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Video Game Review: Brutal Legend

Brutal Legend is a game unlike any other, in some fantastic ways and in some others that aren’t so stellar. Throughout the entire span of the game you never forget what is at its core: Metal. This game bleeds metal and it’s incredibly obvious who the target market is. For a gamer much like myself, who likes metal but is not quite a metal head like some others, I still found this game immensely rewarding. The soundtrack is simply fantastic and accompanies the vast and creative world perfectly. Brutal Legend highlights one of the most imaginative and humorous fantasy worlds that I have had the chance to roam and explore in an open world game.

Developer: Double Fine | Platform: PS3, 360 | Release: October 13th, 2009 | Genre: Action Adventure, RTS

The story and its main quests flow nicely and take you all throughout the rich world. The side missions, however, are very repetitive and easily forgettable. While there are plenty of areas to explore and bonuses to collect, the player is left with little substantial content once the story line is completed. The upgrade system for your car, weapons, and abilities is fairly rewarding, unlocking new merchandise as you complete main missions, but I found myself with barely enough Fire Tributes (currency) to purchase the items I wanted. Without spending time grinding all of those boring side missions you can’t possibly unlock everything in the store.

That being said, the performance of Ozzy Osbourne as the Guardian of Metal is great, and it’s obvious that he really enjoyed himself while recording. Jack Black fits his role perfectly and also makes a superb performance, delivering his unique and special brand of humor.

The big criticism for the game comes against its RTS battles in the form of stage shows. This system works for what it needs to do, but doesn’t provide very much depth for multiplayer. The units are creative and fun, each having specific special abilities and double team moves. The overall feel is good but is somewhat unpolished for big time RTS fans.

One of my favorite things about the game, to my surprise, is driving mechanics. The “Deuce” is a blast to drive and each boost and ramp feels very satisfying. Drifting around statues of swords and battle axes and doing J-turns to successfully run over a group of enemies just makes you feel like an absolute bad ass.

Brutal Legend gave me a good story, an imaginative world, an awesome soundtrack, and plenty of laughs throughout my journey as Eddie Riggs. Although some aspects of the game felt repetitive or unpolished, the experience as a whole is something that is very unique and well worth your time to explore.

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Originally seen on Game Informer

Alex Hanavan

Alex is a 23 year old Computer Science graduate working on his Master's of Business Administration. As an enthusiast of all forms of media he loves music, movies, and games. He likes to keep up to date with what’s happening throughout the world of science and technology but wishes that he had more time to actually sit down and read a good pleasure book. Alex plays trumpet and sometimes thinks that he was born in the wrong decade. His favorite video games include the franchises Bioshock, Assassin’s Creed, Legend of Zelda, Uncharted, Fallout, and The Elder Scrolls. You can contact him at alexh@theyoungfolks.com.