Given the historical relationship Konami has had with rhythm and music games in the past, it's no wonder that they're looking for ways to earn back the fame that games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band usurped from them. Like every little boy and girl out there, developers also crave the opportunity to be a more talented and better-looking rock star amidst their competitors. To outshine the lesser-thans in lieu of becoming the greater. And just like every child born in the good ol' USA has a chance to become America's Next One-hit-wonder Idol, Konami still has a chance to create Gaming's Next Top Music Game, right?
Due sometime this fall, Konami's newly announced game, Rock Revolution, for the Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and the Nintendo DS, lets players feel like a genuine rock star as they play through a variety of classic and modern rock ballads on the drums, guitar, or bass.
Sound a little too familiar? Hit the jump to see what Konami has in store to lasso the crown for the best rhythm game back to into their court.
Guitar, Bass, and Drums. Wait, isn't that just Rock Band without vocals?
Rock Revolution introduces an entirely new drum peripheral with six pads and a bass pedal, and in an attempt to better emulate a true drum kit, Konami has added pads for the hi-hat as well as the ride cymbal. The peripheral is designed to be more sturdy and solid than the current Rock Band drum set, so it won't budge when you're drumming away, and the drum pads are coated like a real practice pad to reduce the amount of sound that might bug your upstairs neighbor.
The intention is that with the addition of two extra pads, the player will truly be able to learn how to play the actual drums. When playing along on medium to a song -- following a gaming interface that mimics Rock Band (with the exception of the two extra nodes) -- I'll admit that my first go was no more "feeling like a real drum player" than "feeling totally disoriented by the extra notes." This is to be expected, however, when upgrading from a four-pad peripheral to a six-pad one, so it was hard for me to judge whether the long term gameplay consequences would actually feel more "realistic." All of the notation is designed by professional drummers for the drum sequences, as well as professional guitar and bass players for the string sequences, with a range of five different difficulty levels to test yourself at.
The guitar and bass modes and peripherals, however, do not differ from what is already available. While the guitar peripheral used during the hands-on sessions looked to be a Guitar Hero wireless guitar, the Konami representatives would not reveal whether already available peripherals would be compatible with Rock Revolution.
Okay. So, what about the gameplay?
Players will be able to choose several modes of play, differing between the various consoles. For the Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii versions of the game, players will be able to engage in a career mode option for any one of the instruments. Career mode is meant to train the player to be a more advanced and proficient musician by gradually completing 8-track challenges per level. While some of these challenges may involve scoring high on a song, some of the tests will include unique pattern tasks, such as "Poison Note", where the track will present harmful notes that are not part of the song in order to train you to memorize a song's melody or beat completely. At the end of your career, you will be able to assemble your very own set list for a final performance.
Rock Revolution will also let you play together and compete with your friends online, so never fear -- they've got that base covered, too. The DS version of Rock Revolution will feature some similar playable modes, but gameplay is re-iterated to use stylus gestures for rythym matching, and multiplayer mode can be enabled through wireless play.
Players on the Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii will also be able to spend their off-hours in Jam Mode. While Jam Mode was not displayed at the event, it will enable players to create and record up to 8 separate tracks of their own in a multi-track studio. If successfully realized, this feature may be the key to distinguishing Rock Revolution from its competitors.
But will my Rock Star experiencing their Rock Revolution truly Rock?
No customizable avatars this time around, folks. Rock Revolution features a stock of 15 different fashionable pre-designed characters to choose from, with names like Riker and Duke to verify their proper shades of rock star. The venues in the game are no less than epic, with immense backdrops such as the ballroom of a mansion, a stage beneath a city highway, or a deep purple nightclub. During my drumming demo, I noticed that the characters seemed to be a little stiff on stage during their performance, as the syncing seemed a tad off, and the guitarist's fingers were noticeably not on the correct frets. It'd be no surprise if they were still a little nervous from all that intimidating pressure they might be picking up on from competing games.
