Let's get straight to the point. If you like The Beatles and have any interest in videogames at all (the fact that you're reading this suggesting that you obviously do), then stop reading right now. Yep, don't waste anymore time; get up, go to the shop, click on the site or whatever else it is you do to procure items of entertainment and buy The Beatles: Rock Band right now...........I'm serious, if you are still reading, stop now and just go.

Ok, so that's them sorted - but what about the rest of us? The one's not so sure - the uninitiated. You know who you are - you know the music (who doesn't) but you've never really considered yourself a fan. The songs you've heard don't offend, but you've never really given them the chance - these are the people Harmonix are going to have to reel in if The Beatles: Rock Band is going to be the kind of hit they want, and dare I say, need it to be. So, is The Beatles: Rock Band worth considering if you fit into this category? Well, seeing that I fit directly into that category myself, I can safely say yes.....yes it is.

I'm not a huge Beatles fan. Heck, I wouldn't even call myself a huge Rock Band fan. I've never gone out and bought a Beatles album before and I'm far from an expert in the field of plastic guitar based shenanigans (let's just say I'm stuck somewhere between the medium and hard difficulty settings) but you know what; I've never enjoyed a music game more than I have enjoyed The Beatles: Rock Band. I'm probably going to buy a couple of Beatles albums next week and if I didn't get this game for free, you know what, I would go out and buy that too. Yep, I'm a changed man. No, I'm not an overnight Beatles aficionado and I'll probably remain stuck between the medium and hard difficulty settings for many months to come, but I'm certainly a lot more interested in the band and I can't wait for my next multiplayer session on the game - as far as Harmonix and The Beatles are concerned, I think they would have to see that as mission accomplished.

While there have been numerous band specific releases within the realm of peripheral based music games, none have captured the essence of the band nearly as accurately as Harmonix have in the case of The Beatles. From the stunning intro video through to the pitch perfect art design and accurately recreated venues - every inch of The Beatles: Rock Band feels like it was created with the kind of love and care for attention that only a real fans of the band could bring to the table.

It's not just the care and attention that makes this a great game though. The Beatles: Rock Band is a perfect coming together of love for the source material and technical nous. Although it doesn't do anything incredibly new with the band template created nearly 2 years ago with the original Rock Band, it does come with a sense of near pitch perfect delivery. Everything feels just so. It's one of those things that is strangely hard to quantify, but The Beatles: Rock Band feels like it would be very hard to make any better.

Some may argue that it is a step down from Rock Band 2, what with the removal of end of song jam sessions, freestyle drum fills and a complete lack of customization options, but honestly, the inclusion of customization options would have served only to tarnish the streamlined gameplay and emphasis that Harmonix have put upon experience over challenge. Others may argue that the game falls short on diversity due to the complete lack of support bands, but this is a game, not just about the music, but about the band itself. Any support groups would have diluted the games splendid single-mindedness towards all things Beatles. With such a strong visual aesthetic running through the game, any jump into music outside of The Beatles remit would have been both jarring and unnecessary. Anyway, regardless of support groups, no other band delivers diversity quite like The Beatles - from there clean cut image back when they were playing The Cavern Club in Liverpool through to the trippier delights of their later output from Abbey Road Studio 2, the difference in sound and theme can be quite dramatic.

Beyond these admissions though, The Beatles: Rock band will still feel immediately familiar to those who have spent a bit of time with Rock Band 2 as, with the exception of a few minor tweaks, this is basically the same game when you get down to business; you can still play any of the instruments on your own or as a band, both locally and online via cooperative and competitive game modes, although unlike previous games in the genre, it's nice to be able to play nearly all 45 songs in exhibition mode straight out of the box, with only one song unlocked upon completion of The Story Mode. This once again highlights Harmonix emphasis towards experience and approachability over serious challenge - Rock Band pros beware, The Beatles: Rock Band will not serve up anywhere near the kind of challenge that Rock Band and especially Guitar Hero has in the past - there are certainly no Dragonforce style finger breakers to be found here.

Other than that though, it's still pretty much the same awesome Rock Band style of gameplay it's always been. There is one minor change however - one that serves to change the game in a surprisingly significant way. Unlike previous Rock Band and Guitar Hero efforts which allowed for a guitarist, bassist, drummer and vocalist, The Beatles: Rock Band allows for 2 other people to get involved on the microphone to create harmonies. Not only does this allow up to 6 players to now get involved in a jam session, but it also serves to make The Beatles: Rock Band the most living room friendly, expertly crafted local multiplayer game yet to be released in the genre.

Although the inclusion of 3 vocal harmonies could have been potentially confusing, especially when you already have 3 other instruments up on screen, the simple division between blue coloured lead vocals and the orange and red harmonies make distinguishing which part is which surprisingly easy. Obviously some vocals sections are easier to make out than others, but the basic system does a good job of visually differentiating the parts when the difference between lead and harmony isn't so easy to make out by ear alone.

