Review by: Danielle Riendeau

Brutal Legend is the most eclectic – and truly eccentric - game I’ve ever played. Like a “kitchen sink” casserole that winds up being completely delicious, it merges elements as disparate as the RTS genre, the bizarre and wonderful sense of humor of Tim Shafer, Grand Theft Auto, Overlord and the cult film Heavy Metal into one wonderful, gooey concoction. It’s an acquired taste, perhaps, but a satisfying one nonetheless.

You play as Eddie Riggs, the most badass roadie in the history of heavy metal. After an unfortunate incident at a concert involving a massive stage break, blood and demons, you’re drawn into a crazy alternate dimension in which the power of rock rules all, and humans are enslaved by demonic/robotic entities. Bear with me.

Eddie takes his transplantation in stride, since he quickly comes upon a magical guitar and a battle axe, which you’ll use to rain down pain and suffering on countless baddies. You’ll also meet up with a lovely warrior lady who brings you to a mystical overworld once you construct a car (the deuce!) and learn a few guitar commands.

Soon enough, you’re traversing the bizarre “Heavy Metal” countryside in your vehicle, off to meet with the Ironheade crew and help them gather an army to resist the evil forces tearing apart the land. From here, the game opens up a bit, allowing you to explore, choose secondary missions (the better to earn “fire tributes” from the rock gods, which act like a sort of currency), or move on with the main quest.

The narrative is strong and often hilarious, with cameos from various rock legends– Ozzy is your car weapons dealer, for example. As one would come to expect from a Double Fine game, the characters are memorable and ridiculously unique. You’ll hang out with motorcycle bound “killmasters” who weave life-saving chords, kick it with a group of thick-necked headbangers, and face off against all sorts of wacked creatures straight off of a Gwar album cover.