Brütal Legend
- December 15, 2009
- Double Fine Productions
- 12h median play time
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Get on Apple Store"Brütal Legend" is an action-adventure game set in a heavy metal-themed universe. Players control Eddie Riggs, a roadie who becomes the world's savior, wielding deadly guitar-based weapons and commanding troops of headbanging heroes. The game features a star-studded voice cast and a cranking soundtrack of metal music. Explore, battle, and embark on a rocking open-world adventure.
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Reviews
- music2,308 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in "Brütal Legend" is universally praised, featuring an extensive and iconic soundtrack that includes over 100 tracks from legendary metal bands such as Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and Motorhead. Players appreciate how the music is seamlessly integrated into the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience and immersing them in a vibrant, metal-themed world. The combination of humor, engaging voice acting from rock icons, and a rich musical backdrop makes it a must-play for fans of the genre.
“The soundtrack immensely fits the overall feel of the game with classics and songs that were fresh.”
“With its captivating storyline, iconic characters, dynamic gameplay, and unforgettable soundtrack, the game continues to resonate with fans of both video games and heavy metal music.”
“The music not only sets the tone for battles and exploration but also plays a pivotal role in gameplay mechanics, such as summoning powerful abilities and rallying allies.”
“The only bad thing about this game is when you start a mission, the song stops and another one starts... I did lose a lot of time waiting for a very good song to end before starting a mission.”
“I love the music and the comedy! But if it weren't for the music, atmosphere, and metalness, I probably wouldn't like this too much.”
“If you don't like those types of music you should still play this game.”
- story1,774 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story of "Brütal Legend" is a unique blend of humor, heavy metal culture, and engaging characters, primarily following Eddie Riggs, a roadie who finds himself in a fantastical world where music is power. While the narrative is often praised for its charm and creativity, many players note that it can feel rushed or simplistic, with a mix of predictable plot twists and a somewhat short main campaign. The game features a variety of missions, but side quests tend to be repetitive, which can detract from the overall experience despite the captivating soundtrack and voice acting from notable figures like Jack Black and Ozzy Osbourne.
“The story was written quite well, and I love the voice acting in this game, since you have Jack Black and Ozzy Osbourne himself doing it, and the humor in this game is just great.”
“Brütal Legend stands out as a unique and exhilarating action-adventure game that blends heavy metal culture with epic storytelling and engaging gameplay.”
“The story is charming, epic, funny, and captivating as you get to meet the different inhabitants of the world and grow to care and fight for them.”
“The whole thing easily becomes super tedious after the first mission, and the game does very little to mix it up.”
“The story felt unfinished.”
“The side missions are all basically the same: a fight, a race, hunting, a turret sequence, and catapult.”
- gameplay1,105 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay of *Brütal Legend* is a mixed bag, combining hack-and-slash mechanics with real-time strategy elements, which some players find innovative while others deem clunky and poorly executed. While the action and exploration aspects are generally enjoyable, the transition to RTS gameplay can feel jarring and repetitive, leading to a lack of cohesion in the overall experience. Despite its flaws, the game's unique heavy metal theme, engaging story, and stellar soundtrack often compensate for its gameplay shortcomings, making it a memorable experience for fans of the genre.
“The gameplay is fluid and fun while also introducing strategy during battles.”
“Brütal Legend stands out as a unique and exhilarating action-adventure game that blends heavy metal culture with epic storytelling and engaging gameplay.”
“The variety of gameplay mechanics and optional content cater to different playstyles, encouraging exploration and experimentation within the game's expansive world.”
“Unfortunately, the gameplay is quite stale.”
“The gameplay is a mixture of RTS and hack and slash and it fits together very well although the RTS gameplay could use a bit more complexity.”
“The gameplay is simply f*cking atrocious.”
- humor725 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Brütal Legend" is widely praised for its clever writing, engaging dialogue, and the comedic talents of voice actors like Jack Black and Ozzy Osbourne. Players appreciate the game's blend of absurdity and charm, with many noting its ability to evoke laughter through witty references to heavy metal culture and over-the-top scenarios. While some feel the humor may taper off in the latter parts of the game, the overall consensus is that it offers a unique and entertaining experience for fans of both gaming and metal music.
“The game's narrative unfolds with humor, wit, and nods to heavy metal legends, making every quest and encounter memorable and entertaining.”
