In the tray: The Beatles Rock Band

Welcome to a special blog from Rant, White and Blue! For the "In the tray" section of the blog, I will be offering an opinion of the video games I've been playing. In my opinion, there is no better way to kick off this special post than with the latest from the folks at EA and Harmonix: The Beatles Rock Band. This will just be my thoughts on the game; I won't be giving a rating or letter grade, as everyone has a different opinion in life.

First off, this game has been in the works for quite some time. The developers at Harmonix have worked hard to chronicle The Beatles from day one, even imploring the help of Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison. The end result is tremendous. The game follows the Fab Four's journey from Liverpool all the way to the rooftop of Apple Corps, utilizing 45 classics along the way. This is a nice break from most music games that have you playing and replaying songs that you don't like or care about to get through the game. The songs you play at The Ed Sullivan Show aren't the same as the ones you play at Shea Stadium, nor is the presentation of The Beatles. As they progress further through the years, their music changes from up-beat rock tunes to psychedelic ballads, slow, solemn R&B songs and records that spawned the birth of Classic Rock. However, the true masterstroke of the presentation takes place when you enter Abbey Road. Because the scenery changes from screaming girls getting tackled in Shea Stadium to a small, blandly colored studio, the developers added "Dreamscapes", which magically transport John, Paul, George, and Ringo to vibrant, eye-popping visuals that fit the mood of the song. For example, I am the Walrus has a very trippy, almost terrifying color scheme with the Fab Four dressed up in poorly made animal costumes. These are so well-done for every song that I actually missed having them come up when you reach the Apple Corps rooftop.

The same Rock Band gameplay returns for the game as well, with a few tweaks. Gone is World Tour, replaced by The Beatles story that spans for almost a decade. It took me a good while to get through the entire story, but there is so much replayability that if you really like the game you will be logging a lot of time on the game. Though I haven't tried it yet, harmonizing with three other people would be both difficult and fun. Another great thing about the game is that you really feel like you're on-stage with the Fab Four. I was playing Can't Buy Me Love and when I played a certain note at the refrain, I really got the feeling that I was jamming with the greatest band in the world, and that is an AWESOME feeling. Another feeling I got while playing the game was one that most music games avoid: lack of competition. It wasn't about topping the leaderboards, getting bragging rights, or scoring a perfect score. It was all about the music, playing it and connecting with it. It's a great way to get all ages into the game and just have fun.

In conclusion, The Beatles Rock Band can be seen from a couple of perspectives. For Beatles fans, it's a reaffirmation that the Fab Four is the greatest band of all time, and that their music still inspires us to this day. For those who don't know about the lads from Liverpool, this game stands as a loving tribute from Harmonix for all people to discover, or even rediscover, an amazing rock n' roll band and their awesome journey. Packed with tons of extras that more fully tell the story of the band, it's a great game for all ages. It's also a confirmation that Rock Band is miles ahead of Guitar Hero. Rather than oversaturating the market with mediocre titles that don't bring anything new to the table, Harmonix and EA took their time to create, in my opinion, the greatest music game of all time.