We should consider ourselves lucky that Tim Schafer works in video games. He’s more than a talented enough writer to be a star in the movies or television, but as gamers, we’re lucky enough to have him working in our chosen medium. His humor, imagination and ability to spin a really compelling yarn have given us some of the most original creations to ever grace interactive entertainment and just regular old entertainment as well. His latest, Brütal Legend is no different.
Set in a heavy-metal fantasy world, Brütal Legend tells the story of Eddie Riggs, roadie extraordinaire and devotee to all things metal, who awakes in this alternate universe where humans are fighting for their freedom against a bunch of nasty demons. The game is chock full of sight gags and funny dialogue, and follows a compelling narrative with an actual beginning, middle and end—and with a few twists along the way. Those are all things we expect of Schafer and his mucho talented team at Double Fine.
But the thing that we often forget about Schafer’s games, when we get caught up adoring the witty writing and unique art style, is just how innovative his gameplay can be. Brütal Legend is no mere hack-n-slash action/adventure game. At its core, it’s really a hybrid between those styles and a real-time strategy game, with a little open-world sandbox play thrown in for good measure. It’s a unique experience, in both single and multiplayer, and Double Fine nails the concept perfectly, making it challenging for experienced gamers, yet not overwhelming for the newbies who just came here for the metal.
I have to admit, I’ve been a huge fan of Schafer’s games for years now, ever since Day of the Tentacle and Full Throttle kept me from finishing a couple of college term papers on time. Psychonauts may be my favorite game of all time, hands down, so I’ve been pretty excited about Brütal Legend for some time now. Putting the game disc in for the first time did not disappoint either. It begins with a live-action video of Jack Black leading the camera into a record store, I’m guessing somewhere in the San Fernando Valley. In the back they have this one record, possibly a magical one. Once he finds it, he lays it on the table for you, and that record, with cameos from Jack Black’s real hands, becomes the start menu for the game. I’m already in love.
We’ve talked about the story before, so I’ll give you the short version. Eddie is working a show for a horrible pop-metal band, and things go awry when the set collapses. In true roadie fashion—everything is for the band, to make them look better—Eddie saves one of them from the collapsing stage, but gets crushed in the process. Some of his blood runs into the mouth of the sweet belt buckle given to him by his dad, and the fire beast Ormagöden awakens and goes on a rampage. Eddie subsequently wakes up in a fantasy world that is a big heavy-metal album cover come to life, where he fights a bunch of demons, meets a bunch of humans who look like rock stars and goes on to save their totally metal world.
Brilliantly voiced by Jack Black, Eddie is a hero unlike many others; he shuns the spotlight and only works to make those around him look better. That’s why he’s the perfect person to help the humans free themselves from the chains of bondage they’re put under by the demon overlords. His roadie skills—building stages, organizing tours, handling equipment—serve him well in building an army and waging a war. The metaphors between live rock-and-roll performances and war are very tight and maintain themselves well throughout the story.
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