Rock Band 2

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>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</div>

Full Story

I'm completely pumped for this. I've been playing the first one since it came out - me and my friend are actually in the top 70 last we knew in the world for fan base with something close to 150 million. Reading all this basically makes my decision for me as to whether or not I'm getting this or Guitar Hero World Tour.

 

I'm pumped. I love the first one.

I heard some rumblings that the new drum kit with this one will actually be able to be used as an electronic drum kit. Not sure of the full details on it, but that'd be pretty awesome if it were true.

 

a pretty sweet track list too

http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2008/07/rock-band-2.html

AND the first single from Chinese Democracy. Pretty awesome

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>AC/DC - "Let There Be Rock"
AFI - "Girl’s Gone Grey"
Alanis Morissette - "You Oughta Know"
Alice in Chains - "Man in the Box"
Allman Brothers - "Ramblin’ Man"
Avenged Sevenfold - "Almost Easy "
Bad Company - "Shooting Star"
Beastie Boys - "So Whatcha Want"
Beck - "E-Pro "
Bikini Kill - "Rebel Girl"
Billy Idol - "White Wedding Pt. I"
Blondie - "One Way or Another"
Bob Dylan - "Tangled Up in Blue"
Bon Jovi - "Livin’ on a Prayer"
Cheap Trick - "Hello There"
Devo - "Uncontrollable Urge"
Dinosaur Jr. - "Feel the Pain"
Disturbed - "Down with the Sickness"
Dream Theater - "Panic Attack"
Duran Duran - "Hungry Like the Wolf"
Elvis Costello - "Pump It Up"
Fleetwood Mac - "Go Your Own Way"
Foo Fighters - "Everlong"
Guns N’ Roses - "Shackler’s Revenge"
Interpol - "PDA"
Jane’s Addiction - "Mountain Song"
Jethro Tull - "Aqualung"
Jimmy Eat World - "The Middle"
Joan Jett - "Bad Reputation"
Journey - "Anyway You Want It"
Judas Priest - "Painkiller"
Kansas - "Carry On Wayward Son"
L7 - "Pretend We’re Dead"
Lacuna Coil - "Our Truth"
Linkin Park - "One Step Closer"
Lit - "My Own Worst Enemy"
Lush - "De-Luxe"
Mastodon - "Colony of Birchmen"
Megadeth - "Peace Sells"
Metallica - "Battery"
Mighty Mighty Bosstones - "Where’d You Go"
Modest Mouse - "Float On"
Motorhead - "Ace of Spades"
Nirvana - "Drain You"
Norman Greenbaum - "Spirit in the Sky"
Panic at the Disco - "Nine in the Afternoon"
Paramore - "That’s What You Get"
Pearl Jam - "Alive"
Presidents of the USA - "Lump"
Rage Against the Machine - "Testify"
Ratt - "Round & Round"
Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Give it Away"
Rise Against - "Give it All"
Rush - "The Trees"
Silversun Pickups - "Lazy Eye"
Smashing Pumpkins - "Today"
Social Distortion - "I Was Wrong"
Sonic Youth - "Teenage Riot"
Soundgarden - "Spoonman"
Squeeze - "Cool for Cats"
Steely Dan - "Bodhitsattya"
Steve Miller Band - "Rock’n Me"
Survivor - "Eye of the Tiger"
System of a Down - "Chop Suey"
Talking Heads "Psycho Killer"
Tenacious D - "Master Exploder"
Testament - "Souls of Black"
The Donnas - "New Kid in School"
The Go-Go’s - "We Got the Beat"
The Grateful Dead - "Alabama Getaway"
The Guess Who - "American Woman"
The Muffs - "Kids in America"
The Offspring - "Come Out & Play (Keep ‘em Separated)"
The Replacements - "Alex Chilton"
The Who – "Pinball Wizard"</div>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ToddMacCulloch11 @ Jul 14 2008, 02:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I'm pumped. I love the first one.

