Brutal Legend Catch All

Review up at Joystiq.

Not exactly a ringing endorsement. My enthusiasm remains undamped, and my initial concerns going in are unchanged.

My expectation for the game is that the setting and dialog will be among the best in a game, but that some of the gameplay itself won't be setting the world on fire.

-- deleted slightly hand-wringing original post --

EDIT: Ok, so the comments that were posted while i was writing my original post have reinvigorated me and I can't wait to get home and play around with BL, woot!

also, if you are inclined to read a review, Tom Chick at Fidgit endorses it wholeheartedly:
http://fidgit.com/archives/2009/10/b...

Elysium wrote:

After 3 hours of play, let me simply say this:

Brutal Legend is the best man-made commercial entertainment product conceived by man to date or ever to come in the future.

So it doesn't live up to the hype. That's disappointing. Regardless, I can't wait to play it tomorrow evening.

I guess I didn't really know what to expect, but this game massively delivers. And that's not because I'm sitting in my house-lounging clothes, drinking bourbon, and listening to metal while driving around in a cartoon chopped Deuce.

Elysium wrote:

Brutal Legend is the best man-made commercial entertainment product conceived by man to date or ever to come in the future.

We better start on making machines that churn out video games. I hope the machines put in more robot protagonists. I put forth the sweater wearing robot as the protagonist in the first big IP they produce. It wears a sweater because it feels so cozy next to the hard metal and rubber that make up most of its parts.

larrymadill wrote:

I'm two hours in and I'm really enjoying it. Sort of the same experience I had with Fable 2 around this time last year. Went in with Zero expectations and found myself instantly sucked in.

The music is great to, especially if you used to listen to metal back in the day.

"Used to listen to metal"? No one "Used to listen to metal". Jeeze, what's wrong with you?

larrymadill wrote:

The music is great to, especially if you used to listen to metal back in the day.

Or, you know, if you still do today.

Elysium wrote:

After 3 hours of play, let me simply say this:

Brutal Legend is the best man-made commercial entertainment product conceived by man to date or ever to come in the future.

Does this mean that we should add any Brutal Legend reference in the podcast to the drinking game? I think so.

Why is BL being compared to Fable II so much? I don't see it. Same thing with Overlord. I guess Clementine is the heavy metal version of the Ocarina of Time? I'd think the game is special enough to stand on its own.

1UP review is in. Looks like they found a lot of stuff frustrating, but I remain undeterred.

Elysium wrote:

Brutal Legend is the best man-made commercial entertainment product conceived by man to date or ever to come in the future.

HA! Well said. I'd signaturize that, but it's too long.

BabaGanoush wrote:

"Used to listen to metal"? No one "Used to listen to metal". Jeeze, what's wrong with you?

Exactly.
You don't remember that kid who listened to Slayer for one summer, its the kid that CARVED SLAYER INTO HIS ARM AND SPRAYED THE BLOOD ON AN AUDITORIUM OF HIS PEERS!

Justin Haywald of 1UP wrote:

...like its unnecessarily umlauted name implies...

Unnecessarily umlauted? Seriously, f*ck you, Justin Haywald. It's umlauted because it's f*cking awesome, so you can shove your unnecessarily stupid review up your unnecessarily stupid ass.

Mystic Violet wrote:

Why is BL being compared to Fable II so much? I don't see it. Same thing with Overlord. I guess Clementine is the heavy metal version of the Ocarina of Time? I'd think the game is special enough to stand on its own.

It's "Oblivion with guns" all over again! Fable II with metal.

Well, open world fantasy action with button-mash combat, plus a dose of unit controlling. For what it's worth, I'm personally finding the combat very Fable-ish, but I haven't hit the RTS yet. No doubt it stands on its own, Fable/Overlord are just touchstones right now.

Switchbreak wrote:

1UP review is in. Looks like they found a lot of stuff frustrating, but I remain undeterred.

Pfft, who the hell is Justin Hawyald, I remember when 1UP had real reviewers.

To anyone who`s wallet is hurting (especially Canadians I guess, since they sell us that game for 69.99$)

BuyNextGen.com has it for 44.95 and shipping is free

WARNING: shipping to Canada is a bit on the slow side, but it's free, and you'll save close to 30$ so you can't complain.

I've ordered from them before and they're reliable

(though slow)

Podunk wrote:
Justin Haywald of 1UP wrote:

...like its unnecessarily umlauted name implies...

Unnecessarily umlauted? Seriously, f*ck you, Justin Haywald. It's umlauted because it's f*cking awesome, so you can shove your unnecessarily stupid review up your unnecessarily stupid ass.

Seriously. Hë cän shüvë ït üp hîs äss.

Well I am a consumer whore, I used some of my trade in credit for it and I can't wait to play it but I also have uncharted 2 as well.

So many great games to play, it's insane.

Gravey wrote:
Switchbreak wrote:

1UP review is in. Looks like they found a lot of stuff frustrating, but I remain undeterred.

Pfft, who the hell is Justin Hawyald, I remember when 1UP had real reviewers.

