Band Master brings out the rock star in you

Inside every music-loving Pinoy is a rock star dying to come out. It doesn't take much for a wannabe to release the pent-up music energy inside: strum an invisible guitar, play a few chords on an imaginary piano, or use a pair of chopsticks on the drums. But not every Pinoy can rise as a rock god or a rock goddess. Thank God, there's Band Master. Band Master is the latest online music game that lets you unleash the rock star in you. All you need is a few hours to spare and a trusty PC that has at least 512 MB of RAM so it won’t go bust when you start to bust some moves. A caveat though, the game is highly addictive. With many game options and modes to choose from, Band Master can keep you busy for hours! You don't have to be a musical genius to get the game. Even tone-deaf players can play! Finger dexterity, a fair amount of imagination and a whole lot of passion for music are all it takes to win the game. Band Master lets you unleash your inner rock star. That means no need for chopsticks to rock! To play, you have to build your cool rock star image. Character creation lets you pick the gender, hair color, and facial features of your rock star alter ego. Female characters get to choose from a variety of fun and flirty outfits, while male characters have four cropped pants. (Maybe rock stars don’t wear long pants, eh?) Of course, don’t forget to enter your rocker nickname!

Once your character is set, you can start warming up by playing in the Practice game mode. There are six musical instruments – drums, guitar, bass, synthesizer, brass, and piano. Choose an instrument and practice solo ahead of other game modes. Band Master provides an interesting array of song selections from classic rockers like Bon Jovi and Ozzy Osbourne to surprise finds like that of the Japanese band L`Arc-en-Ciel, pop group Black Eyed Peas, and R&B legend Stevie Wonder. Unlike other similar music video games, the songs in this beta version of Band Master does not play automatically, so don’t forget to hit “play" when you’re ready to jam. After your warm up session in Practice mode, choose from two other game modes that put your skills to test. The SOS mode lets you play your chosen instrument with other players. Should you make many mistakes, your character would "retire" while the other band members play extra well to revive you. It's also your job to play well to revive other band members who fall behind in the session. Try to finish the song with your band mates intact! The Concert mode lets you play with two other band mates. You get to pick all the instruments for the band, and the object is to finish the song while maintaining harmony. Choose your instruments well, making sure the output sounds great when played together. The game lets you play against other Band Master players online. Choose between the Individual Versus and the Group Versus modes to challenge other rock star wannabes. Play well for the high scorer wins. For a little twist, the Shutter Battle mode allows you to play one up against other players by attacking with notes invisible to your opponents. No guide means no melody, and soon you'll be playing in tune while your opponent goes out of tune. Unlike other similar music video games, Band Master gives the player full control of the game. The game screen offers controls that allow the player to pause and scroll through the song, so you don't have to leave your game running if you need a quick bathroom break! My verdict: Online games company IP E-Games, maker of Dragonica and Cabal Online, does it again, crafting an online game that lets players interact with a community of avid gamers. Band Master is also a product of X-Play, YD Online, Dyson Interactive, Pier and GMA-New Media Inc. —VS, GMANews.TV