Rock Band 2

[The NZA]

 

Details!

 

Kotaku summed it up with this:

 

Shocker! Harmonix has done and made Rock Band 2. The game will be out on the Xbox 360 this September, and the PS3 later this year. The sequel will feature a new set list, and the RB2 bundle will feature "quieter, more realistic, and more reliable instruments" says Lead Designer Dan Teasdale. The good news for those who already own Rock Band is that all the songs you've purchases so far will be playable and supported in Rock Band 2. As far as Harmonix is concerned, there's no difference between "Rock Band 1 DLC" and "Rock Band 2 DLC" — we're just releasing awesome songs every week onto the Rock Band platform, all of which are playable by the Rock Band titles that support DLC," says Teasdale. The sequel will offer folks a new way to play the DLC they currently own, however. Sure, Rock Band 2 should come as no surprise, but it does sound like Harmonix is pushing things forward.

 

So, DLC stays, instruments might get improved. I guess we're gonna have to wait & see if its worth it to get just the game or the whole package & sell the instruments? Really, drums are the only thing ive seen complaints about, and if they do the single-instrument sales right this time, that can be dealt with too.

 

Prolly most interesting detail so far:

 

We've been working hard with Microsoft and Sony to develop a way to share content between games, and we're really happy that we'll be the first game to support fully functional cross-title DLC.

[The NZA]

ok, i get it: no real excitement without pics. fair enough! not sure if its wireless yet, but damned if that paint job doesnt make me consider getting another guitar. Here's official pics of 2's new look:

 

 

[HypnotizinChikns]

Well that might answer my question about GHWT being compatible for RB, if RB2 is comming out soon, then GHWT probably won't have compatible downloads.

[archangel]

is this going to be a more acoustic RB? Like more soft rock?

[Reverend Jax]

I don't know, but according to wiki, AC-DC is rumored. When IGN h=wasn't getting a clear answer about what bands would be in RB2, the interviewer said

 

IGN: Here are ten bands I want to see in RB2:

Agent Orange

The Beatles

Built to Spill

The Buzzcocks

Journey

Led Zeppelin

Modest Mouse

Pavement

The Replacements

Tool

 

Based on this list. How do you think I would rate RB2 on a scale of 0-10 (ten making me a happy reviewer and zero making suicidal).

And the Hermonix guy said some of those bands would be in the game.

 

All the old DLC is backwards compadible, and all future DLC will be forwards compadible (?) with RB1.

[The NZA]

is this going to be a more acoustic RB? Like more soft rock?

 

i wouldnt assume such 'cause of the guitar's look alone; they havent said anything to indicate that.

Zeppelin and Beatles have already been talked about, if Activision's getting Sublime, The Doors etc for GH hopefully they show love here. its a shame the 2 franchises are now in competition, but i really dont care much about GH these days.

[Jables]

September? Beh. Wiki says GHWT's set for a late October worldwide release, so unless EA bundles a PAL version of RB1 in with 2 and sells them together on release, or otherwise do some serious making up to the Aus Market, I still say fuck 'em(seriously though-how shit is it that we're told to maybe expect RB1 around the time RB2 is released stateside?! What are we, fucking Khazakstan?

[The NZA]

that is indeed fucked. on a lighter note...

 

 

The alleged new additions were spied during an X-Play preview of the recently announced Rock Band sequel and dissected by the ScoreHero community. The new selections are strong to say the least and include new songs from acts like Journey and Foo Fighters. Even better? An indication that even more songs from The Who are en route, as "Pinball Wizard" looks to make an appearance.

 

The list, with a best guest at the performing artists is after the jump.

 

"Panic Attack" by Dream Theater or Finger Eleven

"Chop Suey" by System of a Down

"Give It Away" by Red Hot Chili Peppers

"Everlong" by Foo Fighters

"Kids In America" by Kim Wilde

"Ace of Spades" by Motörhead

"Hello There" by Cheap Trick

"Anyway You Want It" by Journey

"Pinball Wizard" by The Who

 

off to a good start!

[Jables]

At least 5 of those songs, Wiki says will be on GH4.

[The NZA]

more leaked tracks?

 

"One Step Closer" by Linkin Park

"Peace Sells" by Megadeth

"Testify" by Rage Against The Machine

"American Woman" by The Guess Who

"White Wedding" by Billy Idol

"You Oughta Know" by Allanis Morrisette

"Aqua Lung" by Jethro Tull

"Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett

"Drain You" by Nirvana

"Man in the Box" by Alice In Chains

"Spoonman" by Soundgarden

"We Got The Beat" by the Go-Gos

 

i hope its true, some great songs in there. Guess we'll see.