A total of 40+ tracks will accompany the game (20+ for the DS), with a "promise" that song DLC will be available as soon as the game is released. All of the current available tracks are covers, the following of which I managed to quickly write down as we were sifting through the song list:
"All the Small Things" - Blink 182 "Sk8er Boi" - Avril Lavigne "Dr. Feelgood" - Mötley Crüe "Bad Reputation" - Joan Jett "Joker & The Thief" - Wolfmother "Pain" - Jimmy Eat World "Paralyzer" - Finger Eleven "Somebody Told Me" - The Killers "Walk" - Pantera "We're Not Gonna Take It" - Twisted Sister "Magic Man" - Heart "Round and Round" - Ratt "Pull Me Under" - Dream Theater "Highway Star" - Deep Purple "Cum on Feel the Noize" - Quiet Riot "Dirty Little Secret" - The All-American Rejects
Overall, I was a bit underwhelmed by the prospect of Rock Revolution. The song selection thus far provides nothing new or refreshing in the venue of music game tunes. I also have to admit that I think not having customizable characters at this point takes the "I want to be a Rock Star" glamour away from the player's personal gaming experience. Sure, the new drumming peripheral may turn out to be a better drumming device than what Rock Band currently offers, but with Guitar Hero on its way with its own drum kit, who's to say this one will just go quietly unnoticed?
What do you think? Does Konami have what it will take in Rock Revolution to trump the likes of Rock Band and Guitar Hero, and successfully reclaim the music game genre?
No way in hell I am shelling out another 180, you would think they would try to make it compatible with peripherals that are out right now, bad idea in my opinion
Konami must be kicking themselves in the face for missing this boat. I think it's going to be too little too late especially with Guitar Hero jumping on the "full band" bandwagon. It doesn't help that the track list is atrocious (Avril Lavigne is all I need to hear).
The one niche they COULD carve out though is trying to really train you more proficiently than the other games do. The drum stuff for instance sounds interesting and has me kind of considering getting this just with the drums. But I'm a whore for drums in general.
GA- Konami IS kicking themselves in the face for missing this boat, that's why they're bringing over more Bemani styled games. I'm interested in why exactly they chose to change the style that they already layed down with Drum Mania, because it's a pretty well respected platform, and followed pretty well in the states even, as well as Japan.
They screwed up releasing Beatmania in the states, let's sit and watch Konami hit themselves in the face with a rake again! For the record though, Konami did all of this, what, 8 years ago?
this will go down as the most expensive failure in a long time. they better hope mgs4 does good, or konami in big trouble. r&d on all these peripherals and song licensing for what looks like all the other bemani shit musta been expensive, man.... they should get out now.
if you aren't gonna be first one in, you better have something that really blows away the competition, and they missed by a lot.
GALAGABUG - I heat to break it to you, but Konami WAS the first one in on this whole genre, go look up Drum Mania and Guitar Freaks. I don't know what this shit is though.
Konami realized they blew it in not bringing over Guitarfreaks/Drummania. Now it is just too little too late.
Doesn't help that the songlist is horrific.
@GuitarAtomik
Rock Band has made my drum interest peak. I found that I picked it up fairly fast and am actually becoming interested in learning drums. I guess it helps that I already knew how to stay on beat fairly well. Marching Band paid off somehow.
Yeah that's what I mean. They've had all this stuff going for years now (like PS1) and they just never decided to take the plunge to bring it to the US. Now they're caught scrambling to catch up.
Didn't the later (later as in PS2) Drummanias an Guitar Freaks work together even?
Guitar Freaks & Drum Mania are released as one unified game for the PS2 now, :) They started that With V, which was the first one they released since... 01 I think, They got out 3rd Mix, and took a break. They've been releasing them steadily, with some collections coming out of older songs too, too bad Konami hates America.
ICHIGO - i know all about guitar freaks, drum mania, all that bemani goodness.. but the 'good peripheral and quality setlist for the home market' was perfected by harmonix, who hit homes (at least in the US) first. they missed the boat on guitar hero, and really missed the boat on rock band.
I definitely agree with Guitar Atomik on this one. They just need to make it a Drum Revolution or something like that. Both Activision and Konami are being idiots for going for the full band thing, since it's just going to piss everybody who already has rock band off (seeing as how the drums have a different number of pads). As a drummer, I would much rather play something like this, but as a gamer, do you really want to have to deal with 7 different things to hit at a high speed? that would be the 6 pads + the bass drum. Harmonix was definitely smart for sticking to 5 notes, and anybody who goes over that is just making it more and more difficult for non-drummers to be able to play the drum parts of their games, not to mention the incompatibility issues.
Sorry, Konami, you’ve missed the boat this time. I’m not even really considering buying Guitar Hero IV unless the tracklist is amazing, and while I appreciate that you’re actually trying to teach the drums, a soundtrack full of covers is a big no-no nowadays. Also, peripheral cost & space issues, yada yada yada.
