Rock Band Blitz Review

Music games are dead -- at least as we've known them since 2005. Plastic guitars sit on closet floors around the world, Rock of the Dead 2 is nowhere in sight, and even Activision was like, "OK, we'll stop shoving Guitar Hero down your throat." But Rock Band Blitz proves that not every game revolving around music needs to be banished to the Island of Misfit Toys. With fast, challenging gameplay, the $14.99 download's focus on high scores should get you and your friends list bopping to the music on your hard drive once again.

Rather than plug in all those unloved instruments, Rock Band Blitz takes the franchise's note highways and connects them to your controller. You use the shoulder buttons to cycle through the drum, guitar, bass, mic and keyboard highways, and then tap the D-pad and the A button to play the descending notes. (Rock Band Blitz actually supports a number of control options, so feel free to just use the joysticks or whatever to play.)

“

And therein lies the rub: Rock Band Blitz is a pretty hardcore game if you want it to be.

The setup is a lot like PS2's Amplitude, PSP's Rock Band Unplugged and Rock Band 3 on the DS -- if you've never played a music game like this, you're missing out. Playing Rock Band Blitz is fun even if you're cursing yourself for missing a long note you had no business missing. The notes are coming no matter what, so you have to be quick on the trigger and willing to jump around to master every track. When you're on a roll, it's easy to feel like god's gift to gaming.

Even if you suck at rhythm games, you'll get your rock star moment as you can't fail out of Rock Band Blitz. No matter how terrible you're doing, the song keeps going. Your only concern is getting the highest score you can, so you're trying to nail the notes in order to score points and keep each highway's individual multiplier growing.

Multipliers are one of the big tweaks developer Harmonix has brought to the gameplay of Blitz. When you hit the prerequisite number of notes on a given track, you raise its multiplier. However you can only raise it by so many in a given section of a song. Cross a checkpoint, and the max multiplier will increase giving you a new ceiling to shoot for -- but your ceiling only increases as much as your lowest track multiplier.

If it sounds confusing in explanation, you just need to play a song to get the gist. If you have all your highways at 4x except for a 2x microphone track, you're only going to have a max of 5x for the next section of the song because 2x is only one away from the lowest multiplier.

This system is equal parts ZOMG excitement and the frustration of hindsight. I love jumping between my tracks and trying to get everyone to the temporary ceiling, but how many times did I ignore a vocal track for too long only to not have enough notes to get it whipped into shape before the checkpoint? (The answer is: a lot.) To truly succeed in Rock Band Blitz, you need an intimate knowledge of the songs so that you've concurred the minimal keyboard notes before a bass solo takes you to a checkpoint.

“

Rock Band Blitz is doing for Elton John songs what Pac-Man Championship Edition DX did for pellets.

And therein lies the rub: Rock Band Blitz is a pretty hardcore game if you want it to be. Yes, there are pretty colors and poppy songs to entertain your roommate with, but when he goes to bed, you can sit there and nitpick your performance to death because the game is all about high scores. Before you even launch into a session, you're presented with a song's leaderboard so that you can see how your friends did. When you're playing the song, a meter on the side shows you how your friends were doing at the exact point you're at. When you're done, you can fire off Score War challenges to online buds.

Rock Band Blitz is doing for Elton John songs what Pac-Man Championship Edition DX did for pellets. No matter how good you're doing, there's some way to milk Rock Band Blitz songs for more points, and that's rather ingenious. The game isn't about making music, it's about making a place for yourself on the leaderboards.

Knowing that, allow power-ups to change everything. As you knock out songs, you're earning Blitz Cred and coins. Blitz Cred is the game's experience system, and as you hit milestones, you unlock power-ups such as double points for bass notes and bomb notes that clear off surrounding highways. Before launching into a jam session, you can equip three power-ups, but each time you use a power-up, it costs you coins.

You might see that I crushed Stephen and the Colberts' "Charlene (I'm Right Behind You)," but when you try it, you can't get close to my score. You'll need to tinker with power-ups to find the combo that gives you the edge. On the flip side, I might see you embarrass me at a beloved Weezer song, but seeing as I'm fresh out of coins, I need to go farm some by playing Boston's catalog. Rock Band Blitz is pretty great at keeping you playing and -- if you dig the formula -- loving every minute of it.

My problem is that I wish Rock Band Blitz called out to be played. You can link the game with your Facebook so that Score Wars are just a click away, but I'd rather a message to my console told me KingTut33 beat me at The Police's "Can't Stand Losing You." When I turn on my video game machine, I want updates about my video games -- not when I'm trying to figure out if those two people from high school are still married. From a single-player perspective, I always loved building a band in Rock Band Unplugged, and that's not in Blitz. That carrot on the end of the stick would've been nice, especially for players without Rock Band-lovin' friends.