[Silent Bob]

American Woman and White Wedding are long overdue in one of these games. And Jesi is gonna have a blast singing You Oughtta Know if that list is true.

[Reverend Jax]

Drain You by Nirvana is on Nevermind, which is an album that has been promised by Harmonix as DLC, so it's not likely to be in-game for RB2.

 

Some of those songs are sooooo awesome! Aqualung! Spoonman! Chop Suey! Testify! Give It Away! Anyway You Want It! Everlong! Kids In America! White Wedding! You Oughta Know! American Woman (please retain the opening acoustic guitar part...)!

 

 

By the way, that screen capture says "Sorting my Difficulty: Solid" So the idea that Panic Attack could be Finger Eleven or Dream Theater...well, I don't find it likely the Dream Theater song would be "Solid." I could be wrong.

 

Also, they are assuming that's Bad Reputation by Joan Jett, not by Thin Lizzy. Bad Reputation by Thin Lizzy was in GH2, and HArmonix is clearly cool with going back to their older guitar hero games for songs.

[The NZA]

Rumor dump!

 

first up:

 

an IGN Insider interview (transcript provided by reader Max) let slip that buyers of Rock Band 2 will have access to all of the songs off the original Rock Band disc, available as free DLC

 

crazy. next are the "leaked lists"....meant for us all to ooh and ahh but not take seriously until something is confirmed. that said, go nuts:

 

And on to the leaked track lists. The first is from Demp, a commenter on 8bitfix, and he's got the FOAF who saw the email source. That's like fourth-hand hearsay, but whatever, this ain't court.

 

1 AC/DC Let There Be Rock

2 AFI Girl's Gone Grey

3 Alanis Morissette You Oughta Know

4 Alice in Chains Man in the Box

5 Allman Brothers Ramblin' Man

6 Avenged Sevenfold Almost Easy

7 Bad Company Shooting Star

8 Beastie Boys So Whatcha Want

9 Beck E-Pro

10 Bikini Kill Rebel Girl

11 Billy Idol White Wedding Pt I

12 Blondie One Way or Another

13 Bob Dylan Tangled Up in Blue

14 Bon Jovi Livin' on a Prayer

15 Cheap Trick Hello There

16 Devo Uncontrollable Urge

17 Dinosaur Jr Feel the Pain

18 Disturbed Down with the Sickness

19 Donnas, The New Kid in School

20 Dream Theater Panic Attack

21 Duran Duran Hungry Like the Wolf

22 Elvis Costello Pump it Up

23 Fleetwood Mac Go Your Own Way

24 Foo Fighters Everlong

25 Go-Go's, The We Got the Beat

26 Grateful Dead, The Alabama Getaway

27 Guess Who, The American Woman

28 Guns N' Roses Shackler's Revenge

29 Interpol PDA

30 Jane's Addiction Mountain Song

31 Jethro Tull Aqualung

32 Jimmy Eat World The Middle

33 Joan Jett Bad Reputation

34 Journey Anyway You Want It

35 Judas Priest Painkiller

36 Kansas Carry On Wayward Son

37 L7 Pretend We're Dead

38 Lacuna Coil Our Truth

39 Linkin Park One Step Closer

40 Lit My Own Worst Enemy

41 Lush De-Luxe

42 Mastodon Colony of Birchmen

43 Megadeth Peace Sells

44 Metallica Battery

45 Mighty Mighty Bosstones Where'd You Go

46 Modest Mouse Float On

47 Motorhead Ace of Spades

48 Muffs, The Kids in America

49 Nirvana Drain You

50 Norman Greenbaum Spirit in the Sky

51 Offspring, The Come Out & Play (Keep 'em Seperated)

52 Panic at the Disco Nine in the Afternoon

53 Paramore That's What You Get

54 Pearl Jam Alive

55 Presidents of the USA Lump

56 Rage Against the Machine Testify

57 Ratt Round & Round

58 Red Hot Chili Peppers Give it Away

59 Replacements, The Alex Chilton

60 Rise Against Give it All

61 Rush The Trees

62 Silversun Pickups Lazy Eye

63 Smashing Pumpkins Today

64 Social Distortion I Was Wrong

65 Sonic Youth Teenage Riot

66 Soundgarden Spoonman

67 Squeeze Cool for Cats

68 Steely Dan Bodhitsattva

69 Steve Miller Band Rock'n Me

70 Survivor Eye of the Tiger

71 System of a Down Chop Suey

72 Talking Heads Psycho Killer

73 Tenacious D Master Exploder

74 Testament Souls of Black

75 Who, The Pinball Wizard

BONUS SONGS (all HMX bands)

