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Giant Bomb Review

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Brütal Legend Review

3
  • PS3
  • X360

The heavy metal fantasy world of Brutal Legend and the characters that populate it are far more well-realized and engaging than the ambitious-but-flawed gameplay.


 The Guardian of Metal welcomes you!
 The Guardian of Metal welcomes you!
It's pretty clear within the first few minutes of Brutal Legend that the folks at Double Fine have a deep, profound love for heavy metal. There's a reverence here, not necessarily for the reality of heavy metal, but for the gleaming, violent, sexy, and well, brutal power fantasy that a wicked Judas Priest album cover, and the contents within it, might inspire in a 13-year-old boy. And while heavy metal has a tendency to be pretty self-serious, Brutal Legend is anything but, taking all of the demonic imagery, S&M gear, hot-rod fetishism, closeted druidic fixations, and ultra-macho barbarian warriors, and blowing it out to its logical and absurd extreme. This is, far and away, Brutal Legend's biggest strength: its ability to be both giddily ridiculous and fist-pumpingly badass, often in the very same moment.

The gameplay, on the other hand, seems like a really odd fit for the subject matter. Brutal Legend goes in several different directions at once, trying to be a third-person action adventure game, an exploration-based, open-world driving game, and an action-oriented real-time strategy game in pretty much equal parts. Those parts aren't as fleshed-out and fun as they ought to be, and they don't always mesh together terrifically, either. Points are given for Brutal Legend's gameplay ambitions, and while it's never out-and-out bad, I often felt like I was tolerating the gameplay so I could savor the rich atmosphere and fast wit that carries it.

After a clever meta-intro featuring Jack Black in a record store, Brutal Legend tells the story of legendary roadie Eddie Riggs. He's the best at what he does, even when he's doing it for the snot-nosed, pierced-lipped, text-messaging poseurs currently sullying the sacred name of metal. Eddie's a man out of time, a leather-and-denim-clad road warrior that longs for a time when music was “real,” like the '70s, or the early '70s. So, when a nasty on-stage calamity ends up transporting Eddie to a fantasy realm that looks like a heavy metal album cover, or the last part of the movie Heavy Metal, come to life, he kind of just rolls with it. The world of Brutal Legend is a most fascinating pastiche of all things metal. It's a heavy metal fantasy, but one in which heavy metal music and culture as we know it exists as well, so it's not uncommon to see a thick-necked headbanger doing battle with some prickly, dangerous-looking beast.

Riggs teams up with a small band of humans living under the oppressive boot-heel of the behorned emperor Doviculus and his general, the lycra-and-leopard-print-clad glam rocker LionWhyte, and quickly finds that his skills as a roadie can be rather handy when it comes to waging an epic battle against the forces of darkness, which ends up more or less resembling a massive arena rock tour. The greatest joy I got out of Brutal Legend came from watching Eddie Riggs calmly acclimate to a foreign land that's still weirdly familiar to him during the first few hours of the game. The game definitely gets a little bit distracted by its own very dense and very metal mythology as it goes on, but that's countered by a simple and surprisingly sweet love story, and the narrative manages to stay engaging throughout.

 If only KISS actually looked like this...
 If only KISS actually looked like this...
I came into Brutal Legend kind of expecting Jack Black to be a bit of a liability as the voice of Eddie Riggs. Jack Black often has a hard time playing anything other than Jack Black, and it would've been easy for him to play Riggs as a loud-talking heavy-metal goofball, but he actually reins it in rather nicely, bringing just the right amount of working-man's matter-of-fact-ness to the role. Besides Black, the game's voice cast is packed with heavy metal luminaries, often playing quasi-biographical versions of themselves, most notably with Ozzy Osbourne as the game's merchant, and Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister as a shaman-type character called the Killmaster. Comedian and noted metalhead Brian Posehn also makes an appropriately baffling appearance as a master hunter, and Tim Curry kills it as Doviculus, bringing just the right amount of measured British malevolence to the role. The voice-work is consistently solid, though a fair amount of credit is due to the game's animations for bringing all the characters to life. I wouldn't call anything about Brutal Legend subtle, but there's an expressive quality to the meaty, caricatured faces in the game that really helps sell the dialogue.