I remembered when 1Up Employed real writers too. Then those writers left for much better jobs and were replaced with the likes of Justin Hawyald.

A game like Brutal Legend shows the glaring deficiencies in the way "game reviewers" go about reviewing games and thinking about games. And why I find most reviewers to be pretty worthless.

Gravey wrote:

Pfft, who the hell is Justin Haywald

He doesn't like it because he's the guy that wrote sissy girl songs like "Nights in White Satin".

Wait, no, that's Justin Hayward. Off by one letter.

Haywald is one of those dorky white guys that gives themselves Japanese IM names like "Tengaikodokunomi".

*Legion* wrote:
Gravey wrote:

Pfft, who the hell is Justin Haywald

He doesn't like it because he's the guy that wrote sissy girl songs like "Nights in White Satin".

Wait, no, that's Justin Hayward. Off by one letter.

Haywald is one of those dorky white guys that gives themselves Japanese IM names like "Tengaikodokunomi".

Let's review Justin's Musical Loves, shall we:

"Weezer , Ben Folds , Ella Fitzgerald , They Might Be Giants , Weird "Al" Yankovic , Orange Range , The Blue Hearts , John Coltrane , Kanno Yoko & the Seatbelts , Miles Davis , Modest Mouse , Primus"

Yeah. Enough said.

larrymadill wrote:

Let's review Justin's Musical Loves, shall we:

"Weezer , Ben Folds , Ella Fitzgerald , They Might Be Giants , Weird "Al" Yankovic , Orange Range , The Blue Hearts , John Coltrane , Kanno Yoko & the Seatbelts , Miles Davis , Modest Mouse , Primus"

Yeah. Enough said.

I love the Coltrane and Miles throw-ins. (Right next to some anime soundtrack chick).

Translation: "My buddy, who actually listens to music, played Kind of Blue in his car this one time I was riding with him."

larrymadill wrote:
*Legion* wrote:
Gravey wrote:

Pfft, who the hell is Justin Haywald

He doesn't like it because he's the guy that wrote sissy girl songs like "Nights in White Satin".

Wait, no, that's Justin Hayward. Off by one letter.

Haywald is one of those dorky white guys that gives themselves Japanese IM names like "Tengaikodokunomi".

Let's review Justin's Musical Loves, shall we:

"Weezer , Ben Folds , Ella Fitzgerald , They Might Be Giants , Weird "Al" Yankovic , Orange Range , The Blue Hearts , John Coltrane , Kanno Yoko & the Seatbelts , Miles Davis , Modest Mouse , Primus"

Yeah. Enough said.

I like this comment made by some guy in response to Haywald's review:

This but this, this but this, this but this, conclusion!

I think Justin's blog name sums up why he might not be a good fit for the Goodjer Hive Mind.

Compelling Gameplay

It's like he is the Anti-Goodjer.

How many times can a guy use the word "but" in a review? The damn conclusion has about ten of them. Jeez. Learn to separate thoughts, man. It's okay to have one paragraph describe the good and another explain the bad.

Jayhawker wrote:

I think Justin's blog name sums up why he might not be a good fit for the Goodjer Hive Mind.

Compelling Gameplay

It's like he is the Anti-Goodjer.

Kill it! Kill it with a Fire Tribute!

*Legion* wrote:

(Right next to some anime soundtrack chick).

You know, I'm all for the Haywald Hatewagon, but if you watched Cowboy Bebop and came away from it not a fan of Yoko Kanno then you need new ears because yours are broken.

Switchbreak wrote:
*Legion* wrote:

(Right next to some anime soundtrack chick).

You know, I'm all for the Haywald Hatewagon, but if you watched Cowboy Bebop and came away from it not a fan of Yoko Kanno then you need new ears because yours are broken.

I think it's time to blow this scene, get everybody and the stuff together...

My personal favorite is Piano Black.

Switchbreak wrote:
*Legion* wrote:

(Right next to some anime soundtrack chick).

You know, I'm all for the Haywald Hatewagon, but if you watched Cowboy Bebop and came away from it not a fan of Yoko Kanno then you need new ears because yours are broken.

Yup, I didn't want to be the first but (cue Chris Remo nerd voice) Yoko Kanno is actually a very talented composer across a wide range of styles mmmm. But only a douche like Haywald-Tengaikodokunomi would call her Kanno Yoko.

I'll admit his music tastes are pretty close to what mine were a few years ago before I grew up and cut it down to the essentials (Kanno and Weird Al).

AND METAL, LOTS OF METAL (back OT).

That review made me hurt my head....

I am buying this game despite reviews. I am a Schaefer lemming. I own all of his games to date.

I am stuck between the ps3 and 360 version.

360 had better presentation, but for some reason I was able to control the car better in the ps3 version. Is there guitar controller support in this (I thought I remember hearing something about that.)? That might make my decision.

That's a whole lot of hate toward a guy who gave the game a B+, which is only a bad score in bizarro world.

Kosars wrote:

That's a whole lot of hate toward a guy who gave the game a B+, which is only a bad score in bizarro world.

And this is the site where we rant about Halo players complaining about a Halo review score of "only 96".