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Best of the Rest: Andrew's Picks of 2009

Andrew Yoon — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 21:00:00 EST

Flower
This year had a number of terrific downloadable games (this list is a testament to that), however no game -- retail or digital -- connected with me like Flower. Jenova Chen's flOw was an interesting experiment, but Flower is an actual game. In fact, Flower is one of the few experiences I can think of that show the true potential of games as a unique storytelling medium. No other non-interactive art form will ever be able to replicate what thatgamecompany has managed to create.

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Best of the Rest: Andrew's Picks of 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 02 Jan 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Best of the Rest: Ben's Picks of 2009

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 16:30:00 EST

Red Faction: Guerrilla
Arriving approximately seven months late to the party, I didn't play RFG until earlier this month when I desperately cobbled together 2009's game releases for a massive pre-GOTY playstravaganza. That marathon came to a long pause while I smashed through the many structures of Mars with my trusty sledgehammer, constantly hearing "Space A$&%*#&" playing along the way in my mind. Sure, RFG was a bit rough around the edges, but what it lacked in mechanical prowess was more than made up for by the sheer amount of childlike joy I experienced while demolishing everything in my path.

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Best of the Rest: Ben's Picks of 2009 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Jan 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rock Band Unplugged has no more 'planned' weekly DLC

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:30:00 EST

Harmonix has confirmed to Joystiq that Rock Band Unplugged has "run through [its] planned slate" of DLC. Following two weeks of Rock Band Unplugged DLC being absent from our Rock Band Weekly feature, we decided to check in with the developer to see if this was the end of the road for the portable rhythm game's downloadable track support.

Harmonix stated it is "very pleased with the performance of the Rock Band Unplugged game on PSP, the Rock Band PSP bundle and PSPgo starter kit" and appreciates Sony's support of the title, which currently has around 100 tracks via disc and DLC combined. The developer states that the DLC team is currently focused on the ambitious "Rock Band Network, weekly console DLC, and unannounced future projects." Harmonix isn't ruling out future Unplugged DLC, as it may be "part of event releases," but it appears that weekly updates are done for now.

Rock Band Unplugged has no more 'planned' weekly DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rock Band Weekly: Tom Petty, Go-Go's, Kelly Clarkson, Pink

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST

A live version of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' "Mary Jane's Last Dance" is available next week within the band's Rock Band DLC six-pack. The song may not be everyone's cup of formaldehyde, but it's certainly memorable for conjuring up one of the creepiest music videos of all time. We have no idea what the song is actually about, but it will always be the story of Tom Petty stealing Kim Basinger's corpse from the morgue, dressing her up, and then at the end .... AHHhhHhHHHH!

Check out the full update after the break, no new Rock Band Unplugged DLC next week.

Update: PSN will updated on Tuesday.

Select a platform below to view complete DLC listing:

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Rock Band Weekly: Tom Petty, Go-Go's, Kelly Clarkson, Pink originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rock Band Weekly: The White Stripes, The Damned, Kasabian

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:20:00 EST

Forget that Jack White finds it "depressing" that kids are learning about music through rhythm games -- there's gold in them thar virtual hills! Next week's Rock Band DLC adds a pack of songs from The White Stripes, with tracks off of three different albums.

We've also added this little guy to Rock Band Weekly: . He indicates tracks that are considered "family-friendly" enough for Lego Rock Band. Such marked songs will be available in LRB's music store, as well as appearing in the regular Rock Band music store. [Thanks to our friend Dustin Burg for the Lego head!]

Check out the update after the break, along with what Rock Band Unplugged players can expect for DLC next week.

Select a platform below to view complete DLC listing:

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Rock Band Weekly: The White Stripes, The Damned, Kasabian originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rock Band Weekly: Tenacious D, Anvil, Dinosaur Jr., The Guess Who

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:50:00 EST

Rock Band Weekly heads up to Canadia next week for a three pack from heavy metal band Anvil. There are also tracks from Brütal Legend "star" Jack Black's band Tenacious D. It'll actually be pretty quiet week, as the Wii doesn't add its usual mega-list of back catalog tracks and is in sync with the Xbox and PS3 versions. Check it all out after the break.

