The latest news on the Rock Band 2 front covers the instruments and a few confirmed song tracks. There have been rumors flying around the Internet about the “leaked song tracks” for the next release with absolutely no confirmation. Now, however, we have solid proof on some tracks and some equipment changes.
First, all instruments are backwards compatible. That’s key to the success of Rock Band because fans of the original ponied up a lot of bones to grab themselves the original Rock Band kit. However, there is an incentive to upgrade your equipment in some regards.
If you like the original Rock Band guitar you’re going to love the new one if only for the color updates, wood grain and actual look and feel of a real guitar not a “toy.” As you’d expect (or hope) the new guitar will be wireless, finally, and will have a sturdy strum bar with even quieter buttons. Wireless alone is a great selling point but quiet buttons is important for folks like me who play the guitar like it was a jackhammer and can easily interrupt the drummers concentration during a difficult set.
The drum kit has been improved as well, with a re-enforced foot pedal to avoid the ease of breaking the plastic “toy” version of Rock Band original. As a person who’s busted up their drum petal and forked out cash on eBay for a wood solution, this is more great news. The drum kit will also be wireless which is great for those of you, like myself, who have kids that run through your line of site or dance while you’re playing. Nobody likes their Xbox 360 being flung off the shelve due to tripped cords.
The drum kit will have quieter pads and a velocity sensor; again, your old kit is still usable without these enhancements but the desire to upgrade if you’re a dedicated fan will be high.
The song tracks currently confirmed:
- “Panic Attack” — Dream Theater
- “Chop Suey” — System of a Down
- “Everlong” — Foo Fighters
- “Kids in America” — The Muffs
- “Give it Away” — Red Hot Chili Peppers
- “Ace of Spades” — Motörhead
- “Hello There” — Cheap Trick
- “Pump it Up” — Elvis Costello
- “Anyway You Want It” — Journey
- “Pinball Wizard” — The Who
This is a great indication to where Rock Band 2 is going, mixing up a great selection of artists with classic hits like Anyway You Want It and Pinball Wizard to newer late generation X music like Give it Away and Chop Suey. Talented artists like Dream Theater are sure to keep Rock Band 2 a challenge to all gamers.
Other great improvements being a World Tour mode now accessible online and the removal of the “Band Leader” concept which always locked you into an instrument once you created a band.
NOTE: Xbox 360 will have a timed exclusive on Rock Band 2, arriving later in the year for the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3.
Checkout the full feature set so far explained at Kotaku.
Microsoft has come out and validated some earlier rumors about Xbox 360 Avatar’s and their 3D dashboard design. Apparently, this is to build more of a community and bring a bit of the Mii-like influence from the Nintendo Wii to the 360 hardware.
@Gabe Newell teases something for E3 2012 with a “3” in it:
“DOTA 2 launches on E3” ? It has a 3 in it … Or how about Portal 3? I mean people do hope for HL3 or at least HL2 – episode 3.
How about Team Fortress 3 🙂
@Microsoft includes “do not class action sue us”:
So it seems that bad practices tend to replace good practices. I mean while “do not class action sue us” will protect the company (cover it’s ass), it also allows it to be evil and get away with it.
Are they that sloppy that they feel that they need this kind of a clause? Or even worse, do they plan to do nasty stuff with your personal data?
About light bulbs: I heard that the ones built for the 220V will work just as well on 110V, but last much longer. Hint hint, if you have a trip to Europe 🙂
@Bizarre circumstances surround GSC Game World:
They sold quite a good number of the STALKER games, enough to keep the studio afloat. I think that these kind of news are just advertising, like the ARG for Valve.
I’m a big STALKER fan, by the way. Their earlier games were also pretty good (loved “Codename: Outbreak”).
As for 25 years, it’s still a small amount of time. I mean files remain classified as top secret for 50 years, unless their status is renewed for another 50.
Good segway there Paul!
@QOTW: the only handheld game system we had was one that could play snake and tetris. So big surprise, my favourite game was tetris, on a nameless handheld (’cause “17 in 1” is not a name) made in China 🙂
Just so you know, I took the time and left you an iTunes comment.
@Gabe Newell teases something for E3 2012 with a “3” in it: I look forward to seeing whatever game Valve releases next, but these kind of teasers for a teaser in kind of tiring to me. I won’t get excited until I see an actual gameplay trailer. Possible new releases other than Half-Life ending with 3: Team Fortress 3, Portal 3 and Left 4 Dead 3.
@QOTW: Sorry, I have never owned a handheld gaming system. This is because I have never found any reason to buy one (it’s better value to spend the money on a home console) and anyway I would only be able to play it at home because it takes less than an hour to get from one side of my country to the other, and there aren’t a lot of games that interest me on a handheld.