Waaaayyyy back in 1998 – seven years before the release of Guitar Hero – Konami released a game in Japan by the name of GuitarFreaks, soon to be followed by DrumMania. Japanese executives might have been a little off the mark when they decided that Western audiences wouldn't be interested in a game that involved players strumming or banging along to music with a guitar or drum peripheral, but a seed was sewn nonetheless. A decade or so later and music-based rhythm games are a cultural phenom ... more >>

Waaaayyyy back in 1998 – seven years before the release of Guitar Hero – Konami released a game in Japan by the name of GuitarFreaks, soon to be followed by DrumMania. Japanese executives might have been a little off the mark when they decided that Western audiences wouldn't be interested in a game that involved players strumming or banging along to music with a guitar or drum peripheral, but a seed was sewn nonetheless. A decade or so later and music-based rhythm games are a cultural phenomenon, with Guitar Hero and Rock Band having raked in big bucks for their publishers. Konami's finally returned (at least as far as Western gamers are concerned) to the genre it pioneered with Rock Revolution.

The focus is on drumming, with a six pad kit – one created by professional musicians - being offered as part of the package. There is, however, the option to wail on your guitar playing either lead or bass. There's a career mode for you to do both in, learning songs and techniques, creating set lists and completing challenges. There are 40 songs to go at straight off the disc, with promises of downloadable tracks to come.

You'll be able to thrash it out with a friend either online or off, with up to six players able to join your session online. If you want to keep up with how you're doing in comparison to other players, you'll also be able to keep checking persistent online scoreboards.

Get ready to rock out old school! << less