The music game genre is no stranger to band and artist spin-offs. Over the last few years, we've been subjected to cash-ins based on the likes of AC/DC, Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen to name a few, but nothing on the level of Harmonix's effort in bringing The Beatles to the plastic instrument-having interactive realm.
When the game was first announced late last year, Harmonix, MTV and Apple Corps. described the undertaking as something that would be a "celebration of the Beatles undeniable legacy," and an "unprecedented" music game project. As it turned out, it ended up being a one-off installment of the already-established Rock Band franchise. But is The Beatles: Rock Band just that: simply a custom-tailored Rock Band spin-off, or something more?
Hit the jump for our review...
The Beatles: Rock Band can best be summed up, in my opinion, as an interactive musical road trip. Let's put the actual "game" on the backburner for just a moment. As you progress through the Story, netting five Gold stars on tracks, and completing venues and challenges, you will unlock a treasure trove of Beatles-related content that provides, essentially, a bonus on-disc documentary into the band's career. Behind-the-scenes photos, video clips of the Fab Four in America, bonus audio from their Abbey Road studio sessions; the majority of this material has never been released, and now Apple Corps has seen fit to unleash it upon the world. I found myself after completing the game taking hours to sit and wade through the available media, learning things about the band the songs that I didn't know before. To say it was an eye-opening experience is an understatement; it's truly a reintroduction and reappreciation for a time in music that I probably would not have received had this game not come along.
As an actual music title, the base foundation of The Beatles isn't groundbreaking; in fact at its heart it is Rock Band 2.5, but with an extra layer of polish and love that just wasn't felt in the series last major installment. Rather than creating your own wannabe rocker destined for mediocre glory, you head into the experience as a Beatle, and play the pre-determined 45-song storyline that's already laid out for you. During Story mode, which can be played alone as any of the band members, or online (or even split-screen) with friends, you'll transition from famous venues such as The Cavern Club, to the Ed Sullivan Theater, Shea Stadium, Abbey Road Studios and even the Budokan, all the way to the group's final rooftop session at Apple Corps.
More than anything, you'll be surprised to encounter the new three-part harmonies system for vocals, and the general sense that you're actually playing as a group, instead of "a bunch of people crammed on stage playing together", like in the past. As you jam with your comrades, racking up points and creating smooth melodies without error, you'll activate unison bonuses and groove streaks, which lead into the game's new Beatlemania (aka: star power) system that sends the crowd of thousands of teenage girls into an uproar. The formula is familiar, and if you picked up a title that is compatible with a plastic instrument in recent memory, you won't be shocked. But it is nice to see the little touches that make The Beatles' first foray into gaming seem different (even if it really isn't). It's all about immersion this time around.
As with past Rock Bands, there are generous and lengthy training modes (all-new "Beatle Beats" has you learning drum tricks from Ringo Starr, while you can also train your vocals to work with others', and your guitar/bass skills), a Quickplay option (also online enabled, and outfitted with Tug of War and score dueling options), and for the first time in the series' history all of the available tracks are unlocked from the get-go. Chapter Challenges are a new addition that pop-up after you complete each venue, and tasks you with playing all the songs from that previous arena back-to-back, without stopping. And for the newbie players out there (or those of you who wish to belt out your best "Yellow Submarine" after a night at the bar), there's a spiffy new No-Fail option that can be enabled with the click of the "back" button at the main menu; this is also turned on by default if you're playing on Easy difficulty. Helpful.
In terms of the hardware, which any good peripheral game is known for, you have a doozy of a setup. Yes, The Beatles: Rock Band works with almost every guitar and drum kit on the market, but if you want to complete the experience, you're going to get the $250 bundle. In it, you'll find a Höfner Bass, a Ludwig-branded Rock Band 2 drum kit (with kick head), Microphone and Microphone Stand. They perform as expected. You have the same easy, wireless calibration options and solid fret button/strum bars for the axes, and while it may be the same RB2 drum kit, the heads feel more responsive than ever. Maybe I was just too possessed by the power of Ringo Starr, though. Each of these instruments is also available as a standalone item, too, in case you're going in on the cheap but still want an authentic plastic replica of your weapon of choice. One last bullet point worth mentioning is that since a large part of the gameplay experience this time around is placed on singing -- much more than ever before due to the three-part harmonies -- it's nice that wireless microphones are able to be utilized, in order to cut down on clutter in the game room. Unfortunately, as of review time the microphones were were most anxious to try out, the official Xbox 360 wireless mics, were not compatible. A patch to unlock their potential is promised near launch.