I did notice some framerate issues when Rock band Blitz got super-colorful and jampacked with notes, but for the most part the game ran well.

I've mentioned a lot of different bands in this review, but it's important to point out that Rock Band Blitz only comes with 25 songs, and as it's a hodgepodge trying to have something for everyone, the list is all over the place, which I dig but I know some who don't. However, all Rock Band downloadable content is compatible with Rock Band Blitz. So if you're like me and religiously bought tracks for the few years when music games were the bee's knees, you've got a hard drive full of Rock Band Blitz goodies. And if you skipped the music game craze, the Rock Band store is bursting with tunes to make you happy. Plus, once you buy Blitz, the new 25 songs can then be played in Rock Band 3 with its plastic instruments and such.

Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com

Dance Central 3 is the Time (Machine) of Your Life

Challengers come and go and market environments change, but Boston-area developer Harmonix Music Systems endures – and even thrives. Whether it’s the rise and fall of the plastic-instrument craze (Rock Band remains standing – supported by weekly DLC and a new Xbox Live Arcade game called Rock Band Blitz – while Guitar Hero is ashes), or the battle to capitalize on motion controls that’s currently being fought by the sublime Dance Central, the studio has a knack for keeping the beat going no matter what. And perhaps no game better exemplifies that than Dance Central 3, which manages to spit and polish the Kinect’s best experience to a level we didn’t think possible. We got the full scoop on what’s new, and there’s a lot to share.

First is the story – yes, story – that threads Dance Central 3’s campaign. You’re a new recruit invited to a mysterious underground dance party that turns out to be the secret headquarters for DCI – Dance Central Intelligence – “the city’s first and last line against dance crimes.” The evil Dr. Tan returns from DC2, and he wants to end your dance party…permanently. It’s up to you to prove yourself worthy of the agency’s trust by dancing to LMFAO, then time-travel back to the 1970s using DCI’s convenient time machine. Once there, you’ll need to find all the power moves hidden in the ‘70s songs, then assemble those together to form a Dance Craze. In this decade, it’s The Hustle. In subsequent decades (‘80s, ‘90s, and ‘00s – all with era-appropriate music, of course), it’ll be a different craze, like the YMCA, da Butt, or the Dougie.

Along the way you’ll earn experience points that unlock different outfits, among other things, but the game’s Party modes are what have been given the most attention.

• Party Time is meant for social gatherings. Accessibility is a big focus here in that all you have to do is high-five a second player in order to start the game. No need to worry about unique gestures that might confuse your non-Kinect-owning partygoers. Once you start playing, the game will automatically spit new songs and game modes at you in the spirit of keeping the party going. Furthermore, the new Beginner mode features a dynamic difficulty setting that will automatically scale the game up or down in order to keep you dancing instead of failing. Or, conversely, ramp things up if you’ve got the moves.

• Crew Throwdown pits two teams of four against each other in one-on-one, two-on-two, or even asymmetric head-to-head battles. And yes, you’ll be able to take a photo of yourself with your crewmates.
• Make Your Move is essentially the dance equivalent of H.O.R.S.E. Kinect actually records a move you create (you’ll need to repeat it three times so that the game can properly create a flash card for it), then challenges your opponent to dance it. Trade moves back and forth until they all get strung together randomly. Whoever dances ‘em best wins. “You get to decide how hard it is,” says Dance Central 3 lead designer Matt Boch.

• Strike a Pose is where you’re most likely to pull a muscle and injure yourself, as the game will flash up random poses you’ll have to quickly match. (Dance Central 3 is “the most dangerous game on Xbox,” jokes Harmonix’s John Drake). Be fast and accurate and you’ll earn up to an 8x score combo and crush your competitor.
• Fitness mode is about the only one Harmonix isn’t saying much about yet, though we did extract a few details out of them. Besides being able to create your own custom fitness playlists, you’ll have the power to set your own personal goals. The idea, Harmonix says, is to minimize downtime and make sure you’re always moving.

Just as before, all of your previous Dance Central songs – both disc-based and DLC – will import into DC3 and its 45 tracks, putting the total potential song list at well over 150. Better still, all of the old tunes will get upgraded automatically to work with DC3’s new game modes. Kinect voice control is back too, making it easier to navigate through the menus and songs. As if we needed any other incentives to get up and dance.

