The Beatles: Rock Band Review

Some of my most cherished memories of my father and I involve music. I can remember Saturday mornings vividly; the local classic rock radio station always featured The Beatles, and my father and I would turn off the TV and just listen. Sometimes, he would tell me about his childhood, or he would tell me the social or political significance of a particular song or artist. Saturday mornings always seemed to be about The Beatles, my dad, and me.

I am grown now, and my son is at the age that he is becoming passionate about music and spending time with me. Interestingly, last Saturday, it was all about The Beatles, my son, and me. This time I am not listening to a classic rock station, but rather my son and I are jamming out on The Beatles: Rock Band, and we are loving it. The times and technology certainly have changed in the last 30 years, but the relationship between great music and a great relationship is apparently a constant. The funny thing is, this Christmas when my family gets together, I bet there will be three generations of Matiers jamming out to what is arguably the best Rock Band title to date.

The Beatles: Rock Band

Rock Band Beatles features one of the most influential and historically significant bands of all time. The Beatles Rock Band are a perfect combination because the Rock Band game series, by Harmonix, has revolutionized the gaming industry much like The Beatles revolutionized music. Featuring a richly mastered track of music and a staggeringly beautiful set of visuals, The Beatles: Rock Band is the most fun I have had playing a game in a long time. The game is available with limited edition instruments and the game disk only version. While the limited edition is nice, it costs $249. The game only version is only $59. If you already have Rock Band instruments, the limited edition is hard to justify.

Sold as a "Tribute Experience", the Rock Band game has 45 tracks all performed by The Beatles. All of my favorite songs are there including "Dear Prudence", "Paperback Writer," and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". There are some omitted songs that I wish were in the game, including "Help!" and "Let it Be", but these will be made available as downloadable content later. Overall, the music is mastered well, and is very well suited for the music playing genre of game. Because it is a band-specific tribute, some hard core Rock Band Gamers might be turned off by the casual approach to the series and some of the missing features. As you play, you don't unlock costume pieces and prizes, and you can't make your own character. Instead, the "unlockables" come in the form of historical archives, pictures, and video of the band. The Beatles: Rock Band is less about Rock Band, and more about enjoying and sharing the music of an great band.

The game features support for a lead guitar, bass guitar, drums, and three part vocals. The addition of multiple vocal tracks is a good choice; afterall, you are playing as John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. When you are playing as "The Fab Four" you have got to sound like them. Playing the various instruments comes very quickly. In fact, the game seems much easier to other Guitar Hero or Rock Band games I have played in the past. I have to admit, I am not the most talented Rock Band player, so I was pleased by the fact that the difficulty is low.

Quick Notes and Observations:

• The game works well with my Guitar Hero Aerosmith Guitar and World Tour Drums, so instrument support is like other current Harmonix games.
• The game does not work with previously purchased Rock Band tracks. This game is "Beatles only".
• The game is easier than most other music genre games.
• The opening cinematic is probably the most amazing set of visuals I have seen in any game. It is a wonderfully accurate and concise history of The Beatles.
• General gameplay should have been more like the opening cinematic.
• Downloadable content is needed quickly to fill the gaps in the song catalog.
• The limited edition instruments are very nice, and after playing with my Aerosmith guitar, I think maybe I should have bought the complete set.

I will never forget Saturday mornings with my dad and The Beatles, and I am loving my new memories that I am making with my son. The format is different, and the experience is altogether new, but it is none-the-less worth it. The Beatles: Rock Band is an outstanding tribute project, and will not disappoint Beatles fans or Rock Band enthusiasts.