Green Day Rock Band: Preview

Just when you thought it was safe to pack those Rock Band drums up and cram them into the far reaches of your wardrobe; the guys at Harmonix are back with a Green Day –specific release of their highly popular series of rhythm games.

Unlike The Beatles: Rock Band, this will be a software release only. So fans of the band hoping to get their hands on a replica of Billie Joe’s famous “Blue” guitar will be left disappointed. The good news though is that all previous Rock Band peripherals will be compatible, making it easier than ever to start rocking.

The core gameplay elements found here are completely unchanged from those of previous games, but if the formula works then there’s really no point in making drastic changes. The unique element is found in the main portion of the game, which chronicles the bands rise to superstardom, and unlike The Beatles offering you’re allowed to choose your songs as you progress as oppose to having them forced upon you. Another key point is in the animation process, which sees unique movements used to authenticate certain songs, as oppose to replaying the same tired patterns on alternating loops.

The game will feature a 47 track setlist exclusive to Green Day, instead of games such as Guitar Hero: Metallica, which feature an array of songs from the band and then a selection from other artists. The complete setlist is as follows…

21st Century Breakdown, American Idiot, American Eulogy, Are We Waiting/St. Jimmy, Basket Case, Before the Lobotomy, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Brain Stew/Jaded, Burnout, Chump, Coming Clean, Emenius Sleepus, Extraordinary Girl, F.O.D., Geek Stink Breath, Give Me Novacaine/She’s a Rebel, Good Riddance (Time of Your Life), Having a Blast, Hitchin’ a Ride, Holiday, Homecoming, Horseshoes and Handgrenades, In The End, Jesus of Suburbia, Last Night on Earth, Letterbomb, Longview, Minority, Murder City, Nice Guys Finish Last, Peacemaker, Pulling Teeth, Restless Heart Syndrome, Sassafrass Roots, See The Light, She, Song of the Century, The Static Age, ¿Viva La Gloria? (Little Girl), Wake Me Up When September Ends, Warning, Welcome to Paradise, Whatsername, When I Come Around.

A very impressive list indeed and one that will please Green Day fans no end. The list includes the full line-up’s from critically albums Dookie and American Idiot, plus over half of the tracks from their newest album, 21st Century Breakdown – the rest of which can be obtained from purchasing the ‘Plus’ edition of the game. The tracks will also be available as downloadable content if you wish to purchase them at a later date.

All tracks will also be exportable to both Rock Band and Rock Band 2 for a small fee, although this can be waivered if you shell out for the ‘Plus’ edition. You can also dodge the fee if you take advantage of various offers stores such as GameStop are offering.

The game will feature a whole host of unlockable media content in the form of photographs and raw video footage that should act as bait for the more hardcore fans amongst us.

Green Day: Rock Band will be released worldwide on June 8th for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii consoles.

Craig Bryan, NoobFeed