Brutal Legend multiplayer units detailed

August 13, 3:59 PMSF Video Game ExaminerEdie Sellers

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Brutal Legend's Lord Doviculus of the Tainted Coil 

Now that it looks like Brutal Legend isn't going to fall into a bottomless pit of legalese, Double Fine relased today new details of the game's mulitplayer mode. And the list is longer than a Led Zepplin live solo and meaner than free-beer night at a Mentors show.

Players will have 31 units in three "factions" to work with and, in many cases, battle. The list doesn't include the major story-mode characters.

The game will sport nine types of units friendly to main protagonist, Eddie, including Headbangers (t-shirt clad infantry units with crushing craniums), Rock Crusher (a movable stage that works as a troop transport), and Bouncers (a "warrior" class of fighters).

Units controlled by ally Ophelia and unfriendly units — 23 total at current count — contain a host of nasty abilities with names like the Battle Nun (described as "lithe, elegant and deadly") and the Soul Kissers ("leather-clad scissor-headed maidens of pain").

All units — both friendly and unfriendly — can be "double teamed" for extra fighting bonus attacks and abilities.

Here's the entire unit descriptions from Double Fine:

IRONHEADE

• HEADBANGER
  The mighty Headbangers of Ironheade are both the group's namesake and its soul.
  ROLE
  Basic melee infantry, upgradeable.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Headbangers gather around Eddie in a circular mosh pit. Most small infantry that approach will be knocked back and suffer moderate damage.
• RAZOR GIRL
  Armed with the highly flammable husks of the wild Razorfire Boar, the Razor Girls bring ranged death to Ironheade's enemies.
  ROLE
  Basic ranged infantry, upgradeable.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  A Razor Girl hops onto Eddie's shoulders, allowing him to select targets for an enhanced-damage attack.
• ROADIE
  The stealthy Roadies are capable of producing feedback sufficient to bring down even the largest structure.
  ROLE
  Melee infantry, building-destroyer. Stealth specialist, hidden from enemies unless in close quarters.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Ridable infantry. Eddie jumps atop one of the speaker stacks, getting all the benefits of his fellow Roadies' stealth. He's then able to create a feedback blast with knockback.
• BOUNCER
  A proud warrior-class, the Bouncers make up in strength and determination what they lack in intelligence, patience, and basic social skills. Some say their cast-iron battle fists hide impossibly delicate, carefully-manicured hands.
  ROLE
  Large melee infantry, vehicle-killer.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Eddie picks up the Bouncer and drops him, doing area damage and knocking back small infantry.
• HEADSPLITTER
  Based on the General Lionwhyte's legendary defensive installation in the Cleave of the Impaler, these ranged vehicles are both powerful and versatile.
  ROLE
  Ranged vehicle.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Drivable vehicle. Eddie can aim and fire the Headsplitter's weapon, doing higher than normal damage.
• METAL BEAST
  Tamed only by the gentle touch of the Zaulia, Metal Beasts are a vicious foe in battle against infantry.
  ROLE
  Large short-range infantry, melee infantry-killer.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Ridable infantry. Eddie can aim and fire the Beast's potent breath weapon.
• THUNDERHOG
  Led by Kill Master, the reclusive Thunderhog riders are less focused on doing damage than they are on healing it.
  ROLE
  Support vehicle, upgradeable. Soothing bass jams heal nearby infantry. Effect does not stack with additional Thunderhogs.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Drivable vehicle. Eddie can take the bass guitar and produce a massive sonic blast, temporarily stunning nearby infantry and vehicles.
• ROCK CRUSHER
  The ultimate portable stage, when it's time to take the metal to your enemies' front door.
  ROLE
  Massive ranged assault and support vehicle. Pyro mortars rain death upon enemies from afar while portable speaker stacks motivate nearby troops, raising their damage output. Oh, and there's also the front-mounted crusher.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Drivable vehicle. Eddie plays the Bladehenge solo, summoning the Blade of the Metal Gods upon his enemies.
• FIRE BARON
  A clan of outlaw humans, the Fire Barons strive to live only for the next battle, or the next bottle. Or both, that would be fine.
  ROLE
  Fast vehicle, melee-killer.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Drivable vehicle. Eddie lays down a trail of flaming booze, limiting the movement of enemies.
  
