Industry mag Develop reports on a bit of surprising candor from Matt Palmer, head of animation at TT Fusion, the developers of Lego Rock Band. Speaking at the Develop in Liverpool conference, Palmer talked about being approached to do the game.

From the article:

“We were approached 13 months ago by publisher TT Games, who were in turn approached by Harmonix about LEGO Rock Band. And I’d say about 50 per cent of our studio were for the idea, and about 50 per cent were against it.”

Palmer says the team warmed to the idea after a few months, when they started seeing it as more than slapping a Lego face on the Rock Band franchise. But if you ask me, the initial ambivalence of the team came through in the final product as a fairly pervasive sloppiness. (I know I’m in the minority in that opinion, but that’s only because everyone else is wrong.)

[Read, via Joystiq]

In other ridiculous-Rock-Band-deal news, apparently Old Navy has jumped firmly onto the Rock Bandwagon. Not only have they debuted a series of Rock Band-themed shirts, but according to Joystiq they’re preparing to offer a free copy of Lego Rock Band with a twenty dollar purchase on “Black Friday,” the day after Thanksgiving. In case math isn’t your strong suit, that is a savings of thirty dollars.

The speculation is that it may be just a demo, but it’s certainly within the realm of possibility that they’d be giving out the full game — in a cheap cardboard sleeve without the fancy packaging, perhaps?

If that doesn’t get you interested, check out this quote from the article:

…Old Navy will also be selling Rock Band 2 bundles, and giving away guitar controllers with said bundles…

So wait: RB2 bundle with an extra guitar? This is insanity!

Update: In the comments, peter let us know that he called Old Navy headquarters, and the LRB disc will apparently be a demo. Not terribly surprising, but it’s good to have confirmation. Thanks, peter.

Update 2: OK, apparently that’s not right either. TV spots are now airing for this promo and they’re saying nothing about a demo, which I think they’d have to in the fine print. What they do say is that “supplies are extremely limited” and that the game will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis. I’ve put in a call to Old Navy’s media relations but have yet to hear back. In the meantime, we should probably assume that if you want yourself a free Lego Rock Band, you’ll want to show up very early.

[Read, via RockBandAide]

And the reviews are rolling in. They’re generally positive, though I’m catching a note of uncertainty in the reviews about how to approach what is ostensibly a family game. Overall the verdict appears to be “good but not a must-have,” which I’d have to agree with based on my experience.

As with previous releases, I’ll be updating the post with new reviews periodically throughout the day, so check back for more! And don’t forget Band Hero also hits today; look for a similar post later, since the review embargo for that one only just lapsed.

CNet: 3.5/5
“[T]his is another solid entry in the popular franchise. The charming visuals and goofy story make this a good place to start for Rock Band rookies, and the setlist is quirky enough for everyone else.”

G4TV.com: 4/5
“LEGO Rock Band isn’t for Rock Band fans, or even LEGO Batman fans old enough to buy games on their own. But if you’re the parent of a little kid and want a game that you can play together, you’d be hard pressed to find anything that will keep you both as engaged and entertained.”

Game Informer: 8/10
“LEGO Rock Band’s song list turned out weak in my opinion. Though the game has certified classics from the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Tom Petty, there are several throwaway tracks you’ll forget the instant they’re over. For every guilty pleasure like ‘The Final Countdown’ or ‘Ghostbusters,’ there’s an absolute horror like Korn’s take on ‘Word Up!.’”

GameSpot: 7.5/10
“[A]nother solid entry in the popular franchise. The charming visuals and goofy story make this a good place to start for Rock Band rookies, and the setlist is quirky enough for everyone else.”

GameSpy: 3/5 [Disclosure: I made this!]
“In the end, I’m left wondering who Lego Rock Band is really for. It seems to be trying to cater to everyone, but it ends up simply unfocused, and occasionally outright sloppy. It doesn’t actively offend, but it’s nowhere near a must-have, even for serious music-game fans.”

GameTrailers: 7.9/10
“[T]he song list looks a little thin and not as consistent as we’ve seen in games based on specific bands. This is probably what happens when a game relies on the banner of family friendliness instead of solid a musical motif.”

IGN: 7/10
“I’m still not sure who LEGO Rock Band is for. … It’s a kind of pricey track pack of a bizarre setlist for a really fun rhythm game.”

TeamXbox: 8.3/10
“It’s a fun family experience, though not so tepid that it’ll be lost on others. If you throw a bunch of LEGOs on the floor, everyone gets into it and has a good time. Similarly, if you take LEGOs and make them the center of a video game, you’ll probably see the same enjoyment. I just wish there was a little more of it in the box.”

Looking to get yourself your own copy? Here are links to each version at Amazon, for your purchasing pleasure:

360 | PS3 | Wii | DS

Lego Rock Band is due to hit Tuesday (you can pre-order from Amazon here), so Warner Brothers has snapped together a new trailer featuring four tunes being rocked out to by blocky figures that bear no resemblance to the rock stars whose tunes they’re rocking…out to…wait, I’ve just confused myself. Let’s try this again:

Four tunes, no new cameo revelations. Enjoy the video, posted after the break.

Continue reading →

My apologies to reader murph, for doubting his comment about Queen coming to Lego Rock Band. Because sure enough, the band will be making an appearance alongside Iggy Pop, David Bowie, and Blur. And unlike the bizarrely coiffed Bowie, these guys — Freddy Mercury in particular — look just like themselves. Only, you know, squared off.

You’ll get to see the legendary quartet rocking out to “We Are the Champions” and “We Will Rock You” in the game when it hits November 3.

See video and a bunch more screens after the break.

Continue reading →

First Iggy Pop, then David Bowie, now Britpop darlings Blur — rock stars are just lining up to get squared off for Lego superstardom.

Blur will be performing their megahit “Song 2″ in the game, allowing millions of tweens around the world to “Woo-hoo!” along.

I’ve posted video and more screens of the band in action after the break.

Continue reading →

Well now, this is interesting. Warner Bros. has revealed the full track list for Lego Rock Band, says Joystiq — and nearly one-fifth of the tunes will also be appearing in Band Hero.

I never really thought of the two as direct competitors, probably because they look so different. But they really are, aren’t they? Both are, after all, built around the idea of a radio-friendly tracklist that the whole family can play. Sure, one features toy blocks and so perhaps skews a bit younger, but aside from that these two are pretty much going head-to-head.

One big difference: While both games will let you import DLC from their predecessors, Joystiq reports that, as rumored earlier, you’ll be able to export Lego Rock Band tracks for use in Rock Band. Looks like it’s a package or nothing — all 45 tracks for $10 — which isn’t a bad deal if you’re into Lego Rock Band’s track list. (Though it definitely seems a bit high compared to the $5 charge to import Rock Band tunes into Rock Band 2.) You’ll also be able to access Rock Band’s vast DLC catalog, though the tracks will be filtered for family-friendliness.

Hit the Continue Reading link for the full lineup of tracks. Continue reading →