By Duane / 2009-09-29 06:40:02We've been here before haven't we? Band exclusive disc packs for a rhythm action game, in the form of Guitar Hero Aerosmith and Guitar Hero Metalica, not to mention the upcoming Guitar Hero Van Halen. But the difference here is hinted at in the title, this is The Beatles first, Rock Band second, and that shows in every aspect of the game, but most certainly doesn't detract from the game itself. By now I think we're all aware of the Rock Band/Guitar Hero template, play along to tracks in the game using coloured buttons on plastic replica's of instruments, but what makes these games either a success or a failure is the way in which the on screen markers are mapped to the game, and Harmonix are the best there is at this, The Beatles: Rock Band is no different, its very close to what you're hearing as you're playing with even little mistakes that are on the songs themselves put into the note charts.
However, its the care and attention in the games presentation that makes The Beatles: Rock Band such a gem, the remaining members of the band, plus the deceased members families have all played a huge part in making sure everything is correct and as it were, and never is this more obvious than in the Apple Corp rooftop performance, with attention even paid to how windy it was on the day and thus reflected in how the band members hair and clothing moves with the wind. Progression through the game is different to what we've come to expect with Rock Band, instead of playing a group of songs to gain fans and further your career on a tour around the world, you progress through The Beatles back catalogue in the same order that the band themselves developed their sound in, right from the days of the Cavern Club in Liverpool, through their final Live performances in the US and ultimately to Abbey Road and finally the aforementioned Apple Corp building. By doing this Harmonix have provided the player with a unique insight into how the sound of the band was developed, which is emphasised by tapes from the recording sessions being played over the loading screens, highlighting the creative process at Abbey Road or the interaction between the band and their fans during live performances.
The game does have a slightly split personality, but that is the nature of the The Beatles themselves. Due to their decision to quit touring you are eventually forced into the Abbey Road studio and to prevent boredom in the location for the second half of the game, Harmonix have introduced what they have called "Dreamscapes", which are essentially visual interpretations of either what the song is about or the mood of the song that plays out during key moments of the song before returning back to the studio. This gave the developer a really big chance to impose their own personality on the product, their own relationship with the sound of The Beatles if you will, and it really gives you the impression that Harmonix genuinely enjoyed what they were doing and were well and truly honoured to be involved in such a project.
As someone who knew The Beatles work but wasn't an obsessive or had listened to all of their albums and researched their history, The Beatles: Rock Band was still highly enjoyable, even if the music itself wasn't as challenging as other Rock Band products, it encouraged me to take more of an interest in a band that had a huge hand in shaping the way music is produced to and the way we listen to it. But if you're not a fan of the band, this product will obviously be lost on you and isn't really worth picking up for the highscore nature these games emit as its less about that and more about enjoying The Beatles and marketing the band to a new generation. But as a Beatles game, it couldn't get any better.
However, its the care and attention in the games presentation that makes The Beatles: Rock Band such a gem, the remaining members of the band, plus the deceased members families have all played a huge part in making sure everything is correct and as it were, and never is this more obvious than in the Apple Corp rooftop performance, with attention even paid to how windy it was on the day and thus reflected in how the band members hair and clothing moves with the wind. Progression through the game is different to what we've come to expect with Rock Band, instead of playing a group of songs to gain fans and further your career on a tour around the world, you progress through The Beatles back catalogue in the same order that the band themselves developed their sound in, right from the days of the Cavern Club in Liverpool, through their final Live performances in the US and ultimately to Abbey Road and finally the aforementioned Apple Corp building. By doing this Harmonix have provided the player with a unique insight into how the sound of the band was developed, which is emphasised by tapes from the recording sessions being played over the loading screens, highlighting the creative process at Abbey Road or the interaction between the band and their fans during live performances.
The game does have a slightly split personality, but that is the nature of the The Beatles themselves. Due to their decision to quit touring you are eventually forced into the Abbey Road studio and to prevent boredom in the location for the second half of the game, Harmonix have introduced what they have called "Dreamscapes", which are essentially visual interpretations of either what the song is about or the mood of the song that plays out during key moments of the song before returning back to the studio. This gave the developer a really big chance to impose their own personality on the product, their own relationship with the sound of The Beatles if you will, and it really gives you the impression that Harmonix genuinely enjoyed what they were doing and were well and truly honoured to be involved in such a project.
As someone who knew The Beatles work but wasn't an obsessive or had listened to all of their albums and researched their history, The Beatles: Rock Band was still highly enjoyable, even if the music itself wasn't as challenging as other Rock Band products, it encouraged me to take more of an interest in a band that had a huge hand in shaping the way music is produced to and the way we listen to it. But if you're not a fan of the band, this product will obviously be lost on you and isn't really worth picking up for the highscore nature these games emit as its less about that and more about enjoying The Beatles and marketing the band to a new generation. But as a Beatles game, it couldn't get any better.
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