76 Abnormality Visions

77 Anarchy Club Get Clean

78 Bang Camaro Night Lies

79 Breaking Wheel Shoulder to the Plow

80 Libyans, The Neighborhood

81 Main Drag, The A Jagged Georgeous Winter.

82 Speck Conventional Lover

83 Sterns, The Supreme Girl

84 That Handsome Devil Rob the Prez-O-Dent

 

and finally, list 2, if your pants are still dry.

 

And then from Loading Reality, which notes that this numbers only about 60. Some of the tracks are the same as the list above, just in a different order. "Keep in mind, some of these could easily be DLC that's in the works," Loading Reality writes. A wise caveat.

 

1) Tangled Up in Blue (Bob Dylan)

2) Bad to the Bone (George Thorogood)

3) We've Got the Beat (Go-Gos)

4) Bad Reputation (Joan Jett)

5) Pinball Wizard (The Who)

6) Dammit (Blink 182)

7) That's What You Get (Paramore)

8) The Trees (Rush)

9) Ace of Spades (Motorhead)

10) Chop Suey (System of a Down)

11) Testify (Rage Against the Machine)

12) Spirit In the Sky (Norman Greenbaum)

13) Ramblin' Man (Allman Brothers)

14) Rebel Girl (Bikini Kill)

15) Eye of the Tiger (Survivor)

16) Panic Attack (Dream Theater)

17) Everlong (Foo Fighters)

18) One Step Closer (Linkin' Park)

19) Lump (Presidents of the USA)

20) Come Out and Play (Offspring)

21) Drain You (Nirvana)

22) Carry On Wayward Son (Kansas)

23) Peace Sells (Megadeath)

24) Souls of Black (Testament)

25) Livin' On a Prayer (Bon Jovi)

26) Round and Round (Ratt)

27) New Kid In School (The Donnas)

28) Alright Now (Free)

29) Today (Smashing Pumpkins)

30) Man In the Box (Alice In Chains)

31) Any Way You Want It (Journey)

32) Holiday In Cambodia (Dead Kennedys)

33) Give It Away (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

34) White Wedding (Billy Idol)

35) Hello There (Cheap Trick)

36) Cool for Cats (Squeeze)

37) Psycho Killer (Talking Heads)

38) ? (Devo)

39) One Way or Another (Blondie)

40) De-luxe (Lush) [dare to dream, shoegaze in Rock Band!]

41) Push It (Static-X)

42) Pump It Up (Elvis Costello)

43) Master Exploder (Tenacious D)

44) Bandages (Hot Hot Heat)

45) PDA (Interpol)

46) My Own Worst Enemy (Lit)

47) Float On (Modest Mouse)

48) Aqualung (Jethro Tull)

49) Spoonman (Soundgarden)

50) Bodhisattva (Steely Dan)

51) Suffer (Bad Religion)

52) I Was Wrong (Social Distortion)

53) American Woman (The Guess Who)

56) You Oughta Know (Alanis Morrissette)

57) Mountain Song (Jane's Addiction)

58) Stop! (Against Me)

59) Hungry Like the Wolf (Duran Duran)

60) Alabama Getaway (Grateful Dead)

 

So there you have it. Could be real, could be bs, again that's the fun of rumors. But even if this is in-progress thinking, and not final stuff, it shows Harmonix is not F-in around, and will move to counter Guitar Hero: World Tour's peripherals and custom song features with outstanding content.

[archangel]

Carry on Wayword Son has GOT to be on one of these, damn it.

[The NZA]

Rage & Offspring made me happy, but id like more Guess Who, and quite frankly? George Thorogood would be awesome, but if it was up to me, id do Hot Rod Lincoln and then One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer for like 8 minutes on the mic while the rest of youse go get a drink or something.

[Reverend Jax]

Carry on Wayword Son has GOT to be on one of these, damn it.

It was 36 on the first list.

 

That is almost all awesome. Some artists there I'd rather have another song, but it's mostly solid. I'm concerned about Drain You being listed, because it's on Nevermind, and that's supposed to come out as a DLC full album (and I still want it).

