Beatles fans now have an excuse to rock a little harder with the recent release of the Abbey Road DLC pack for The Beatles: Rock Band. For about $17 bucks, Abbey Road fills in all of the missing songs from the 1969 album of the same name, giving Beatles completionists out there yet another reason to break out the tie-dye and harmonize the night away.
The new songs all take place in the studio and dreamscape era in the game, which brought speculation as to whether or not Harmonix would create original fantasy sequences for the DLC. While it’s true that there’s a fair amount of recycled content here, the lighting and color effects–as well as the occasional “pop-up” lyrics–add some freshness. Each song was crafted in such a way that they feel unique to the rest of the game, so those worried about the backgrounds becoming stale and overused should fret not.
Though the visuals are great, the music takes center stage here. Having Abbey Road as the first of the three planned DLC packs was a smart choice by the developer, bringing in songs like “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer”, “Oh! Darling”, “Because”, and the entire of B-side medley from the original LP. These tunes can be played in slightly separated pieces or together as one song as originally intended. Speaking of original intent, “The End” is now in a set with “Golden Slumbers” and “Carry That Weight.” Having “End” by itself as the finale of The Beatles: Rock Band was a massive disservice to the song, and it gets its redemption here.
The price for the Abbey Road DLC’s 12 new songs and medley might be steep for some, but those who are undying Beatlemaniacs should waste no time in picking this up. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band can’t come quickly enough.