Select a platform below to view complete DLC listing:

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Rock Band Weekly: Tenacious D, Anvil, Dinosaur Jr., The Guess Who originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rock Band Weekly: Freezepop, PAX artists, Jackson 5 and more

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST

Rock Band Weekly celebrates PAX next week with tracks from artists performing at the big games convention in Seattle this weekend. The PAX trax come from nerdcore bands and artists like Freezepop, Jonathan Coulton, MC Frontalot and Paul & Storm; with each song at a wallet-friendly price of $1. Those looking for mainstream musica can consume tracks from 3 Doors Down and The Jackson 5. Check out all the stuff coming to the various versions of Rock Band next week after the break.

Select a platform below to view complete DLC listing:

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Rock Band Weekly: Freezepop, PAX artists, Jackson 5 and more originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rock Band Weekly: Talking Heads, The Jam, Oasis, Rage

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:20:00 EST

Why, hello! Next week's Rock Band Weekly brings a heaping serving of Talking Heads. No, no, not television talk show guests and nightly news anchors ... the band, you know? You ... you don't know? This is awkward. Best educate yourself before we have to silently crack some skulls. The Wii will get another massive injection of tracks from the back catalog, including a whole slew of Judas Priest. Hold up, you don't know who Judas Priest is? Seriously, why are you even reading this? Go check out all the track coming to the various forms of Rock Band after the break.

Select a platform below to view complete DLC listing:

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Rock Band Weekly: Talking Heads, The Jam, Oasis, Rage originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSP Go's Rock Band Unplugged demo plays DLC

JC Fletcher — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:10:00 EST

We were disappointed a few weeks ago when we learned that the PSP Go wouldn't come bundled with Rock Band Unplugged as we'd heard, but rather a "voucher" for an exclusive demo of the title. We then wondered why you would need a voucher for a demo.

PlayStation.Blog has answered our questions, revealing one very important, kind of awesome detail about the PSP Go Rock Band Unplugged Lite: not only will it come loaded with five songs, it will accept downloads from the Rock Band Unplugged store, effectively allowing players to build a track list a la carte. It's a nice bonus that extends the allure of the demo (good for PSP Go buyers) and encourages DLC purchases (good for MTV, Harmonix, EA, etc.)

PSP Go's Rock Band Unplugged demo plays DLC originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rock Band Weekly: Foo Fighters, Blur, Dropkick Murphys, Blind Melon

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:00:00 EST

So, are we all getting used to Rock Band Weekly across the various platforms being combined in one serving every Friday? No ... um, tough noogies. This is the way it's going to be for the time being. Next week brings a new Foo Fighters pack to the PS3 and Xbox 360, while the Wii gets a whole mess of Red Hot Chili Peppers songs. Meanwhile, Ms. Benatar and Coheed and Cambria make their way to Unplugged. Check it all out after the break..

Select a platform below to view complete DLC listing:

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Rock Band Weekly: Foo Fighters, Blur, Dropkick Murphys, Blind Melon originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rock Band Weekly: Gorillaz, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, The Who

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EST

Oh my, too many good tracks in next week's Rock Band Weekly to play off of for the basis of this post. Do we ask about breaking off a piece of our heart because of the Janis Joplin track, or do we go ask Alice when she's 10 feet tall? Ask her what? Exactly! A perfect psychedelic question. Now, feed your head by checking out the full list of tracks for all of the various Rock Band games after the break -- oh yeah, there's also the Gorillaz next week.

Select a platform below to view complete DLC listing:

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Rock Band Weekly: Gorillaz, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, The Who originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PSP Go to include voucher for Rock Band Unplugged demo [Update]

JC Fletcher — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 09:59:00 EST

Do you like Rock Band Unplugged? Do you like ... buying a new PSP? If so, you'll be pleased to hear this. According to Destructoid, Best Buy's PSP Go listing mentioned a free voucher for a download of Rock Band Unplugged. If it was in the listing, it has since been removed. We've contacted Sony to determine the truth of this rumor.

If this turns out to be true, then the PSP Go won't cost $80 more than a PSP -- it'll just cost $50 more than a PSP Rock Band Unplugged Entertainment Pack, which sounds better. The existence of a current PSP/Rock Band bundle makes this more plausible, as well.

Update: Looks like the PSP Go will only be bundled with a Rock Band Unplugged demo -- not the full game, as seen by this image from thatgamecompany's forums. [Thanks, Aaron G.]

