Tim Schafer’s brain child, Brutal Legend is an action adventure game of epic proportions, and is developed by Double Fine Productions. The title is based in an alternative fantasy world where heavy metal is not just a way of living for the inhabitants but also the very soul that drives them. This fantastic universe is filled with amplifier-like mountains, guitar strings spun from deadly spiders and even irritating seagulls in the form of microphones with wings.
The unlikely hero that holds the fate of humanity is roadie Eddie Riggs, who is fashioned upon none other than actor and comedian Jack Black. His skills go unnoticed in the real world, but he becomes humanity’s only hope when transported to a heavy metal utopia by the fire beast Ormagoden. The residents are enslaved by Doviculus, Emperor of the Tainted Coil and his minion, General Lionwhyte with only a few to fight for freedom. This is where Eddie Riggs comes in, to help unite and rally together the forces of good. The game offers players a whole new outlook complete with a unique storyline, much unlike other conventional gaming titles. They will be bombarded with heavy metal-inspired characters, hideous looking villains and even encounter some Rock Gods in the whole character mishmash.
Now when Jack Black is involved in any endeavor, you can expect him to bring his talent at comedy along with him. You’ve heard his voice stylings on the silver screen, now he brings that same ‘awesomeness’ to the video game genre as well. Besides him, other famous figures also lend their voice talent to the in-game characters. Kill Master is voiced by Lemmy Killmeister from Motorhead while the Guardian of Metal is none other than Ozzy Osbourne as himself (and a pretty realistic depiction of the artist at that). Among the bad guys, Doviculus is voiced by Tim Curry and Lionwhyte by Rob Halford from Judas Priest. Along the adventure which Eddie and his friends embark on, you can espy many references to the metal genre of music, right from the dialogues, scenery and even background.
Eddie Riggs wields two axes, one a real axe called The Separator, the other his guitar known as Clementine. These instruments of pain can pack a mean punch while not only doing battle but also for a host of other reasons which spell bad news for enemies. The Separator is used mainly for dishing out physical attacks while Clementine is a normal musical instrument in the real world but a deadly weapon in the alternate reality. The Guitar is used to annihilate enemies with its music, from conjuring up lightening bolts to performing many types of solos that not only send fans screaming, but enemies howling in pain.
Via a series of buttons in a sequence, Riggs is able to raise relics, earn the fans appreciation, call on his army and even melt his foes’ faces right off with well executed solos. Heavy metal fans may just find these solos familiar and rightly so as the guitar sounds and a few gameplay segments of Brutal Legend have apparently been worked on by the guitarist of Judas Priest, K K Downing. This brings more metal loyalty and realism to the game than earlier fathomed. The guitar solo can also summon Eddie’s totally awesome ride dubbed, the Deuce, a druid-destroying vehicle. Here’s where your NFS skills may just come in handy. Riggs uses the car to travel across the open-world area guided by a pretty useful map. His two weapons of choice and the Deuce can all be enhanced with several upgrades which help deal more damage while looking cool at the same time. The enhancements can be acquired through Fire Tributes gained from completing various side missions. These mini-quests are strewn all along the map and are relatively simple to accomplish.
Brutal Legend includes a host of characters who aid Eddie in his long term quest. Besides the assistance of Ophelia, Kill Master, Lita and Lars, help also comes in the form of Headbangers, Bouncers, Fire Barons, Runways and Roadies. The Headbangers are a loveable bunch and also formidable allies who use their headbanging abilities for more than just swaying to the music. Each group is gifted with their own unique ability and can be commanded by Eddie to either attack, halt, follow him or stay put depending on the need of the hour and the situation at hand. Special team attacks with Eddie coupled along results in their own different fighting style.
The game also sees some RTS elements embedded into gameplay which allow gamers to strategically command and place different groups in various designated areas. These RTS segments in the title feel repetitive and devoid of any alternative strategy usage. Moreover, the game could do with less of the strategy and more of brutal hacking and slashing. A noteworthy drawback comes in the form of the AI and controls. These aspects can prove to be a little frustrating at times. For one, there is no button for jumping and hence if stuck in an odd situation players must restart the game from the nearest save point. Some of the battle scenes have too many elements packed into them as well. Like while fending off foes from merch booths, gamers have to recruit and assign jobs to various groups as well as engage in battle all the while being careful to see that the merch booths are free from threats.
Looking on the brighter side, Brutal Legend’s attractiveness lies in its cartoon visuals, graphic sharpness and sound. The animated facial expressions of the characters wonderfully compliment the hilarity of the title. Even the lighting and shadows created upon the landscape gives a realistic feel to the game. These elements can be espied in the cut scenes and visuals as well. What completes this whole heavy metal experience is the ‘brutally’ awesome soundtrack! While playing the game, don’t be surprised if you find yourself doing some headbanging of your own.
There are over 100 songs belted out by different 75 different bands. This hit compilation features some great metal tracks like Painkiller and Battle Hymn/One Shot at Glory by Judas Priest, Diary of a Madman and Mr. Crowley by Ozzy Osbourne and Still of the Night by WhiteSnake. A complete treat for Metal fans, there are new as well as old tunes to headbang to. Each mission and boss stage is packed with these smashing tracks. Music even rings out from the radio while driving the Deuce and can be switched off when desired.
To conclude, although in cartoon style and theme, Brutal Legend does have its share of blood and gore. These come in the form of chopped heads, hacked body parts, charred enemies and so on. You can even ram into and run down most enemy forces as well as free-roaming animals while riding the Deuce. The game has also kept its profanity intact for that realistic feel. The blood, gore and harsh language can all be turned off at any point during the game through the start menu. This can be useful when younger audiences are present in the room.
The Final Word: Brutal Legend is set to entice not only players who fancy heavy metal but also other gamers as well. A treat for Jack Black fans as Eddie Riggs looks great as he portrays his role as a Roadie out to save the day. The hilarity in the game is not only dished out by Jack Black but also supported by other voice talents as well. That, coupled with a rebellious story and good graphics makes for a complete video game experience with a metal twist. Besides being clever, innovative and funny, the title from Double Fine also bubbles with a mixture of action, driving, strategy and exploration, all packed in one complete rocking game.
Graphics: 8.2/10.
Gameplay: 7.8/10.
Story: 7/10.
Environments: 9.1/10.
Sound: 9.7/10.
Overall (not an average): 8.5/10.