  THE DROWNING DOOM

• GRAVE DIGGER
  These lowly Drowning Doom initiates are relatively weak on their own, but tend to gather in crowds, where they can work together to overcome opponents and more easily express their individuality.
  ROLE
  Basic melee infantry, upgradeable.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Ophelia falls into a Grave Digger's hole and is able to travel beneath the ground; when the time is right, she can burst forth, producing a large explosion.
• BRIDE
  Brides walk the land cloaked in sorrow, searching for love — the only thing they ever wanted during their lives. Or maybe they're zombies who think they look good in wedding dresses. Either way, BE AFRAID.
  ROLE
  Support infantry, upgradeable. Localized storm slows enemy movement and attack rate. Effect stacks with multiple Brides.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Ophelia dances with her Bride and summons forth lightning strikes upon enemy targets.
• RATGUT
  Is Ratgut the master and his rats the minions, or he in fact a prisoner of these ravenous vermin? The truth may be told some day... but not today.
  ROLE
  Short-range infantry, melee infantry-killer.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Ridable infantry. Ophelia jumps into Ratgut's spacious stomach; from that location's relative safety, she can control her host's disease-ridden friends and focus their attacks on specific groups of enemies.
• ORGANIST
  Mysterious phantoms who refused to let go of life, Organists revel in spreading dread to all in earshot.
  ROLE
  Support vehicle. Pipe organ music intimidates foes, causing them to do less damage. Effect stacks with multiple Organists.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Drivable vehicle. Ophelia takes control of the Organist and is able to use him to latch onto enemy units, controlling them manually like a puppet-master.
• LIGHTNING ROD
  The ghastly Lightning Rod drivers are being slowly executed even while they fight for the cause of the Drowning Doom.
  ROLE
  Ranged vehicle.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Ridable vehicle. Ophelia can aim and fire the Lightning Rod's weapon. The weapon also can be charged up by holding the Fire button, allowing the bolt of electricity to jump across multiple targets; the longer the charge, the more targets are affected, up to a maximum of eight.
• BROOD
  These haunting baby carriages seem to carry an infinite number of ferocious dolls, who are capable of tearing a vehicle to shreds in a matter of seconds.
  ROLE
  Small ranged vehicle, anti-vehicle specialist.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Ophelia leaps into the Brood's void and is able to drive it like a vehicle. When the attack is initiated, the Brood will charge forward and explode, raining cuddly flaming death upon everything in the vicinity.
• DIRGIBLE
  An enigma. Who's in there? What does he want? What sort of life did he lead, that his decaying corpse would be capable of wreaking such havoc on the living? These are all excellent questions.
  ROLE
  Support vehicle. Noxious ash weakens enemies and causes them to take more damage from attacks. Particularly effective against buildings.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Drivable vehicle. Ophelia hurls funeral urns onto the battlefield. The explosion does damage over time to enemies and slowly heals friendly infantry.
• TREE BACK
  Tree Back is a creature of few words, and prefers to let his crows speak for him.
  ROLE
  Massive ranged infantry.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Ridable infantry. Ophelia summons Tree Back forth from the ground and sits in his tree as he lumbers across the battlefield. Tree Back has a powerful melee attack, and his crows continue to attack while his Double Team is active.
• FRIGHTWIG
  These maidens washed their hair in the Sea of Black Tears to give it supernatural luster, strength, and life. Little did they know that after their deaths, their hair would dig it's way out of the grave, and pull their heads along with it. A fearsome foe when attacking from afar.
  ROLE
  Basic ranged infantry, upgradeable.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Ophelia tosses the Frightwig onto an enemy unit, forcing it to attack its allies. Frightwigs take a portion of the damage directed at the unit to which they're attached.
• REAPER
  Death; Mors Mortis; La Petite Mort; he has many names, but the legendary soul-collector and noted equestrian is here, and he's ready to rock.
  ROLE
  Fast infantry, melee infantry killer.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Ridable infantry. The Reaper produces an aura of Fear, sending enemy infantry running. Then Ophelia can take the Reaper's scythe and target specific enemies.

