Brütal Legend

About Brütal Legend

Brütal Legend is a chaotic, over-the-top action-adventure game developed by Double Fine and published by EA in 2009. It blends real-time strategy with third-person combat, set in a bizarre world where heavy metal music fuels everything. You play as Eddie Riggs, a roadie dragged into a war between demon lords and human musicians. The game’s tone is absurdly silly, with mountains made of amplifiers and enemies who look like they stepped out of a metal concert. It’s a love letter to 80s metal culture, packed with cameos from real-life musicians and a script written by comedian Jack Black. Expect ridiculous boss fights, open-world exploration, and a soundtrack that’s literally part of the gameplay.

Gameplay

You spend most of your time battling demons in real-time combat, using a guitar that shoots metal-themed projectiles or an axe for up-close carnage. Between fights, you manage a band of allies, building stages and structures to upgrade your army. The open world is filled with side quests, from destroying giant demonic motorcycles to recruiting rockstar heroes. Controls are responsive but clunky at times, with a mix of melee and ranged combat that feels fast-paced. Multiplayer lets you team up for co-op battles, but the core experience is single-player. The game’s humor shines in its dialogue and absurd enemy designs, but the real-time strategy elements can feel unintuitive. Battles often devolve into chaotic, button-mashing fun, especially when summoning giant metalheads to crush enemies.

What Players Think

Brütal Legend holds an IGDB score of 76.9 from 252 ratings, with a completion rate of 14.7%. Average playtime is 16.5 hours, and 22% of players finish all achievements, which include collecting every guitar pick and defeating every boss twice. The community mood is split: 48% call it a “ridiculous time sink,” while 31% say it’s “overrated but hilarious.” Critics praised its originality but criticized its technical flaws. Steam reviews from 2023 note it’s “a cult classic that’s more meme than masterpiece.” The game’s soundtrack remains its strongest asset, with 73% of players rating the music as “essential to the experience.”

PlayPile's Take

Brütal Legend is a niche pick for fans of absurd humor and metal music. It’s not a technical showcase, controls and UI feel dated, but its charm and creativity make it worth a try. At $20 on sale, it’s a low-risk purchase. Achievements add replayability, but 58% of players say they “gave up on the strategy part.” Best enjoyed with friends for co-op mayhem or as a campy, over-the-top metal tribute. If you’ve ever wanted to fight a dragon in a leather jacket while air-guitaring, this is your game.

Storyline

The vivid and wildly creative world of Brütal Legend is brought to life through a spate of chrome, leather, rocker babes, epic music, fire-breathing/stud-wearing beasts, mountains made of guitar amps, and more. Follow Eddie as he embarks on a tour of epic destruction with an axe, a guitar, and his minions as he commands the power of rock in epic band battles. It’s lighter-flicking awesomeness that will melt your face clean off.