double fine
Latest
Psychonauts only costs $2 until Thursday on Steam
Stand up. Walk over to your couch, and remove its cushions. Stick your hand into the exposed crevasses of your sofa, taking care not to lose any fingers in any reclining mechanisms which may be hiding within your chair. Dig out eight quarters, or twenty dimes, or forty nickels, or two-hundred pennies, or any combination of these denominations which add up to 200 cents. Deposit your recently excavated horde in your bank account, or the bank account of a trusted friend or relative. Access Steam, and use these funds to purchase Psychonauts, which, until tomorrow, only costs 200 cents. Download the game, and play it. When you get a free moment, return the cushions to your couch, so it can collect more funds for the next time Steam slashes the price on one of our favorite games ever. [Thanks, Dao]
Fan-made Eddie Riggs figure hits all the right notes
[hugohugo at deviantART] deviantArt is usually the site you go to if you want to see uncomfortable, sexual doodles of anime characters and other such nonsense. Today, it's become the place to see the most badass Eddie Riggs homage known to man. In fact, we're pretty sure user hugohugo sold his soul to Satan for the ability to craft such a magnificent resemblance of Brütal Legend's protagonist. Compared to the official alternative, we have to say we dig hugohugo's a bit more. It's got character and is entirely posable -- even the fingers move for wicked faux-solos! [Via OKConsole]
Brutal Legend's 'Hammer of Infinite Fate' DLC arrives with trailer in tow
Announced earlier this month (though fate had ensured its arrival since the beginning), Brütal Legend's second pack of downloadable content landed on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network this week. In celebration of the release, Double Fine has handed over a brand new trailer for the grab bag of multiplayer maps, skins for Eddie Riggs, and items with which to brutalize (as seen above). As we previously noted, the DLC also gives players the opportunity to endow Mt. Rockmore with Tim Schafer's beautiful face. If that doesn't sell you on it, we can't imagine what would. %Gallery-41208%
Brutal Legend postmortem: Scrum, content explosion and lawsuit drama
It's been a bumpy road to release for Brütal Legend. Tim Schafer's had to change publishers, deal with a pesky lawsuit, soldier through PR missteps and even handle some post-release DLC. This is all common knowledge, but in a lengthy postmortem at Gamasutra, Caroline Esmurdoc, executive producer at Double Fine, goes in depth on the development strategy for the title and talks about what went right and what went wrong in the creation of this rock gaming opus. Double Fine adopted the Scrum method of agile software development for Brütal Legend, which allowed the company to create a renderer, terrain and a playable Eddie Riggs for Tim in a mere month. Content creation was fairly steady, Esmurdoc admitted, but around January of this year, the game's content jumped from the 2.5GB generated over three years to a massive 9GB, thanks to multiple teams unloading assets for the game simultaneously. Esmurdoc also touched on the lawsuit, though she couldn't go into specifics beyond mentioning that the transition between publishers caused "internal unrest and morale dips among the team", and that Double Fine learned Activision would not be publishing Brutal Legend when the game was suspiciously absent from a list of the publisher's upcoming games. Double Fine then pursued a new publishing partner.
Brutal Legend DLC 'Hammer of Infinite Fate' coming Dec. 17
If you claim to love Tim Schafer, the new Brütal Legend DLC, "Hammer of Infinite Fate," is your chance to prove it. When it arrives on Dec. 17, you'll be able to pay the designer the ultimate tribute and carve his giant, disembodied head into Mount Rockmore. Sure, you're still a stalker, but in a totally socially acceptable way. You'll also get the Oculus of the Lost, a Deuce upgrade that shows every collectible on the map, as well as new outfits for Eddie and four new multiplayer maps. The pack's apparently going to be a bit cheaper for PlayStation 3 users, who will pay $4.99 compared to 480 MS points ($6) on Xbox 360. That might be a misprint (we've asked EA for confirmation), but we recall that PSN users did get the first DLC free for two weeks. Teacher's pets.
