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| Game Details | Released
09 September 2009 | | Format
Xbox 360, Wii, PS3 | | Developer
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Beatles Rock Band
 Review
In case you hadn’t noticed, Beatlemania is back. It’s been 40 years since the legendary band’s last live performance, and to commemorate the anniversary all their albums have been re-released in remastered form. But even more excitingly — for console-heads anyway — is this videogame, created by Harmonix and MTV Games, with full co-operation from Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and George Harrison’s widow Olivia (the idea for the game came from George’s son Dhani).
If you’ve played one of the Rock Band games before, you’ll know the score. Strap on a plastic guitar (in this case the customised instruments include a replica of McCartney’s signature Hofner bass, authentic right down to the wood grain), sit down at the drum kit or just sidle up to the mic stand, select one of the Fab Four’s classics (or if you’re //really// confident, demonic rocker Helter Skelter) and try to keep up with the procession of notes on screen. For the first time in Rock Band history, this game involves harmonies, which provides an extra challenge – Team Empire’s efforts to croon soulfully together at first sounded like a screaming baby trying to open a creaky door.
Obviously the music itself’s not too shabby, but what boosts this to must-get status is the loving attention to detail. You can select from six iconic venues from the Beatles’ career, from the Cavern Club in Liverpool where they cut their teeth to the rooftop of Apple Corp where they played their farewell gig, but can only perform the actual songs that they played at each one. For the Abbey Road studio years, a format called “Dreamscapes” unleashes stunning and ever-more trippy visuals that match the lyrics as the band journey into their psychedelic phase. And the Beatles themselves, though rendered in cartoonish form, capture the essense of each of the legends. A lot of work’s clearly gone into it — according to Harmonix, they had to follow a series of intricate directions from Yoko Ono just to get Lennon’s hair right.
It’s hard to imagine anyone who wouldn’t get a kick out of this. If you can’t stand the Beatles full-stop, you’ll have issues, but their music takes in such a wide range of styles and influences — not to mention the Ringo and George songs studded in with the Paul and John ones — that there can’t be many in that bracket. And the gameplay is, frankly, horrendously addictive. Sadly, groupies, mind-altering narcotics and Maharishi not included, but otherwise it’s a near-perfect gaming experience. Just say yeah, yeah, yeah.
Reviewer: Nick de Semlyen
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Average user rating for Beatles Rock Band
| | | gear! ... Read More
| | | borstal About me | | 13:13, 18 November 2009 | Report This Post | |
| | | | | | that was meant to be 5 stars.... ... Read More
| | | Meve About me | | 12:11, 17 November 2009 | Report This Post | |
| | | | Beautiful | | | Beyond the fact that this is flippin fun, love of The Beatles shines through (stunning opening animation...literally stunning)
Massive, epic win. perfect to celebrate/reignite your Beatles love. ... Read More
| | | Meve About me | | 12:10, 17 November 2009 | Report This Post | |
| | | | RE: Beatles Rock Band | | If you have to buy something for Christmas that the whole family will enjoy, then buy this. Rock on! (wow that was gay...)
... Read More
| | | robwillphill About me | | 21:27, 04 November 2009 | Report This Post | |
| | | | Nuggets | | | Ignore the plebs above. This is a fantastic game and a fitting tribute to the Beatles. The attention to detail is staggering and should be applauded. Definate five stars. ... Read More
| | | HIM About me | | 17:51, 17 October 2009 | Report This Post | |
| | | | Nuggets | | | Ignore the plebs above. This is a fantastic game and a fitting tribute to the Beatles. The attention to detail is staggering and should be applauded. Definate five stars. ... Read More
| | | HIM About me | | 17:51, 17 October 2009 | Report This Post | |
| | | | Sigh | | | I'm more reviewing this review than the game, but what the fuck does empires games reviewer know about games? The Beatles rock band, the games thats getting so so/quite good reviews everywhere else in established game mags and on established game sites, gets a solid 5/5 from Empire, but Arkham Asylum gets 4/5? Seriously? and Star Wars Force Unleashed was fun, but no-where near perfect, and it gets top marks on here. You don't know anything about videogames, stick to nothing, I used to take your ... Read More
| | | RandyChimp About me | | 23:22, 21 September 2009 | Report This Post | |
| | | | If you even remotely like The Beatles | | | Buy this. ... Read More
| | | Bliff About me | | 14:32, 17 September 2009 | Report This Post | |
| | | | Guitar Hero's gonna get ya' | | | The worlds biggest Guitar Hero rip off gets another installment.Looking forward to Guitar Hero 5 not looking forward to this ... Read More
| | | S1lent B0b About me | | 19:32, 16 September 2009 | Report This Post | |
| | | | Yay | | | just balancing out the dumb review from the tw@ below, Empire have reviewed games for years! ... Read More
| | | BestestFwend About me | | 01:29, 14 September 2009 | Report This Post | |
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