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Play Overview
Brutal Legend (2009) is a tongue-in-cheek action-adventure in a world where heavy metal must overcome dark, enslaving powers. Play involves causing havoc and killing enemies using your axe, guitar and car. It stands out for its strange mix of dark fantasy setting and heavy metal characters.
You play as Eddie Riggs, a rockstar, who is transported into a dark fantasy world and must defeat the demons that want to enslave everyone. Your main melee weapon is a huge axe that beats enemies to death with different combos. You also have an electric guitar that casts magic by performing guitar solo challenges. The game fully embraces the stereotypical heavy metal attitude - even your mode of transport is a flaming hot rod.
As you progress through the story, you explore the world and take on missions that introduce new twists on the gameplay. Sometimes you compete in races with your hot-rod, while in others you place and command units in a more strategic game mode while sieging massive fortresses.
Mashing together heavy metal and fantasy with a good helping of crude humour, sounds like it should be a mess. It, in fact, results in a unique and surprisingly coherent adventure.
Our examiner, Rhys Burtt-Jones, first checked Brutal Legend 7 weeks ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 5 weeks ago.
You play as Eddie Riggs, a rockstar, who is transported into a dark fantasy world and must defeat the demons that want to enslave everyone. Your main melee weapon is a huge axe that beats enemies to death with different combos. You also have an electric guitar that casts magic by performing guitar solo challenges. The game fully embraces the stereotypical heavy metal attitude - even your mode of transport is a flaming hot rod.
As you progress through the story, you explore the world and take on missions that introduce new twists on the gameplay. Sometimes you compete in races with your hot-rod, while in others you place and command units in a more strategic game mode while sieging massive fortresses.
Mashing together heavy metal and fantasy with a good helping of crude humour, sounds like it should be a mess. It, in fact, results in a unique and surprisingly coherent adventure.
Our examiner, Rhys Burtt-Jones, first checked Brutal Legend 7 weeks ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 5 weeks ago.
Kids not old enough for this yet? There are lots of games similar to Brutal Legend. Here are some similar younger-rated games:
Play Style
This is an Adventure, Fighting and Narrative game with Action, Race and Strategy elements. You can play this by yourself or as a 8-player online game. Multiplayer is a strategy game where two teams of four players attempt to destroy each other's bases using a combination of troop placement and action beat 'em up gameplay.
You can play this game in the following styles:
Duration
Play Time: This game will take between 10 hours and 17 and a half hours to complete. It can take over 30 hours to see everything, including the side missions.
Benefits
This game is good if you want to:
Age Ratings
Content Rating
Users Interact: The game enables players to interact and communicate with each other, so may expose players to language usually associated with older rated games.
Rated for younger players in Australia. Rated Mature Accompanied (MA 15+) for Strong Violence and Coarse Language.
Violence is graphic. Decapitation and dismemberment are both present and lead to lots of blood. Enemies can also be driven over by your car. Expletives are commonly used, and humour is often crude and suggestive.
Skill Level
11+ year-olds usually have the required skill to enjoy this game. Still, it's important for parents and guardians to consider the maturity required to process the game content. It's also important to ensure children understand in-game purchases and have spending limits set-up. The story is fairly simple to follow and combat, while requiring some thought and reactions, is not too hard. However, being able to play multiplayer raises the skill ceiling significantly.
Account Rating
- You need PlayStation Plus to play online with PlayStation 3.
- You need be 18-years-old to to subscribe to Xbox Live Gold for online play, but can then configure family accounts for younger players to play online with Xbox One.
Costs
Brutal Legend usually costs £10.99 to £11.99.
There are the following additional costs associated with this game:
Brutal Legend is also available on the PS3, but only as a physical copy. There is extra downloadable content, but it is free.
It's important to set up your accounts and devices appropriately. More information is on our Financial Resources page.
Brutal Legend
 | Xbox One | £11.99 | – | Free Xbox Game Pass |
| Xbox 360 | £11.99 | – | – |
 | PC | £10.99 | – | – |
| Mac | £10.99 | – | – |
| Mac | £10.99 | – | – |
- In-Game Purchases: Additional in-game purchases are offered for items that enhance the experience.
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You need a subscription to play online:
- You need Xbox Live Gold to play online with Xbox 360.
- You need to purchase a Xbox Live Gold subscription to play online with Xbox One.
Brutal Legend is also available on the PS3, but only as a physical copy. There is extra downloadable content, but it is free.
It's important to set up your accounts and devices appropriately. More information is on our Financial Resources page.
Game Details
Release Date: 13/10/2009, updated in 2014
Out Now: Mac, PC, PS3, Xbox 360 and Xbox One
Skill Rating: 11+ year-olds
Players: 1 (8 online)
Genres: Adventure, Fighting, Narrative (Action, Race and Strategy)
Accessibility: 0 features documented (Tweet Developer )
Components: 3D Third-Person and Open World
Developer: Double Fine (@DoubleFine)
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Written by parents for parents, the database complements the in-depth discussion about video game addiction, violence, spending and online safety in the Taming Gaming book. We are an editorially independent, free resource without adverts that is supported by partnerships. |
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