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Video game review: 'The Beatles: Rock Band'
A Beatles video game hits the market alongside remastered CDs. Is it Revolution No. 9/9/09?
MTV Games
In "The Beatles: Rock Band," the Fab Four perform in their most memorable concert settings, such as the Ed Sullivan Theater.
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Published: September 8, 2009
When MTV and Apple Corps announced last October that they were developing a Beatles video game, all parties involved went out of their way to specify that the finished product would not be a "Rock Band" game. Without sharing specifics, they insisted it would be something new, something revolutionary — something befitting the legacy of arguably the most groundbreaking group in rock 'n' roll history.
Roughly a year later we get "The Beatles: Rock Band." Such is the rubric of the pop culture hype machine.
The game, which hits retailers' shelves Wednesday in conjunction with remastered versions of the Fab Four's entire discography, has received near-universal acclaim in early reviews. Leading game-enthusiast Web sites IGN and GameDaily both gave it a score of 9 out of 10. No less an authority than The New York Times dubbed it a "cultural watershed," contending that "it may be the most important video game yet made."
If you sift through the hyperbole, though, it's hard to ignore the bottom line. For better or worse, "The Beatles: Rock Band" is just that: "Rock Band" with Beatles songs.
If you're unfamiliar with "Rock Band," it's fairly simple. Color-coded "notes" move across the screen, and players use plastic replica guitars and drums to play along. It's an interactive musical experience, and the visceral thrill it provides is a lot more fun than it probably sounds on paper. To wit, the franchise surpassed $1 billion in sales earlier this year.
(And if you're unfamiliar with The Beatles, you might want to do further research before invading our planet.)
Ostensibly, what's potentially game-changing about this iteration of "Rock Band" is its perceived intergenerational appeal. A popular line of thinking involves the cultural resonance of The Beatles' music collaring Baby Boomers and pulling them lovingly into the gaming fold at long last. As with most popular lines of thinking, this is likely rubbish. First, the premise that only "kids" play video games was specious long before the Nintendo Wii became a hit in retirement homes. Second, it's a patently absurd notion that a sexagenarian who has successfully resisted video games for 30 years will suddenly relent simply because, hey, it's The Beatles!
That being said, "The Beatles: Rock Band" offers a rich, rewarding — and most importantly, fun — experience to anyone who's open to video games and loves music.
The music
Out of the box, the game includes 45 songs spanning The Beatles' legendary career. Because each instrument must be tracked individually for the game, these versions aren't exactly the same as those being released Wednesday on remastered compact discs.
The chronology of the game's so-called "story" mode (its almost non-existent narrative only makes sense if you already know all about the band — but then again, who doesn't?) follows their evolution from the wisecracking moptops of early Beatlemania to trend-setting visionaries of the psychedelic movement.
"The Beatles: Rock Band" features the band's most memorable concert settings, while gamers jam along on controllers modeled after the lads' signature instruments, including Paul McCartney's Höfner violin bass, John Lennon's Rickenbacker, George Harrison's Gretsch Duo Jet and Ringo Starr's pearl Ludwig drum kit.
At Liverpool's Cavern Club, you'll play along with early R&B-influenced favorites, such as "I Saw Her Standing There" and "Twist and Shout." Moving on to the "Ed Sullivan Show," you'll tackle "A Hard Day's Night" and "Can't Buy Me Love."
Shea Stadium and Budokan usher in the middle-period albums (i.e. "Rubber Soul," "Revolver"), when the band had matured as songwriters and started experimenting with the pop idiom, but hadn't yet driven off a cliff in a day-glo paisley bus. Songs there include "I'm Looking Through You" and "Taxman."
A series of Abbey Road levels feature songs from the "studio years," running the gamut from rambunctious rock ("Back in the U.S.S.R.") to sentimental ballads ("Something") to seminal psychedelia ("I Am the Walrus").
The game culminates — as did the band's career — on the rooftop of Apple Records with a set of mostly "Let It Be" tracks, plus "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" from "Abbey Road."
Visually, the game paints with the stylistic palette of The Beatles' familiar aesthetic. Earlier levels reflect the sharp mod style of the burgeoning group, while later levels indulge in the technicolor excess and surreal imagery of the second half of the '60s. Unlockable archival footage from the '60s adds to the bounty of eye candy.
The gameplay
While the gameplay will be pick-up-and-play familiar to anyone who's ever played a "Rock Band" title before, there are twists worth mentioning.
If there's one thing we've learned from previous "Rock Band" games, it's that the quality of the music can greatly influence the enjoyment you get from playing it. The single greatest commodity this version has to offer is a near-flawless playlist of lively and often brilliantly sophisticated musical tracks.
"Rock Band" veterans may be surprised to find that playing bass on these songs is as much fun as playing guitar. McCartney's lines don't just plod along — they manage to be dynamic and playful while still retaining a sense of economy and serving the song. Try playing bass on "Taxman" (we recommend the "hard" difficulty setting) and you'll have a new appreciation for the song, the musician and the instrument itself.
Likewise, take a shot at bashing the drums on "Helter Skelter" and you might end up screaming like Ringo: "I've got blisters on me fingers!"
Other highlights include the irresistible guitar riff from "Day Tripper," the shifting tempos of "I Want You (She's So Heavy)," and the guitar solo on "And Your Bird Can Sing."
The most Beatlesque enhancement to gameplay, however, is the addition of three-part harmonies. While it's a cool feature that allows you to play with up to six players, it seems likely to go largely unused. Mainly because, you know, who has three microphones? But also because singing vocal harmonies is no easy task even for pros.
The bottom line
OK, so maybe The Beatles' video game isn't revolutionary. Maybe the hype was just that — a manipulative marketing ploy riding the crest of a high and beautiful wave that has finally crashed and rolled back.
So what? While I have the temerity to question the expertise of The New York Times, I also have the integrity to acknowledge that "The Beatles: Rock Band" achieves exactly what every video game should strive to: It's fun to play.
Is that enough to justify a list price that runs anywhere from $59.99 to $249.99 (depending on accessories)? That's up to you.
It's worth bearing in mind that an upcoming bevy of downloadable songs — potentially the band's entire catalog (although it's hard to imagine anyone shelling out $1.99 for "You Know My Name" or "Wild Honey Pie") will add both replay value and cost.
You can save a bundle by playing this game with your old "Rock Band" (and most "Guitar Hero") instruments if you already own them. The game disc alone will cost you $59.99 and controllers based on Harrison's and John Lennon's guitars run $99.99 each. But to get Sir Paul's bass and Ringo Starr's pearl Ludwig drum kit, you'll have to shell out for the Limited Edition Premium Bundle, which includes the game, bass, drum and a mic with stand for $249.99.
Rommie Johnson can be reached at (813) 259-7426.
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