Middle 2000s
29. Joan Jett Bad Reputation 1980s
30. Journey Anyway You Want It 1970s
31. Judas Priest Painkiller 1990s
32. Kansas Carry On Wayward Son 1970s
33. L7 Pretend We're Dead 1990s
34. Lacuna Coil Our Truth 2000s
35. Linkin Park One Step Closer 2000s
36. Lit My Own Worst Enemy 1990s
37. Lush De-Luxe 1990s
38. Mastodon Colony of Birchmen 2000s
39. Megadeth Peace Sells 1980s
40. Metallica Battery 1980s
41. Mighty Mighty Bosstones Where'd You Go 1990s
42. Modest Mouse Float On 2000s
43. Motorhead Ace of Spades 1980s
44. Nirvana Drain You 1990s
45. Norman Greenbaum Spirit in the Sky 1960s
46. Panic at the Disco Nine in the Afternoon 2000s
47. Paramore That's What You Get 2000s
48. Pearl Jam Alive 1990s
49. Presidents of the USA Lump 1990s
50. Rage Against the Machine Testify 1990s
51. Ratt Round & Round 1980s
52. Red Hot Chili Peppers Give it Away 1990s
53. Rise Against Give it All 2000s
54. Rush The Trees 1970s
55. Silversun Pickups Lazy Eye 2000s
56. Smashing Pumpkins Today 1990s
57. Social Distortion I Was Wrong 1990s
58. Sonic Youth Teenage Riot 1980s
59. Soundgarden Spoonman 1990s
60. Squeeze Cool for Cats 1970s
61. Steely Dan Bodhitsattya 1970s
62. Steve Miller Band Rock'n Me 1970s
63. Survivor Eye of the Tiger 1980s
64. System of a Down Chop Suey 2000s
65. Talking Heads Psycho Killer 1970s
66. Tenacious D Master Exploder 2000s
67. Testament Souls of Black 1990s
68. The Donnas New Kid in School 2000s
69. The Go-Go's We Got the Beat 1980s
70. The Grateful Dead Alabama Getaway 1980s
71. The Guess Who American Woman 1970s
72. The Muffs Kids in America 1990s
73. The Offspring Come Out & Play (Keep 'em Separated) 1990s
74. The Replacements Alex Chilton 1980s
75. The Who Pinball Wizard 1960s
Bonus Tracks
76. Abnormality Visions 2000s
77. Anarchy Club Get Clean 2000s
78. Bang Camaro Night Lies 2000s
79. Breaking Wheel Shoulder to the Plow 2000s
80. The Libyans Neighborhood 2000s
81. The Main Drag A Jagged Gorgeous Winter 2000s
82. Speck Conventional Lover 2000s
83. The Sterns Supreme Girl 2000s
84. That Handsome Devil Rob the Prez-O-Dent 2000s

Rock Band 2 hits Xbox 360 for a short exclusive window in September and then broadens with a holiday release on PS3, PS2, and Wii. It's unknown if any cross-game functionality will exists for PS2 or Wii versions.​

 

[Soulpower]

BOB DYLAN??? Forget my last post. This is a must-buy! AND a new GnR song to boot!

 

[Kassidy]

Harmonix, MTV Games and Electronic Arts Set to Rock the World Again with Rock Band 2
For the first time ever, compete against other bands online; export music tracks from the original disc to Rock Band 2.


July 14, 2008 - Harmonix, the world's premier music video game development company, and MTV Games, a division of Viacom's MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), along with marketing and distribution partner Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS), today revealed at the 2008 E3 Media & Business Summit new features for the next evolution of the groundbreaking music platform, Rock Band 2. With the original Rock Band title providing millions of players with a new way to interact with the music and artists they love, Rock Band 2 builds upon its core band foundation to offer an unparalleled, deeper, dynamic gameplay experience.

Rock Band 2 raises the bar in music gaming innovation with new features to rock the world:

-Local and global online modes to connect the entire Rock Band community

-World Tour mode, now online, simplifies the best of gameplay from the original Rock Band by fusing Solo Tour and Band World Tour modes and cranks it up a notch with an all new collection of opportunity gigs, challenges, cities, venues and hirable staff

-Tour Challenges that offer rockers a chance to play through mini-campaigns focused on the best songs by instrument, decade, genre, artist, album and more
Battle of the Bands mode challenges players to go head to head against other bands in constantly refreshed contests* created by Harmonix (*internet connection required)

-Quickplay makes it easier than ever to get in and jam without hassle while allowing for new prefab characters or customized characters that can play on any instrument plus lets you make your own set lists and organize your song lists in a variety of categories (genre, era, etc.)

-Customizable Set Lists keep the music rolling and your band rocking in Quickplay mode

-Drum Trainer mode gives players the fundamentals of different beats and fills, translating gameplay into real drumming skills

-Character Creator completes your look with all new choices in clothing, accessories, tattoos, hairstyles, instruments and more to keep your unique rock avatar playing the full rock part

-Backwards compatibility with all Rock Band downloadable music content released to date

-Disc Export Feature gives owners of the original Rock Band the ability to export most of the Rock Band disc tracks and upgrade them into Rock Band 2 gameplay--the first time ever in videogame history![2]


Rock Band 2 features the largest music catalogue of any music-based videogame to date including:

-The Rock Band 2 soundtrack will feature over 100 songs - with over 80 songs on disc plus an additional 20 bonus tracks which will be made available for free download this fall .

-Unrivaled Blend of Classic, Developing and Emerging rock acts including Pearl Jam, Metallica, Allman Brothers, Motorhead, Devo, Jane's Addiction, Megadeth, Paramore, Modest Mouse and more.

