Yesterday, Activision released the track listing for the bonus 2-CD pack of Jay-Z and Eminem for the DJ Hero Renegade Edition. As a person who is readily suspicious of special editions and collector's edition, I had my doubts about DJ Hero's special pack-in when I saw that the jump in price from the regular edition was 80 US Dollars. With Wednesday's track listing release for the big addition to the original product and what exactly it will be, it really begs the question if what you're getting is worth the price of admission. Looking at Gamestop's web listing for DJ Hero Renegade Edition, you get: DJ Hero Renegade Edition Includes the following items: DJ Hero Game Renegade Turntable Controller featuring premium metal controls and finish Hardshell Turntable Carrying Case that converts to performance-ready DJ stand Exclusive JAY-Z and EMINEM 2-CD pack featuring unreleased tracks and collectible case designed by artist Shepard Fairey Looking at the track listing of the 2-CD set and being a fan, albeit not a huge stalker-level fan, I was really impressed at what is being included especially a brand new track. Read More...

There comes a time when you realize there are certain products are just not for your demographic anymore. Maybe it was when you were hitting puberty and realized that while you may still like Saturday morning cartoons, the commercials annoyed you rather than interested. Or perhaps you tried to watch The Tonight Show before Jay Leno was replaced and realized every joke was for the geriatric crowd. Reading today's press release from Activision really demonstrated to me that while I may enjoy rhythm games, Band Hero is not being marketed to me. Band Hero is the long lost love child of Guitar Hero: World Tour and High School Musical. Read More...

On Episode 41, the Aggrocast crew discuss Binh's adventures at PAX over the weekend. Talk about the many games he played, the people he met, and the partying. We also discuss the games we've been playing, including Aion, Mini Ninjas Demo, Guitar Hero 5 and more. A point of information for the fans: this episode was recorded on September 6th. We have also changed our recording schedule from Sundays to Tuesdays for a time so look for the next episode later this week! Don't forget you can add to the discussion in the comments below or send an email to Aggrocast@aggrogamer. Read More...

No doubt you have read the "shocking" details of Courtney Love's acrid Twitter response to Kurt Cobain's likeness being used in Guitar Hero 5. Then, you were enthralled by the report of shots fired back by Activision that Love, in fact, was the individual who signed the contract to use the likeness. And THEN you no doubt realized...you don't care. Read More...

So another one is out. I won't bother you with what Guitar Hero is, nor will I bore you with details about how the game is played, or whether it plays well. Yes, it plays well, and yes, it is same as it always has been, press the note on the bars then strum when the according color passes the bar. However, there are some new additions that make Guitar Hero 5 the best Guitar Hero yet. Party play is long overdue, and something that was almost added into Rock Band 1. Party play is just that, a mode for a party. Read More...

Grunge and flannel: they go together like consoles&fanboys. Defining an entire decade of rock, grunge started the trend to move away from synth-pop, popular in the 80's, to a harder sound that emphasized the angst building in rebellion to 80's preppy style and trickle down economics. The earthier sounds and personalities of the grunge scene felt like you were watching a garage band down the street rather than the huge arenas and corporate heroes of pristine pop music and shiny glam-rock. Nirvana's release of Nevermind and the subsequent momentum shocked and appalled people as much as it enticed and enthralled. Their music was inspiring to a new generation of music listeners on a completely new medium, the Compact Disc. Read More...

DataBox Games: Nine guys in their mid-20s on an island off Sweden. They are all attending Gotland University and working on their final thesis for their Bachelor's and Master's Degrees. Why is this important? Because much like the current wave of independent titles that flood the Xbox Marketplace - they are just a bunch of people with a love for games trying to deliver a unique experience. They don't have a major machine behind them, but they have a passion for crafting something that we can all get into and as such are definitely worth promoting around these parts. The game that they are currently working on is Penalty of Heroes, which I believe is their 26th title; most of the previous 25 have been made in ten weeks or less and have more fun crammed into them then a great majority of bigger budget titles. Read More...

