Watch this interview as a video right here on AusGamers.

AusGamers: We're here with Alan more talking about LEGO Rock Band; Alan we wanted to ask - before you give us the spiel - why not just go with Rock Band Jr or something like that? Why for out for the LEGO license?

Alan Moore: So, I'm with Harmonix and we're working with TT [Traveller's Tales] who make all the LEGO games and LEGO is way more than just kids. I mean, LEGO brings humour. It brings a message that it's something for the whole family. Rock Band Jr implies that it's going to be kiddy songs and this isn't about kiddie songs - they're playing The Final Countdown right now. We've got some songs that kids will recognise, like So What? by Pink, but it's a game that's going to really work for the whole family.




AG: Ok, so run us through it, what's different about this Rock Band vs other Rock Band games beyond the LEGO license?

Alan: Sure. We have a tour, but we're bringing in cut scenes for the first time; we've got a whole bunch of LEGO cut-scenes. I'm sure everyone's familiar with the awesome LEGO cut-scenes from their other games. We have a sort of rags-to-riches rock n' roll story.

One of the great things that we can do with LEGO into Rock Band is... Rock Band is a pretty gritty rock asthetic, but with LEGO, you're going to be playing an underwater cavern, you going to be playing in a volcano; you're going to be playing on the moon when you get enough LEGO studs to buy your space rocket.

AG: Right, so I guess there's a lot of the other LEGO games elements thrown in there as well, like collecting studs as you say, what else beyond that is there?

Alan: You're going to have your own hub, which is customisable, that you can deck out with your own gear and your guys are going to be running around like the other games - a little bit simplier because you have to play it with a guitar controller [laughs]. As well as that, your mini-figs (your characters) are going to be incredibly customisable, bringing in that LEGO element again. So when you're playing you're going to have a whole bunch of different options, but there's going to be more options as you play through, you'll unlock new things.

A great example is, we have what are called rock-power challenges. You're going to be playing on a pirate ship trying to defeat a giant octopus and if you do that, you'll unlock things like pirate costumes for your guys to wear.




AG: Alright, so it's a more accessible customisable kind of version of Rock Band. Can you tell us some of the songs that are on there? I mean, we're listening to a very terrible version of The Final Countdown in the background [laughs].

Alan: Yeah it's a really terrible version [laughs]. So some of the songs are: Final Countdown like you said, we've got Kung Fu Fighting, Vampire Weekend by A-Punk and Jackson 5's I Want You Back, so it's a pretty eclectic mix of some stuff that kids will recognise, some stuff that the parents will be all about and obviously all the songs are going to be suitable lyrically and thematically for everybody in the family.

AG: So when can we expect the game out?

Alan: Holiday this year, 2009

AG: Ok, awesome. Thanks very much Alan.