The Beatles: Rock Band

Reviewed by Tim Ayre (September 12, 2009)

People will no doubt complain about omissions, but the songs on the set list are the ones that best suit Harmonix’s vision for The Beatles: Rock Band. Not only do the forty five tracks capture the band at various stages of their career, but they also serve as a reminder of how special The Beatles were as a group, with entertaining and varied note charts for each instrument. The Beatles: Rock Band is not really about being a guitar hero or a drumming virtuoso because The Beatles weren’t guitar heroes or drumming virtuosos.

Reviewed by Jason Venter (September 22, 2009)

Fortunately, the game also has plenty to offer casual gamers who are looking for a game that can get by on more than just its soundtrack. Harmonix has produced a finely-tuned release that falls in line with the best of its work to date. There are several elements that help this newest effort to stand apart from the Guitar Hero franchise. The most obvious of those elements is a range of difficulty settings that welcomes newcomers and veterans alike without ever feeling like it's pandering to anyone. Even the "Easy" setting can be fairly demanding—especially since you can't make many errors at all if you want the 5-star rating that helps to unlock that excellent bonus content—yet even those who are prone to errors can have fun and feel challenged.