Guitar Hero and Rock Band didn't really appeal to me (liked it better when they called it DDR). And if Konami is just going to do a rip-off I'm not interested. Toss the ability to make your own custom ones though with some excellent detection software for making quick ones and I'd snatch it up though.
I find it hard to believe that a company would go this route and then get covers. At the end of the day the only thing that is going to drag people away from Rock Band in the US is a better track listing.
Releasing in Europe may be a different story, if you actually price properly and release near when Rock Band will, you could carve a niche, but covers is not going to get you there.
Like folks who play real guitar and bitch that they suck at these games, I'm sure it would just piss me off when I realized I'm better at RL drums. It also seems a little silly to have a pad for high hat and another for ride cymbal... Most songs will stick to one or the other. They should combine them and use the extra pad for crash/splash/tambourine/cow bell/gong.
I would imagine that the advantage for Konami is in the reduced costs for various patents and perhaps even in not using master tracks (not sure about that one, really). Therefore, it could mean a lower MSRP is the end goal (not the ONLY factor, but it perhaps could sway folks over from buying into Rock Band or GH4).
IMO they should've just released a drum game, with an awesomely ridiculous drum kit. I know a lot of people that are now really interested in learning how to play real drums because of Rock Band, and Konami could've easily had my 100 bucks for a "Drum Hero" of sorts.
Konami you"ve dun fucked up now
well.... a whiles back XP
but yeah serisouly do they think they are going to make a dent in the monsters of music that be Rock band and Guiter hero
LOL! please
That drum set looks snazzy, but unless this game delivers something incredibly epic, I'm sticking with Rock Band.
Hmm... I like the drum ideas.
Covers? Eeeww.
Those drums are awesome, though
No way in hell I am shelling out another 180, you would think they would try to make it compatible with peripherals that are out right now, bad idea in my opinion
The announced songs are either already in Rock Band or totally terrible.
Konami must be kicking themselves in the face for missing this boat. I think it's going to be too little too late especially with Guitar Hero jumping on the "full band" bandwagon. It doesn't help that the track list is atrocious (Avril Lavigne is all I need to hear).
The one niche they COULD carve out though is trying to really train you more proficiently than the other games do. The drum stuff for instance sounds interesting and has me kind of considering getting this just with the drums. But I'm a whore for drums in general.
GA- Konami IS kicking themselves in the face for missing this boat, that's why they're bringing over more Bemani styled games. I'm interested in why exactly they chose to change the style that they already layed down with Drum Mania, because it's a pretty well respected platform, and followed pretty well in the states even, as well as Japan.
They screwed up releasing Beatmania in the states, let's sit and watch Konami hit themselves in the face with a rake again! For the record though, Konami did all of this, what, 8 years ago?
The one game that I can sing Cum on Feel the Noise is one that nobody's going to buy?
Shit.0..
Shitty soundtrack is shitty.
this will go down as the most expensive failure in a long time. they better hope mgs4 does good, or konami in big trouble. r&d on all these peripherals and song licensing for what looks like all the other bemani shit musta been expensive, man.... they should get out now.
if you aren't gonna be first one in, you better have something that really blows away the competition, and they missed by a lot.
GALAGABUG - I heat to break it to you, but Konami WAS the first one in on this whole genre, go look up Drum Mania and Guitar Freaks. I don't know what this shit is though.
Konami realized they blew it in not bringing over Guitarfreaks/Drummania. Now it is just too little too late.
Doesn't help that the songlist is horrific.
@GuitarAtomik
Rock Band has made my drum interest peak. I found that I picked it up fairly fast and am actually becoming interested in learning drums. I guess it helps that I already knew how to stay on beat fairly well. Marching Band paid off somehow.
LOL....really :).
@Ichigo Style
Yeah that's what I mean. They've had all this stuff going for years now (like PS1) and they just never decided to take the plunge to bring it to the US. Now they're caught scrambling to catch up.
Didn't the later (later as in PS2) Drummanias an Guitar Freaks work together even?
Guitar Freaks & Drum Mania are released as one unified game for the PS2 now, :) They started that With V, which was the first one they released since... 01 I think, They got out 3rd Mix, and took a break. They've been releasing them steadily, with some collections coming out of older songs too, too bad Konami hates America.
ICHIGO - i know all about guitar freaks, drum mania, all that bemani goodness.. but the 'good peripheral and quality setlist for the home market' was perfected by harmonix, who hit homes (at least in the US) first. they missed the boat on guitar hero, and really missed the boat on rock band.
