ESRB:

BUY

I suppose that when you look so forward to something for so long, you’re bound to be disappointed with the final product. And while that’s no way to start a review for a game that I genuinely like, it is disappointing. Hear me out…

Pain and Fear!

To give some perspective, I hold Tim Schafer’s Psychonauts in the highest regard. It is gently resting on a pillow, covered in a glass case, atop a pedestal, guarded by 20 El Odios in my mind. To say that I consider it the greatest game possible would be an understatement, and would of course doom any sophomore effort from Tim’s Double Fine. How do you beat the unbeatable? Having looked forward to this game with a child-like enthusiasm since it was announced, I was excited nonetheless. Joss Whedon has struck gold more than once and I expected the same greatness from his gaming counterpart. Though failing to meet your own stellar standards that you’ve set could hardly be called disappointing. Overall, I’m torn.

Getting it out of the way early, let’s start with the things that are “wrong” with Brutal Legend. Obviously this is a game about music, but more specifically it’s about metal music. Maybe the greatest thing about Psychonauts was that I had no opinion on psychic summer camps before I played it. When it came to bringing in the gamer, it was a neutral subject. Conversely, I have a very strong opinion about heavy metal, in that I absolutely cannot stand it. It’s one thing to grin and bear it through a 15-minute episode of Metalocalypse, but it’s entirely another to immerse yourself in a world that you need to understand before you can successfully navigate it. This probably would’ve still been a problem with any music genre chosen (could you imagine an entire game about folk music?), and I understand that metal and the culture that comes with it is rich and full of an interesting mythology. But I don’t have to like it.

Beyond its initial bother of being based on a subject I personally have no interest in, there are several things about the game that could’ve been thought through better. The opening video of Jack Black entering the record store to find the Epic Metal record was interesting and refreshing. Hey, I think Jack Black is funny and I enjoy watching his movies. Only you’re stuck watching the movie every time you turn the game on. There was no need for that, guys. Watching it once is cool, but not being able to skip it (I haven’t found a way yet) is some new kind of torture.

This is what commanding dudes looks like.

It’s been said in most other reviews, but I’m going to keep beating this dead horse when I say that I hate the RTS aspects of the game. Very cool in theory (I’m sure more so for people who like RTS games, which again I do not), but the execution is like pulling teeth. Having to command your guys to kill the other guys should be way easier than it started. For one, the differences between Eddie’s troops and Lord Lion White’s troops are the colors of the headbands. I’m not even kidding; good guys are ranged between dark red and black, and the bad guys are kind of a fuchsia and pink color. Exact same character model for the good guys and the bad guys, where the deciding factor between “send to fight” or “kill” is a subtle color change. This part of the game was frustrating once, and luckily you get to keep doing it. Non-sarcastically lucky, is that it does improve the more you play. The enemies become more diverse as the game goes on, and it’s a lot easier than fighting your own dudes.

Now, beyond there being a limited number of them, do not think that I am ragging on the characters or the models. Scott Campbell, artist extraordinaire at Double Fine, is an amazing human being. I heard that he has as much knowledge and affection for the metal genre as I do, yet he still managed to create brilliant character designs. They fit in perfectly with their larger-than-life surroundings, which are also phenomenal. Even though I complained about the RTS turns the game takes, I really enjoyed playing solos to melt faces or summon my car because it was too far away and I’m too lazy to walk up the hill to get it. While that may sound unimportant, it seemed to me like the developers understood things about what gamers like and dislike, and tried to fix them.

Some of the voice talent used (and I’m not going to pretend I know who half of the musician cameos are) were manufactured to put a smile on your face. Did you ever think you’d play a videogame where comedian Brian Posehn tasks you with killing Ground Urchins (metal for porcupine)? Speaking of porcupines, animals play an essential and totally rad part in this story (they join your army!), and they’re a lot of fun.

Picture unrelated.