While it wastes no time getting the story going, Brutal Legend eases you ever-so-slowly into its gameplay. The game starts off resembling a third-person action adventure game, with Riggs cutting down evil druids and freaky nun demons with his oversized battle axe and his trusty guitar Clementine, the latter of which shoots bolts of lightning at enemies when played. You can use the two weapons in concert to create a variety of combos, and you can unlock more of them as you progress. It's not long before Eddie assembles the Druid Plow (AKA The Deuce), a Big Daddy Roth-looking hot rod--complete with flames and an 8-ball gearshift--which you can use to travel from one mission to the next, and to generally explore the world as you please. Once you're out in the open, your guitar can also be used to perform solos, which can have effects ranging from unearthing hidden artifacts to summoning your car. As stunning and full of detail as the world is, the game doesn't provide enough motivation to go out and explore it. There are a number of side missions you can choose to take on, which will earn you money that you can use to upgrade The Deuce, your axe, and your guitar, but there's a real dearth of variety to the missions. Ambushing enemy troops and checkpoint-racing AI opponents repeatedly gets monotonous fast, and on the normal difficulty, Brutal Legend isn't hard enough to require additional upgrades, so it's easy to just stick with the story missions.

The game eventually grants you the ability to command other troops around, starting off with the grunts in your burgeoning army, the headbangers, whom you can give basic orders using the D pad. Later missions introduce you to additional units, like the Razor Girls, blow-dried, feathered-haired rocker chicks who have a basic ranged attack, and the comically big-handed bouncers, who serve as heavier melee muscle. Everything leads up to the stage shows, which is where Brutal Legend becomes a full-blown RTS. Though it's relatively streamlined, there's still resource management, tech tree upgrades, and nine different types of units to deploy, each with their own specific and unique strengths and weaknesses. You can still hack and slash away at enemies from the ground level during these large-scale battles, though Eddie can also sprout wings and fly, giving you a very necessary bird's-eye view of the battlefield.

 You can't go on tour without a proper tour bus!
 You can't go on tour without a proper tour bus!
The game introduces new mechanics and units all the way to the very end, but I found that the more involved the gameplay became, the less fun the overall experience was. Real-time strategy is a genre that has struggled more than any other to adapt to the limitations of console controls, and Brutal Legend is not the game to crack that particular code. I just felt like the controller couldn't keep up with the relatively frantic pace of the action, and trying to juggle the third-person and real-time strategy combat at the same time was a struggle. Also, for as much time as the game spends trying to acclimate you to the ins and outs of the stage shows, there are significant, meaningful mechanics, such as the ability to mount the stage directly for some last-ditch defense, that barely get mentioned. It seems pretty bold of Double Fine to incorporate such vastly different gameplay mechanics into a single game, though there's also the sense that perhaps there wasn't enough confidence in any one piece to let it carry the whole game.

In a way, the single-player game--which, if you stick strictly to the story missions, can be knocked out in around four hours--almost feels like a lengthy tutorial for the multiplayer, which breaks the RTS element out onto its own. In addition to the Eddie Riggs-led army of Ironheade, you can also lead Doviculus' fleshy, abominable army into battle, as well as the pale, gothy army of the Drowning Doom. There's a good variety of maps that you can play online with, but the same fundamental issues I have with the single-player stage battles still apply here, and without the story there to hook me in, I didn't feel terribly compelled to revisit it.

Brutal Legend is an intense, unique, and fairly bumpy ride, one that puts developer Double Fine's strengths and weaknesses in pretty sharp relief. The vision of this heavy metal dream world is strikingly rendered, and the comic timing is some of the best you'll find in a video game. The gameplay, as singular a combination of gameplay styles as it is, suffers from being a jack of all trades and master of none. Like most teenage metalheads, this game has got issues, but if you're willing to look past some very uneven gameplay, Brutal Legend will rock you. Hard.

275 Comments

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BitterAlmond

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Edited By BitterAlmond

Chalk up one more for the "RTS ruined by lack of a mouse" list.