Toys, pack-ins, gimmicks, add-ons and peripherals are all words that are not unknown or unheard of to Nintendo Wii owners’ ears.  Since the console’s launch in 2006, a great many guns zappers, dance pads, microphones, etc., have been bundled with Wii games filling living rooms to capacity -- especially with the onset of rhythm games.  Even Nintendo’s best-selling game, WiiPlay is merely a controller with a $10 tech demo, and there has always been a premium attached to the bundles that have exceeded the normal price point for a Wii game at $49.99. Read More...

Continuing to add to the exclusivity of its new DJ Hero franchise, Activision today announced that The Scratch Perverts and DJ Yoda created exclusive mixes for the upcoming release. I think this new release of information shows us two things: Activision wants the fans to know that they are really putting it all into this title and they are also shrewdly telling any competition that may spring up, "Yeah, don't bother, we got this." Not exactly a bold move on the large corporation's part and it's hardly a new concept. Create barriers to entry for your competition even before it exists by firmly planting in the consumers' minds that you are "the one and best. Read More...

No More Heroes 2 Screen Shots Just when we think that slashing up enemies in No More Heroes was fun with just one Beam Katana, won on an online auction site, we get another one to add to the slashing of the #1 assassin in the world. Yep, two beam katanas for our assassinating pleasure. Or would it be hacking to itty bitties pleasure? Could be both at the same time if we wanted I guess. Well no matter which way you go there, here are some better screen shots of what it will look like as you swing both of these implements of epic killing in the game. Read More...

Official Guitar Hero 5 Track List and Garbage A few weeks back we brought you the official track list before anyone else on the net even could. Or what a lot of people stated to be our "Rumored" track list for Guitar Hero 5. You know who you are if you are reading this. But the official listing has just been released from Activision for the world. Let's compare the two lists and see how close our "Rumored" list came to the official listing. I think you will be pleasantly surprised with them both. Read More...

Previously unaffected by the hype machine's whistles and bells for DJ Hero other than a passing "hrmph," they finally have said enough to pique my interest.  DJ Jazzy Jeff was my first foray into listening to a real turntablist.  Many are only familiar with his work on "Parents Just Don't Understand" or him getting thrown out of the Banks' home on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.  When I first received He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper, I assumed that "Parents..." and "Nightmare on My Street" were all that I would listen to this album. Read More...

While it's not really known who the leaker is or how he/she got the track list, but I think we can be fairly certain, nay ULTRA CERTAIN that the following 85 songs are indeed the real complete track listing for Activion's Guitar Hero 5:3 Doors Down - "Kryptonite"A Perfect Circle - "Judith"AFI - "Medicate"Arctic Monkeys - "Brianstorm" Attack! Attack! UK - "You and Me"Band Of Horses - "Cigarettes, Wedding Bands"Beastie Boys - "Gratitude"Beck - "Gamma Ray"Billy Idol - "Dancing with Myself"Billy Squier - "Lonely is the Night"Blink-182 - "The Rock Show"Blur - "Song 2"Bob Dylan - "All Along the Watchtower"Bon Jovi - "You Give Love A Bad Name"Brand New - "Sowing Season"Bush - "Comedown"Children Of Bodom - "Done With Everything, Die For Nothing"Coldplay - "In My Place"Darker My Love - "Blue Day"Darkest Hour - "Demon(s)"David Bowie - "Fame"Deep Purple - "Woman From Tokyo ('99 Remix)"Dire Straits - "Sultans of Swing"Duran Duran - "Hungry Like The Wolf"Eagles Of Death Metal - "Wannabe in L. Read More...

Guitar Hero 5 Controllers And Tracks So it is now official. I will have to buy Guitar Hero 5. All because of one of the new tracks released to the public. Rammstein has been in my hopes ever since the I got into the rhythm game genre. Finally someone brought it to fruition. I just wish it was the game that I was backing for a while. I now know what you HD-DVD people felt like with the whole BluRay/HD-DVD war. I should have backed Guitar Hero. Read More...

First 24 Tracks For Guitar Hero 5 Maybe it's just me and not being totally up on my current music or even my older music, but to me it seems that Activision and Vicarious Visions are going with some of the more obscure songs from artists to drive players to the game. Some of the songs just announced for Guitar Hero 5 just don't ring a bell. Well actually quite a few of them don't. Artists I'm good with, but the selected songs just don't pop to mind. Read More...