This heavy metal-inspired action game stars Eddie Riggs (voiced by Jack Black) who must save humankind with the power of rock. The single-player part of the game includes lots of driving and adventure, and -- as we recently discovered -- real-time strategy lite elements to wage a rock 'n' roll war of epic proportions.
The multiplayer mode essentially transports those real-time strategy battles into an online space for PS3 and Xbox 360, where up to eight players can go head to head as one of three factions: Ironheade (Eddie's team), Drowning Doom (the evil metal bad guys), and the newly revealed Tainted Coil, a gang of emo-afflicted Goths. The wild character designs appear to chronicle the litany of heavy metal costumes, poseurs, and fashion fads over the years in these three factions, blending biker chic grrl infantry with the Morticia Adams-worthy dresses, to disfigured monsters. Watching the multiplayer game in action -- well, it's all so surreal that you can't help but chuckle.
These metal warriors do more than look cool. The multiplayer action -- like the rest of the game -- is epic. Fighters cast spells, catch on fire, send out packs of wild rats and send burning zeppelins crashing into their opponents. We played on the Ironheade faction, and started off on a simple mountain map called Bleeding Coast, consisting of a headquarters (stage) and two resource nodes (fan geysers), plus a fifth, neutral resource node up for grabs. The goal is to wipe out the enemy stage, but to do that you'll need to gather resources to upgrade your stage (up to level 4) to gain better infantry and devastatingly powerful vehicles, and bring sheer numbers to the fight.
Playing as Eddie, you can double up with other characters to increase damage to the enemy (by pressing Y on the Xbox 360, triangle on the PS3), and fly around to scout out the competition. Using the directional pad, control a multi-tiered army of close-combat and long-range infantry (Head Bangers, Razor Girls, and Roadies), and vehicles (Thunderhog, Rock Crusher) by pressing up (charge), left (follow), right (move), and down (defend).
The mixture of player and team spells is, of course, epic (and effective). You can rev up your faction dialing up the BattleCry solo -- via a Guitar Hero-style mechanic or call in massive attacks, like the burning zeppelin, using the Bring It On Home guitar solo.
Brutal Legend's newly unveiled multiplayer mode is ready to rock your face starting October 13. Can you keep a secret? (We can't wait to play this game.)
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