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Brutal Legend Review – Roadie and heavy metal rock culture at it's very best
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You may have heard over the last few years of a game called Brutal Legend that was going to be the adventures of a heavy metal roadie. Considering the popularity of all the music and rhythm based games right now, this didn't seem like a big jump, even though it didn't sound very interesting at the time.
After 4 years in development, Brutal Legend is now available and skeptic or not, was well worth the wait. Electronic Arts and Double Fine Productions have created the most beautiful game I have ever seen from a graphics standpoint. Gory if you choose that option, yes. But you can choose to have no blood and can even choose not to have any adult language. My suggestion would to be to turn it all on and be amazed at this creative, original story.
The story begins with Eddie Riggs, the best roadie of them all doing the last preparations before an impending concert for what seems like the world's worst metal band, Kabbage Boy. As he watches the term metal be disgraced once more the stupidity of the group becomes apparent and Eddie is forced to save one of them from a potentially deadly accident. However, by saving the band member, he himself is injured mortally and transported into the realm of true metal by the spirit of metal himself – Ormagoden.
Unlike so many characters in games who spend the entire game whining and disbelieving everything they see, Eddie, voiced by Jack Black, has his eyes wide open and takes everything in stride with the ego-less attitude of a true roadie. The character of Eddie is remarkably refreshing and a real pleasure to play. Along the way he meets a myriad of other characters and explores multiple realms all based on on the plethora of metal genres, cultures and attitudes. Some of these include nods to Gothic metal, Norwegian metal and acid rock. Along the way you'll find that the landscape and the very land itself is made of all the elements you would expect to find in a land spawned by metal culture: scaffolding, walls of amps, car parts and some of the most beautiful statuary and props you have ever witnessed. Graphically, this is one of the most majestic games I have ever seen and the incorporates view points for you to really get a chance to appreciate all the grandeur.
Now what would a heavy metal game be without a great soundtrack? Pretty dull and colorless for the most part. In this area Brutal Legend again delivers top notch master track selections that you can scroll through as you find them throughout the game. Anyone who is a metal fan will love the soundtrack and be in awe of the diverse genres and bands represented here.
Game play is diverse giving plenty of flexibility to explore, do quests or progress at what ever your pace may be, and for those who love PVP, multi-player stage battles are an option for anyone with a network connection. Another thing that is quite unique and refreshing is the lack of a hit point indicator. Rather than detracting from the movie like quality of the game, if you are getting low on health, your heart will begin beating audibly and the screen will flash various shades of red until you either regenerate your health or fall in battle.
The main drawbacks seen in the game are the minor difficulties with steering Eddie's car the 'Druid Plow' and the length of the game if you ignore the side quests. An experienced gamer that is good at the timed running, jumping climbing trees type of games could finish it in a weekend if undisturbed, but the side quests add depths and give you a chance to look around the wonderful world and see all the sites.
Brutal Legend thrills from start to finish and is a real find for those gamers who are metal fans. Just don't buy it on a work week night, or else you'll be exhausted the next day from not being able to set it aside to sleep.
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