My fellow games journalists had been tweeting about it all morning. When the package from EA finally arrived at my door, I was giddy with excitement. I ripped it open and snatched the disc… FIFA 10. Wait… what?
Fortunately – and no offence to EA Sports, you make a fine football game, and I will play your fine football game at some point, just not right now – an hour or so later another package arrived from EA. Inside was the game I had been waiting for all year.
Brutal Legend.
Of course I’m a Tim Schafer fan. Frankly, who isn’t? With its suite of time-bending puzzles and a nice line in deadpan absurdity, Day of the Tentacle was for me the pinnacle of the classic LucasArts adventure. Full Throttle and Grim Fandango were great, too.
But the reason my expectations are so high for Brutal Legend is entirely down to Psychonauts. Sure, it was a little rough round the edges at times – hello Meat Circus! – but the sheer volume of wit and ingenuity Schafer managed to unload from his brain into the creation of the Milkman Conspiracy, Waterloo World, Black Velvetopia and in fact every tiny nook and cranny of every level still, to this day, blows my mind.
It’s actually a little scary loading up a game that, essentially, is a follow-up to Psychonauts, a game that is dear to my heart like few others. How do I keep my expectations in check? Do I try to not compare the two and let Brutal Legend stand on its own?
It’s a tough question and something I’d really struggle with were I reviewing it. As luck would have it, I can’t really say much more, as there’s an embargo on “reviews” until October 14. But I will be posting some thoughts and impressions over the next week or so; I just won’t be “reviewing” it.
How do you keep your expectations under control?
Aaron Clement
September 30, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Jealous, much.
Please don’t let it suck.
Report PermalinkBen
September 30, 2009 at 5:28 PM
Got a message from my local EB Games today (in Western Australia) informing me that my demo preorder early access code had arrived. In the US, the preorder demo access was the 17th of September, the XBL Gold subscribers had access in the US on the 24th, and XBL Silver subscribers get access on the 1st of October (tomorrow) – how am I getting ‘early’ access? Australia gets screwed by Microsoft yet again.
Report Permalinkscotty
September 30, 2009 at 6:49 PM
god all u aussies do is moan how microsoft screw u all the time.just be glad they release stuff in ur parts at all afterall its europe and the states where they make the money.if u dont like it buy a sony console
Report PermalinkBen
September 30, 2009 at 7:37 PM
@ scotty:
Report PermalinkI think Australians have a right to ‘moan’ – we pay ~1.5x as much money for video games and related products than Americans, we typically receive games significantly later than other regions (eg, Scribblenauts was released in AU today…), we have next to nothing in terms of Marketplace content, etc.
When we’re paying as much or more for our products, we have a right to expect the same treatment as purchasers in other countries – there really is no excuse for the way Australians get ripped off.
Matfei
September 30, 2009 at 8:52 PM
Hear hear. Amen to that.
Report PermalinkDavid Smith
September 30, 2009 at 10:18 PM
You want an example of how late we get games?
Rock Band 2.
Out in the US for over a year, and they’ve announced today that Europe is finally getting the long-delayed Wii version. Nothing on an Aussie release.
The biggest irony is the lead designer of the game was born and bred on our shores.
Report PermalinkAd
September 30, 2009 at 8:07 PM
Scotty – at today’s exchange rates, Australians will be paying US$97 for Brutal Legend. We’re entitled to bitch.
Report PermalinkJackablade
October 1, 2009 at 12:08 AM
Only $97? Ooh, bargain.
Report PermalinkThermal Ions
September 30, 2009 at 8:39 PM
“god all u aussies do is moan how microsoft screw u all the time”
Only when we’re not moaning about how Sony, EA, … are screwing us over. See Ben & Ad’s response.
Report PermalinkKato
October 1, 2009 at 12:28 PM
@Scotty – you’re a knob. Learn English and get back to us.
Report PermalinkRiavan
September 30, 2009 at 6:50 PM
and if it’s available to silver tomorrow on the american marketplace, you can just download it with an american account.
Report PermalinkBen
September 30, 2009 at 8:53 PM
I could just make an American account, but why should I have to? There is no valid reason that I can see why Australia should have to wait almost two weeks to get the same content.
Report PermalinkMatfei
September 30, 2009 at 11:21 PM
Especially since it’s digital content – you can’t use the ‘oh it takes X amount of time to ship to you folks’ excuse.
Report PermalinkAdrian Grech
September 30, 2009 at 6:58 PM
and i thought that there was no other game that would be more metal than Guitar Hero: Metallica, the soundtrack alone makes it my GOTY for me lol.
Report Permalinkgreg
September 30, 2009 at 7:53 PM
is it the 13th cus my shop keeps sayin the 15th
Report PermalinkDaniel Purvis
September 30, 2009 at 9:34 PM
I want Brütal Legend so bad…
Report Permalinkoggob
September 30, 2009 at 10:13 PM
For anyone with a PS3, there was a share account setup by the good friends over at NeoGAF…
As I post this, it’s still working… so if anyone wanted to download the demo…
PSN Login : gafisbrutal@gmail.com
Password : brutal1013
Cheers! :)
Report PermalinkToothless Spoon
September 30, 2009 at 10:35 PM
I think i love you… :P
Report PermalinkToothless Spoon
September 30, 2009 at 10:19 PM
Fat kid –> Cupcake. Nuff said :P
Report PermalinkCloneTrooper
October 1, 2009 at 2:21 AM
Grim Fandango was the pinnacle for me.
Was recently playing it with a 360 Controller on the PC.
That game was brilliant beyond measure.
Report PermalinkKent Dempsey
October 1, 2009 at 9:35 AM
I’ve always loved Schafer’s work (though agree re Meat Circus… the PAIN!), and SO can’t wait for this, after seeing the playthrough of the first ~15mins. Will be waiting for your ‘impressions’ with bated breath :-)
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