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Andborn

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Edited By Andborn

I know I'm not adding anything to the conversation here, but, the bottom line score is way off. I mean my heart sank when I saw the 3/5, because I TRUST giantbomb. I went through the rounds, hitting IGN first, then Gamespot, followed by Giantbomb, well because they're usually a little behind the others. I almost didn't buy this amazingly diverse, fun, and beautiful game. Now I don't know what that says about me, buying into the hype and then ignoring my gut based on a review. But shit, this game deserves NO less than a 4.5/5. Now I know alot of people could give less than two shits about a cohesive art design, or the soundtrack for this game. But I am an adult metal fan, not a kid, and to suggest that the genre of music this game celebrates is for the tween demographic is insulting. I won't refuse to read another review from Ryan, but I will take into account his that his sensibilities taint his reviews more than they really should. What I'd really like to see come out of this substantial outcry is maybe having Second Opinions appear at the end of the review. Give someone else a chance to voice their views on the experience.

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the8bitNacho

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Edited By the8bitNacho
@oddWord: It's his opinion.  Don't feel so offended that someone didn't like something as much as you did, or you're going to have a big problem with the real world.
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napalm

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Edited By napalm

I'm not really surprised. They started losing me a bit when they said it would be open world, as I thought hack'em up would go well with story driven, linear missions structures. However, I completely fell off the wagon when they said it was an RTS/Overlord-ish style game as well. Hey man, I loved Red Alert 2, but that is NOT what I am looking for with this.

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ninjalegend

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Edited By ninjalegend

I'm kind of surprised at the review. I do, however, understand your comments on why you think it fails. Really enjoyed the game myself. I am a metal fan, and that does affect my opinion. I also don't understand a few other reviews. I thought Halo odst sucked, and would rather play Halo 3. Yet you gave it 4 out of 5. Same with Borderlands. Only multiplayer was any good. The single player was contrived and ho hum. Like a FPS dynasty warriors. I already traded it in. I really only like playing with my buddies online, and without another player (my friends did not get borderlands), I would have given it a 3 out of 5 tops. Maybe you give a lot of point on your review for multiplayer, or maybe our tastes are just polar opposites.

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EndlessMike

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Edited By EndlessMike

rabble rabble rabble

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Dryker

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Edited By Dryker

It would seem Ryan and Jeff (and Vinny and Brad by necessity. Bosses are bosses regardless of leeway given) are punishing Brutal Legend for what they hoped it would be. They both admit to Brutal Legend's strong elements, but cite its flaws for determining its low score; but, and this is a big BUT, its strong elements make it far superior to games Jeff and Ryan have given higher scores to. Ryan and Jeff put too much emphasis on gameplay (yes, blasphemy, sounds absurd; I know). These are "games" after all. But, many people (including Ryan and Jeff, though I'm not sure they realize it) want more than just good gameplay. Tetris is a great game, I love it; but I haven't played it in god-knows how long. I need more than just gameplay. Brutal Legend's premise and presentation alone warrant a much higher score than Giantbomb's 3 STARS. Case in point, (it has already been said, but) according to Giantbomb, Brutal Legend is the same quality of game as Saw! Really... really... (one more) REALLY? Ryan, Jeff, Vinny, and Brad, do you really stand behind that? It's okay to admit a mistake. In this user's eyes, Giantbomb would be much more respectable if they admitted a bad call. But, that will never happen. So, the Giantbomb archives will always show that Brutal Legend is only as good as the Saw videogame. (have to chuckle at that one) At least Too Human's review was supported by many magazines and websites, but this is absurd. Giantbomb's reviews are just WAAAY too out of touch with my own sensibilities to care about them anymore. Love the crew though. I wish Brad would step up and be a little more assertive with his tastes (he'd find a lot of people that agree with him). The drama would make a more interesting podcast, but would probably be awkward around the office.
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Dreamfall31

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Edited By Dreamfall31

Sorry, nothing anyone can say will ever stop me from buying a Tim Schafer game!!!

