Brutal Legend is the long anticipated heavy metal saga from DoubleFine, and Electronic Arts.

The basic storyline is very good, you are the greatest roadie that ever lived. You die on stage trying to save one of the snarky hip-hop/rock band members that you work for (I think this is a not so subtle dig at Limp Bizkit, and Linkin Park type bands). You are somehow magically transported to a world were Rock and Metal are not just music and legends, but ethereal powers and tangible weapons, such as The Seperator (a battle axe) and Clementine (your trusty Flying V Gibson guitar).

First off, let me say, this demo was PAINFULLY short. Literally, the download takes longer than the little tiny piece of the game you actually get to play. It’s crazy short.

You basically start out waking up laid out on the altar to the Metal Gods, about to be sacrificed. You fight a couple guys with an axe, and the game gives you some hints on how to string combo strikes together. You then progress to a little battle with a strange demon lady. You are now at the halfway point, and have been playing for approximately 6 minutes.

You then meet the “heroine” of the game, and team up with her to kill a couple more dudes. You discover another altar to the Metal Gods, and using a new found power, the “Relic Raiser”, you play a little mini guitar riff, and “ancient relics” rise up out of the ground. The Relic Raiser is actually borrowing a little from guitar hero here, as you have to play a bar of music by hitting the colored notes in the correct order. It’s cool. If the Relic Raiser gets harder as the game progresses, I think it will be a really great feature.

Jack Black’s character then builds the pieces of rubble into a freakin’ awesome hot-rod, and you drive down a long path plowing through the demonic druids and some other creatures. There is another cutscene and you fight a giant Hell-Worm thing, while driving in the hot-rod. This part was pretty fun actually. Anyways, that’s basically the end. 12 minutes of gaming. Seriously guys, the Mini-Ninja’s demo was 3 or 4 times longer than this demo.

Anyways, my impressions right off the bat are that the cutscenes are hilarious, and DoubleFine really nailed Jack Black perfectly, with his zany facial expressions and body language. The graphics are sweet, and over the top in every way. The gore is totally wicked, with your enemies being dispatched by cleaving them asunder with the giant battle axe, the guts and chunks of meat really fly. You can also strike people with lightning, or hit them with fireballs from your guitar shredding powers. It’s so awesome.

I don’t have much extra to say about the soundtrack that we don’t already know, because  as expected, it freaking OWNS, with track after track of ear-splitting metal in the background, from classic tracks, to newer tunes. You will never tire of the soundtrack, EVER, and I highly suggest you play this game at maximum volume. It shreds.

I think this demo should have been twice as long to get a good picture of what you are getting. I can say with certainty though that this game is not like any other game you have ever played, and is appropriately rated M for Mature. There is no end to the language and gore. However, for the meeker of spirit, and purer of heart, there is an option to turn off the gore AND bleep out the adult language, even on the demo.

My reaction is that this demo is a must play. Even if you hate metal and are still a Jack Black fan, you will love this game too. It’s really looking like a solid title (from what little you get to play, and see) and I’m still just as geeked out over it as I ever was.

That’s it for me, folks. And remember, don’t fear the reaper.