First and foremost it should be noted that Brutal Legend, for a large part, is a real time strategy game. The single player campaign consists of hack n slash, driving and RTS sequences. However the multiplayer segment solely focuses on the RTS genre.

From the sights of detailed architectural structures to the sounds that include a vast list of over 100 songs, Double Fine has done a great job in creating a unique and vivid world of metal. The world comes alive with its partially absurd and partially horrific and unique creatures and characters. The type of creatures that include a panther that shoots out lasers (yes you read that right!) I am not a big fan of metal, but even I enjoyed the aesthetics of the game. Unfortunately, this great new world gets overshadowed by shallow gameplay elements.

Single Player:

I was sceptical when I heard that Jack Black would be doing the voice for the protagonist. Fortunately Jack Black, along with the rest of the cast, has done a superb job with the voice acting. Brutal Legend has the charms and witty dialogue of the Tim Schaffer we all know and love. The game has a great story and rich background to support it. However it ends rather quickly due to a short single player campaign. The primary missions can be easily completed in less than six hours. Although there are quite a few secondary missions, they are tedious and highly repetitive that even reuses the same dialogue.

While on foot, as Eddie Riggs, players can swing their axe for melee attacks or use their guitar to throw down ranged electric shocks. In addition Eddie can play short solos to boost his comrades or literally melt the faces of his nearby foes. Fortunately the game pauses to show the faces being melted. Unfortunately however there are very few combos. This is the main reason why the hack’n slash component of the game pales in comparison to the Ninja Gaidens or the Devil May Cries.

By far one of the best and most satisfying experiences is that of driving Eddie’s car. Unfortunately there are not a lot of vehicle involving missions. The car comes in handy to travel in the fairly large open world environment. However due to the absence of a mini-map I found myself frustratingly hit pause every thirty seconds to ensure I was heading towards the right direction.

Half way through, the gameplay evolves to a RTS game. Fortunately, Eddie grows wings that allow the player to cover vast distances of the map rather quickly. The main objective of these scenarios is to destroy the opponent’s main base which is their stage. There are various resource points in the map. The strategy then boils down to controlling the various resource points as you make your way to the base of the opponent.

The paths are fairly linear and the number of units is limited to only 40 spaces, with the stronger units using up to 6 spots. In addition it is difficult and frustrating to split up the army. All of this means that the game does not have as much depth as RTS fans would have liked. However with the usual point and click mechanic substituted by using the main character to issue orders, any more depth would have made the game too frustrating. The great thing about this gameplay element is that Eddie can combine with any of the units for special stronger attacks. These special moves can easily turn the tide of battle.

However the RTS element in the single player is a little too simple as many of the stronger units are only available towards the end of the game. My personal opinion of the RTS element is that it will still be a bit too frustrating for people that do not enjoy the RTS genre. At the same time RTS fans may be turned off due to its simplicity and lack of required strategy.

Multiplayer: 

There are a total of six maps available for multiplayer. Players are also able to choose two other factions each with unique units that offer a different experience. Multiplayer battles can be played with up to 4 on 4 matches. I am not sure if it is because the game did not sell as much or if people did not like the RTS component of the game, it is a little hard to find games online. I only tried a few times and in each case I was matched with opponents of a much higher level.

Technical Issues:

Although not too frustrating, there are occasional instances of frame rate drops particularly in the heat of RTS battles. In addition the game has graphical pop-up issues that especially become evident when driving at faster speeds.

The Final Word: Double Fine has done a great job with creating an amazing world of metal. It is backed up with a great dialogue and some ‘very cool’ ideas. However these can be overshadowed by a short single player campaign and overly simplified gameplay mechanics that result in a shallow if not forgettable experience.  

Platform: Xbox 360, PS3. (Reviewed on Xbox 360) 

Developed by: Double Fine

Published by: Electronic Arts