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Audio:		10.0
Visual:		10.0
Gameplay:		9.0
Story:		10.0
Replay:		9.0
Score:		10.0

Platform:	X360
Developer(s):	Harmonix
Publisher(s):	Electronic Arts
Genre:	Family
Players:	4
Website:	http://www.thebeatlesrockband.com/
Release Date:	September 09, 2009
Rating:

I can remember watching videos in school about the 60’s, where Beatlemania was briefly mentioned. The images of screaming girls chasing around a couple of guys with bad haircuts was pretty hilarious. However I never understood the magnitude of their music til I was older. The every first full song of the legendary British band I had ever listened to was "Let It Be." I remember hating it at first, because it got stuck in my head for days, but eventually it grew on me. For about a year, I dug through my parents music collection and experienced the Beatles for myself. While I was on the bus acting like I was nodding my head to Puff Daddy and the Bad Boy Family, I was zoning out to Hey Jude and pretending that I was the Walrus. This was my first experience with the Beatles.

The Beatles: Rock Band would be my second.

There is something to be said about band specific games in the past. They always seem rushed, or sub par quality when compared to the home base games. Metallica and Areosmith were fairly good on the music, but offered nothing in the way of innovation. In essence, it was Guitar Hero with on band headlining. Beatles: Rock Band is anything but just another Rock Band game.

First and foremost, anybody who isn’t a Beatles fan, or has no ambition to become one need not bother. The game only boasts 45 tracks, and every single one of them is from The Beatles. Unlike the original Rock Band games, each song is only played once in the stories progression, helping give you a view of the evolution of the band. There are no customization options, as the game feeds you the reality of the band. The Fab Four’s appearance will change depending on the look they were sporting when the song was made, or during the specific performance. This was a nice touch, because it adds an authentic feel to the game. Also shooting for awesome realism is the realistic option, which better playing sends the crowds in such frenzy, that it’s almost hard to hear the music you're playing. Just like it was for the band.

The heart of the game lies in the Story Mode, where you follow The Beatles from simple boy band beginnings in venues like the Cavern Club and the Ed Sullivan Show. By the time you get to Shea Stadium, you really get the Beatlemania feel. The crowds’ reactions are all too real, with screaming girls losing their respective minds, and a few times even overwhelming the police officers protecting the band.

Halfway through the game, the band gives up touring, and begins recording in Abbey Road Studios, where the game begins making is lasting mark. Instead of just showing the band recording the song, the game burst into psychedelic dreamscapes, each one unique to the song. On even the most non-HD TV (like mine) every dreamscape is a blast of vibrant colors and limitless possibilities. Story mode ends with historic concert played on the rooftop of Apple Corps, a somber but perfect way to end the game.

There are plenty of extra goodies to unlock, like photographs and 6 short videos. The game does add a bit of replay value to the Story mode, with a Challenge mode. Challenge mode gives you a chance to unlock more photographs, by having you complete the entire set of songs played at the particular venue, gaining 5 stars on each one. However the game doesn’t make a move to keep the photos from those who don’t play on the harder modes, as challenge mode can be completed on the difficulty of your choice. However I think that true fans of music games won’t just slap the game on easy to complete it. The Beatles deserve a little more credit than that. Besides, the game isn’t about songs that are impossible to play. The game never really gets up to the frustrating levels that Rock Band and Guitar Hero are known for.

The gameplay does stay pretty much true to the Rock Band style, barring the new three-part harmony feature. It lets you grab up to three microphones and triple team the lyrics. However is seems a bit underdeveloped, as it doesn’t really assign who is singing what. Luckily, the harmonies are only for bonus points, so screwing them up won’t hurt your score. Also new to the gameplay is the Beatles Beats mode found in training. It features drum training on 80 of Ringo Starrs’ classic rhythms, but they must be completed in expert mode. Meaning it’s pretty useless unless you’re awesome at the drums already.

The Beatles: Rock Band is by far the standout when it comes to band specific games, but we already knew it was going to be like that. What makes it a great game is the feel it gives off, immersing you into the band, and giving an all too brief glimpse into the story of one of the greatest bands of all time.