Reviewed by David Farrier
I got goose-bumps right from the opening credits, where the camera sweeps down into The Cavern – the famous Liverpool Club where the Beatles really staring to pick up a fan base. I visited the club in February and can assure you this game captures the magic – and then some.
The pre-hype behind The Beatles: Rock Band was massive – some touting it to be “the most important videogame ever made”, a game that would usher in a whole new generation of Beatles fans, and make older fans reconnect with John, Paul, George and Ringo like never before. Coupled with the release of the band’s re-mastered albums (and special editions… and mini documentaries…), you could say the hype for the game – and a kind of Beatles comeback - was big.
And by all accounts, this game lives up to the hype. It’s the third in the Rock Band series, which is a bit odd as we still haven’t got Rock Band 2 in New Zealand yet. This game’s completely focused on The Beatles (probably an obvious point…): 45 songs, with plenty of extra downloaded songs and – get this – full albums available. Abbey Road anyone?
The instruments, although similar to what you’re used to in previous RB games, have been redesigned to mimic The Beatles’ actual instruments. They’re only aesthetic changes, so your brain won’t panic. Up to 6 players can take part – with guitar, bass, drum kit and 3 microphones. That’s right – you can harmonise. And don’t worry, there’s training tool for this because it’s bloody hard! The attention to detail is pretty high, and mics even come with a pretty slick mic stand. Old Rock Band controllers are compatible with game, and vice versa – so if you’re starting out with this franchise, you can play other Rock Band software with the hardware in your pack. Guitar Hero controllers are also compatible.
The gameplay is fairly typical for Rock Band, with a story mode to take you through the bands catalogue. If you score well along the way you can unlock various bits of video that really do make you feel like part of the Beatles world. Of course you can play co-operatively, or face off with your mates in two other modes.
The thing that makes this game really soar – apart from the amazing track listing – are the graphics. The band animations are like something that would come out of Pixar – both elaborate and tasteful. And you’ve gotta be tasteful when you’re dealing with a band that aren’t still all with us. There are some trippy visualisations that go as well – it’s not all just The Beatles rocking out on stage. Somehow it all melds into the most visually pleasing “music game” to date.
Why has it worked so well? Maybe because Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were involved all the way through – not to mention other key players in The Beatles’ history. It’s clearly been treated with respect, much like Guitar Hero: Metallica (although here, there’s much more of the bands work available through download) so that playing through the game you really get a feeling of what an amazing and uplifting group this was. Somehow it helps you appreciate the songs they wrote even more, some of them surprisingly complex.
The only downside here really is if you’re not a Beatles fan. Many gamers come to this franchise to play songs they want, whether it’s a Pixies track or something by Muse or Nine Inch Nails. Playing this game is a whole different experience to playing, say, Guitar Hero: Metallica. So while this game is pretty near perfect, it won’t be perfect for you if you prefer rocking out to 'Enter Sandman' - which is the case for me.
With that said, if you haven’t gotten a Rock Band or Guitar Hero game yet, and if you've ever been a fan of The Beatles at all, go with this one. You won’t be disappointed, as it’s the slickest music game to date.
The Beatles: Rock Band
:: Publisher: Electronic Arts
:: Developer: Harmonix
:: Format: PlayStation 3
:: Rating: PG