Review: Dragon Ball Z – Ultimate Tenkaichi (PS3)

Rock Band 2 is a lot closer than one might think, yet info on what the game will offer has been somewhat inconclusive. Luckily, a recent press release from Electronic Arts and Harmonix has cleared up some ambiguity while continuing to leave room for some uncertainty. Certainly, all will be revealed at next week’s E3, but for now we will attempt to divulge what we know so far.

Q: When is the game coming out?

A: Rock Band 2 will be released on Xbox 360 this September (in North America) and will arrive on the PS3, Wii, and PS2 later this year.

Will my original Rock Band instruments work with Rock Band 2?

A: Absolutely. In addition, the (improved) instruments from Rock Band 2 will also work with the original Rock Band for all of those late adopters out there.

Q: What kind of improvements have been made to the guitar?

A: The new Stratocaster will include all of the features available in the original. In addition, it will reportedly feature less noisy frets and a stronger strum. It will also be wireless (and pretty).

Q: What about the drums?

A: The new drumset will feature the same four pad plus bass pedal setup we have grown accustomed to. In addition, the pads will be quieter and include velocity sensors. It will also include a stronger bass pedal (to avoid damage from heavy footed individuals). The new drum set will also be wireless.

Q: What about the microphone?

A: We don’t have any information about this instrument, yet. However, it would not be surprising if it also ended up receiving a wireless upgrade.

Q: Will my original Rock Band downloadable songs be playable on Rock Band 2? What about the on-disk songs?

A: Yes and maybe. All of the downloadable Rock Band songs are a part of the “Rock Band” platform, that is, they aren’t meant to be specific to any one game. It has been revealed that all current downloadable songs will be fully playable in Rock Band 2 and will transfer automatically the first time you boot up the game.

As for the original on-disk songs from Rock Band being playable in the sequel, Harmonix and company have remained elusive. There were originally reports that all of these songs would also transfer to Rock Band 2. However, these reports were retracted and such a feature was then denied by Harmonix. Perhaps these reports were truly mistakes, or maybe Harmonix wants to keep this feature under wraps for now to avoid preventing continued sales of the current game up until Rock Band 2′s release.

My personal opinion is that the on-disk songs will not be transferable, as this would surely hurt sales of the original stand-alone game. Individuals could borrow a friend’s disk and upload all of the songs into Rock Band 2 without ever having to own the original. It seems unlikely that this potential revenue would be forfeited to give users the convienence of not having to switch out disks.

Q: What songs will be included in Rock Band 2?

A: Rock Band 2 will include over 80 songs on-disk. In addition to the hundred of currently downloadable songs, the following songs have been confirmed (separated by decade):

2000s
Dream Theater “Panic Attack “
System of a Down “Chop Suey”
1990s
Foo Fighters “Everlong”
The Muffs “Kids in America”
Red Hot Chili Peppers “Give it Away”
1980s
Motörhead “Ace of Spades”
1970s
Cheap Trick “Hello There”
Elvis Costello “Pump it Up”
Journey “Anyway You Want It”
1960s
The Who “Pinball Wizard”

Other songs have been rumored, but we’ll have to wait for the official and complete set list.

Q: Will the included songs be master recordings or cover versions?

A: Surprisingly, ever single on-disk song for Rock Band 2 will be a master recording.

Q: What new offline features can we expect?

A: Several. One of the most interesting additions are the “Take on Tour Challenges.” These will allow players to play through campaigns centered on a particular instrument, artist, genre, or album. This sounds like a great addition for those in a particular music “mood” to be able to play through similar songs without having to select them individually.

Another new feature is the ability to customize set lists in the Quickplay mode. This will keep the flow of the game moving along without having to stop to pick a new song. At parties I’ve noticed that people tend to stop playing while waiting for a new song to be selected. With this feature, band members are less likely to venture off.

An additional unique feature offered by Rock Band 2 is a drum trainer that is aimed at improving the user’s musical vocabulary and ability to follow a beat.

Q: One of the things that sucks about Rock Band is the inability to change the band leader or switch instruments in the World Tour mode. It also sucks that you have to create a different character for each instrument. Have these issues been resolved?

A: Yes! Band leaders have been removed completely allowing you to add or remove any player at will. In addition, players can change what instrument they are using at any point. In addition, any character you create has the ability to use any instrument. My cleverly named characters Matt 1, Matt 2, and Matt 3 can now combine into the superstar band member known as Matt. Rejoice!

Q: Are there any other upgrades to the World Tour experience?

A: Yes. In addition to the hassle-removing upgrades listed above, it appears that the new World Tour has other additions to keep things interesting. For instance, it will now feature “hirable staff.” While the original World Tour included staff what was hired, the specific wording used by Harmonix here indicates that the player will play some, as yet undetermined, role in “hiring” staff for their band.

One more thing – the World Tour will be online.

Q: What new online features can we expect?

A: The World Tour will now be online, allowing you to play with friends who aren’t physically present or an assortment of random anonymous individuals around the world. In addition, Harmonix is set to hold contests that allow you to compete with other bands across the globe.

Your scores will also be compared with your friends and all gamers overall in real time. You will be notified whenever your scores are beaten.

Q: Will I be able to create my own songs like in Guitar Hero: World Tour?

A: Unlikely. Harmonix has stated that they want to implement this feature differently and take more time doing so. This indicates that we may not see such a feature until the inevitable Rock Band 3. However, this could also indicate that they will include a similar, but different feature that they are not yet ready to reveal. However, with the release so close (September), this seems improbable.

Q: What are the major features that make Rock Band 2 better than Guitar Hero: World Tour?

A: The major feature that sets Rock Band 2 apart is the backwards compatibility of the enormous (and growing) downloadable song library. Once Rock Band 2 is released, there will be nearly 300 songs already playable.

Q: What are the major features that make Guitar Hero: World Tour better than Rock Band 2?

A: The major feature that sets Guitar Hero: World Tour apart is the music creation tool that will be included. While the tool is limited in that it will not allow vocals, it still represents a leap forward in the music game genre by allowing users to create and distribute songs. Of course, as is common with all user-creation tools, most of the uploaded songs will be crap. It stands to reason, however, that some quality content will be available if Neversoft is able to successfully give us tools for weeding out the garbage. That said, it seems the main draw of this mode, however, will be the ability to sit in a room with friends and just “Rock Out.”

The other defining feature of Guitar Hero: World Tour is the addition of a fifth drum pad as well as a structural configuration of the pads that is more in line with an actual drum set (i.e. two of the pads are elevated).

The guitar will also have a touch sensitive neck for those who want a departure from button pressing.

Q: What will be revealed at E3?

A: We don’t know, but I can almost guarantee that we do not yet know everything there is to know about Rock Band 2. Expect some surprises.

Q: What if you haven’t answered my questions? What if this FAQ is incomplete?

If you have any questions or additional information, send them to tips@aeropause.com and we will make an attempt to update this FAQ.