I heard some rumblings that the new drum kit with this one will actually be able to be used as an electronic drum kit. Not sure of the full details on it, but that'd be pretty awesome if it were true.</div>
They're actually releasing a couple different drum sets. There's going to be the standard one, very similar to the original one with some minor tweaks to it. The other one will be a special edition one, which is what you're talking about. They're calling it the Ion Drum Set, or something to that extent. I will say, it's sweet from the pics I've seen. The list price from what I understand, is going to be $300. While it seems steep, considering that it's going to double as an actual electronic drum kit, it'll likely be well worth it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ToddMacCulloch11 @ Jul 14 2008, 02:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>a pretty sweet track list too

http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2008/07/rock-band-2.html

AND the first single from Chinese Democracy. Pretty awesome

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>AC/DC - "Let There Be Rock"
AFI - "Girl’s Gone Grey"
Alanis Morissette - "You Oughta Know"
Alice in Chains - "Man in the Box"
Allman Brothers - "Ramblin’ Man"
Avenged Sevenfold - "Almost Easy "
Bad Company - "Shooting Star"
Beastie Boys - "So Whatcha Want"
Beck - "E-Pro "
Bikini Kill - "Rebel Girl"
Billy Idol - "White Wedding Pt. I"
Blondie - "One Way or Another"
Bob Dylan - "Tangled Up in Blue"
Bon Jovi - "Livin’ on a Prayer"
Cheap Trick - "Hello There"
Devo - "Uncontrollable Urge"
Dinosaur Jr. - "Feel the Pain"
Disturbed - "Down with the Sickness"
Dream Theater - "Panic Attack"
Duran Duran - "Hungry Like the Wolf"
Elvis Costello - "Pump It Up"
Fleetwood Mac - "Go Your Own Way"
Foo Fighters - "Everlong"
Guns N’ Roses - "Shackler’s Revenge"
Interpol - "PDA"
Jane’s Addiction - "Mountain Song"
Jethro Tull - "Aqualung"
Jimmy Eat World - "The Middle"
Joan Jett - "Bad Reputation"
Journey - "Anyway You Want It"
Judas Priest - "Painkiller"
Kansas - "Carry On Wayward Son"
L7 - "Pretend We’re Dead"
Lacuna Coil - "Our Truth"
Linkin Park - "One Step Closer"
Lit - "My Own Worst Enemy"
Lush - "De-Luxe"
Mastodon - "Colony of Birchmen"
Megadeth - "Peace Sells"
Metallica - "Battery"
Mighty Mighty Bosstones - "Where’d You Go"
Modest Mouse - "Float On"
Motorhead - "Ace of Spades"
Nirvana - "Drain You"
Norman Greenbaum - "Spirit in the Sky"
Panic at the Disco - "Nine in the Afternoon"
Paramore - "That’s What You Get"
Pearl Jam - "Alive"
Presidents of the USA - "Lump"
Rage Against the Machine - "Testify"
Ratt - "Round & Round"
Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Give it Away"
Rise Against - "Give it All"
Rush - "The Trees"
Silversun Pickups - "Lazy Eye"
Smashing Pumpkins - "Today"
Social Distortion - "I Was Wrong"
Sonic Youth - "Teenage Riot"
Soundgarden - "Spoonman"
Squeeze - "Cool for Cats"
Steely Dan - "Bodhitsattya"
Steve Miller Band - "Rock’n Me"
Survivor - "Eye of the Tiger"
System of a Down - "Chop Suey"
Talking Heads "Psycho Killer"
Tenacious D - "Master Exploder"
Testament - "Souls of Black"
The Donnas - "New Kid in School"
The Go-Go’s - "We Got the Beat"
The Grateful Dead - "Alabama Getaway"
The Guess Who - "American Woman"
The Muffs - "Kids in America"
The Offspring - "Come Out & Play (Keep ‘em Separated)"
The Replacements - "Alex Chilton"
The Who – "Pinball Wizard"</div>
</div>
Is that really the playlist? I may have to get that...