“Jack Black did such a good job with Eddie, and the voice lines across many characters are hilarious.”
“The humor is great - tons of metal culture references and jokes.”
“Some of the jokes can be dated and unfunny, animations stiff and ugly, but this game is still great after all this time.”
“The humor feels forced and often misses the mark, making it more cringeworthy than entertaining.”
“While the game tries to be funny, most of the jokes fall flat and lack originality.”
- graphics439 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Brütal Legend" have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the art style is vibrant and unique, the overall graphical fidelity is dated, reflecting its 2009 origins. Some praise the game's imaginative visuals and character designs, which align well with its heavy metal theme, while others criticize technical issues such as glitches and subpar animations. Overall, the game's aesthetic and artistic direction are often highlighted as compensating factors for its graphical shortcomings.
“The graphics in Brütal Legend are striking and imaginative, with detailed character designs and a vibrant, cel-shaded art style.”
“The game's visuals are also impressive, with detailed character designs and lush environments inspired by the artwork of classic metal albums.”
“The art style is phenomenal, the world is absolutely breathtaking, and exploring it is a treat.”
“The graphics themselves are not pretty and take you back to that smeary, Unreal 3 engine time.”
“Gameplay is repetitive, graphics are garbage even for 2009 standards, and the storyline is not very interesting.”
“The graphics are lacking and the gameplay is lacking variety and customization.”
- atmosphere79 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its distinctiveness and immersive qualities, heavily influenced by heavy metal culture, music, and humor. Players appreciate the vibrant visuals, engaging soundtrack, and character interactions, which collectively create a unique and memorable experience. While some critiques mention gameplay shortcomings, the overall atmosphere remains a standout feature that captivates fans of the genre.
“The atmosphere this game delivers is unparalleled.”
“The atmosphere is amazing, the attention to detail is great, the voice acting is great (Jack Black y'all!) and of course, the music is amazing!”
“With the metal soundtrack from all over the range of heavy metal plus so many iconic landmarks in the game looking like they were painted by Frank Frazetta & put on a heavy metal album just oozes with so much rich atmosphere that you have to see it.”
“Yes, the game seems very fun but it doesn't take long for the fun to be replaced with boring repetitions, an uninteresting main story, unimpressive side missions, poor driving and fighting mechanics, a soulless and almost empty open world atmosphere, and really confusing RTS battles.”
“The atmosphere is what Brutal Legend sells itself on, but it comes up short here too.”
“If it weren't for the music, atmosphere, and metalness, I probably wouldn't like this too much.”
- optimization63 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting frequent frame drops, stuttering, and overall poor performance, particularly on PC. While some users experienced smoother gameplay, the consensus is that the port suffers from various technical issues that detract from the overall experience, despite the game's engaging story and strong voice performances. Overall, the optimization is considered lacking, making it difficult for players to enjoy the game for extended periods.
“Doing this seems to give it the proper look and much smoother performance.”
“Performance is great, controls are great, plenty of options to make it fit your PC.”
“Expect for a few technical issues, the game runs smoothly and sounds great.”
“Performance was pretty dodgy too, with weirdly inconsistent framerates on my end.”
“Poor optimization makes for laggy performance, leading to cluttery, disconnected combat.”
“What a pity then that this port is so horribly optimized; it runs like shit.”
- grinding56 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 5 % neutral mentions
- 91 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being mandatory and tedious, often halting enjoyment and making progression feel like a chore. Players find the repetitive gameplay loops, particularly in RTS segments and fetch quests, to be frustrating and uninspired, leading to a sense of burnout. While some elements of the game are appreciated, the overall consensus is that the grind detracts significantly from the experience.
“It has a great art style, a comedic script, competent combat that is simple but not grindy, the best OST ever, and is just a good example of a console port.”
“These are somewhat bland, mostly small wave battles and races, but they aren't that tedious since they're over quickly.”
“The worst part is that they're mandatory to progress the story, which can easily make any enjoyment from the game come to a grinding halt.”
“I don’t believe for a second that any of this was actually play tested, otherwise they would have realized how tedious it is.”
“The side 'missions' are terrible and the extra collectibles are just plain tedious and boring to find and do.”
- stability47 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 4 % neutral mentions
- 91 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with numerous users reporting various bugs and glitches, particularly in the PC port, which can lead to crashes and graphical issues. While many players find these problems annoying, they generally do not consider them game-breaking, allowing for an enjoyable experience overall. However, the presence of these technical issues, especially in comparison to more polished modern titles, suggests that the game could benefit from further updates and patches.
