Total Number of Ratings: 9
New DLC for Rock Band and Beatles Rock Band: Queen & Abbey Road
First Published: Monday, October 19, 2009 1:09 PM
Last Saved: Monday, October 19, 2009 1:59 PM
Today I learned that I can't sing like Freddie Mercury before noon.
Maybe you weren't getting enough mustaches with your Rock Band experience lately. The good news is, that's about to change. In Rock Band World, Tuesday October 20th sees the release of 2 big track packs. Look for ten Queen tracks to hit Rock Band proper, and the full album of Abbey Road available for Beatles Rock Band, across all platforms, downloadable from the Rock Band Music Store.
I had a chance to play a smattering of both this morning, and here's what I know.
For Queen, you can either buy individual tracks for $1.99, or get the all ten songs at once for $15.99.
Another One Bites the Dust
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Fat Bottomed Girls
I Want It All
I Want to Break Free
Killer Queen
One Vision
Somebody to Love
Tie Your Mother Down
Under Pressure
You could hardly escape a life without most of these tracks in moderate to heavy rotation on classic rock radio in the US. I assume it's even more prevalent in Bulgaria, assuming we have Bulgarian readers. Plus we all know that Rock Band, in a group setting especially, becomes infinitely more fun when everyone knows the songs. Plus, if you've got an especially expressive friend who likes to do vocals, this is good news for you. For the most part, the songs play just like other Rock Band songs you've played before, but with that special theatricality you've grown to know and love from Queen. It takes a bold player to step up to the mic on Queen songs, and unless you do a lot of gaming with Paul Rodgers, get ready to have some fun. Plus, I defy you to find a group of girls who don't get a kick out of playing "Fat Bottomed Girls".
Over in Beatles Rock Band land, October 20 also sees the release of the first full album for the game: Abbey Road. Beatles historians will know that Abbey Road was the last recorded Beatles album, where the lads actually got along for a while and did their best work in years, confident in the notion that they'd never have to see one another after it was done with.
You can get this pack for a total of $16.99, or get the songs individually for $1.99 each. Since the tracks on the second half of Abbey Road tend to flow into one another, MTV Games and Harmonix have split them up a little differently than you're used to. The pack includes:
Maxwell's Silver Hammer
Oh! Darling
Because
You Never Give Me Your Money
Sun King / Mean Mr. Mustard
Polythene Pam / She Came in Through the Bathroom Window
Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight / The End
Her Majesty
But there's a bit of trickiness to be aware of here. You can buy them individually, but if you get the whole pack, you can play side-B, a complete interconnected opus as one piece, straight from beginning to end. The vocalist won't need to sign out for the songs that don't have vocals, as has been the case in past versions of Rock Band.
Again, if you've played Beatles Rock Band, it's like playing Beatles Rock Band, so you know what you're in for. Also, as before, the tracks sound fantastic, and have some more Dreamscape footage that hasn't been seen before.
So if you've been hankering to finally learn the actual lyrics while singing Abbey Road, you're all set. Play as John, Paul, George or Ringo, or if it's your preference, go play as Freddie Mercury, Brian May, or one of those other two guys whose names only hardcore Queen fans know.
My favorite Beatles album is Rubber Soul. Overall, I love ever song on that album. With Abbey Road, I'm thinking I'll only be getting a few select tracks. I must ponder this for a while.
Still waiting for Rock Band: The Who. If there can be a game dedicated only to Van Halen, then The Who shouldn't be that hard of a task!
There are a ton of Who tracks released, and they're really good late 60's era live tracks! I wouldn't want a dedicated game like the Beatles, if I could help it. So I'm cool with what's there. They done the Who well.
Sweet, well as long as there are Who tracks available, that's awesome! I had no idea there were any, so excuse me while I embarass myself doing the long scream in We Won't Get Fooled Again...
As for Beatles Rock Band, it's probably the best party game that Rock Band put out, since EVERYONE knows these songs. A bar near me was having Beatles Rock Band night when the game debuted, and the entire bar was singing to almost every song that was on.
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After resisitng the Rock Band/Guitar Hero semi-mania, I bought Beetles Rock band the special edition set this week. Then promptly went out and bought the limited edition Harrison and Lennon guitars. (Sad to find out you can only use 2 guitars) Now, I'm not a big Beetles fan, but for some reason this game has me in full Beetlemania. We havn't even finished the story mode and I have already ordered Abbey road.