Posts tagged Rock Band
Revitalizing World Tour in Rock Band
May 19th
It’s no secret that I’m a die-hard Rock Band fan. Ever since Frequency came out nearly a decade ago, I’ve avidly followed Harmonix’s rise from a small studio building relatively niche rhythm games into what is now the undisputed leader in high-quality music gaming. From the time Rock Band first arrived in 2007, I don’t think a week has gone by where I haven’t picked up a guitar or banged on the drums for at least a few minutes. It doesn’t hurt that I’ve amassed a pretty substantial collection of songs, either.
But years have passed, achievements have been earned, and world tours have been demolished. With more than a year and a half having passed between Rock Band 2′s release and now, it’s highly unlikely that many players are still regularly hitting up the World Tour mode; instead, most people are probably opting for the pick-up-and-play simplicity of quickplay. That’s not a bad thing, necessarily, but what if World Tour could be reworked to be more robust, more engaging, and more enduring?
I’ve done my best to compile all my thoughts and suggestions into a relatively ordered list below. While it looks like we’ll be getting some new insight directly from the Harmonix design team based on this short article Lead Designer Dan Teasdale posted today, I figured I’d post my own impressions of what the series’ strengths and weaknesses are, and what can be done to specifically improve the World Tour experience in Rock Band 3.
Just bear in mind that this is only speculation from a guy who maybe loves his music games a little too much, and as a result it’s best if it’s not taken too seriously.
The Backlog: Sandbox of Chaos edition
Apr 5th
I kinda got carried away with Photoshop this week. You see, Rico Rodriguez, the protagonist from the Just Cause games, is chaotically belly-flopping into a child’s sandbox, which serves a visual metaphor for the open-world adventures he stars in. Hence the headline.
With that out of the way, I can tell you this edition of our beloved (by some — maybe our mothers) Backlog pertains to Nick’s first aural experiencing of Axis: Bold as Love, Doug’s dusting off of the old Xbox after his adventures in Asia and my unbelieving satisfaction from playing a ton of Just Cause 2.
The Backlog: Cruisin’ Pandora in an Audi R8 edition
Oct 30th
Get it? Because the only two games that the three of us played were Borderlands and Forza Motorsport 3? And the Audi R8 is the cover model for Forza?
Oh, whatever. You try using Photoshop on an old laptop without a mouse, you jerk.
Review: Rock Pedal
Aug 24th
If last week’s paean to the ultimate Rock Band drum set cast my reputation as a savvy consumer into doubt, I’m probably sinking my credibility to the bottom of the darkest ocean with this review of a premium kick drum pedal for a video game.
Strictly speaking, the Rock Pedal is an actual, real drum pedal, complete with chain, spring and hammer. However, it’s been modified to work with Rock Band with unparalleled precision and durability, putting the easily-broken pedals of Harmonix’s own kits to shame.
There’s no question whether the $80 pedal works as intended; Rock Pedal comes with a 30-day trial and a one-year full warranty, and my own experiences with the pedal over the last month have been nothing short of stellar.
No, the real question is one of value. What kind of person would benefit from a drum pedal that costs as much as the standard Rock Band drum kit?
Review: ION Drum Rocker
Aug 19th
Before we begin, one thing must be accepted as an absolute truth: The ION Drum Rocker is not for everyone. With an asking price of $300, you could purchase a brand new Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 Slim. You could even invest in a full menagerie of fab instruments with The Beatles: Rock Band bundle. And if Snuggies are your thing, well, you’re looking at a couple weeks’ worth of cuddly, cost-efficient warmth.
With its authentic, professional-grade electronic drum pads and cymbals that can be rearranged to the drummer’s every whim, even a casual Rock Band player will find his or her attention seized by the sheer spectacle of the Drum Rocker. But is it the kit for you?
The answer is simple! Just take our three-step quiz:
- If you don’t own a Rock Band game: Please don’t waste another second living under that rock. Kindly redirect your browser here and pick up the Rock Band 1 bundle along with Rock Band 2 and the AC/DC Live Track Pack for a mere $80. Those Rock Band 1 drums will get you acquainted with the basics.
- If you’re a light to moderate Rock Band or Guitar Hero player: You’re better served spending your money on expanding your song or instrument library in a less extravagant fashion. There’s not a single expert drum song that can’t be passed on the stock Rock Band or Guitar Hero drum set, so don’t panic.
- If you’re a super-big Rock Band geek with naïve aspirations of learning how to play a real drum kit (kind of like Neil Peart but without the tragic history and freaky Objectivist lyrics): Oh thank goodness. I’m not alone. You should keep reading this article.
Introducing SquatchCast – the Silicon Sasquatch podcast!
Jul 25th
Hey gang!