 

And speaking of the ION drums, here's a link to a couple pics.

ION Drums for RB2

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Moo2K4 @ Jul 15 2008, 02:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>And speaking of the ION drums, here's a link to a couple pics.

ION Drums for RB2</div>

Thats pretty intense.

I'm going to say now that for $300, I won't be getting it. But then when it comes out, I'll end up getting it as soon as I can.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (tim @ Jul 15 2008, 02:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Is that really the playlist? I may have to get that...</div>

That looks to be the offical one. Plus, they're going to have 20 more songs to download for free right when it comes out. Not sure if that will be of famous bands, or of random local bands that they like to throw in there.

 

I would have liked to see some Hendrix and/or Zeppelin on the list. That would be sweet.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (tim @ Jul 16 2008, 12:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I would have liked to see some Hendrix and/or Zeppelin on the list. That would be sweet.</div>

I remember reading a while back that Zeppelin is pretty strongly against lisencing their music for it for whatever reason.

 

Anyone else pick it up? I think it may only be out for the 360 at the moment.

It's pretty similar to the first one (not that that is a bad thing)...few minor tweaks that I've come across here and there so far.

On a somewhat related note...that new Guns N Roses song sounds horrible.

 

Well, they added some new modes (Battle of the Bands is the one that I can think of), plus they revambed RBWT from the sounds of it as well. I guess you can interchange between instruments on it now, plus you can do it solo, which would be cool. Also keep in mind that all the songs that you have for RB, including the original 53 that came on the disc, are all either backwards compatible with RB2 or can be imported. Plus you know, the new 84 songs would be nice, not too mention that at some point in time, they're releasing 20 free bonus tracks for those that have RB2 as well.

 

So I got a nice hands on with it today, finally. My friend bought it and brought his 360 over and we spent...oh...10 hours playing it. I was mostly on drums. I must say, the hard difficulty wasn't too horribly tough. We blew through a huge chunk of BWT - probably unlocked close to 60 songs today.

I will say a few things in regards to the songs. Most of them are pretty damn fun on drums, at least on the hard difficulty. Battery is absolutely brutal on hard. I watched my brother proceed to "play" it on expert...wow. Talk about nuts. As for guitar, a highlight for me is Almost Easy, but that's in large part because I'm a HUGE A7X fan. The song is incredibly fun with a cool solo. Battery...again, wow. The only reason we made it though this song is because we were on no fail mode. That's it. The song is just utterly brutal. The same thing goes for Peace Sells by Megadeth. Absolutely insane. Also, Everlong is absolutely brutal on expert drums from what I saw. Unless you can keep a constant roll, good luck no failing QUICKLY. Also to throw it out there, while it's relatively easy on everything except vocals, Livin' On A Prayer is damn fun.

As for disappointment...One Step Closer is a pretty lame song for this game. The drums aren't too tough and the guitar and bass are both pretty simple from what I saw. The vocals might be the only thing that could be remotely challenging. Also, Shackler's Revenge - the new GNR song. It's not disappointing in that it's not fun, because it has a pretty fun guitar and bass line, along with pretty decent drums. But overall, the song itself isn't that good at all. If that's what the rest of Chinese Democracy sounds like...maybe it's better that the album not ever be released.

Two of the songs I really wanted to play, we didn't get to. Never unlocked Let There be Rock by AC/DC and never got Panic Attack by Dream Theater. Oh well, I'm sure I'll get the opportunity to at some point. Overall though, I loved what I got to play. Everything seemed pretty fun. The soundtrack, overall from what I played, was fun, with just a few questionable decisions in there at this point.

 

thats one of the parts I like. You can set up a tour, and then play whatever instrument you like, or have as many people involved as you want. I'm not too far through it yet, but I've done some with just drums, some just guitar, some with a full band when people were around. it makes it a lot easier.

I also like how you can make playlists now. Having to go and pick a new song each time got annoying. It's nice to be able to pick a handful of songs and just keep playing.