THE TAINTED COIL

• SOUL KISSER
  Leather-clad scissor-headed maidens of pain.
  ROLE
  Basic melee infantry. Super and Ultra versions available.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Doviculus can take hold of a Soul Kisser and hurl her at an enemy. She'll explode on contact, dealing heavy damage to any target. Regrettably, the Soul Kisser's life is lost, but her heroic sacrifice will make her legend for generations to come.
• SKULL RAKER
  The Skull Raker may have the mind of a demented infant, but he's got the body of a much larger, even more demented infant.
  ROLE
  Large general-purpose infantry, effective at short or medium range. Super version available.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Ridable infantry. Doviculus uses his staff to strike the Skull Raker's head directly into enemies.
• PUNISHING PARTY
  The Dominatrices' love for their Slave is almost as potent as their hatred of Doviculus' enemies. However, in the end, both are treated similarly.
  ROLE
  Basic ranged infantry. Super and Ultra versions available.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Doviculus jumps atop the Slave and is able to manually throw spears at a target.
• PAIN LIFTER
  Coil flesh-farm specialists take a core of sharp, disease-ridden medical waste and grow a helpless creature around it, informally named the "Agony Ball". When hurled at the Coil's foes, the Ball explodes and rains years of accumulated suffering upon its target.
  ROLE
  Ranged vehicle, infantry-killer. Super version available.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Drivable vehicle. Doviculus can aim, fire, and roll the Agony Ball, and trigger its detonation.
• HEART CUTTER
  The Heart Cutter's sacrificial hearts are selected for muscle mass, blood flow, and ripeness. Originally human victims were used, but the Druids (who are otherwise unrelentingly vicious) proved more squeamish than Doviculus had expected.
  ROLE
  Ranged vehicle, anti-vehicle specialist.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Drivable vehicle. The Druid stabs Doviculus himself in the heart, producing an array of deadly blades at the targeted location.
• SCREAMWAGON
  The Screamwagon provides support and motivation to Coil forces.
  ROLE
  Support vehicle. Super version available. Cycles between three buffs for nearby allies: Reduction of damage taken, increase in damage done, and accelerated growth when summoning new squads. Duplicate buffs don't stack, but Screamwagons set to different buffs will work normally.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Drivable vehicle. The wagon sprouts deadly frontal spikes, and the active buff can be cycled.
• BATTLE NUN
  Lithe, elegant, and deadly, the Battle Nun is the most common of the Coil's prestigious Hierarchy class.
  ROLE
  Melee infantry, hierarchy unit. Super and Ultra versions available. Slowly heals nearby minions and quickly regenerates her own health when surrounded by minions.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Doviculus must hold an audience with Battle Nuns to produce Tier 1 squads.
• WARFATHER
  The noble Warfathers represent the elite of the Coil's hierarchy class. By reading prayers from their Unholy Tomes, they unleash powerful ranged attacks on enemies.
  ROLE
  Ranged infantry, hierarchy unit. Super version available. Slowly heals nearby minions and quickly regenerates his own health when surrounded by minions.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Doviculus must hold an audience with Warfathers to produce Tier 2 squads.
• OVERBLESSER
  The Overblesser is the singular leader of the Coil's hierarchy class. He strides righteously across the battlefield and passes fiery judgment upon his foes from atop a ghastly four-legged altar.
  ROLE
  Ranged infantry, hierarchy unit. Slowly heals nearby minions and quickly regenerates his own health when surrounded by minions.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Doviculus must hold an audience with the Overblesser to produce Tier 3 squads.
• HATE CAGE
  The Hate Cage is really two distinct creatures - the gigantic (if mindless) legs and the caged demon, who is nothing more than a twisted lump of pure, unfiltered hate.
  ROLE
  Massive ranged infantry. Caged demon spits liquid hate at enemies. Any foes standing near the cage will also be soaked in hate, causing them to take more damage from attacks.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  Ridable infantry. The Cage has a powerful stomp attack.
• BLEEDING DEATH
  Prior to battle, the loathsome Bleeding Death is stuffed violently into its ballistic iron maiden. When the maiden is fired by the Coil's Pain Cannon and the Bleeding Death is finally unleashed upon the battlefield, it brings with it complete destruction. Mortally perforated by its prison, the creature slowly bleeds to death, even while bringing destruction to its foes.
  ROLE
  Massive melee infantry. Refuses to follow orders.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  None.
• TICK CHOPPER
  Only summonable by guitar solo, Lord Doviculus' unruly hellions are impractical under most battle conditions. However, on occasion, their unique demeanor and deadly blood-draining tick attack is a perfect fit for a specific tactical situation.
  ROLE
  Fast vehicle, melee infantry-killers. Only summonable via guitar solo.
  DOUBLE TEAM
  None.

For more information:
Brutal Legend's website
Double Fine Studios