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BEARHELLO

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Edited By BEARHELLO

After playing both games, this is far better than 3 stars. ODST got four stars? That game was horseshit. It was more of the same, and was thrown together in 8 months for a quick buck. Brutal Legend is pretty much the point of sink or swim for Doublefine and it really chaps my ass to see GiantBomb as one of the lowest review scores. That being said, I guess when a game advertises all over your page, they buy the extra star. They definitely didn't earn it.

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Dj1nn

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Edited By Dj1nn

The game has some flaws but I still think it's a great game. The characters, world and story is so well made that I'm having a blast.

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MRutter

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Edited By MRutter

After playing a decent amount of Brutal Legend I have to agree with this review on the gameplay.

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MrKlorox

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Edited By MrKlorox

I also would have given it a 4 on gameplay alone. And the metal aspect is worth a star on its own, kicking it up to a full 5 for me. The story felt a little short though. I hope there's some DLC.

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Falkenfluegel

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Edited By Falkenfluegel

Im allmost through the story now and it is ridiculous to say that it s a 4 hour tutorial. It is by no means just 4 hours and the story is fuckin awesome. The whole game is so fresh and so completly different from what you have played the last years, i absolutely can not understand this review. I played 8 hours and i have not seen the end yet. Yes i played side missions and explored the world ... but it was FUN and it belonges to the game. It s like saying you can drive through Liberty city in a half your... what a shitty game.

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ACUNNINGSTUNT

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Edited By ACUNNINGSTUNT

WOW! A review from someone who isn't praising the game due to it's hype! I agree totally with the review. The game is a bland open world game, with clunky unresponsive controls and one of those games that doesn't hold much replay value for me.
 
Good review Giant Bomb.

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Fawk

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Edited By Fawk

I can't believe that some of you actually base your buying decisions on what GB scores a game at.
 
That is just so pathetic on so many levels.
 
Read the reviews for entertainment value.  There are some really funny ones like where they score GTA4 5/5.  But don't ever not play a game because one of the guys doesn't like it.  You will be missing out on a ton of good games if you do.

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bybeach

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Edited By bybeach

Going over everything, I do believe I will get this game. i suspected there was going to be some sort of twist in Schafers approach, so what the hell, i`ll try it. .Mabe something a little off the wall in a few ways is what I need, ODST just didn`t cut it for me, I didn`t like the characters. 
 
 Just to say, I`m no fan of Mr. Black or heavy metal, but from what I see here, looks like Jack Black really got into character, cause I do like Eddy Riggs, and I am a fan of metal apocalypse when it doesn`t take itself seriously.  
 
Finally, the 4 hours thing, yeah, I think I understand. Somehow it needed to be nailled a bit more down what Ryan Davis really mean`t by that. How heavy do sidequests etc play into this? Any neat suprises etc not in the most striped down get- it -done approach? What else figures in? From what I see of the reviews, this game is well liked if qualified, it doesn`t seem to be a 'cheap' game. Well, at any rate, I`m going to read a few more outside GB reviews. cause there is some mixed currents.
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deactivated-649b65c4483d7

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Damn, this sounds pretty disappointing. I loved Double Fine's previous game, but this sounds kinda half-assed. Maybe it's because I don't really dig metal, but even Jack Black seems off the mark here.

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ptys

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Edited By ptys

Ryan is an awesome reviewer, it's nice to  see someone talk about video games with the same intelligence a connoisseur of film, music or art would... as most of them are... (a work of art).

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Khyzath

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Edited By Khyzath

 http://www.doublefine.com/news/comments/battle_time/

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Falkenfluegel

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Edited By Falkenfluegel

wow 3 stars is pretty harsh. Well you didn t quite like it from the beginning if i remember correctly.  The gameplay is not the best, ok, we got that. But the whole world, the soundtrack and the overall experience is unique AND fun. I have more fun with this driving arround in the car, enjoying the excellent soundtrack and the detailed world as i had with any game the last half year.

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Lind_L_Taylor

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Edited By Lind_L_Taylor
@Snipzor said:
" Four hours?! Ha, no, that's a load of hyperbolic crap and you know it. "
From all the comments, it sounds like Ryan is dead wrong about how long the game lasts. However, I thought in the review he was only referring to one aspect of the game, not the entire game lasting 4 hours.  If he was, then perhaps he should be fired?
 
