Announcement Trailer: Rock Band Blitz
As time wears on, and death's dry finger draws closer to my corporeal form, the mind is filled with memories I've had playing Rock Band while drunk, and its departure from the standard fare, "shoot people in the face" multiplayer experience. Whether it's playing the stock songs, suffering through a few interminable minutes of your buddy's "favorite" 80's tune, or inviting said buddy to embark on a harrowing voyage through the seas of Norwegian Black Metal (hello, carpal tunnel syndrome), I've always had a soft spot for the rhythm genre.
The latest entry in the franchise, Rock Band Blitz, takes a different direction. A single-player game on XBLA and PSN, it casts aside guitars, drums, and microphones, in favor of the traditional controller. Songs are played, powerups are obtained, and one is free to skip from instrument to instrument, rather than focusing on a particular role within the band.
As per a recent interview with G4tv, Project Director Matthew Nord revealed that Blitz will be compatible with the entire Harmonix library. Owners of previous Rock Band titles will be pleased to know that all their purchases will carry over to Blitz, while those new to the franchise will be given a pre-loaded set of twenty-five songs.
After watching the trailer, I'm not entirely sure what to make of it - though I will say that Blitz is an interesting turn for a genre that has, as far as I'm concerned, run its course. Taking a more arcade-oriented approach, it's a departure from the norm, offering the promise of an experience that feels fresh, while giving a nod to the gameplay that Rock Band fans have come to love. On the other hand, it's pure sacrilege. Granted, playing "baby's first guitar"-style plastic instruments isn't exactly the peak of immersion, but games like Rock Band have a distinct, quirky charm to them that button-mashing simply cannot replicate.
What do you think, gamers? Does the Blitz sound like an interesting, new direction for the franchise, or does its betrayal inspire wrath untold? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
Super Swede
Posted to Video Games on 3 April 2012
· Comments (2)
Other stuff like this: harmonix, psn, rhythm games, rock band blitz, xbla
Apparently the songs for this will work in RB3, and vice versa, so I'm all for it. If nothing else it'll be a 25 song track pack for my Rock Band collection.
That sounds pretty awesome, and a lot like 'Frequency' and 'Amplitude' for the PS2- which is a great thing that hasn't been done in a while if that's the case. Pretty excited to check this one out, especially as someone who doesn't have the room or funds to buy a whole Rock Band set.
Only one player, though? I could see that getting kind of old. Still, excited to try it out.