The Beatles Rock Band

You could argue that the build-up to the Christmas videogames crescendo starts right here: The Beatles Rock Band is the first blockbuster of the year and has been gathering plenty of mainstream attraction.

As well it might: The Beatles remain the biggest band ever, and the idea of being able to emulate them, regardless of musical talent, is gloriously attractive. Happily, The Beatles Rock Band does eminent justice to their much-loved repertoire. If you've played a previous incarnation of Rock Band or Guitar Hero, mind, you'll know what to expect: the ability to play along to Beatles tracks on bass, guitar or drums; for the first time in such a game, up to three people can sing along, too, sharing lead and harmony duties. A basic but handy tutorial helps goes a small way towards demystifying the complexities of those harmonies, although it won't help you much if you're tone-deaf.

The new instruments are beautifully made: Paul's Hofner Violin Bass, noticeably, is longer than previous instrument-accessories, although not actually as long as its real-life counterparts. The Beatles Rock Band also deserves plaudits for being the first version of the franchise that will work with Guitar Hero instruments. Where the game really scores, though, are in its visuals – previous Rock Bands and Guitar Heroes have purveyed a dingy, grungy look, but The Beatles Rock Band looks absolutely lush, with clever montages detailing the different ages and visual identities of the band, and the backgrounds to the gigs you play really managing to evoke a feeling of vicarious Beatles membership. Working through the game, you play the Cavern, the Ed Sullivan Show, the legendary Shea Stadium gig and a concert at Budokan, before settling down to three sessions in Abbey Road's Studio 2.

Proceedings are topped off with a reconstruction of the rooftop Apple building gig. So-called dreamscapes make many of the Abbey Road tracks a distinctly psychedelic experience. Many of the classic Beatles tracks are included – there are 45 in all, and loads more will become available for downloading – as well as some lesser-known gems, such as the surprisingly heavy psych-rock of Hey Bulldog, which surely would have been a massive hit if released by another band. The joy of playing along to Beatles songs is deeply infectious and, given that up to six people can play at once (which would require a very large room), The Beatles Rock Band provides one of the most sociable gaming experiences ever.

Purists may be disappointed that George and John's guitar lines have been amalgamated, but Harmonix simply couldn't figure out how to fit two guitar lines plus bass on screen. Overall, though, as befits its subject matter, The Beatles Rock Band brings a new level of coherence as a game to its genre, as well as an altogether higher quality level.