Ryan McCaffrey is the Executive Editor at IGN Xbox. He used to own a DeLorean, which is weird. Follow him on Twitter, on IGN, catch him on Podcast Unlocked, and drop-ship him Taylor Ham sandwiches from New Jersey whenever possible.

Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com

Celebrating the Music of Your Childhood

Whether you know it or not, chances are you've bopped your head to this man's music. Whether you don't know the difference between a Goomba and a Koopa Troopa or consider yourself a hardcore gamer, you've no doubt whistled his tunes in the shower. With his contagious and wildly inventive melodies, Koji Kondo has set a standard for video game composition that few have come close to reaching. And for those of us who grew up with a D-pad placed firmly beneath our thumbs, his scores have acted as the soundtrack of our childhood.

From the original Super Mario Bros. to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time to Star Fox 64 and beyond, Koji Kondo's contributions to the art of video game composition are beyond compare, leaving an indelible mark on the entire industry. Today the man who put a melody to the magical worlds of Mario and Zelda celebrates his 51st birthday. In commemoration of his great contributions to the medium, we're taking a brief look back at the two biggest franchises that Koji Kondo brought to life with his resplendent tunes.

Here's to you, Kondo-san - thanks for the memories.

The Mad Beats of the Mushroom Kingdom

One can hardly hear the word "Mario" without a certain tune running through their brain - you know the one. From the moment you first hear that infectious theme in World 1-1 of Super Mario Bros. for NES, you'll never be able to get that crazy melody out of your head. With incredible creativity and musical prowess, Kondo's music has set the ethereal and psychedelic tone that the Mushroom Kingdom is now known for.

But his contributions to Mario's adventures didn't stop with that initial score. From Super Mario Bros. 3 to Super Mario World, from Super Mario 64 to Super Mario Galaxy - Kondo has helped transition Mario from 2D to 3D, from a castle full of paintings to an entire galaxy of adventure. His music is as intimately tied with the idea of Mario as jumping on a Goomba's head or Bowser's affection for Peach. While the man has already given us enough timeless music to last a lifetime, we very much look forward to another 25 years of incredible, mushroomey tunes.

Pulling Your Heartstrings in The Legend of Zelda

While Kondo's Mario compositions are meant to invoke an aura of pure joy, his work for The Legend of Zelda series is a bit more cutting - tearing at your heart with its sweet melodies and sweeping crescendos. Zelda's music has a way of tearing at your heart - or inspiring a sense of adventure and exploration you simply can't ignore. Ranging from haunting to epic to sweet to unsettling, his scores for Link's adventures in Hyrule add a powerful emotional overtone to each game.

Music has always played an important role in the Zelda series, whether as an instrument for progressing the story (get it?!) or just by lending a sense of magic to the whole affair. It's hard to imagine what Hyrule would be like without Kondo's tunes instilling adventure into the very grass of Hyrule field, adding soul to the inhabitants of Death Mountain, wordlessly conveying the joyful sadness of parting with a childhood friend, or encapsulating the terror of power in the wrong hands. As of now, we still have no idea what Zelda's future holds, as Nintendo makes the leap to its first HD system - but if Koji Kondo has anything to say, you can bet the music will be pitch perfect.

Thanks for joining us as we briefly tipped our hats to one of the greatest musical talents of our time. Now's your turn to chime in! What are your favorite songs by the legendary Mr. Kondo? What has his music meant to you as a gamer, or even just as a person? Share your thoughts in the comments below - then bust out an old Mario or Zelda game in thanks to the man who likely wrote the soundtrack of your childhood.

Audrey Drake is an Associate Editor at IGN and a proud member of the IGN Nintendo team. She is also a lifelong gamer, a frequent banisher of evil and a wielder of various legendary blades. You can follow her wild adventures on her IGN blog and Twitter. Game on!

Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com

The Trophies in Sound Shapes Sound Tough

Next week marks the long awaited debut of Sound Shapes -- the PlayStation music/platforming game we've been talking up forever -- but today marks the first details on PSN Trophies for the PS3/Vita crossplay title. In short, they sound really tough.

Sound Shapes is packing a Platinum Trophy (an honor only awarded once you've unlocked every other Trophy in the game), but the achievements aren't spread through Sound Shapes many modes. Instead of making you play the title's albums in a certain way for online glory, Trophies can only be unlocked in Death Mode and Beat School.

Sound Shapes' Mathew Kumar explained on the PlayStation Blog.