Just kidding... :-)
 
I will probably rent the game only.
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Pox22

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Edited By Pox22

Just to echo an earlier sentiment, I respect Ryan's review.  He states what he appreciates and what he dislikes and scored it as such.  I was however expecting 4 stars from this site, but that's the way it goes. 
 
I find it interesting that what Ryan dislikes about the game is what makes me really enjoy it.  I love that I can direct troops one moment and then immediately hop down and jump in the fray the next second.  I admit the game throws a lot at you very quickly, but if you take a litte time to get used to the controls and mechanics, it's an amazing experience. 
 
This is easily the funniest game I've ever played.  Granted, I haven't played the classic adventure games of yesteryear, but Brutal Legend has me cracking up very often.  I love the world, I love the characters, and I can't wait to play online with my friends.  I love this game BECAUSE of the strategic RTS-like systems, not in spite of them.

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oddWord

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Edited By oddWord

 

3 STARS?!?!?!?!  3TARS?!?!?!?!  
 
This game is one of the most polished games I've played in a long time. The artwork, graphics, soundtrack, animation, and story are impeccable. I cannot think of another game that can rival Brutal Legend at providing the whole package. I never felt like I was making excuses for the game in order to ignore flaws.
 
I welcomed the varied types of gameplay. It was refreshing to go from 3rd person hack and slash, to driving, to RTS. The experience always felt fresh, and each aspect of the gameplay did not feel as if you are trudging through only to get to the next enjoyable part. The three types of play are admittedly not as "deep" as a game which may specialize in one; however genre specific gaming can often lose the "fun factor" by over complicating things. If you compare the hack and slash part of the gameplay to that of other open world games like GTA, Brutal Legend outshines them. It doesn't feel clunky, you always feel like a killing machine. It's nerve racking pausing to pull off a guitar solo mid combat before you are hacked to the ground. Brutal Legend for me was always a rewarding and fun experience.
 
Any player who does not try this game is doing themselves a disservice. I don't know if Ryan still has his TANG cap on, is taking gaming to seriously, or is just chugging back haterade but this game deserves a much stronger nod than a 3 out of 5.
 
I give it six stars!
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Cook66

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Edited By Cook66

Move your hand Ryan! it's in front of the text... :(

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tomance

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Edited By tomance

Good review, I'm surprised at how short the game is.  I doubt I'll ever stick to the games multiplaey with games like Uncharted out and MW2 coming out so I'm just going to give it a rental.

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MetalR

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Edited By MetalR
@ManlyBeast said:
" Meh I think this a very uneducated review, but who cares what i think.... "
Nobody cares what you think.
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Bilawal

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Edited By Bilawal

If there's 4 hours of solid play and it's 40 pounds then I'm not going to buy. After playing games which are 40+ hours; I will only accept a game that has at leat 15 hours of gameplay or good multiplayer. Not worth the money.

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day2daze

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Edited By day2daze
@megalowho said:

" @Tallica9000 said:

" @TomA said:

" I think you need to like Jack Black AND enjoy Heavy Metal to fully enjoy this game. "

"
Not necessarily - I think you just have to value certain aspects of game design highly (atmosphere, story, sound, art direction) and be more forgiving when it comes to core gameplay mechanics.  "
^yeah right on. This is just one of those where you're going to have to enjoy story/setting more then gameplay...?? if that's possible in this dayan age.
games such as BG&E, or zelda, you know the n64 days- complex environments/ simple gameplay playing on the strengths of said environments.if that's for you, or if the following numbers don't scare the shit out of you-
gameplay 7/10; presentation 10/10 
or if you really enjoy games with one or more of the following: heavy metal, or ha, um console RTS or of course schafer's unique formula (mmm, drinkin that shit up tim), chances are you'll find the game to be both fun and worthwhile. just take it for the ray of sunshine it is in such a wicked seastorm of putrid genericness and don't expect another trigger-fucker or QTE.
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Captain_Insano

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Edited By Captain_Insano
@TurboMan said:
" I well respect Ryan's review, and I disagree. That is all. "
same. I feel this game is better than what he says, but it is a review. Games are a subjective medium. He has justified why he feels the way he does, and that is perfectly fine. I feel differently, and can justify that as well. Everyone wins
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ManlyBeast

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Edited By ManlyBeast

Meh I think this a very uneducated review, but who cares what i think....