-Rock Band 2 is the first and only video game to feature the music of AC/DC. It includes their epic rock anthem, "Let There Be Rock"

-After 14 years since Guns N' Roses last official music release, Axl Rose selects Rock Band 2 to debut official new track, "Shackler's Revenge" from the highly-anticipated album Chinese Democracy

-For the first time ever, music from American music icon, Bob Dylan, is featured in a video game with "Tangled Up In Blue"

With ongoing weekly DLC releases including individual tracks, track packs and full albums, the Rock Band music library will feature more than 500 songs by year's end!

From the solid officially licensed Rock Band 2 instruments to the expanded third party options, Rock Band 2 introduces new and improved choices that promise to deliver unsurpassed realism. In addition, Harmonix and MTV Games have become the first companies to officially support third party instruments and accessories in a music videogame.

Achieve ultimate stardom with the upgraded functionality and smooth new look of the official Rock Band 2 instruments.

-Fender Stratocaster Controller takes on a new authentic look plus adds a reinforced strum bar, quieter buttons, wireless functionality and a built in calibration tool that automatically sets your AV setup to an ideal setting for maximum rock.

-Drum set goes wireless while also featuring quieter, velocity sensitive drum pads and a metal reinforced pedal.

-Microphone showcases authentic styling and weight.


Kick up the intensity with officially licensed third party instruments from Mad Catz:

-Fender Telecaster Controller features soft buttons with lower action to help you shred faster than ever.

-Fender Bass Controller, the first bass guitar controller ever, takes the shape of the Fender P-Bass with extended length, tuning pegs and a split strum bar to replicate finger-bass style picking.

-Full-sized Squire Stratocaster Guitar Controller multiplies the authentic guitar experience by featuring a controller built into an actual Squire Stratocaster body.

-Cymbal Expansion Pack is a straightforward but amazing upgrade to the Rock Band 2 drum set featuring add-on cymbals.

Take Rock Band 2 instrument authenticity to a whole new level with a high-end peripheral from ION:

-ION Drum Rocker, a real electronic drum kit that functions as a game controller, brings the Rock Band fantasy to life featuring a simple substitution that takes the drum kit from a controller to a real instrument.

Rock Band 2 will make its debut on Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft this September and have an exclusive launch window in North America. Rock Band 2 will be available for additional platforms later this year. Rock Band 2 will be available for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 2 computer entertainment systems and Wii later this year.

As previously revealed today, Rock Band will ship with an exclusive launch window on the Xboxâ„¢ 360â„¢ videogame and entertainment system from Microsoft in Italy, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland and Benelux July 24th, and on other platforms this Fall.

The Rock Band online music store recently surpassed 16 million paid downloads since the game's launch in late November 2007. With more than 200 tracks available to date via disc and download purchase (complete list of tracks at http://www.rockband.com/dlc), the massive Rock Band Music Store allows players to preview and purchase downloadable individual music tracks, packs and albums from the vast selection of offerings available as they build their own custom Rock Band library.

Rock Band 2 is rated "T" for Teen (lyrics, suggestive themes) by the ESRB.

For more information on Rock Band and Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.rockband.com and www.harmonixmusic.com.

About MTV Networks

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 150 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services - MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN/THE N, VH1 CLASSIC, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 300 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.

About MTV Games

MTV Games is dedicated to creating, marketing and publishing high-quality, innovative interactive products that are relevant to the MTV audience and complement the core values of the MTV Networks brands.

About Harmonix Music Systems, Inc

Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., based in Cambridge, MA, and established in 1995, is the leading developer of groundbreaking music-oriented videogames. Harmonix was founded by Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy, who formed the company to invent new ways for non-musicians to experience the unique joy that comes from making music and have pioneered music and rhythm gaming in the US. For more information please visit: www.harmonixmusic.com .

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS, EA, EA SPORTS Freestyle and POGO. In fiscal 2008, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.67 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com.​

 

[PeepShow]

Master Tracks

47. Paramore That's What You Get 2000s

Is this the game that has Hayley as an unlockable player or something? Also, is this similar to Guitar Hero?

 

[1chiban]

Paramore song = purchase Plus Pinball Wizard - what a song lol.

 

[Kassidy]

Is this the game that has Hayley as an unlockable player or something? Also, is this similar to Guitar Hero?

I have no word on that and its the whole band it has 2 guitars, drums and mic, yes Guitar hero is now making one with all instruments but rock band one did it first.

 

[PeepShow]

I have no word on that and its the whole band it has 2 guitars, drums and mic, yes Guitar hero is now making one with all instruments but rock band one did it first.

So you have to have multiple people to play this?

 

[1chiban]

Rockband

I will not be able to muster enough peeps to play this, so I think I'll just have to get guitar hero lol

 

[PeepShow]

Wow, that is rather lame. Might just have to look into getting Guitar Hero then.

 

[1chiban]

Guitar Hero looks like great fun with or without someone to play it with lol

 

[Kassidy]

wow r u two under a rock?

Rockband one came out last year and was a hit rockband 2 is coming out, no u dont need a band u can play solo on any instrument.

 

[1chiban]

I knew it came out don't get me wrong, but not having looked into it I didn't knwo you could do solo. May get this after all then. One q - as Guitar will most likely be my weapon of choice, does the guitar gameplay on RB compare well to GH which is awesome?

 

[Soulpower]

It doesn't, actually. Its a bit more uncomfortable to play guitar in Rock band. The keys just feel.. different. It takes a bit of time to get used to the RB guitar.