Let’s get this out of the way right now: The Beatles: Rock Band is going to be HUGE. Record sales numbers will give way to new fans of the rhythmic gaming genre — people who’ve never even played a video game before.

I guarantee it. Take a look at the trailer:

The E3 demo I viewed for The Beatles: Rock Band included three songs performed for us by the staff of Harmonix. “I Feel Fine” is one of many songs set at historical locations, this one being Shea Stadium from early in the Beatles’ career. (The story mode campaign takes you on a journey through the Beatles’ career, chronologically.) A famous rooftop concert from later in their career hosted “Get Back,” which I have a clip of the demo performance below. For songs closer to the end of the Beatles’ career, coming from the era when the group stopped touring and focused on just recording in-studio, Harmonix created something it calls “Dreamscape Venues.” These are imaginary worlds with no audiences, based on the mood and lyrics of the song. For “Back in the U.S.S.R.,” which was the final song demoed for us, this took the form of red, Soviet-themed animations that were playful and creative.

The Beatles: Rock Band is less of a side-release for the series and more of a true sequel, almost Rock Band 3 in scope. Harmonix has completely overhauled the user interface, creating a slick new presentation that’s not only user-friendly, but is designed to appeal to the broad spectrum of music fans that the Beatles can bring in — be they gamers or not. Accessibility is a major focus of the game, leading off with a “No Fail” option that allows anyone to pick up and play without worrying about scoring so poorly that they’re dropped out of the song. And all 45 songs that come with the game will be playable right out of the box in Quick Play mode.

If you purchase the full package with hardware and all, you’ll get replicas of the Beatles’ most iconic and favorite instruments. For vocalists, the game introduces a first for music games: optional three-part harmony, which features a clever interactive component that lets the three vocalists help each other out to achieve higher scores.

The Beatles: Rock Band arrives in stores September 9, 2009. If you weren’t a fan of rhythmic gaming before now, you might just find yourself picking up a guitar or drumsticks to jam with the greatest band of all time.

Post from: EveryJoe

E3 ‘09: The Beatles Rock Band impressions

Tracks:

REO Speedwagon “Ridin’ the Storm Out”
REO Speedwagon “Roll with the Changes”
REO Speedwagon “Take It on the Run”
Styx “Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)”
Styx “Renegade”
Styx “Too Much Time On My Hands”
Styx/REO Speedwagon “Can’t Stop Rockin’”
Hautewerk “Alone in My Head”
Hautewerk “I Know Where You Came From”
Hautewerk “Stop Start Again”
The Clash “Complete Control”
Devo “Girl U Want”
The Ramones “Teenage Lobotomy”
All That Remains “Chiron”
All That Remains “This Calling”
All That Remains “Two Weeks”
System of a Down “B.Y.O.B.”
System of a Down “Toxicity”

200 Wii points are needed for each song. Have fun rawkin’

Image: Harmonix

Post from: EveryJoe

REO Speedwagon & Styx For Wii Rock Band

So after LEGO Batman, LEGO Indiana Jones, and Lego Star Wars [1, 2 and 3] NOW, we have LEGO Rock Band. Oh yeah, I said it. LEGO Rock Band.

Can you get much better than that?

I think not.

“LEGO Rock Band combines two compelling properties and creates an experience that family members of all ages will enjoy playing together as a group,” said Tom Stone, Managing Director, TT Games. “Harmonix and MTV Games are the world experts in music gameplay, and we’re genuinely thrilled to bring the unique and humour-filled LEGO experience to their Rock Band universe.”

“We’re thrilled to offer another LEGO branded gaming experience that will deliver humorous and social play for families and friends,” said Henrik Taudorf Lorensen, Vice President, the LEGO Group. “LEGO Rock Band is built around the same values of imagination and family-friendly creative role play that is present in other LEGO videogames. It will deliver innovative new elements of game play that complement the fun of the Rock Band experience.”

LEGO Rock Band is set to be released this year.

Images| Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment EMEA

Post from: EveryJoe

LEGO Rock Band Coming to Everything

But I wonder if it might not be time to square my shoulders, steel my resolve, face the roaring crowd (shoot some heroin) and try again. What brought back my fighting spirit? The Cult’s She Sells Sanctuary as downloadable content, of course.

Some of you grew up listening about Old Man MacDonald’s crappy farm. Some of us grew up a little more hardcore.

Post from: EveryJoe

Holy Crap, Download The Cult on Rock Band

So here I am in Bahtamore. I’d rather not speak of the twenty-four hour train trip that carried me here; I’m sure I’ll re-visit its relaxing atmosphere often enough when I die and wind up in hell for my sins.

Today’s society adores a quick fix above wholesome foods or a dog’s unconditional kiss on the back of a hand. It won’t be surprising when parents to pair their kids off with more games in light of a Tucson’s News-4 report that’s decided video games help build kids’ literacy.

Hot dog! No more wasting away with the classics! Eat Rock n Roll, John Steinbeck.

From The News 4 Website:

Librarian Jennifer Nichols believes video games [improve literacy]. She says, “It’s been a really effective way to get them here in the library and engaged.”

Austin Alibi-Isama, 11, says, “Usually I don’t really like to come to the library because it’s kind of boring. But since they have video games and stuff, I like coming to the library a lot.”

This just in: standing in a restaurant teaches you how to cook. We’ll also have Morrie at 11 with his report Epic Failure: How You Missed the Goddamn Point And Why You Should Double Back.

I am of the belief that games can help literacy and teach problem solving. Games landed me this job, after all, and I write real plus good. But the games that inspired me did so because of my initial love for reading; none of my brothers had the patience for the chatty bitches lining the streets of Anytown in Generic RPG IV. Reading the Loading tips sprinkled throughout Guitar Hero maaaaay not have the intellectual nourishment quota parents are so desperate for.

However, Guitar Hero does contain 100% of your daily recommended intake of ROCKING OUT, which is a vital but sadly overlooked vitamin.

Post from: EveryJoe

Guitar Hero Makes Kids Smrt!

See what I did there? That ain’t no question mark at the end of that sentence. That’s a period, boy. What do you suppose this implies?

In a bid to prove that it’s just as capable of running a franchise into the ground as its adversaries at Activision, EA has announced Rock Band 2 for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. The game will be available in September. This probably doesn’t surprise anyone.

Ah, but this might make you happy, you jaded gamer, you: Harmonix has revealed that next month will yield a The Who song pack for Rock Band.

Harmonix CEO Alex Rigopulos lit one up and said:

“[The Who's] music really comes alive when you’re playing it. We were trying to release ‘Who’s Next’ in its entirety, but we were unable to locate all the masters. So in the face of that, Pete (Townshend) and Roger (Daltrey) helped curate this best-of soundtrack of everything we were able to find.”

(No no Rigopulos didn’t actually light one up, don’t kill me.)

Would it be too much to hope for the soundtrack to Tommy? Um, how about a harmonica peripheral so I can play The Hawker?

…Please, Harmonix?

(Image copyright Harmonix, which is probably not going to give me my harmonica peripheral.)

Post from: EveryJoe

Who’s Playing Rock Band With You.