Konami lets you join a rock band in Rock Revolution
by Andrew Yoon 
{ May 15th 2008 at 3:18PM }
Ever since this Rock Band game came out, other companies have been trying to compete. Guitar Hero IV will add non-guitar elements, and now Konami's ready to jump in the game with Rock Revolution. The company that initially put music gaming on the radar through games like Dance Dance Revolution and Beatmania is hoping to leverage the "Revolution" name to attract a hardcore audience.
Rock Revolution will include both a lead and bass guitar, and what Konami promises is the "definitive drum experience." "Rock Revolution will be the most innovative and realistic rock game to hit the market, that will provide a quality drum peripheral and music that players will appreciate," said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. "As the originator of music-based games, we are dedicated to bringing fans a truly preeminent music experience. With Rock Revolution, we put the emphasis on the drum kit, delivering an experience unlike any other."
As expected, the game will feature DLC after the launch, with 40 songs to be included on the disc. You'll be able to record your own songs in a "jam session," and there will be a variety of online modes. The game is expected to release this Fall. The question is, will it be able to compete against Rock Band?
Rock Revolution will include both a lead and bass guitar, and what Konami promises is the "definitive drum experience." "Rock Revolution will be the most innovative and realistic rock game to hit the market, that will provide a quality drum peripheral and music that players will appreciate," said Anthony Crouts, Vice President of Marketing for Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. "As the originator of music-based games, we are dedicated to bringing fans a truly preeminent music experience. With Rock Revolution, we put the emphasis on the drum kit, delivering an experience unlike any other."
As expected, the game will feature DLC after the launch, with 40 songs to be included on the disc. You'll be able to record your own songs in a "jam session," and there will be a variety of online modes. The game is expected to release this Fall. The question is, will it be able to compete against Rock Band?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
charcole @ May 15th 2008 3:27PM
I think I've seen a game like this before...
Just can't put my finger on it...
adolson @ May 15th 2008 3:34PM
Drummania, maybe? You know, the first drum game like this? Made by Konami, copied by Harmonix..
OddyOh @ May 15th 2008 3:43PM
Oh sweet Geezus, can I PLEASE try and fit ANOTHER fake drum kit in my apartment?!!
balaam @ May 15th 2008 4:14PM
man, that looks cheap ass
Dullshimmer @ May 15th 2008 4:07PM
I'm not a big fan of this trend, because then it doesn't become about the gameplay only, it becomes more who can we exclusively license to help sell our game. Not to mention these games better try to be compatible with one another, otherwise who's going to buy two or three drum kits... that's just stupid. It's bad enough with the guitars being incompatible between some.
Mattchewie @ May 15th 2008 4:08PM
You know GH was cool when it came out, but now its out of control.
for the love of all that is holy in this world......PLEASE STOP!!
Mike @ May 16th 2008 12:04AM
THank god someone understands as well
Sam @ May 15th 2008 4:14PM
Hey look, a bandwagon!
HOLY SHIT GUYS ITS GETTING AWAY, QUICK JUMP ON IT.
adolson @ May 15th 2008 11:36PM
Yeah, uh, Konami did it first, man... Drummania.. Look it up.
Luis @ May 15th 2008 4:22PM
I never liked how konami handled the notes display system. The vertical stream of notes is always too small, and too fast. Harmonix fixed that issue by having the notes bar at a perspective. And the placement of the bar all the way to the side of the screen instead of in the middle always irritates me as well. When I'm playing the game I don't have time to look at the band characters, I just need to look at the notes.
NipGrip @ May 15th 2008 4:43PM
Looks horrible. We already have RB and it's pretty much addressed everything needed and can be patched to accommodate whatever new features may come. The constant stream of DLC for RB is also fantastic sooo.. NO, Activision and Konami, we do not need yet another toy set of drums in our living rooms. Stop trying to sell us new peripherals and just offer the games that support the ones we have.
Imagine if we had to buy a new controller for each game we purchased at a premium... This is getting rediculous and it only serving to dilute the genre as dev's try to focus more on us NOT being able to use peripherals we already have and less on the actual quality of the game at hand.
This game and GH4 will be failures compared to RB but they MIGHT have a chance of selling more units if they'd learn to play nice with the drums, mic, and guitars we already have.
Saffie @ May 15th 2008 5:10PM
This is kinda like a better version of Guitar Freaks.
nobody528 @ May 15th 2008 6:00PM
Jam session? I wonder how they expect the guitar players to be able to hit specific notes without just giving them a real guitar. Five pitch buttons just isn't going to cut it.
Mike @ May 15th 2008 10:21PM
yeah...stop trying to copy rock band and put out DDR for ps3 its not that hard to make a USB beat pad ppl.
adolson @ May 15th 2008 11:37PM
Konami isn't copying Hamonix... Rock Band wasn't original, dude. They were just first to the *console* market.
Mike @ May 16th 2008 12:02AM
rock band actually is original combining all the instruments together what game has done that before?? now guitar hero 4 and This gaitars me is doing it?? Its proboly going to cost just as much as rock band wich is a lot and whats the point of having like 3 freaking guitars for a game (1 4 rockband,1 4 GH, 1 4 this) and drumsets u get what im saying? its a waste of money they just need to make different things, like DDR for ps3 with HD backround movies while the arrows are flashing in your face walking around still seeing them hours after your done playing.
SoDeep @ May 16th 2008 6:26AM
"rock band actually is original combining all the instruments together what game has done that before??"
dude, Konami was the first to combine all the instruments together, wayyyyyy before Hamonix did. Guitar Freaks 4 and drummania 3 were the first to introduce the 'Session' concept, and they even went further to link up with Keyboard Mania 3 in GF6 and DM5. GF4 came out in 2000, so they did that at least 7 years earlier than Rock Band.
anthonyjh @ May 16th 2008 4:25AM
Just saw the new GH4 preview in Game Informer. Yeah, everything else can go straight to hell.
tbor @ May 16th 2008 9:59AM
Anyone know if/when DDR is scheduled for a PS3 release?
John @ May 16th 2008 10:52AM
It will compete if they give that drum peripheral it's own sounds so people can turn it on and just jam. They could make it an affordable electronic drumset, something Harmonix will not do.
John @ May 16th 2008 10:52AM
It will compete if they give that drum peripheral it's own sounds so people can turn it on and just jam. They could make it an affordable electronic drumset, something Harmonix will not do.
2Perfect @ May 18th 2008 4:36AM
Buddy... freestyle mode (jam sessions is apparently the name) is what i was looking for in Rock Band...
and also a drum kit that doesn't sound like a stick hitting rubber-plastic. It doesn't have to make a realistic sound. No sound at all other than what's coming from your speakers would satisfy me.
Since the Rock Band i'm playing with now is my brothers, i'll probably get this when it comes out, by which time my brother would probably have moved out.