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Rasgueado

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Edited By Rasgueado
@DanielJW said:
" Holy hell. Why can't people who enjoy the game enjoy it, and respect the opinions of those who don't. "
Et Tu.
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Foxdemon2k

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Edited By Foxdemon2k

I didn't expect such a low score. The game is good though, so don't hesitate to play it.

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ma_rc_01

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Edited By ma_rc_01

I suck at RTS's (or is that RTi?) and I got into a stalemate that pissed me off so I turned it off, love everything esle about it tough, so I'll go back to it once I've calmed down a bit.

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FunExplosions

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Edited By FunExplosions

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

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Aussiepowa

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Edited By Aussiepowa

WOW sounds to me like ryan flew through this one.... sure maybe there is only about 4hrs  for the main story missions but its set in a fucking awsome open world so there is plenty more hrs in gameplay than the impression left here ppl . At least a 4/5

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abomstar

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Edited By abomstar

Just finished the first RTS mission after sprouting demon wings, and this game is really growing on me. The strategy portions are unlike anything I've ever played before and took some getting used to, but it seems completely functional once you get the hang of it.  There's a steep learning curve to this game, even with regular combat. You're presented with such a wide arsenal of techniques, most of which don't seem completely necessary, but it can't hurt to switch it up every once in a while. 
 
Haven't touched multiplayer yet, but I wonder if the competitive side of this game gives any of the more advanced/lesser-used combat moves some real function. In theory, and if it's not completely broken, this could be a game that gets totally nuts at the advanced level. But I kinda doubt it will ever catch on, anyway.
 
The open world is somewhat bland, but I still found myself performing jumps, searching for bondage statues, and killing animals for Brian Posehn for a 2 hour stretch while I enjoyed the soundtrack.  If the percentage of songs I've unlocked so far has any correlation to total game length, then 4 hours seems like an underestimate even if you don't do any side missions.  It's unpolished at times, and definitely a jack of all trades game, but it does a whole lot of them very adequately and is a refreshing experience.

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DanielJW

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Edited By DanielJW

Holy hell. Why can't people who enjoy the game enjoy it, and respect the opinions of those who don't.

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Media_Master

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Edited By Media_Master

I'd play through it just for the characters.

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plagueseason

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Edited By plagueseason

I called this one. After they announced the RTS aspect of this game, I knew it was heading for disaster. This style of game just should not have included any RTS elements - period.

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TinyMushroom

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Edited By TinyMushroom

From what I can remember in the last 5 years or so, I have never seen such a gap in reviews from site to site for a single game. I am playing it at the moment and I admit it isn't a 9.0 but it isn't a dud as a few sites are claiming.

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badlogik

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Edited By badlogik

Brutal Legend  is flat out one of the best games I've ever played.  Yes it is entirely different from your typical game.  It tries to be a whole experience, and in doing so it will drive away some people, but if that were a reason to give a game a bad score, no RPG would ever get a good score.  The controls are plain simple.  I've played video games my entire life, and played PC RTS games, console RTS games, and action games and everything else.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with how Brutal Legend plays.  It is just different, and uniqueness is just not accepted by everyone (clearly this reviewer).  However, if you cannot accept that a game is good just because YOU don't like it, then you are not a good reviewer.  Yes an RTS / action game is going to be devisive, but this game deserves at least a whole extra star.   
 
Every time I see one of my favorite sites review a game far outside the average scores, I am very dissappointed in them, because clearly, they are not on the same level as everyone else.

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turboman

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Edited By turboman

I well respect Ryan's review, and I disagree. That is all.

