No this article hasn’t been written by Scooby-do, this October 13th, deemed Rocktober by the people at EA, we will see the release of Brutal Legend to Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Now I’m not particularly that big of a heavy metal fan and was originally put off by the idea of a video game wholly themed with images and ideas from that genre. However, before you do the same I suggest that you do two things. (1) Read this article and (2) play the demo.

First off I think its worth mentioning that this isn’t some third party independent game that was forged on a rusty anvil with a rubber hammer. This game, published by EA and developed by Double Fine productions, sports two people that give it instant potential. Its designer is Tim Schafer, who was creative director for Psychonauts and who worked about a decade for Lucasarts. This man has intimate knowledge of things that make a good game. He’s received best original game and Game Developers Choice Award for his work on Psychonauts. With an experienced driver behind the wheel a game always has a better chance at being good. The other person that gives this game real lasting entertainment potential is Jack Black, and say what you will about him but he can be quite entertaining.  Jack Black voices the protagonist of Brutal Legend, Eddie Riggs. With story writing expertise and a well known actor, both of whom are known for their love of the heavy metal genre, the development of this game has enough heated passion to jumpstart a hot-rod. That being said, I’ve played the demo for Xbox 360 and initial impressions only serve to reinforce the aforementioned.

The demo opens up about the first 15 minutes of game play. It reveals the overall game mechanics, some specific features, and the major storyline. To start with the storyline it’s safe to say that this game doesn’t seem to break archetypical boundaries. It would appear that there is a world in trouble, a heavy metal one, and you, playing as Eddie the “best roadie ever,” are given the opportunity to save it. Now in the first few minutes of the demo you’ll see how being the best roadie ever is a way to be a winner and loser at the same time. Eddie is clearly dedicated, talented, and loyal to the metal way. However he works for possibly the worst metal band to ever exist. During their most recent concert one of the “tweenie” loved punks climbs up the stage decorations, falls, and is now hanging on for dear life.

Upon seeing this Eddie starts to make a comment and as he’s about to drop an “f” bomb we are given the first of two game experience choices. The player is prompted here to choose whether to hear every swear or, if preferred, to have them bleeped out. I made the decision to have them bleeped out mostly for the juvenile indulgence of laughing when an actual bleep happens. Later on, in this non-interactive prelude, you’ll get the option to turn blood and gore off or on as well. I turned it on and it seems like the differences between choices affect both the game play and the cut scenes. It was a nice touch having this option because it really let me customize my game play right from the start. I should note that when choosing you should definitely read the text because the word choice used to express the options is entertaining.

After Eddie catches the guy he lets him down, steps into the darkness, and is crushed as part of the staging falls on him. While under the rubble a drop of his blood falls on his belt buckle, a chrome demon arises from beneath the stage, and after some roaring the screen flashes white. Eddie then awakens inside a scene that looks like it could have come from a contemporary version of the 80s cartoon Heavy Metal.

He awakens inside some gothic looking temple only to be assaulted by some seriously demonic priest. It is here that we are introduced both to combat and to the first of three major game play tools. In the middle of the room is a holy looking axe. In order to defend yourself, i.e. Eddie, you run to the axe, all taking place in 3rdperson view, and start swinging. The game’s combat mechanics are simple, using a combination style system. One button is melee, another for ranged/magic attacks, and combinations of them create an entertaining experience. The axe, aka the Separator, seems to be your primary assault weapon in the game. It was fun using it to chop down demonic figures and while taping the attack button unleashed slashes, holding it down caused an overhead chop that literally cut enemies down to size. After a time you are then introduced to your secondary weapon, aka Clementine, your guitar. While in the regular world this device was a musical instrument, here in the metal world it is also a magical weapon capable of shocking or exploding your enemies and literally shaking the earth beneath you in your battles. There are also combos that combine your axe and guitar in battle.

As you continue on in the demo you meet up with girl named Ophelia who becomes your first ally. Teamwork with your allies also adds a dimension to combat because together Eddie and Ophelia executed a combo attack that seemed pretty effective against low level enemies. As the two of you run to the exit your cut off and Eddie has a chance to look around the temple for a way out. It is here that we are introduced to a mini game similar to the Ocarina style music engine in The Legend of Zelda. Eddie, using his awesome roadie powers, is able to read and decifer the anceint writings on an alter and play the notes upon its stone face. These notes give rise to it's secret, which is basically that it's a car shop. Eddie, being able to build anything, takes the loser out of being the best roadie ever and builds a hot rod faster than the A Team ever could. He name her “The Druid Plow,” aka The Deuce, and you, playing as Eddie behind the wheel, blow through the main door. As you race to the exit of this demonistic style temple you mow down villain after villain, so bring extra windshield wiper fluid, and just as your about to reach freedom, however, the gate slams shut.

Enter the boss battle. A huge centiped style creature burst from a bone pile and, using your newly assmbled hotrod, your tasked with taking the creature down. It’s a fairly challenging battle and, like the rest of the demo up until this point, is a lot of fun. The demo ends with Eddie telling his new compainion that he will teach her about “french kissing” and they jump the wall to freedom.

Overall game play was solid and entertaining. The graphics, with a cartoonistic style, are very good. The game play is smooth because of this and the environments are wonderfully rendered. At one point in time there was actually fireballs falling from the sky when two seconds earlier it was clear. The transitions make the game really imersive.

After some research I discovered that the style, scenery, and artistry was taken directly from metal album coveres, which is defiantly true because when you play the game you feel like you’re in one. I’ve also read that you’ll interact with metal legends like, and including, Ozzy Ozborne during your travels and that Eddie’s abilities are upgradeable, even though they didn’t show that option in the demo.

At the end of the demo, and even now, I find myself considering this game as a “buy used” purchase at least. The comedic dialogue combined with Jack Black’s voice acting made this demo really entertaining and funny. It is rated mature for good reason, having listed among its reasons; strong language, violence, and partial nudity. However to most individuals of the male gender this only serves to make this game a potential triple threat. I would, again, encourage you not to write this game off because of the Metal theme. If anything that theme only serves to provide a great and epic soundtrack, including about 100 hugely acclaimed songs from bands like Black Sabbath. I want to point out too that Jack Black’s metal band is featured in the soundtrack as well, aka Tenacious D. I do predict that many people won’t heed this warning making this game a underground hit, but with the popularity of games like Guitar Hero that prediction may be completely wrong. Look for it October 13thand, as EA’s tagline states, remember in “Rocktober, Rock Demons to Death”.

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