Pros
Immersion: The Beatles: Rock Band would score handfuls of points -- even if it was just a simple re-skin -- simply on the immersion factor. There's a great balance between making you feel like a Beatle and being transported back to a time when music was good when you're playing, and then being surrounded by a cornucopia of Beatles-era media. If the rock solid, super high quality audio tracks (thanks to the stereo remasters) don't get you, then the out-of-this-world, carefully constructed timeline montages that string the Story mode venues together will. When you reach the Abbey Road Studios era, the background visuals transform from the bland recording room, to wild, imaginative "dreamscapes" that really show off what The Beatles' tunes were about, and what they probably would have created if they'd had modern day music video technology while they were on "thought enhancers". And couple that with the bonus documentary materials and unearthed studio chatter - it's an experience that a mere CD could never deliver.
Detail: From the menus, to the character models' outfits and animations, to the venues themselves, it's obvious from the start that this game was agonized over. Many times. There's been time devoted to adjusting the crowd to the time periods, truly amazing art and graphic attention in the in-game note fields, as well as a completely overhauled song selection menu. And don't even et me started on those obscure, yet amazing dreamscape sequences - wow. Add to that the fact that the remaining Beatles, and their family members/spouses, helped in the design and approval of items as small as how the band's hair blows in the wind, really... does anything else need to be said? There's barely a shred of re-used Rock Band 2 assets; and if there is a lot, Harmonix has hidden them well.
Difficulty: Although the music tracks get progressively harder as you make your way through the chronological timeline (obviously), you'll also find that songs at the beginning of each venue are far easier than the ones which wrap it up. If you're having an off night and are struggling to make it through that last song, relax when you conquer it; the next locale will go easy on you for a while. In general, The Beatles: Rock Band is not as difficult as proper Rock Bands or Guitar Heroes, but it's really supposed to be.
Gameplay: It's the same, solid Rock Band relaxation you've become accustomed to - only improved. Pick a band member (which can swapped out at any time), and either hit your frets and hammer-ons, or make your drum solos and vocals segments shine. Harmonies, while extremely difficult to pull off perfectly (or even well) not only with people in the same room, but online, are a welcome addition, Hopefully they stick around.
Music: As if this needs explaining; where else are you going to be able to actually play the legendary music of The Beatles? Yes there may only be 45 songs on the disc, but they are the perfect 45. "I Saw Her Standing There," "Day Tripper," "Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band." The odds that you will come away from the set list disappointed are very slim - even more true if you're someone that doesn't or hasn't followed Beatles music. The selection was chosen perfectly, and downloadable albums will just maximize it. At this time, three full albums have been announced to hit the built-in Beatles music store: Abbey Road in October, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in November and Rubber Soul in December. Additionally, All You Need is Love will debut on release day.
Cons
Length: There's only 45 songs. If you're not somehow connected to the world of Xbox LIVE or PSN, this is going to be one short (but memorable) trip down musical memory lane. Hopefully Harmonix and MTV release the forthcoming full albums as retail disc expansions packs.
Achievements: I'm an Achievement addict; not so much with music games, though. Outside of the points you'll rack up during Story mode, the goals set forth are usually out of my comfort zone, and nothing has changed with The Beatles. But for a few select songs that I mastered, Hard and Extreme difficulty modes were something I strayed away from, and they happen to be where a large majority of the Achievements lie in unobtainable wait.
Cross-compatibility: The Beatles: Rock Band is a monster package, but a self-contained one. Don't expecting to export your songs to Rock Band or Rock Band 2, or vice versa. No dice; this game exists on its own playing field and doesn't play nice with its cousins. A slight bummer if you own all of the titles in the series, but it's a negligible complaint that can be looked past in the grand scheme of things.
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At the end of the day, The Beatles: Rock Band could have been exactly that: a Beatles-skinned Rock Band cash-in, but it's something more. It's a roller coaster ride through the career of music's greatest band, with enough extras and fan service piled on top to make even the most music game-opposed gamer take a peek. There's plenty of things that you will probably waste your money on this fall, but The Beatles: Rock Band isn't one of them. It's worth it.
The Beatles: Rock Band
Publisher: Electronic Arts/MTV Games
Developer: Harmonix Music Systems
Release date: September 9th
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