Looking back, it seems like there was more to complain about than to love, and I apologize if I gave you that impression. Maybe we’re more critical of games that are important, and that matter. Assigning a number score for this kind of gaming experience is difficult, because I believe that my loyalties are weighted more in one direction than they should be. It’s probably a sign of the times where people don’t just look up to athletes or movies stars, but to people who work hard and develop a product the player is drawn to, over and over. If a game doesn’t live up to its desired potential, those who are emotionally invested in its success take a hit. I may be taking things too seriously. Tim, if you’re out there… we love you.

Please understand that the game is wonderful — I can’t stress this enough. And while it’s initially kind of a pain and hard to love, like a sibling, if you invest the time you come out ahead. If you feel the way I do, where you absolutely hate metal music and real time strategy games, understand that it works. Eventually. Although this wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, I’m still on the Double Fine team and I’m looking forward to whatever they have next.

Tim Schafer and Jack Black rocked the Key Club last week to talk about Brutal Legend. The room full of journalists were probably not prepared for what was going to transpire. Both guys came to the event in a good mood and it was quickly apparent that this wouldn’t be the place for serious questions. Further proven by the journalist who asked about “cock push-ups”. I at least got one semi-serious question in.

The video uses explicit language so watch only if you are not easily offended!!

It’s now Rocktober and Brutal Legend will be out on October 13.

Here is a video of Tim and Jack talking about the “competition”:

Brutal Legend

Here is the second part of our interview with Brutal Legend’s Tim Schafer. Let’s jump right in!

Q: Can you talk about the development lessons you learned on Psychonauts and how that impacted the design and development of Brutal Legends?

A: Psychonauts was kindof developed like an adventure game way. Where we built alot of assets, alot of worlds, built a lot of environments and we built alot of characters. Then on the last minute just pull it all together and make it work. OMG it didn’t work and we’re out of time, so we had to start over on some stuff. Really took a more character centered approach with Brutal Legend where we started with Eddie. We just built Eddie and said what is the central thing for Eddie to do? It’s for Eddie to walk around while playing heavy metal music and swinging his ax around. We just got that working. So we immediately had Eddie and his ax fighting some enemies. That basic visceral feeling of being in a heavy metal world doing ax combat. Then we had the car and you could drive your car over dudes and swing your ax around. That’s when we knew we had something cool.

Q: What was it like working with Jack Black and did you know from the start that you wanted him cast as Eddie Riggs or were there other possibilities?

A: We never thought that we would get Jack Black. I wanted to make a game Jack Black would like. I really thought his sensibility and taste in the school of rock of just like, on the one hand, there is alot of ridiculous stuff in his movies kindof making fun of him and rock itself and the excesses of it. But also obviously done with tons of love. They really love the stuff they are doing. They aren’t just kidding. The whole idea of the awesomeness and the ridiculousness of rock at the same time was something that Jack would tap into. While making this game I hoped that Jack Black plays it because I heard he was a gamer. We thought of him while making the character. We made him look a little bit like Jack, little bit maybe like Danzig too and made him expressive like Jack. When we heard that Jack had played Psychonauts and that he likes Psychonauts we’re like woah maybe we should try and get in touch with him and offer him this thing. We got a meeting with him and I brought down the concept art and laid it out on the table and he said let’s do it. I knew we were making the right kindof game because Jack Black liked it. Working with him was great, he’s a crack up in the studio and a very nice guy.

Q: As a metal fan, what excited you the most about this project?

A: Well alot of different things. I’ve always wanted to do a proper visualization of the fantasy described by heavy metal. I didn’t think the rock videos of the 80s really did it because they didn’t have the budget. I want to create one of these fantasy worlds that is being described in the songs and that you see on the album covers. I want to make a whole world done really elaborately and done really truthfully and let the player walk around in that and have adventures in that. I think we’ve pulled that off and I’m really happy about that. I’m also really excited about people maybe who don’t really like metal, it’s an action game, that has strategy, has a lot of humor, and has alot of entertainment value outside the music. The world of heavy metal makes a cool background to all your adventures. I think that by the end of the game, they’ll have been exposed to so much music that they’ll become heavy metals.