“While this game isn't as polished as some, I played through it glitch/bug free and enjoyed myself.”
“Had the Xbox version and well, PC looks better and plays well too, no glitches.”
“I love this game; I had it on my Xbox 360. It's an amazing game, but holy crap, it's so buggy I can't play it without it crashing or the models vibrating. It needs to be patched ASAP.”
“First you’ve got to understand that this game is a pool of bugs and glitches. Nothing game-breaking, but when they pile up, all that sticks to your memory is a terrible experience.”
“Modern cards cause elements of the game to act quite buggy, and no matter what you do, you can't seem to make the game perform better. Coupled with the game not being terribly clear on what your goal is sometimes, you can get rather frustrated really quick.”
- replayability38 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The reviews on replayability are mixed, with some players praising the game for its hidden secrets, unlockable abilities, and engaging gameplay that encourages multiple playthroughs. However, many also note that the game is relatively short and lacks substantial replay value outside of multiplayer modes or specific challenges. Overall, while some find it highly replayable, others feel it offers limited incentive to revisit after completion.
“Players can discover hidden secrets, unlock new abilities, and engage in optional activities that extend the game's replayability.”
“The battles are the core of this game and take some getting used to; however, once you do, there is a lot of replay value added to the game.”
“Still holds up very well 10+ years later with great replayability, and has a very fleshed out soundtrack that appeals to all kinds of metalheads.”
“Unfortunately, it is incredibly short and has little replay value outside of multiplayer, which understandably lacks public matchmaking.”
“There is not a lot of replayability in this title.”
“However, the game was relatively short and I don't feel there is going to be too high of a replay value here.”
- character development32 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
Character development in "Brütal Legend" is highly praised for its imaginative and detailed character designs, which reflect the game's heavy metal theme and culture. Players appreciate the vibrant art style, engaging voice acting, and humorous dialogue that enhance the overall experience, particularly in the main campaign where character relationships, such as Eddie and Ophelia's, add depth to the narrative. While the character designs are celebrated, some reviewers express a desire for deeper character development in potential sequels.
“The music, the character designs, the voice acting, the environment, and the writing are all top notch!”
“The game's visuals are also impressive, with detailed character designs and lush environments inspired by the artwork of classic metal albums.”
“The character design and dialogue is friggin hilarious, and they actually brought in a lot of big-name voice actors.”
“It's only worth playing the main campaign because of character development, especially the relationship between Eddie and Ophelia, and the crazy characters they come up with.”
“If there is a sequel, I hope to see each mission and side mission have better variety and deeper character development.”
“The character designs are simply brutal.”
- emotional22 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of humor and heartfelt moments, with many players expressing that it evokes laughter and tears throughout the experience. While some found the story's emotional depth lacking, others appreciated its ability to create a connection through relatable character arcs and a nostalgic tribute to heavy metal culture. Overall, the game is seen as a touching and engaging journey that resonates with players, particularly those who are fans of the genre.
“Made me a heavy metal fan, made me cry.”
“This game is a masterpiece, I cried when this game ended because I loved it dearly.”
“You will smile, you will laugh, and you may well shed a tear; you will hear some of the greatest music ever made - and you will rock on.”
- monetization6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn criticism, particularly regarding EA's focus on multiplayer and microtransactions at the expense of single-player content, which has led to a lack of support and misleading advertising. While the game offers a solid experience without intrusive microtransactions, its poor sales and the cancellation of planned content reflect the negative impact of EA's monetization approach. Overall, players feel that the game's potential was undermined by these decisions, leaving it as an underrated title in a niche market.
“Hours and hours of honest gameplay with no trash microtransactions!”
“The game's multiplayer is dead, combat feels a bit janky on a mouse and keyboard, and the developers cut content that they were going to put into a sequel, but EA canceled because it didn't make them enough money and EA hates singleplayer because they don't make as much money as multiplayer with microtransactions.”
“It wasn't in any advertising for the game and it really adds a weird element to the game that doesn't match its tone of 'over the top metal.' It's not the worst gameplay element in the world, but I think hardcore metal fans and RTS fans are a small niche.”
“A hack & slash/RTS game that sold poorly on consoles due to EA's misleading advertising.”