"Death Mode is an unusual twist in our campaign mode," he said. "Once you’ve beaten our albums, you can flip each album over to a b-side and experience intense, single-screen timed challenges to collect notes without dying based on signature moments from each of the album’s tracks. Each win unlocks a Trophy, and it’s our hope that these will test the skills players have learned in our levels, making each Trophy win hard fought but deeply rewarding. Beat School is a different sort of challenge: here we challenge all players, even (if not especially) those who consider themselves “non musical,” to create beats on a single screen by listening and matching to a beat we have created."

Sound interesting -- if not totally sadistic. Look for IGN's review of Sound Shapes next week.

Greg is the executive editor of IGN PlayStation, cohost of Podcast Beyond and host of Up at Noon. Follow IGN on Twitter, and keep track of Greg's shenanigans on IGN and Twitter. Beyond!

Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com

Opinion: How Punk Rock's Past Inspires the Future of Indie Games

As the controversy between Fez creator Phil Fish and Microsoft began to unfold, I couldn’t help myself but think of a certain moment in rock music history. In 1976 England, the early punk rock band Sex Pistols signed with EMI records after a rise to stardom by way of audaciousness and controversy. In just a four short months, for reasons including a profanity-laden interview on national television and protests from the conservative right, the band was dropped from the label. And yet, they continued inspiring and intimidating an entire generation of music fans.

Why the quick music history lesson? Well, the similarities between where rock music was in 1976 and where games are today cannot be denied, and by studying those links, we can get a good idea of the future of indie games.

In the mid-70s, the biggest acts in the world tended towards the theatrical and over-produced. This was the era of KISS, Queen, and The Eagles. Today, their gaming equivalents are Call of Duty, Gears of War, and Halo. All are great in their own rights, but they’re undeniably big-budget and corporate.

The Sex Pistols’ rejection of their major label masters was a defining moment in music, proving that the artist could thrive without corporate help. Even if done unintentionally, their actions not only made the world aware of punk rock, they also became anti-corporate figures.

Fez creator Phil Fish is cut from much of the same cloth. He willingly signed a contract with a corporate entity to put out his work (Microsoft, for those not following), and railed against that company when he believed them to be treating him unfairly. If the history of music has anything to say about the maturation of the medium, he’ll be remembered as a jerk who somehow managed to become an anti-corporate symbol.

Sure, there have been important indie developers before Fish. Just as the Sex Pistols were predated by Patti Smith, Television, and Iggy Pop, Fish was beaten to the intellectual indie punch by folks like Jonathan Blow (Braid), Edmund McMillen (Super Meat Boy), and Markus “Notch” Persson (Minecraft). But, just as the proto-punk bands never reached national attention, none of these indie devs clashed so publically with a huge company like Microsoft.

So where do we go from here? If the second wave of punk rock during the early ‘80s is any indication, it’ll be in a more do-it-yourself direction. When the Clash, the Ramones, and their contemporaries began to fade into history, bands like Minor Threat, Black Flag, and the Dead Kennedys took the underground, independent mindset that those bands laid out and took them to the extreme. They pressed their own records, created their own labels, and booked their own tours. They weren’t dependent on major labels to get their music out there, and as such weren’t beholden to appease any corporate ideologies.

And now, independent games are poised to do the same thing. Hell, they’re in an even better position. With the advent of the Internet, it’s much easier to get your work to the general public, and because gaming is a digital art form, the costs of putting something out there aren’t too crazy. Taking things underground allows for more creativity, more edge, and more advancement.

But there’s a problem. Punk rock during the early 80s thrived because of communities in various cities. When a band like the relatively obscure 7 Seconds went on tour, they would be supported by folks who knew what the music was about, and were willing to help. There was a community there.

Gaming doesn’t really have an equivalent. Game jams almost serve this purpose, but they’re more for creators than fans. For a real community to form, we’re going to have to figure out a way to break down the barriers between the audience and the creators. In punk rock, that took the form of the hardcore singer handing the mic to the audience, essentially saying that they’re just as important as the people on stage.

With the advent of tools that allow the common folk to create games with little to no prior knowledge, gaming is again following the DIY music model. Our three-chord punk rock song is the game made with GameMaker, RPG Maker, or Unity. The tools to make games are becoming more and more readily available, and with them come the future of indie games.

Expect gaming’s Dischord Records to appear. Expect our Fugazi. Expect ideologues to come along, making art that would never succeed under the umbrella of traditional game distribution. Really, in people like Jason Rohrer or Anna Anthropy, they’re already here. Just expect them in greater numbers. The barriers between the artist and the audience are beginning to break down, and we’re lucky enough to see it happen.

Taylor Cocke is a Bay Area-based freelance games writer who talks way too much about music, coffee, and Kids in the Hall.Follow him on Twitter.

Source : feeds[dot]ign[dot]com