To help cleanse this world of its demonic infection, Eddie will have to prove himself in personal combat while raising an army to fight off the armies of the evil Lord Doviculus. When meeting his foes up close and personal, Eddie alternates between the use of his battle axe and "Clementine," his magic Flying V guitar. You can make basic attacks with just the push of a button, but more complex solos (played out through a timing-based mini-game) can unleash more powerful attacks. I was able to play a "face-melter" that did just what was advertised, melting the flesh from my foes' faces like they'd just opened the Ark of the Covenant. I was also able to unleash an attack that Schafer explains would be available very late in the game -- a giant, flaming zeppelin that crash-lands on the battlefield, able to take out an entire army with one Hindenburg-sized blow.
A combo system drives these core combat mechanics, with the guitar providing magic ranged attacks while the axe deals direct damage. You can unleash a barrage of pyrotechnic attacks with the guitar, for instance, juggling an enemy into the air, and then finish them off with a flurry from the axe. Special attacks abound, including an earthshaker attack, which knocks down enemies that surround you, and a fiery rushing slide attack, though it's a bit tricky to aim as you have to make use of it while sprinting. You unlock these moves, along with other upgrades, by collecting fire tribute strewn throughout the world. It's just what you'd expect -- glowy little bugs that might be gathered at the peak of a particularly sweet jump, or tucked away in a place that you'd have to stumble across by happenstance. You're rewarded for anything cool that you decide to do in the game, whether it's complete mini-games, explore hard-to-reach areas, wreak havoc on the local wildlife, or complete side missions.
In larger-scale conflicts, where playing the general is more important than getting stuck in with the infantry, Eddie makes use of a simple command system to relay orders to the troops around him. You can direct your army to follow, defend, or attack with the direction pad, while assigning targets for them is as simple as facing in the right direction when you relay the order. The game structure takes the battle of the bands analogy to the extreme, requiring you to collect a resource (fans) by setting up merchandise tents at geysers that litter the field. Your stage is a home base of sorts, and once you've accumulated enough fans, you can start ordering up squads to add to your army's ranks. You can queue up several squads at once, and I was able to recruit a rather large mixed force of headbangers (infantry), razor girls (ranged attackers), and thunderhogs (healers). Every unit type can be combined with Eddie to perform a double team move, including special named characters like Lars and Lita. Team up with Lars, for instance, to cut a bloody swathe through massed enemies with his sword, while hopping onto a thunderhog allows you to stun those around you with a powerful bass.
He Gets Around
With solo combat, large-scale warfare, and an open world to explore, Brutal Legend may feel so big that it's overwhelming. Navigating Brutal Legend's sizable landscape may seem intimidating, but from my experience it'll be remarkably easy to get where you want to be. For one thing, you can easily lay down waypoint markers to guide you to your destination, and it couldn't get any easier than following the giant pillar of light. The Deuce, Riggs' custom-built hotrod, also serves as a navigator of sorts. When you have a destination set on the world map, the car's tail lights will actually flash in the direction that you should be going. It's far more subtle than a giant blinking arrow, but just as effective.
Brutal Legend seemed like it was ready for release when I played it, and it was just as fun as it was funny. I was assured that we'd be playing through the final version of Brutal Legend in the very near future to prepare for our review, so stay tuned.