 

Here are some thoughts, mentioning only the ones not rumored before:

 

Let There Be Rock is one of my favorite AC/DC songs, but no single AC/DC will satisfy me. This is the first AC/DC song in a rhythm game, so I'm going to assume this will open the door for DLC very soon.

 

We need Allman Brothers' Whipping Post! Not Ramblin' Man!

 

More Beastie Boys is always good, especially for singers and drummers.

 

One Way or Another: bout time!

 

Tangled Up in Blue, this will be interesting.

 

Livin' on a Prayer will be awesome.

 

As for Cheap Trick, I want I Want You To Want Me (Live in Japan).

 

Pump it Up should be awesome.

 

As for GNR, I googled "Shackler's Revenge" and only found linked to pages listing this list. New GNR?

 

Aqualung will melt my face off.

 

Except for Master of Puppets, I can't think of a Metallica song I'd rather have that Battery.

 

Spirit in the Sky and Come Out & Play are both awesome.

 

I like Panic at the Disco, and this is a good song for this game.

 

Fuckin...Alive and Lump! So awesome.

 

The Trees, Today, Psycho Killer...all great choices!

 

So that's where Pinball Wizard went. It will be missed when I get the 12-pack next week, but I'll get it soon enough.

[archangel]

It was 36 on the first list.

I meant actually in one of the two games lol

[The NZA]

if it is new G&R, that wouldnt be surprising, would it? i mean, metallica and other bands said theyd debut new shit there, so again, i could see it happening. hopefully it doesnt suck.

 

i like how jax is worried about buying a nirvana song and then getting it free later, but everyone's happy with RB1 stuff being free DLC. which i personally think is awesome, but you know, some people bitch about it.

[archangel]

could it be the ever elusive Chinese Democracy?

[Reverend Jax]

I didn't recognize the song, and I have A4D, GNR Lies, and both UYI albums, so I googled it, thinking maybe it was a b-side or off a movie soundtrack or something, but no, there's no evidence of such a song ever exist except for this unconfirmed rumored/leaked list.

 

I don't believe Chinese Democracy be released.

 

Nick, my real concern is that Nevermind might not be in the works as a DLC album anymore. I mean, with the Who 12pack having 3 Who's Next songs on it, that album is essentially off the table, I don't want the same thign happening with Nevermind.

[The NZA]

for the drummers:

 

 

Rock Band 2 isn't going to just take the introduction of a wireless drum set in Guitar Hero World Tour lying down. No, Harmonix has its own wireless drum set planned, according to a product listing on Amazon.com. With a tentative release date of September 14 and a price of $89.99, it may mean waiting for an upgrade that's free of ugly cables is just around the corner.

[Jables]

Errrrm... I don't know who was bothered by those cords. Though being able to put the drumkit outside of the immediate couch area will be helpful.

[MetalHeart]

The cords were assholes for me. Wireless makes me very excited!

[archangel]

you do realize, Mr. Garret, that once you come stateside you can stock up on cheap xbox games for your US xbox?

[The NZA]

Info dump!

 

In less than a week Electronic Arts will be showing off Rock Band 2 to the world's gaming press at this year's E3. To get your motor running a bit early, Harmonix dropped this fat fact sheet and these images on us.

 

First things first: If you already own Rock Band and you buy Rock Band 2 all of your songs will transfer over automatically and free o' charge.

 

Rock Band 2, which hits the Xbox 360 this September and the PS2, PS3 and Wii later this year, includes a number of new tweaks both to the software and hardware. Some highlights:

 

The new and improved drums and guitar peripherals will be compatible with the original Rock Band and original instruments will work with Rock Band 2. The new guitar will have a sturdier strum bar, quieter buttons and be wireless. The new drum kit will include a metal reinforced pedal, quieter pads, velocity sensors and... be wireless.

New Mini-Campaigns

Custom Set Lists

Online World Tour

Drum Trainer

 

That's right, Rock Band 2 will literally teach you how to play drums.

 

We weren't allowed to play with the new instruments when the game was showed off to press last month, but I did manage to grope the drum kit for a few seconds when no one was looking. The pedal looked like it would stand up to more abuse and the drums themselves had a thicker rubber like feel to them. I'm certain they would be much quieter. The guitar, well the guitar looks just kick ass.

 

the link has the press release specifics. Still surprised at the timed exclusivity thing; im wondering if that's more a programming issue? anyway, i thought a few of you'd like to hear the improvements on the drums & guitar, both sound like they might be worth getting...if youve invested in rechargeable batteries.