Brutal Legend gets papercrafted
Our grandmother had this saying, "Handicrafts make for strange bedfellows." In fact, she believed in it so much she once stitched the saying into a pillow she made from the skin of drifters she had lured into her home and killed. True, you don't normally think "drifter murder" and "decorative pillows" as a pairing, so she had made her point. But we tried (and are still trying) to convince her that there are ways of stating her case that are both less illegal and involve less risk of contracting hepatitis C. ... So we guess what we're saying is that our grandmother would probably be way into these Brutal Legend papercrafts.
Tim Schafer presents: Brutal Legend Multiplayer Deathmatch
Furthering his efforts to let you know there's some multiplayer beyond the single-player campaign of Brütal Legend, Double Fine's doubly fine gent, Tim Schafer, has passed along the above video. Now, it may initially seem like an episode of The Jerry Springer Show (standing against a brick wall backdrop will do that!) but, through and through, the near eight minutes of footage provides insight into the multiplayer it's-not-an-RTS mode by holding viewers' hands through an entire play session.
Brutal Legend soapbox bus rocks the Red Bull derby
Above, driver Sean Feeley gets big air; not pictured: the Hextadon he jumped over. If you've been lacking in the keeping up with awesome stuff department, then you may not know the annual Red Bull Soap Box Derby went down in LA recently. This isn't the sorta thing you'd normally find out about on a video game blog, but the winners of said event so happen to be big Brütal Legend fans -- so big, in fact, that their sopabox car is the friggin' Ironheade tour bus. Destructoid ihas posted a photoblog documenting the creation of this wonderful piece of brand synergy, complete with pictures of game creator Tim Schafer behind the wheel. Surprisingly, not a single bit of goat's blood or any incantations were used to create the thing -- the soapbox bus is mostly made of steel, fiberglass, foam, and sweat. The sweat gives it a good shine and makes the body more aerodynamic -- for those nasty curves, you know. The effort to build the bus paid off, too, as its creators, Team Ironheade, totally drove away victorious. Head past the break to see some coverage of the event from G4.
First Brutal Legend DLC dated Nov. 3, initially free on PS3
EA announced today that the "first DLC" (that means there'll be more, right?) for recently released Brütal Legend will be arriving November 3 and November 5 on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, respectively. Named "Tears of the Hextadon," the two, totally not RTS maps ("Circle of Tears" and "Death's Fjord") will set you back 400 ($5) on Xbox 360. If you're a PS3 owner, however, the map pack will be free of charge for the first two weeks. "We love the PS3," EA's Brent Dady said over on PlayStation Blog, speaking on the publisher's decision to offer the DLC for free on PSN until November 19. Those who get the DLC on either console will also get a free in-game axe -- the intimidating "Blade of Ormagöden." We suggest you start looking for the game's creative lead Tim Schafer, who claims in the release that he plays online "every night." Get him Joystiq Biomass! Get him.%Gallery-41208%
Jack Black discusses the demon slayer's workout on Jimmy Kimmel Live
This week, Jack Black continued his bizarre Brütal Legend promotional tour with an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, somewhat in character as Eddie Riggs. As we watched Black upturn furniture and do clap push-ups, we started to realize that he's getting rather a lot of mileage out of that muscle suit. And then we couldn't help but wonder: what do you think that suit smells like right now? And how do you even clean the inside of a foam rubber muscle suit? Do you use household cleaners of some kind, or does the film industry have a specially formulated solution just for cleaning bodysuits?... Oh, right, the Kimmel segment's after the break, in four parts.
Tim Schafer dishes out Brutal Legend strategies (not in real time)
Look, if you're going to listen to anyone's advice on how to play Brütal Legend's Stage Battle mode online, it should probably be the dude who opened the Necronomicon and uttered those magical words that summoned the disc from the depths of hell, right? Designer Tim Schafer has posted a fairly comprehensive set of tips for the game's strategic battles on the Double Fine blog, hoping to alleviate the frustrations of those still getting the hang of commanding the armies of rock.It feels a little defensive -- and is keen to point out how leaping into the action with Eddie Riggs sets the game apart from a traditional real-time strategy title -- but it might just help smooth out some of the rock opus' rockier segments. And hey, isn't it nice of a developer to offer a helping hand? We asked the Demon's Souls designers for advice and they sent over a wrestler to break our spines.
