Brutal Legend Review (Xbox, PlayStation & PC)

Brutal Legend illustrates the importance of originality—the notion that not everything needs to bend to the beating heart of fixed expectations to pivot the axis of stability. It embodies the rebellious altitude of punk, and it fortifies the backbone of metal, not just to be a anarchist between mediums, but to conceive a face-sweltering rhythmic encore that, frankly, you’ll never experience again in your lifetime.

To commemorate the life and legacy of Ozzy Osbourne, a pioneer in establishing the iron heart of heavy metal, we recently decided to venture back to the root of Brutal Legend, a third-person roadie-based action-tower defense hybrid that once conquered the main stage on ex-gen consoles and PC.

A decade has passed, and yet, the act of slipping back behind the wheel of The Deuce still remains as devilishly enticing as ever. And you know what? Even though I’m a smidgen older and my back probably couldn’t handle the thrashing of clobbered fists in an Ironheade mosh pit, I still feel as if I could bang my head to its theatrical display of axe-smitten combat and roadie-roasted gig culture. I’m older, but that doesn’t mean I’m incapable of spotting a diamond in the rough when I see it. And when it comes to lighting the fires beneath Brutal Legend’s epic road trip, I am all for the idea of sticking around for the encore.

Back in Black

Brutal Legend hits all of the right frets to immediately pull you into a pulpy tale of split-second solos and gore-addled dreams—epic world tours and shredding audiences, cult metal icons and an open-world stage of bone and blood, metal and lightning. It’s within this world—an almost prehistoric land of ancient riffs and legends—where Brutal Legend launches its debut.

The game follows the path of Eddie Riggs, a roadie who, after colliding with an ominous force, skyrockets back to an age where heavy metal monopolized the trenches of its demonic past. An evil force; a tyrant with a god complex; a ragtag band of musicians with a heart for change and a tour bus that can shift the axis of time and move mountains. One roadie; one blood-soaked guitar with mythical elemental powers; and an entire wasteland of wayward sons and head-banging recruits. Suffice it to say here that, as far as storylines go, Brutal Legend has that one-of-a-kind ingredient that we don’t often see in action-adventure games. Scratch that, it’s an ingredient that we still haven’t seen, even after a decade since its formal debut.

Brutal Legend butters its meaty campaign with a litter of gameplay elements, with each section attributing a unique portion of a metal-inspired open-world map. There are hack-and-slash bouts to engage in; concerts to stage—a tower defense side gig that has an entirely different gameplay style—and conquer; cinematic romances and on-screen kingdom-building elements; and, to lather that little extra frosting on the cake, an enormous score that features credits from several of the genre’s most prolific and beloved artists. Add the fact that you also have cameos from the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy Kilmister, and Kyle Gass, and you’ve got quite the crowd-pleasing line-up to bolster an already formidable headliner.

The Show Must Go On

Between the crags and crevices of this punch-drunk road trip idles a fistful of high-speed one-liners, tongue-in-cheek references, and a signature Jack Black essence that fans will both resonate with and relish over a generously-sized campaign. What’s more, it single-handedly coughs up a plethora of activities and side quests, including races, mosh pit-based “road block” missions, and slabs that essentially allow you the opportunity to upgrade your guitar’s abilities. And then there are the other features, such as the vehicle customization, as well as the factions and the gothic boroughs and grand-scale battlefields, to boot.

Suffice it to say that, for a game that is punching a little over a decade old, Brutal Legend still manages to dial up the amp with a laughably loud performance that just hits all of the right notes — and then some. Admittedly, it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but as the saying goes, ‘you don’t need to know rock and roll to get the lead out.’ And if there’s one thing that Brutal Legend does, it’s providing a sound stage for fledgling combatants and all-star virtuoso fanatics to thrash out their emotional baggage. So it’s a little dated, true. But then, when certain games make that much of an impact during their opening performance, time is irrelevant; it’s a pointless matter.

Verdict

Brutal Legend earmarks its place as a timeless gig that, even after a decade of unleashing face-melting riffs and iron anthems, continues to hold a stake in the festival of irreplaceable arts. Even today, in a world that has advanced beyond the confines of restrictive mechanics and UI, it keeps a strong hold over its audience, with slick features and a tower defense system that still hits just as hard as it did back in its heyday. It’s old, but that isn’t to say that it’s of a poorer quality, nor is it to say that it’s incapable of meeting the same benchmark as a lot of modern red-letter RPGs. The fact is, as unusual as its concept may seem, nothing will ever come close to replicating it — and that’s a blessing and a curse, really.

Billed with a stellar heavy metal soundtrack and a ton of cult status godfathers of the timeless craft, Brutal Legend certainly has the prowess to stay afloat and continue knocking back punters for years to come. It’s almost a shame, in ways, that it’ll never be given that modern makeover to help exhume some of its poorest features. Given that it lacks a crooked spine, though, I suppose it isn’t in need of a remastered release. Still, one can dream, as can one crane their neck to the mere possibility that someone, somewhere, will take the initiative to reignite the flame beneath its axis.

It’s highly unlikely that you’ve spent the best part of a decade hiding beneath a rock, or even skirting around the post-launch period of Brutal Legend’s gratified encore. If, however, you’re still without the luxury of being able to slip into the bloodstream of Double Fine’s metal-centric cortex, then I strongly suggest that you take that belt buckle of yours and take the dive. The stage dive, that is.