Unfortunately, that brings us to my biggest gripe with the game: It's simultaneously the best party game on the market and one of the most frustrating. As I mentioned above, everyone and their mother (especially their mother) knows at least a handful of Beatles song, ensuring the entire group will be able to join in the fun. While there's something to be said for that, it also limits the variety quite a bit. I love The Beatles as much as anyone (my mom saw their first concert at Shea Stadium and raised me on their albums), but I finally got to a point while playing with friends one night that I had heard enough. Alas, not being able to do any sort of importing or sharing with the previous Rock Band games forced me to take out the disc and replace it with Rock Band 2, where I had hundreds of songs in multiple genres at my fingertips. Basically, it boils down to this: If you don't like The Beatles, this is not the game for you. Also, you're insane.


If you do like The Beatles, there are plenty of reasons to get this game outside of the wonderful presentation and the highly enjoyable experience. As you play through the career mode (thankfully all of the songs are unlocked for quickplay from the start), you'll unlock dozens of photographs spanning the years, each with a well-written description that provides historical context and enlightening anecdotes about the band's members. All of this stuff is excellent material for both longtime fans and those new to the band's work, although there's little mention of their more-than-recreational drug use or the internal strife that ultimately ended up destroying the group. You know, the really interesting stuff.

As was the case with Rock Band 2, the folks at Harmonix placed a bit more emphasis on the drums in this game, with even more drum training this time out, as well as a freestyle mode. The highlight, however, are the Beatles Beats, which recreate famous beats from many of their songs. The fact that it defaults to Expert mode means it won't be for everyone, but the ability to slow down the tempo ensures that you can get better and better with time. You may never be as good as Ringo on the skins, but you can get pretty close.


As mentioned above, whether or not you purchase The Beatles: Rock Band should ultimately be determined by your feelings about the band itself. If you love, like, or are even lukewarm on the band, grab it. Playing through the songs you've likely heard for your entire life gives you a new appreciation for the level of musicianship and songwriting on display. Somehow, Harmonix found a way to make the greatest band of all time even better.

[We'll update this review with the critical consensus once more major sources post their reviews.]