A new video game by the author of the classic Monkey Island series and Grim Fandango has just been released. Brutal Legend puts the player in a fantasy world inspired by heavy metal music and featuring celebrity voices such as Jack Black, Rob Halford, Lemmy Kilminster, Lita Ford, and Tim Curry, with more than 100 songs represented.
Schafer’s team at Double Fine Productions conjured an ancient world based on heavy-metal imagery. Demonic villains ripped from the cover of a Black Sabbath LP inhabit an airbrushed Meat Loaf album art landscape. Enslaved humans are literally "headbangers," pounding their craniums in mines.
Out today for Xbox 360 and PS3 (rated M for ages 17-up, $60) Brütal Legend is not just about the music, although the game has more than 100 songs by artists from Anthrax to Wrath of Killenstein. Heavy-metal royalty such as Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Halford of Judas Priest, Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead and Lita Ford provide character voices; Tim Curry (Rocky Horror Picture Show) plays the villain, Emperor Doviculus. . . .
"You are in a world of heavy metal," Black says. It "lets you do battle and slay demons and live out some of your fantasies."
The new game reportedly exhibits the same mischievous sense of humor as Schaffer’s other works.
–S. T. Karnick
Fred, judging by your extraordinary music, I’d guess you can do just about anything.
But can I play as Wonderboy or Nastyman??