The Fab Four are back once again, this time on your game console of choice.  Harmonix and the Rock Band franchise have staged a coup in landing the world’s biggest band for their latest effort The Beatles: Rockband.  Very quickly it becomes obvious that much more care and attention went into this game than the Guitar Hero counterparts Metallica and Aerosmith.  From the opening sequence to never before heard studio outtakes and personal photographs, The Beatles:  Rockband is the new standard for a one-band game.

The Beatles plays out a bit differently than previous Rockbands.  You start out early in their career, playing the Cavern Club.  You’ll continue by globetrotting and play the biggest shows of their career.  The look of the band members changes with each era of the band.  If you select “realistic” in the options menu, you can struggle to hear your bandmates over the screams of teenage girls in Shea Stadium. 

Later in their career, the Beatles spent most of their time together in the studio rather than touring.  When you reach this point, you begin the song in the studio and are then melted away into a dreamscape that feels like a genuine acid trip.  The songs become an experience, and this is what sets the game apart from all other music games before it. 

The Beatles weren’t known for their technical prowess on their instruments.  Sure they can tear it up from time to time, but most of their songs are less difficult than what the veteran Rockband/Guitar Hero player is used to.  I think it’s important to note that this game is more about experiencing the Beatles than it is about difficulty level.  Harmonix did the right thing by keeping the button mapping true to the songs instead of adding difficulty, which Guitar Hero is guilty of.  Don’t get me wrong though; there are plenty of challenges to be had, especially on vocals.

New to this version of Rockband are three-part vocal harmonies.  The Beatles have more harmonies than the average fan might realize, and it plays out well in the game.  Mastering the vocals will be the biggest challenge for most players, Luckily also new to this version is a no-fail easy mode.  This makes the game more accessible to people who would normally pass on music games.  Parents and maybe even a few grandparents can jump right into easy mode. 

The Beatles: Rockband is a must have for any fan of the Fab Four.  If you can’t stand their music, you have 45 ways to suffer.  For non-fans, let me point out that my best friend hates them but was impressed with the game.  It is more than a music game, it is as close as you can get to being a Beatle. 

The Beatles: Rockband is rated “T” for Teen by the ESRB for mild lyrics and a tobacco reference.  The Beatles: Rockband is available for Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and Nintendo Wii.

Kevin “Mello Joe” Mercer is a former radio personality and a lifelong gamer. You can find him on Xbox Live and Playstation Network, Gamertag: Mellojoe. View the world as he sees it at www.youtube.com/user/mellojoe. www.myspace.com/charlesk