Q: What is your favorite band outside of heavy metal and did any band outside of heavy metal have any influence?

A: I think it’s really about metal. I listen to all kinds of music. Heavy metal is the only one that has lore in their lyrics. There was pressure to include different genres in the game in the first pitching the game, but once we made the world it was this self contained world where heavy metal existed.

Brutal Legend

A: Unfortunately he only knew Cobol so he couldn’t help with the programming too much. Programming joke! *laughs* He mostly was involved in what the character is like and where the character is coming from. He improvised alot. He’ll definitely playing the game and I look forward to his feedback from that.

Q: Will Brutal Legend teach me how to solve a Rubiks Cube?

A: If you watch that video, you’ll learn how to solve a Rubiks Cube. Heavy Metal and Rubiks Cube go together. *laughs* I don’t even know where the idea for the Rubiks Cube came from. But there is one in my hand right now. It’s something I do on the phone.

Q: The most asked question on the community..any chance for a Psychonauts remake for next-gen consoles or a sequel?

A: That would be awesome wouldn’t it? *laughs* I think that would be awesome. I love that game and I would love to do something with it someday. But we aren’t working on that right now. But that would be awesome. If the fans keep talking about it maybe it will happen.

You heard him…keep talking about Psychonauts and maybe it will happen! Stay tuned Sunday for part 3 of our interview…yes it’s not done yet! More awesomeness to come!

Brutal Legend Box Art

Today’s news is about rocking out with your bad self I guess as EA and Double Fine continue the headbanging news with the announcement of the soundtrack for Brutal Legend. There are over 100 tracks for this soundtrack with over 75 bands showcased.

”This soundtrack took years to put together as we wanted to represent every genre of Metal, and also have the perfect music for every epic moment in the game,” said Tim Schafer, President of Double Fine Productions. “It’s designed to be loved by Metal fans, and for those who are not, it will either convert them or make their heads explode… or both.”

Brutal Legend is Tim Schafer’s title starring Jack Black as Eddie Riggs a roadie that is summoned to save humanity and become a Brutal Legend.

“It would be a grave disservice to merely use the term ‘Ultimate Heavy Metal Soundtrack’ here,” said Steve Schnur, Worldwide Executive of Music and Music Marketing for Electronics Arts. “Instead, what we’ve unleashed is without question the most mind-blasting, face-melting, skull-shattering alliance of Classic Metal, Thrash Metal, New Wave, British Metal, Black Metal, Power Metal, Doom Metal, Death Metal, Hair Metal, Goth Metal and Industrial Metal ever decreed by The Gods Of Metal. Its very existence will condemn your soul to eternal brütal damnation. Yes, it’s that good!”

Here is the complete list of songs that you can headbang to:
ARTIST SONG
3 Inches of Blood Deadly Sinners
3 Inches of Blood Destroy The Orcs
Accept Fast As A Shark
Angel Witch Angel Witch
Anthrax Metal Thrashing Mad
Anvil March of the Crabs
Anvil Tag Team
Apostasy Sulphur Injection
Bishop of Hexen A Serpentine Grave
Bishop of Hexen The Somber Grounds of Truth
Black Sabbath Children of the Grave
Black Sabbath Symptom of the Universe
Black Sabbath Never Say Die
Brocas Helm Cry of the Banshee
Brocas Helm Drink the Blood of the Priest
Budgie Breadfan
Budgie Zoom Club
Candlemass Witches
Carcass No Love Lost
Cloven Hoof Nightstalker
Children of Bodom Angels Don’t Kill
Coroner Skeleton on your Shoulder
Cradle of Filth Her Ghost in the Fog
Crimson Glory Queen of the Masquerade
Dark Fortress Insomnia
Dark Tranquility Cathode Ray Sunshine
Deathstars Blitzkrieg
Def Leppard Rock of Ages
Dethklok Mermaider
Diamond Head Am I Evil?
Dimmu Borgir Progenies of the Great Apocalypse
Dokken Mr. Scary
Dragonforce Through the Fire and Flames
Emperor Thus Spake The Nightspirit
Enslaved Frost
Enslaved Loke
Firehouse Overnight Sensation
Girlschool Bomber
Iced Earth When the Night Falls
Iced Earth Pure Evil
In Flames Goliaths Disarm Their Davids
Judas Priest Battle Hymn
Judas Priest The Hellion/Electric Eye
Judas Priest Leather Rebel
Judas Priest One Shot At Glory
Judas Priest Painkiller

