Stand-alone instruments to go on sale early next month, could this bring about a four way verses mode?
Since the title's November release, consumers have only been able to buy the game bundled with mic, drums, and guitar. Or the standalone game.
That limitation has prevented all but the most creative gamers from forming a full band, or going guitar-on-guitar in verses mode.
That all changes February 12 and April 1 when publisher MTV Games puts individual instrument peripherals in stores.
The Rock Band Drum Kit for the Xbox 360, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 2 go on sale February 12 for $79.99. On April 1, the Rock Band Wireless Fender Stratocaster Guitar Controller for all consoles will go for $59.99.
"The release of standalone instruments allows Rock Band musicians to enjoy the full Rock Band experience, including drum, microphone and guitar head-to-head modes, creating a whole new level of competitive fun," Harmonix co-founder Alex Rigopulos said in his statement.
The sale of standalone peripherals also lets consumers that are unable to fork over the $169.99 for the full bundle jump in on some Rock Band action.
The game, created by the makers of the the early Guitar Hero titles, has been a big seller for MTV Games and distributor Electronic Arts. The combined versions of Rock Band (for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 2) have sold 1.1 million units through December.
Following the controversial Fox News report on Mass Effect, enraged fans armed with rudimentary photoshop skills have been taking out their frustration on the Amazon entry of Cooper Lawrence's book
The Cult of Perfection. Lawrence took part in the debate, criticising the game for its depiction of sexual situations; the pundit revealed during the course of the broadcast that she hadn't played it.
Gamers have since used the 'Customer Image' function of Amazon to comment on Lawrence's contribution to this now-fabled piece of television journalism. One image shows a photo of Spike TV games expert Geoff Keighley - who provided a brief pro Mass Effect angle to the segment - with the words, "Hooray for Geoff Keighley. He owned you, Cooper Lawrence!". Hardly the words of a genius but we get the point.
The most damning indictment of Lawrence, however, comes from the 430 reviews of her book, which has an average review rating of one star out of five. Although many have clearly been submitted in response to the Fox News piece, a majority appear genuine.
Interestingly, one reader criticises the writer for using a provocative image of herself on the cover. At the close of his review he states, "Image means a lot Mrs. Lawrence, and you are damaging the youth of America."
Manhunt 2 Moves to allow a 'dark and violent' adult video computer game to go on sale in the UK were blocked by a High Court judge who ordered that the matter be reconsidered.
The British Board of Film Censors (BBFC) refused to give Manhunt 2 a classification in case it fell into the hands of children.
Last month the Video Appeals Committee (VAC) lifted the ban when it allowed an appeal by US publishers, Rockstar Games Inc.
In a 4-3 majority decision, VAC ruled the videogame was 'unlikely' to cause harm to adults or children and gave it an 18 certificate.
But today (Thursday) a High Court judge in London ruled that VAC's decision was fatally flawed by 'a clear error of law' when it came to the test for assessing the question of harm.
Mr Justice Mitting said the committee must reconsider its decision in the light of his judgment.
NAMCO BANDAI Games Reveals New Ace Combat® 6: Fires of Liberation™ Downloadable Content
NAMCO BANDAI Games today revealed information and assets for the six new plane variants for Ace Combat® 6: Fires of Liberation™ that will be available for download from the Xbox LIVE® Marketplace on Thursday, January 31. Featuring classic squadron themes from previous entries in the Ace Combat series and several original designs, these new plane updates let players experience their favorite aircraft online and in the game’s single player campaign with a new look and enhanced capabilities.
Typhoon – UPEO Emblem (Free): Charged with quelling military uprisings around the world, the members of the legendary UPEO Squadron were the heroes of Ace Combat 3. Outstanding turning and stability help this plane weave through the battlefield and pick off enemies, making up for its slightly diminished arsenal.
CFA-44 Nosferatu – Prototype (200 Microsoft Points): Armed with an Electromagnetic Launcher (EML), this variation of the Nosferatu places great emphasis on aircraft stability to ensure a high rate of accuracy at all distances. The raw combat power and enhanced accuracy of the EML helps make up for the plane’s dogfighting shortcomings.
Tornado GR4 – Raging Shark (200 Microsoft Points): One of the most recognizable and feared designs in the sky, the Raging Shark version of the Tornado GR4 is a powerhouse in battle, with huge increases in firepower and defense coming at the expense of speed.
F-14D Super Tomcat – Razgriz (200 Microsoft Points): Known as both champions and demons, the Razgriz Squadron possessed an incredible drive to achieve victory, making them the unquestioned heroes of Ace Combat 5. Like the original Razgriz, this plane has extremely high durability ratings to ensure that all squad members survive each operation.
Su-33 Flanker – Yellow Squadron (200 Microsoft Points): One of the most iconic opponents from Ace Combat 4, the Yellow Squadron stood as the pride of Erusea, with the charismatic Yellow 13 leading five hand-picked wingmen. This plane stands as a tribute to their fearless nature, with incredible maneuverability at the cost of limited armor.
Su-47 Berkut – The Idolmaster Miki-EX (400 Microsoft Points): Customized by Miki Hoshi of the hit Idolmaster series, hundreds of hours of tuning have transformed this plane into a superstar. While its stability is less than ideal, Miki’s careful touch has helped this plane realize its hidden potential in battle.
For more information on Ace Combat 6 including achievements, screenshots, trailers, news and forum discussions please check out the Xbox 360 Games Database from the link below.
Having had the thrill of appearing live on Fox News to try and clear the waters over a vast video game misrepresentation, I have to say I feel for Geoff Keighley.
In the first two minutes the anchor says that Mass Effect has full nudity and sex and a psychologist "expert" talks about how statistics show that games are played by young boys and that Mass Effect is all about objectifying women. Oh wait, you can play as a woman too, Keighley points out and the full-on nudity? About half a boob for 30 seconds of a 30 hour game.
Keighley totally took charge of the interview. How much, you ask? He goaded their expert, who seconds earlier was talking about sexism, to call him "darling." Nice, maybe ask him to bend over and pick up a pencil next darling.
Let me end by saying it's obvious that every one of the people who they had discussing it after the fact have not only never played Mass Effect, they probably heard about it five minutes before they were supposed to offer an opinion. Very shoddy. Though, at least they got his name right.
A New Classic Rock Track Pack is now available for download from the Xbox Live Marketplace for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.
"Peace of Mind" as performed by Boston, "Juke Box Hero" as performed by Foreigner, and "Any Way you Want it" as performed by Journey. For all song credits please visit www.redoctane.com There are no refunds for this item.
[ESRB: T (Teen) MILD LYRICS,MILD SUGGESTIVE THEMES]
Price: 500 Ms Points Availability: All Xbox LIVE regions
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Gamers have since used the 'Customer Image' function of Amazon to comment on Lawrence's contribution to this now-fabled piece of television journalism. One image shows a photo of 
Last month the Video Appeals Committee (VAC) lifted the ban when it allowed an appeal by US publishers, Rockstar Games Inc.
