Rock Banding

Scott Stantis, Chicago Tribune

If you're not a resident of Illinois, give thanks this election season. In a state that's trying [and succeeding] to catch up to California in terms of debt and budget crises, we've been left with candidates that all have their hair caught up somehow in the political machines that run the Land of Lincoln. And with all of the hundreds of cheap political ads airing during commercial breaks currently [unfortunately no Illinoisians have kicked children in the face], it could not be a better time to have the newest installment of Harmonix's Rock Band franchise arrive.


In addition to an impressive setlist [25 or 6 to 4, Freebird, Bohemian Rhapsody... yes please!], Rock Band 3 also includes a few new features. As in The Beatles: Rock Band, there can now be up to 3 people singing in harmony [Good Vibrations] at once. A new peripheral was introduced as well: the keyboard. So now any song with a piano part has a home, too. So including the original guitar/bass/drums combo, at any given time you can have 7 people rocking out. We may need a bigger television.


And for those that want to learn the guitar, if you can find a $150 RB3 Fender Mustang or Squier Stratocaster that's not out of stock, Rock Band 3 will teach you how to play all of the songs on the disc. I don't think I'm quite there yet... I'll rest on my plastic-button laurels for now.


Last week in a final goodbye to Rock Band 2, a few Rockers gathered at my place to tackle the Endless Setlist II. It took almost 6.5 hours to play through the 84 songs on the disc, but in the end victory was ours. I'm itching to schedule a day for Endless Setlist III... but first I need to find a good deal on that keyboard. C'mon Black Friday!

Endless Setlist II complete!

Reach for It

Ah yes, September. The start of football, school, cooling days, and, once every few years, the debut of the latest Halo game. I don't think it will surprise many readers to hear that I'm a big video game fan. Although I probably hide it well except for occasional photos of Rock Banding that make it past the censors. I've had an Xbox 360 since I began full-time working; so after playing Halo 2 only on friends' consoles, I've managed to play Halo 3, ODST, and Reach from their release date.


Games themselves have really come a long way in telling stories. I'd say many of today's games are on par with some of the stuff Hollywood puts out [ok, not the really good stuff, but there is a lot of crap]. Many movies are half-computer generated anyway. And Halo has always been known for its outstanding music score as much as the gameplay itself. And if a game is really good, its cost-to-entertainment value is really a steal.


A couple of friends of mine and I have met up practically every Tuesday evening online for our 'Halo Tuesday'. While it allows us to team up and shoot aliens/people, it also lets us catch up on other things, not unlike a teleconference. If only real teleconferences were so fun. Besides, there are worse ways to keep in touch. Of course: the more, the merrier; if you see us on [here's a link to my 'gamertag'], join the fight.