The biggest success of this new mode however has to be the feeling of camaraderie it can create amongst its players. Whether you are playing as a group of 6, allowing those who may not be comfortable with the instruments and a little too shy to sing on their own to get involved, or whether you are taking up the option to play an instrument and sing at the same time, the added dimension that harmonies brings to the game helps to create the most complete and immersive band experience yet -there really is nothing quite like setting up with microphone stands ready, instruments in hand, all geared up to perform just likes The Beatles themselves.

It's moments like these when Harmonix' option to not allow downloads from previous Rock Band's to be played on The Beatles addition makes more sense. This game is all about recreating that feeling of what it was like to be The Beatles - from the group harmonies through the collectible memorabilia; every inch of this game is geared towards giving the gamer a better insight into The Beatles, not just as a band, but as individuals too.

Whether it be John, Paul, Ringo or George, by the time you have played through the excellent Story Mode, moving from one beautifully recreated location to the next, unlocking the surprisingly well chosen and often intimate collection of photos and video clips available, you will certainly feel more connected to each band member by the time you play your last song atop the roof of Apple's London HQ.

Although the unlockables are a nice feature and the little audio snippets strewn across the game add a pleasingly personal touch to proceedings (the chatter before tracks played at Abbey Road Studio 2 is a very nice touch), it's the games absolutely fantastic visuals and artistic design that really brings the player into the world of The Beatles. Honestly, presentation wise, The Beatles: Rock Band is just about perfect in every way. From the moment you turn on the game and its frankly brilliant intro video kicks in, you just know you are in for something special. The Beatles: Rock Band wisely sidesteps realism for a cartoon like style that captures each band members mannerisms and looks without ever falling into the realm of caricature. Each location, be it The Budokan in Japan or The Ed Sullivan Show, is recreated with great authenticity and an impressive eye for style - from the colour scheme to the screaming fans, the delirium and magic of each moment in time is faultlessly brought directly into your living room.

The brief cut-scenes that move the player from one location and time to the next in Story Mode is also worthy of mention. These perfectly formed pieces of artistic design swiftly take you on a guided tour of that time in The Beatles career, successfully preparing you for the next step of the journey. While the change in aesthetic and style could have proved jarring for players (especially those not well versed in Beatles lore), thanks to these little snippets, the move from one time and style to the next always feels smooth and natural.

Although some may begrudge the 45 strong track list, especially in comparison with the mighty track lists found on previous Rock Band entries, the quality of those 45 songs is second to none (honestly, I wasn't even that fussed on The Beatles before I played this). Sure, Guitar Hero: Metallica may have had more tracks in all, but only 28 were by the band, with the rest made up of support tracks. Equally, while the latest Guitar Hero may have 80+ songs and Rock Band 2, complete with downloads, well over 100, how many of those are actually quality tracks. I know it's all a matter of taste, but who really enjoys all 80+ tracks on Guitar Hero 5. No, 45 first rate tracks, 27 of which can be played with the full 3 part harmony is more than enough for The Beatles: Rock Band.

What may raise an eyebrow or two however is the list of songs that didn't make the cut. "Hey Jude", "Help!" - where are these? Surely they are good enough to make the cut? Well, here's where things become slightly more cynical. I don't think anyone could argue that these songs, amongst others don't deserve a place in the game, however, Harmonix clearly have one eye on future DLC. Part of me wants to be outraged by this, but financially, given the huge amount of money that it must have cost to acquire the license for these songs, trying to make a bit of extra cash on the back of easily marketable future download only tracks does make obvious financial sense. Also, in their defence, the selection of songs currently in the game do work perfectly in capturing the style and feel of each particular moment in The Beatles career.

Still, as great as The Beatles: Rock Band is, you are going to need pretty deep pockets to get the best out of it. Although still fun in single player or online, the game shines its brightest in local play when you have all the major instruments and two additional microphones to play around with. It may be a big ask for some, especially when you consider the extra price (and storage space) needed if you are going for the authentic Beatles experience and need to pick up microphone stands too, but if you do manage it, by God, you are in for the best band experience to date and arguably one of the finest examples of multiplayer gaming to ever hit home consoles.

From the artistic design, to the excellent selection of songs, every moment in The Beatles: Rock Band feels just about pitch perfect. It may not reinvent the wheel when it comes to music videogames, but as a band specific title, it's simply in a league of its own. The Beatles: Rock Band, unlike other games in the genre is the first to create challenge, not through being tough on the player via epic riffs and rock solid drum solos but via the challenge it places upon the band members to create the perfect performance. It's no longer all about that percentage score at the end of the track, it's about bringing you and your friends closer together and enjoying the experience of feeling what it may have been like to actually play in The Beatles, if only for a moment.

Reviewed by Liam Pritchard for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).