At long last, we’re ready to unveil the latest branch of the Silicon Sasquatch media empire: The Silicon Sasquatch Podcast! Or, as I’ve taken to calling it, the SquatchCast. Each episode seeks to address one major theme or issue related to video games. Our mission is to deliver a podcast that’s engaging, thought-provoking and entertaining.
What you shouldn’t expect from the podcast:
- Everybody being drunk
- Fart noises
- Long, rambling discussions about what games everyone is playing
This week’s episode is titled The Day the Music Died: Has the rhythm game bubble finally burst? We discuss the future of big-name franchises like Guitar Hero and Rock Band and debate whether the writing’s on the wall or they’re just warming up.
We’re looking to deliver new episodes on a weekly basis, so be sure to subscribe with your RSS or podcast aggregator of your choice!
Enough Is Enough: How to sell (and cope with the loss of) your old, boring games
Jul 20th
Look at it. Isn’t it just lovely?
It’s mine, you know. I just ordered it off Amazon for less than a hundred bucks! And it’s listed for two hundred ninety-nine dollars and ninety-nine cents. But thanks to some astute deal-watching over at Cheap Ass Gamer, I got wind of an offer I couldn’t pass up: By trading in $50 worth of used games to Amazon.com’s Trade-In store, your next video game or video-game accessory (that part’s crucial) purchase will be 50% off. The ION Drum Rocker is probably the most expensive game accessory Amazon offers, and it’s one I’ve been dying to own ever since I first played one almost a year ago.
I didn’t waste any time. Within minutes I was tossing games into piles, not unlike how a monkey organizes its feces — “Must Keep,” “Should Probably Keep So Friends Will Admire Me” and “I’m Not Sure Why I’ve Got This but Maybe It’s Good.” A few quick price checks later and I knew I had more than enough games I could part with to make the deal.
It should have been a no-brainer. But I hesitated, and guilt washed over me.
I couldn’t help but feel that, by completing this heinous ritual, I was splitting my soul into several discrete fragments that forged horcruxes and ensured my immortality. But, well, come on — just look at this drum kit. Who cares about that preserving-one’s-humanity nonsense?
Daily Recap: May 27-28, 2009
May 28th
This was me, 24 hours ago. Please excuse the tardiness with the update.
Hoo boy. Medicine sure is a fun thing, isn’t it? After recovering from liberal applications of medication and sleep to combat a particularly nasty sinus infection, things have returned to normal – including posting the news. And news there is to be posted!
Xbox Live membership has risen to more than 20 million users as the Xbox 360 has moved past 30 million consoles sold worldwide.
Microsoft announced today that it has hit a pair of milestones with the Xbox 360 console: 30 million systems sold worldwide, and 20 million individual users on its Xbox Live service. In the release, Microsoft attributed some of the growth to the New Xbox Experience dashboard overhaul that was launched last fall, saying that new membership numbers have gone up 136 percent since its debut in November. That led Microsoft to earn more than $14 billion on console sales, in addition to almost a billion pieces of content (both paid and free) downloaded via Xbox Live.
Daily Recap: May 5, 2009
May 5th
The millions of Rock Band fans worldwide helped make Harmonix's game the top money earner for Electronic Arts last year, the publishing giant announced today in its financial earnings statement.
We here at the Sasquatch (well, specifically myself and Nick) are very big fans of Harmonix’s Rock Band series. There are a myriad of reasons why, but it boils down to being quite a bit of fun, especially when like-minded individuals coalesce into a full band to rock out.
Well, it turns out we’re not alone in our affections–far from it. Electronic Arts announced its 4th quarter and fiscal year 2009 financial results, and included in the information-rich release is how Rock Band 2 was Electronic Arts’ biggest money-maker for the fiscal year. In fact, Rock Band 1 and 2 were two of 31 properties to sell over a million units last year; FIFA 09, Madden NFL 09, and Need for Speed Underground each sold more than 5 million units worldwide. Even Spore sold 2 million and saw more than 100 million creatures created.
Daily Recap: April 22, 2009
Apr 22nd
Because my snark is running low as of this writing, let me take this introductory opportunity to tell you what’s dropping on our site for the remainder of the week.
Coming tomorrow is our hands-on overview of the new Nintendo DSi system. To be clear, the purpose of an overview is to be less like a review–instead of making recommendations on the overall value of the product, we’re simply providing our readership with an introduction to it. We’ll still offer our crystal-clear opinions backed-up with facts, but the final purchasing decision is up to you, as always. Also on the way tomorrow is a review of Xbox Live Arcade title Galaga Legions.
Friday we’ll be reviewing the new Left 4 Dead DLC pack with its hectic and horrific Survival Mode. Can we last more than two minutes? Doubtful.
Next Tuesday’s big post is a “cooperative” review of Resident Evil 5 between Nick and me. This review has been a long time coming, and we look forward to adding our special co-op-centric commentary into the structure of our usual, trusty reviews.
Now, onto the news…and some awesome poster art.