The Games News

If you ever wanted to be a Rock Star and play the drums or guitar (bass included!), look no further.

On 20 November “Rock Band” will be released for the PS3 and Xbox 360 (later in the year there will also be a PS2 version), and we finally have an official playlist for the game.

1960s
Rolling Stones “Gimme Shelter”

1970s
Aerosmith “Train Kept a Rollin’”*
The Who “Won’t Get Fooled Again”
Boston “Foreplay/Long Time”
Mountain “Mississippi Queen”*
The Police “Next to You”
David Bowie “Suffragette City”
Black Sabbath “Paranoid”*
Blue Oyster Cult “Don’t Fear the Reaper”
The Ramones “Blitzkrieg Bop”
Deep Purple “Highway Star”
KISS “Detroit Rock City”
Molly Hatchet “Flirtin’ With Disaster”
The Outlaws “Green Grass & High Tides”*
Sweet “Ballroom Blitz”*

1980s
Rush “Tom Sawyer”*
Bon Jovi “Wanted Dead or Alive”
The Clash “Should I Stay or Should I Go”
Faith No More “Epic”
R.E.M. “Orange Crush”
Iron Maiden “Run to the Hills”*
Pixies “Wave of Mutilation”

1990s
Foo Fighters “Learn to Fly”
Metallica “Enter Sandman”
Nirvana “In Bloom”
Stone Temple Pilots “Vasoline”
Weezer “Say It Ain’t So”
Smashing Pumpkins “Cherub Rock”
Radiohead “Creep”
Beastie Boys “Sabotage”
Hole “Celebrity Skin”
Garbage “I Think I’m Paranoid”
Soundgarden “Black Hole Sun”

2000s
The Hives “Main Offender”
Queens of the Stone Age “Go With the Flow”
The Strokes “Reptilia”
Jet “Are You Gonna Be My Girl”
OK Go “Here It Goes Again”
Nine Inch Nails “The Hand That Feeds”
Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Maps”
Red Hot Chili Peppers “Dani California”
Coheed & Cambria “Welcome Home”
Fallout Boy “Dead on Arrival”
The Killers “When You Were Young”
New Pornographers “Electric Version”

(Unless marked with an asterix, the songs will use the original master recording performed by the original artists)

There’s more, if 45 songs weren’t enough for you; there will be 13 songs available as unlockable content, although no details on these songs exist.

While every company in the upcoming generation of video game consoles are trying to make their individual systems and accessories backwards compatible, it seems that Sony is trying to give the PS3 controller a downgrade for use with the PS2 and PC, leaving it forwards compatible with the PS3.

The new PC, PS2, and PS3-compatible controller, named the eDimentional G-Pad Pro Gyroscopic Gamepad (quite a mouthful), will feature a 12-button analog configuration along with a motion sensor detection system allowing for third-dimensional movements using the controller. Along with all other controller options, you will be able to set custom settings, control sensitivity, and will be able to use the controller as a mouse, keyboard, and joystick all in one. PS3’s motion-sensor fight with Nintendo seems to be underway, with this controller being the first step. The PS3 controller downgrade will be available in July.

$600, too expensive or too cheap? It all depends on how you look at it, whether the glass is half full or the glass is half empty. Sony Computer Entertainment executive Ken Kutaragi seems to be look at the glass half empty. Kutaragi said at a recent press conference, “The PlayStation price, it was said to be expensive…same for the PlayStation 2. However, when released, both had sales that were unthinkable for previous game machines. This is because both offered experiences that could not be had on previous game machines.” With the Microsoft Xbox 360 at a price of $399 for its premium system and the Nintendo Wii possibly at a slim $199, the PS3s $599 60 GB premium system is already $200 more than its closest competitor’s price, not to mention the PS3’s 20 GB core system is $499 (still $100 over the price of the 360). However, with the PS3’s Blu-Ray capabilities and its ability to process graphics at an astonishing 1.8 Tera flops, the PlayStation 3 could be easily over $1000. Now, looking at $599 again, it doesn’t seem that bad.

Partnering with GestureTek Incorporated, Microsoft has announced that it will use GestureTek’s Video Gesture Technology (VGT) in its new USB-attachable camera to be released at a later date. Including a 9 foot cable and a headset for audio maximization, Microsoft’s Xbox 360 camera will allow gamers the benefit of recognizing their individual gestures towards each game, whether the user is throwing a football 70 yards down the field for a touchdown or throwing a punch to knock out the opposition. Included along with the gesture-recognizing camera is a near DV quality video capturing device, a 1.3 Mega Pixel digital camera, XDK support for streaming video, and a three-dimensional “face-in-game” system (which EyeToy made famous) will be available thanks to third party providers. Possibly combating against the Nintendo Wii (formerly the Nintendo Revolution) and the PS2’s EyeToy, the 360 camera could be the ceremonial invitation for the more dedicated gamers to make their way into Microsoft’s enveloping arms. Microsoft has yet to release a date for the gesture recognition camera’s sale to the public.

Rockstar’s controversial Grand Theft Auto franchise was in news again but not because of its comprehensiveness, graphics or game play. This time, GTA was victim of the allegations imposed on it. The players were so influenced by this game that they started playing it in real life. Many stories in this regard came up. A year ago, man named Tyrone McMillan was taken into custody after a 55 minute car chase on the roads of Albany, New York. Initially, officers wanted him to pull over for the parole violation, but McMillan assumed he can outrun the cops because he has done it so many times on his PS2 playing GTA. With the experience of navigating the illusory San Andreas and Vice City in hand, he thought that he can easily out smart the cops. He even had his girlfriend’s daughter and her cousin in the backseat. After slamming into two cars, he was finally caught. In his statement to the police, he blamed GTA for what ever happened. No Attorney could help him now, as a court judge slapped him with two concurrent seven-year jail terms. After serving time, he will be on parole for 10 years.

GTA has a care free environment. You can do anything you want to. Roam the roads, steel the cars, kill people whenever you like to, start rivalry, date hookers and end police chase by re-painting your vehicle. This seems to be a perfect life. But this doesn’t mean at all that you start practicing same way in the real life. Games are meant for entertainment. If games are reality, then I am the current WWE champion as I won it playing WWE Smackdown5 last night, Also, I have just won the FIFA world cup beating Brazil 4-2 in the finals. Many more achievements we all have in the gaming world. But it should not encourage a player to become immortal in real life. I think such victims, who claim that games like GTA are responsible for their disruptive behaviors, should be given psychological guidance. On the other hand, if someone uses a house knife for murder, it doesn’t mean that people will stop using them in future because they are dangerous. Therefore, totally blaming the games is not appropriate. Games are a source of entertainment and that’s it.