Gallery: Rock Band Unplugged

PSP Go to include voucher for Rock Band Unplugged demo [Update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 Aug 2009 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rock Band Weekly: Spinal Tap, Black Sabbath, Foo Fighters

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:45:00 EST

It appears that Rock Band Weekly and Rock Band Wiikly will be combined into one post every Friday, along with Rock Band Unplugged's DLC, for the foreseeable future. We certainly appreciate being aware of future DLC in one concentrated dose that -- if injectable or smokeable -- would have us waking up on the bathroom floor of our hotel room in a puddle of our own sick. Rock on! Check out the full details after the break.

Select a platform below to view complete DLC listing:

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Rock Band Weekly: Spinal Tap, Black Sabbath, Foo Fighters originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rock Band Unplugged gets new DLC, including 'Still Alive'

Justin McElroy — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST

It's so nice when things work out the way you hoped. There's a handful of new songs available for download in Rock Band Unplugged and the one song we actually want ("Still Alive" by GLaDOS and Jonathan Coulton) is free, totally free. The rest, if you're curious, will run you $1.99 per song:

Dixie Chicks "Sin Wagon"
GLaDOS and Jonathan Coulton "Still Alive" *
The Pixies "Here Comes Your Man"
R.E.M. "Losing My Religion"
Stevie Ray Vaughan "Pride and Joy"

Oh crap, we didn't see "Sin Wagon"! Please, disregard everything we said above.

Rock Band Unplugged gets new DLC, including 'Still Alive' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Rock Band Unplugged footage is chopping suey

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 16 May 2009 13:00:00 EST

We've already seen a trailer for Harmonix's portable rock star simulator Rock Band Unplugged, but if you want to see gameplay footage of a full playthrough of one of the title's tracks, consider your desire fulfilled. YouTuber Shadowneji02 somehow managed to get his hands on the game, and uploaded his performance of System of a Down's "Chop Suey." We've got said performance posted after the jump -- it might be a tad NSFW, as the player's band is puzzlingly composed of skimpily dressed femme-rockers. Creepy.

The video further enforces the feeling that Harmonix's debut title Frequency should feel very, very flattered by the upcoming PSP Rock Band adaptation. It also makes it that much more difficult for us to wait for this bad boy to hit store shelves June 9.

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New Rock Band Unplugged footage is chopping suey originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 16 May 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rock Band Unplugged: Full track list & DLC revealed

James Ransom-Wiley — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:49:00 EST

Joystiq is pleased to unravel one of the great mysteries of our time ... Rock Band Unplugged's track list! Don't all faint at once now. *Phew*. We've got the complete set of band names and numbers (of the musical variety) featured on the PSP-exclusive's disc, plus the first ten DLC tracks to be available directly through the in-game music store beginning on release day, June 9, 2009. So, without further ado ...

[Here's the part where you press the big blue button. Yeah, that one.]

Continue reading Rock Band Unplugged: Full track list & DLC revealed

Rock Band Unplugged: Full track list & DLC revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 May 2009 13:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joystiq hands-on: Rock Band Unplugged

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EST

It looks like Rock Band. It sounds like Rock Band. But, it certainly doesn't play like Rock Band. As many have theorized, Harmonix's PSP-exclusive Rock Band Unplugged really is Frequency in disguise. The genre has come a long way since Harmonix's PS2 launch game, but the formula holds up surprisingly well. While some may lament the loss of Frequency's techno vibe, the fully-featured Tour mode and excellent sound mixing make Unplugged a unique and worthwhile handheld experience.

Those who have played Harmonix's earlier efforts will be immediately familiar with Unplugged, while others will have to come to grips with the multi-track concept. The handheld Rock Band features all four instruments from the console games, but the lone player must tackle them all. Each track features its own note layout, and players will be switching from one instrument to another to get a high score.

There are no peripherals to use in this portable iteration. Instead, players will use the directional pad and face buttons to hit the colored notes that stream down. Red, Yellow, Green and Blue are represented by Left, Up, Triangle and Circle respectively. (There is no fifth button in this game.) It may not be instantly intuitive, but it only takes a song or two to get accustomed to the controls. DJ Max Fever shouldn't have much trouble here.

