In Brütal Legend, the world of video games and music collide. Recently released for the PlayStation Entertainment System and XBOX 360, Brütal Legend is the latest game from Tim Schafer, creator of such acclaimed titles as The Secret of Monkey Island, Full Throttle and Grim Fandango. The question is, do the worlds of rock and video games mix well enough to create anything more than a well-intentioned mess? The answer is yes, they combine to make a very interesting game – just don’t expect a masterpiece.
The story of Brütal Legend follows roadie extraordinaire Eddie Riggs (voiced by Jack Black) after he suffers a freak stage accident and finds himself in a fantasy world filled not with dwarves and elves but with metal-inspired denizens and a cast of characters straight out of your dog-eared vinyl collection. Eddie’s quest is to save the land from an evil horde of demons that enslaves humanity while discovering something about himself. Tim Schafer is not one to skimp on the story. If Schafer’s pedigree proves anything, it’s that playing a video game is about more than slicing and dicing; it’s about the player’s total immersion and belief in a world of pixels and polygons.
Brütal Legend is no exception. Schafer makes players want to navigate the world and play to the end credits, the acting talent and visual style create an interactive world that at times borders on the cinematic, and the producers went to great lengths to include cameos from brand name rocker Lemmy Kilmister, Rob Halford and Ozzy Osbourne, all lending vocal talents as well as likenesses, enforcing an authenticity that few games can challenge. Too bad the story wasn’t longer. At around six hours of single-player play time, it seems insubstantial. The ending also comes too soon, taking away some of the glory earned by ridding the land of demons.
“In Brütal Legend, the world of video games and music collide.”
The gameplay consists of three main elements: third-person action, open-world exploration and a strategy part. This combination is a bit of a weakness, as the sections don’t feel compatible. This is not to say that they are disjointed, but when you look at Legend as an interactive story, you begin to feel that some parts just get in the way of you learning more about Eddie Riggs and his crew. The third-person action works well, you feel like you have complete control over Eddie and you feel powerful. But the strategy part gets bogged down in complexity. Similarly, the multiplayer component isn’t as compelling as it could have been, making it unable to sustain significant replay value.
A crucial aspect of the game is the open world the player experiences with the vehicle, The Deuce. Most of the game is spent getting from one quest to the next, but it’s just as much fun blasting tunes and taking in the sights. There are plenty of missions where players can get off the Deuce and follow along, along with places to upgrade your weapons and car, but this part again feels like a missed opportunity. It would have been beneficial to tie the side missions into the main storyline to create a more meaningful game, rather than adding an arbitrary “arcade” mode to the main “story” mode.
Brütal Legend’s star-studded soundtrack is phenomenal, featuring tracks from rock legends such as Motörhead, Black Sabbath, KMFDM, Whitesnake, Megadeth, Ministry, Slayer, and Mötley Crüe, as well as more satirical music from the likes of Tenacious D and Dethklok. Never before has metal and rock music been used to support such a high-concept game. Not a moment goes by without anthemic, riff-heavy rock blasting. During key events in the game, the emphasis on story and character development is highlighted by the music. Using music to drive the story makes for a fascinating game and, dare I say it, a legendary soundtrack – but it doesn’t quite make up for the game’s flaws.
So, with the strong story component but the weaker gameplay element, Brütal Legend begs the question: is it worth it? Well, this question is not as simple as you might think. If you’re a fan of Tim Schafer, then this is a ripe addition to your collection – you don’t need me to tell you that. For people unfamiliar with Schafer, or for those interested in the music and game integration, you should still play this game, just don’t shell out the cash to own it. The characters and the world they inhabit need to be experienced, but once may be enough. Rent it, or befriend those who own it, because the story and character arcs are well worth the effort.
