Key foods
- In an interview on its 15th anniversary, Tim Schafer said that Brutal Legend 2 is not currently on the cards.
- Regardless, it's “a world that a lot of people here at the studio are wondering about returning to”.
In celebration of Brutal Legend's 15th anniversary, community manager Harper Jay has released an interview with Double Fine and Tim Schafer, discussing how the game came about, its legacy, and of course, its future.
Much of what Shaffer talks about has already been said. When we sat down with him in 2021 to discuss the elusive Brutal Legend 2, he also said he'd rather lean into the RTS elements than make God of War with Eddie Riggs. But what's interesting about this new piece is that it reveals that Brutal Legend is “a world that a lot of people here at the studio are wondering about returning to.”
related
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Brutal Legend 2 is over too soon, but what if a different metal artist was at the helm?
Unfortunately, it's “not in the cards right now,” but that doesn't mean the studio isn't thinking about it. “The challenge is to figure out what [a sequel] It might even seem like there were more DLC ideas for the original game and there was always going to be a world to build more on. But after 15 years, it's hard to know what to expect.
“There's a lot of world to explore”
Lead programmer Chad Dawson had “a few ideas” about what Brutal Legend 2 could look like, arguing that it could be anything from an RPG to an automated fighter. Even Shaffer thinks it's like Mr. Rogers adding new locations to his fictional neighborhood — he “knows the Brutal Legend world can expand.”
A sequel isn't happening anytime soon, but that doesn't mean Double Fine is shying away from Brutal Legend. Aside from this incredibly insightful interview, which you should read in its entirety, Schaefer and the team will return to the game every Rocktober 13 to expand on the “Six Degrees of Schaefer” achievement.
At this point, Brutal Legend is a tradition at the studio. And with such a passionate fanbase, the modding community is bustling, so the game may be over a decade old now, but metal isn't dead yet.
A brutal legend
Brütal Legend is an action-adventure that marries visceral action combat with open-world freedom. Set in a world between Lord of the Rings and Spinal Tap, this is a fresh take on the action/driving genre, in this case full of parody cover bands, demons intent on enslaving humanity, and heavy metal songs. Featuring the talents of comedian, actor and musician Jack Black as Eddie Riggs, as well as some of the biggest names in metal, it's a wild ride into the belly of the beast that gamers shouldn't miss. Metal head alike.
story
Brütal Legend's vibrant and creative world comes to life through a wave of chrome, leather, rocker kids, epic music, fire-breathing/studded beasts, mountains made of guitar amps and more. Follow Eddie as he goes on an epic tour of destruction with his axe, guitar and minions as he commands the power of rock in epic gang battles. This amazing lighter flip will melt your face.
fight with
Brütal Legend's combat combines classic slasher action with real-time strategy mechanics. Melee and ranged combat comes from your dual-wielding guitar and your demon-creating demon-slaying guitar. Add that 1-2 punch to a solo guitar mechanic that can summon objects, stun your teammates, or paralyze your opponents, and you've got a deep and enjoyable core combat loop that's fun for hardcore and Normally accessible. Additionally, players will travel from Roadie to Rock God, commanding legions of metalheads to Brütal Victory and sending soldiers into battle.
A streaming open world
Brütal Legend gives you the freedom to walk, drive or fly anywhere in a fully fluid open world whose art style is inspired by some of the most iconic and funniest metal album covers ever made. Every scene in the beautiful world of Brutal Legend looks like it was pulled from a Frank Frazetta painting.
Full of cameos and voice talent
Brütal Legend is full of cameos from metal gods like Lemmy Kilmeester, Rob Halford, Lita Ford and many more. It has a massive metal soundtrack from every era of metal music: 1970s classic metal to 1980s hair metal to 1990s horror metal cousins. And of course, Jack Black as Eddie the Roadie pays the ultimate tribute to metal and the theme of his band's work. Tenacious D continues his previous films like School of Rock and High Fidelity.
Multiplayer mayhem
4v4 multiplayer “skirmish” marries action combat with strategic unit control mechanics. As the leader of one of the factions in the game, the player leads his army in the battle of the gangs where survival is the trophy. Brütal Legend multiplayer is online enabled, so you can conquer your friends online (broadband connection required for online play).
music
The music in Brütal Legend is truly massive. Comprised of 108 rock songs from 75 different bands representing every metal subgenre, it's something to experience in itself.