Gallery: Rock Band Unplugged

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Joystiq hands-on: Rock Band Unplugged originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rock Band Unplugged detailed, priced and dated

Jem Alexander — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 07:53:00 EST

What better way to start the mid-week than with a hefty dose of Rock Band Unplugged info? The game will be available in the US and Europe on June 9, making this the first Rock Band game to be released in both regions during the same six-month period on a Sony system. There's no word on a European price yet, but Americans will need to part with $39.99 in order to grab the game.

A limited edition PSP package will also be released on June 9 and will include Rock Band Unplugged, a download voucher for School of Rock, a 4GB memory stick and a Piano Black PSP for $199.99. Rock Band Unplugged will be the first PSP title to have a "fully-featured in-game store," through which several songs -- listed below -- will be made available exclusively for a limited time before being released across the entire Rock Band platform. And yes, your existing PlayStation Network ID will be supported.

3 Doors Down - "Kryptonite"
AFI - "Miss Murder"
Alice in Chains - "Would?"
Audioslave - "Gasoline"
Black Tide - "Show Me the Way"
Blink 182 - "What's My Age Again"
Freezepop - "Less Talk More Rokk"
Jackson 5 - "ABC"
Tenacious D - "Rock Your Socks"

[Update] Also, check out the new trailer after the break.

Gallery: Rock Band Unplugged

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Rock Band Unplugged detailed, priced and dated originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 08 Apr 2009 07:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony spins out of control, says DSi ignores 'significant gamer demographic groups'

JC Fletcher — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST

Trying his very best to minimize the impact of the Nintendo DSi launch, Sony's John Koller sent out a statement that basically says that the new product isn't a big deal compared to the PSP. That's expected, right? What isn't expected is how far he has to travel outside of reality to get to that conclusion.

"Significant gamer demographic groups are being ignored," Koller said, "and there continues to be limited opportunities for games from external publishers to do well on the DSi." We suppose that the new options for third-party games are somewhat limited by the fact that it's the same platform, although there is that whole downloadable game store thing now.

But here's where it gets really weird: "Compare that with the PSP platform, where we have many blockbuster franchises from our publishing partners launching this year, representing a wide variety of genres and targeting diverse demographics. Games such as Rock Band Unplugged from MTV Games, Assassin's Creed from Ubisoft, Dissidia Final Fantasy from Square Enix, and Hannah Montana from Disney demonstrate the commitment that publishers have to the PSP."

The same franchises demonstrate the commitment that publishers have to the DS! Assassin's Creed came out on DS last year. Doesn't that say something about Ubisoft's priorities? In addition, a Final Fantasy game came out on DS just last month, adding to the rather large lineup of Final Fantasy games. Hannah Montana has been out on DS forever, in multiple iterations. And as for Rock Band ... well, okay. The DS doesn't have a Rock Band game. Just three Guitar Heroes.

So who's being ignored? People who really love God of War, perhaps.

Sony spins out of control, says DSi ignores 'significant gamer demographic groups' originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rock Band Unplugged box art reveals partial track list

Andrew Yoon — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:30:00 EST

GameStop has revealed box art for the upcoming PSP-exclusive Rock Band Unplugged. The Frequency-in-disguise game will feature "over 40 original master recordings" in a World Tour mode that spans over 24 cities and venues. The box confirms support for DLC through an in-game music store and also reveals there will be no multiplayer options, Infrastructure or Ad-Hoc.

Many of the songs listed on the box can be found in the console versions of Rock Band, but there are a few notable new tracks. Will these tracks be exclusive to the PSP version, or is this a hint at future Rock Band content?

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Rock Band Unplugged box art reveals partial track list originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rock Band Unplugged announced for PSP

JC Fletcher — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:48:00 EST

If you thought Guitar Hero on the DS was a weird idea, you'll love this: During today's Destination PlayStation event, Sony has announced a PSP-exclusive version of Rock Band, called Rock Band Unplugged. This will be the first Rock Band game ever for a portable console!

Details about gameplay have yet to be released, although we don't expect to see a full suite of tiny plastic instruments to clip on to the PSP. What is known is that Unplugged will use the PSP's Wi-Fi connection to access an in-game music store.

Update: Primotech has some possible gameplay details. According to the post, Unplugged will use the left, up, triangle, and circle buttons to control instruments, switching from instrument to instrument with the shoulder buttons, and playing "phrases" of each instrument to maintain a score multiplier. This sounds exactly like Harmonix's Frequency!

Rock Band Unplugged announced for PSP originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Feb 2009 11:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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