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NickNorman

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Edited By NickNorman

I've been playing for a while now, and really enjoying myself. My only fear was that the story wouldn't last, and four hours doesn't seem like long. I actually like the main characters for once, and I'd like to see more of them (DLC, maybe?). I hope the multiplayer stays popular, but predict it won't. Fans of metal and RTS don't exactly cross over very well, at least in my mind. Remember Halo Wars?

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DrLove

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Edited By DrLove
@nail1080 said:
" @Dryker said:

" Wow! I'm flabbergasted. I just logged in to make a comment concerning my prediction of Ryan's score for Brutal Legend, assuming he would give it 4 STARS by the sound of his impression from the podcast. And I was going to go on and say that Brutal Legend is a perfect example of a game that demonstrates the flaws of a 5 star system, because Brutal Legend isn't as great as some but better than 4 STARS. And now I see that Ryan has completely lost his mind as i'm starting to feel Jeff is as well. There are definitely awkward moments with Brutal Legends game mechanics, but the overall product is exceptional. If Ryan and Jeff were in charge of the gaming industry, there would be even less variety than there is today (yes, I'm aware, they have some quirky interests, but overall have little interest in artistic flair. Yes, again, I'm aware of their few quirky interests but their game reviews speak to the contrary). I'm terribly disappointed in this score, and have sadly lost another game reviewer I thought I could trust. Though, for what it is worth, I respect Ryan's honesty. I'm just frustrated with the negative affect the Personal Tastes of Online Game Reviewers have on consumers' purchases. One day, all we'll have to play is Maddens and Modern Warfares. Which may be good, but I like some variety.P.S. I'm glad I paid full price (on an unemployed budget) for Brutal Legend, because Tim Shafer's vision and games of this nature need all the support they can get; or soon they'll be gone. Those of us who have been playing games for 20+ years know that there is already a huge dearth in variety, and it'll only get worse if consumers don't vote with their wallets. I've already decided to only buy "artistic/creative" games at full price, and buy the juggernauts like Modern Warfare 2 and Assassin's Creed 2 as used games (although A.C. 2 is very creative, it will sell well). "

Sorry everything you say is a complete fail simply for the fact that this game is 4 to 6 hours long and it doesn't use its open world in anyway that lets you do your own unique things in it.  Giving a game thats this short a 4 or 5 stars would be a disgrace. Either way it's pretty lame that people are giving out about the number of stars a game gets, whether it gets one more or one less star it doesn't matter, the review is there to be read and Mr Davis gives a very good account of the pros and cons of the game (all of which is his opinion, and you are welcome to agree or disagree but there's no need to be 'flabbergasted' lol) "
if ryan thinks the game is just "ok " or "decent" thats cool, but gamespot said 7 hours, 1up 8-10 and gametrailers said 8-10 for single player its strange that ryan is beating this game in half the time...
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Nadril

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Edited By Nadril

For the record guys, Giant Bomb is not the only "bad" (I say that loosely) review of Brutal Legend. Joystiq's review of it was pretty unfavorable towards it as well, citing a lot of the same issues (really short campaign, tried to do too much with RTS elements).
 
Of course Joystiq doesn't put an arbitrary number next to their reviews and, really, I have to wonder that if Giant Bomb didn't how many of you would have ignored this review completely?

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deactivated-5ffc9b0923f9f

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Thanks Ryan for not riding on hype and giving YOUR review.

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deactivated-5f9398c1300c7

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I don't disobey your review, Ryan. I agree with it. Certainly not buying it.

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kenzo287

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Edited By kenzo287
@ververdan0226 said:
" @Kenzo287 said:
" I didn't want to hate you Ryan I really didn't "
Because he has a different opinion than yourself? That makes sense... "
i'm glad you see it my way. in all honestly i agree with most of his review after i re-read it but i still can't understand the score. meh whatever if it were up to them they probably wouldn't have scores but gamers seem so dependent on them
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Lingxor

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Edited By Lingxor

I think Ryan should have gone into a little more detail as to why the game play isn't that spectacular.

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chewii101

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Edited By chewii101

Sucks that the game didn't live up to the hype that was built up. I guess that RTS parts didn't translate that well in the game. Hope this isn't another commercial bust. Still wanna play it though.