This is very true, Konami's original Drum peripheral was the size of a rather large text book, it was kinda sad XD
Fail
I definitely agree with Guitar Atomik on this one. They just need to make it a Drum Revolution or something like that. Both Activision and Konami are being idiots for going for the full band thing, since it's just going to piss everybody who already has rock band off (seeing as how the drums have a different number of pads). As a drummer, I would much rather play something like this, but as a gamer, do you really want to have to deal with 7 different things to hit at a high speed? that would be the 6 pads + the bass drum. Harmonix was definitely smart for sticking to 5 notes, and anybody who goes over that is just making it more and more difficult for non-drummers to be able to play the drum parts of their games, not to mention the incompatibility issues.
Erm...
Can we all agree that there are officially too many full band rhythm games now?
Rock Band, Guitar Hero, and now Rock Revolution...
I'm sticking with Guitar Hero; My guitar isn't compatible with Rock Band, and GH4 will feature drums and vocals.
So, what RR's edge? Does it have something that makes it worthwhile compared to the other two?
If they sell just the drum set and game at a good price, I'll buy it.
Rock Band's drum set is 90 bucks, and doesn't come with the $60 game. That's a bit too much for me :(
"Guitar, Bass, and Drums. Wait, isn't that just Rock Band without vocals?"
Wait, isn't Rockband just Konami's Drum Mania and Guitar Freak mixed together?
Avril FUCKING Lavigne??
...Jesus...
on one hand, they shouldn't be making this.
too little, too late.
on the other hand... Ratt.
Why does Jesus allow more rhythm games to happen to us?
Aren't we good people?
-Jd
This is getting a little out of hand.
Sorry, Konami, you’ve missed the boat this time. I’m not even really considering buying Guitar Hero IV unless the tracklist is amazing, and while I appreciate that you’re actually trying to teach the drums, a soundtrack full of covers is a big no-no nowadays. Also, peripheral cost & space issues, yada yada yada.
Only way I would consider this or Guitar Hero IV would be if I could use all my Rock Band gear. No way am I buying two more drum sets.
wait.... "Sk8er Boi" - Avril Lavigne?
Will not buy :-(
avril + music game = GIANT FAIL
Guitar Hero and Rock Band didn't really appeal to me (liked it better when they called it DDR). And if Konami is just going to do a rip-off I'm not interested. Toss the ability to make your own custom ones though with some excellent detection software for making quick ones and I'd snatch it up though.
Ugh. Too late. The drum kit looks cool, but there's no way I will pick up anything other than Rock Band ever again.
Yay for Jimmy Eat World! If only they would release "Pain" as DLC for Rock Band.
The drums look neat, but without vocals it's trash.
I find it hard to believe that a company would go this route and then get covers. At the end of the day the only thing that is going to drag people away from Rock Band in the US is a better track listing.
Releasing in Europe may be a different story, if you actually price properly and release near when Rock Band will, you could carve a niche, but covers is not going to get you there.
Back to the drawing board Konami.
No vocals= Means nothing to me. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense, either, considering that Konami publishes Karaoke Revolution.
Like folks who play real guitar and bitch that they suck at these games, I'm sure it would just piss me off when I realized I'm better at RL drums. It also seems a little silly to have a pad for high hat and another for ride cymbal... Most songs will stick to one or the other. They should combine them and use the extra pad for crash/splash/tambourine/cow bell/gong.
I would imagine that the advantage for Konami is in the reduced costs for various patents and perhaps even in not using master tracks (not sure about that one, really). Therefore, it could mean a lower MSRP is the end goal (not the ONLY factor, but it perhaps could sway folks over from buying into Rock Band or GH4).
IMO they should've just released a drum game, with an awesomely ridiculous drum kit. I know a lot of people that are now really interested in learning how to play real drums because of Rock Band, and Konami could've easily had my 100 bucks for a "Drum Hero" of sorts.
But Rock Revolution? No thanks.
Konami you"ve dun fucked up now
well.... a whiles back XP
but yeah serisouly do they think they are going to make a dent in the monsters of music that be Rock band and Guiter hero
LOL! please
I would be interested in those drums...but then I saw this:
"All the Small Things" - Blink 182
"Sk8er Boi" - Avril Lavigne
Obviously, you do not know what rock is, Konami. It's more than guitars and drums.
I created a Destructoid just to say...
Holy crap! I'm the guy playing the drums in the first picture! That's some sneaky photography, right there.
Yeah. That's all I wanted to say.
Destructoid account*
God I suck.