Kabbage Boy

Girlfriend

KMFDM

Free Your Hate
KMFDM Rip The System
King Diamond Cremation
King Diamond Welcome Home
Kiss God of Thunder
Lita Ford Betrayal
Marilyn Manson Beautiful People
Manowar Die For Metal
Manowar The Dawn Of Battle
Mastodon Crack the Skye
Mastodon Oblivion Instrumental

Megadeth
High Speed Dirt

Megadeth
Tornado of Souls
Metal Church Metal Church
Michael Schenker Group Assault Attack
Ministry Stigmata
Ministry Thieves
Mirrorthrone So Frail
Motley Crue Dr. Feelgood
Motley Crue Kickstart My Heart
Motley Crue Live Wire
Motorhead Back at the Funny Farm
Motorhead In the Black
Motorhead Marching Off to War
Motorhead We Are the Road Crew
Nitro Machine Gun Eddie
Omen The Axeman
Ostrogoth Queen of Desire
Overkill World of Hurt
Ozzy Osbourne Believer
Ozzy Osbourne Mr. Crowley
Ozzy Osbourne Diary of a Madman
Prong Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck
Quiet Riot The Wild and the Young
Racer X Technical Difficulties
Racer X Y.R.O.
Ratt Lay It Down
Riot Road Racin
Riot Narita
Riot Swords and Tequila
Rob Zombie Superbeast
Rotting Christ Ad Notics
Running Wild Riding the Storm
Sanctuary Battle Angels
Savatage Hall of the Mountain King
Saxon Wheels of Steel
Scorpions Blackout
Scorpions Holiday
Skeletonwitch Soul Thrashing Black Sorcery
Skid Row Youth Gone Wild
Slayer Metal Storm/Face The Slayer
Slough Feg Warriors Dawn
Static-X Love Dump
Tenacious D Master Exploder
Tenacious D The Metal
Testament For The Glory Of
Testament More Than Meets The Eye
Tvangeste Birth of the Hero
UFO Rock Bottom
Whitesnake Still of the Night
Wrath of Killenstein Ignisis Dance

Brutal Legend

Here is a new video from the Brutal Thoughts series with Jack Black. The video also contains another look at the gameplay. Enjoy!

Brutal Legend Box Art

EA sent us the Box Art for upcoming Tim Schafer’s game, Brutal Legend. The game is aimed for an October release. Watch Twitter Brutal Legend for the latest information on the title.

The latest Twitter says,
“Brutal Thoughts #3 with @steveagee in a lead role impact on Thursday at noon PST…keep your iballz peeled”

Brutal Legend E3 coverage

Brutal Legend will definitely be at E3 this year and Double Fine’s own Tim Schafer wants to hear from you during E3. The website http://e3.brutallegend.com will have a new trailer, new “Brutal Thoughts with Jack Black” and one person will win a guitar.

Tim Schafer will be chatting on Twitter at 6pm PST on Tuesday, June 2nd. Send your questions to @BrutalLegend using the Twitter hashtag #E3BL. Simple enough to remember. From 7-8pm Tim Schafer will be answering your questions from Twitter.

To enter to win the exclusive Brutal Legend/Tenacious D guitar, sign up at http://e3.brutallegend.com