After sitting atop my Most Wanted list for 3 consecutive Year in Review issues; a day at Double Fine to sample the goods for a pair of covers, a close encounter of the GWAR kind at this years Comic-Con, and playing untold hours since the first playable arrived, Brutal Legend is now, officially, out. What the f**k am I supposed to do now? After two tours on 360, once my PS3 campaign comes to a close... all the serpents unbound, landmarks viewed, artifacts gathered, and heads banged--what then? How do I break it to Ironheade that Im leaving for good? And wholl look after The Deuce? Ive got a ton of Tribute invested in that car. ...I suppose Ill just march around kickin ass until EA and Double Fine decide to drop in some DLC... Theres much to see, hear and do after Brtal Legend ends but first things first...
Since the first video game forged from the fiery furnace of heavy metal isnt closed captioned for the metal impaired, its important to note that while Brtal Legend pays homage to the heyday of Heavy Metal, spoofs Hair (a.k.a. Pop) Metal, basks in the hollows of Black Metal, and drives a knee into the ball sack of the Second Wave of American Tween Melodic Rap Metalcore, it never veers anywhere near typical video game spoofery or clich.
Brutal Legend plays like its pouring out of Tim Schafers head and Jack Blacks persona; two men unquestionably reared on 70's Metal, funneled through a studio full of ultra talented like-minded designers, artists, writers, and programmers. Of the many universes swirling around in Mr. Schafers head, anyone whos rattled around in there will tell you that no matter what the premise, he goes for broke...his way. Like all the best story tellers, wherever he landed in the entertainment canon he was destined to shine brightly. Lucky for us he found a way to become the master of his own little universe in the game industry.
I dont like point-and-click adventures. I dont hate them; I just dont see the, er, point. Im not real big on the whole mouse and keyboard thing either, yet I was compelled to buy a gaming rig for the sole purpose of pointing and clicking my way through Grim Fandango. What choice did I have? It wasnt like the master of all things point-y and click-y was about to do a complete 180 and start making console-based platformers. I still check my game stash regularly to make sure I didnt dream playing Psychonauts; but a game based on Heavy Metal, the very foundation on which my youth was chiseled? No way.. yeah way.
After sampling the first 30 minutes or so earlier this year, I had Brutal Legend pegged as an open-world/linear-adventure hybrid, although it definitely settles into an open-world groove soon after. Its definitely not your average open-world game though. In fact its not your average anything.
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