Metareview: Brutal Legend
Our take on Tim Schafer's Brütal Legend was less-than-brutal, but what about all those other reviewers out there tapping away at their keyboards -- what did they think? Turns out that Schafer maintains his visionary golden boy status, even if his latest game hits a couple sour chords. IGN (90/100): "Brütal Legend isn't quite perfect and there is room for improvement (it's a little short, side quests are repetitive...), but when the credits roll you'll find yourself hoping for a sophomore release. Double Fine created a rich heavy metal universe and backstory full of great characters and creatures, with potential for an out-of-this-world sequel. Here's hoping Schafer and company get a chance to take us there." Gamespot (85/100): "Brütal Legend is a game that continually surprises, and it does so in a genuinely fun and interesting way. And Double Fine deserves some major respect for keeping so many aspects of the game closely tied to its subject matter. Of course, Brütal Legend also has some shortcomings. The secondary missions are weak and the single-player campaign lasts about seven hours if you're not too keen on unlocking every single last shrine or secret item. In that respect, it's unfortunate that there's just not more of the good stuff, such as the on-foot missions with boss battles or more fleshed-out side quests." Game Life (70/100): "Brütal Legend does a lot of things wonderfully: It's a technically adept, graphically beautiful game with a surprisingly good story and a great soundtrack. The hybrid gameplay just doesn't meet these high standards." Giant Bomb (60/100): "The gameplay, as singular a combination of gameplay styles as it is, suffers from being a jack of all trades and master of none. Like most teenage metalheads, this game has got issues, but if you're willing to look past some very uneven gameplay, Brütal Legend will rock you. Hard." %Gallery-41208%
Review: Brutal Legend
I have to start by being brutally honest with you: Brütal Legend is not the game I hoped it would be. As a huge fan of director, designer and writer Tim Schafer's body of work – especially Double Fine's debut effort, Psychonauts – I had prepared myself for a wonderfully written, laugh-out-loud funny, constantly surprising experience filled with compelling characters that would have me grinning in anticipation of where it was taking me next. What I came away with after beating the game in about six hours (granted, I didn't embark on many of the battle- and racing-based sub-missions, but I did do quite a lot of exploring) was the opinion that Eddie Riggs is a truly awesome character, along with a sense of wonder at the fantastic – and very metal – world Schafer and crew had created. Unfortunately, I also came away with a questioning of why so much of the game felt like a b-side to the hit single that had been its first couple of hours. %Gallery-75305%
Brutal Legend ad commercializes Eddie Riggs for television
The marketing leading up to Brütal Legend's Rocktober 13 release date (hey, that's today!) has been unlike any Tim Schafer game to date -- a steady stream of content from the game on top of the occasional live-action short. And now, Schafer's biggest project is taking the marketing machine to the boob tube (we've embedded the ad after the break, via YouTube) with a 'Hell yeah!'-laden ditty.The bad economy paired with Brütal Legend's same-day release alongside Uncharted 2 means EA needs to get the word out. Hopefully Eddie Riggs' repeated phrase will do the trick.[Via Wired]
Brutal Legend video talks about the competition
If you're like us, you're still writhing about in agony from the last round of Brütal Legend videos unleashed upon the internet. It's okay, we had little hope things would get better -- that is, until we were handed this latest video. It's actually entirely watchable and even makes a few funny comments about the various games being released around Brütal Legend, including Assassin's Creed 2's feathered protagonist Ezio and how those night-vision goggles that come with Modern Warfare 2 aren't as awesome as slamming an axe into a demon's face. Check it out above.
Don't watch this Brutal Legend video
We're going to put this up front: There's really no reason to watch these Brütal Legend videos. They were shot during a press event at the Key Club in Hollywood, during which Jack Black dressed up as -- and pretended to be -- the game's protagonist, Eddie Riggs. The videos are unequivocally groan-inducing affairs. We're sure that the idea seemed funny at the time, but it falls pretty flat in execution. It's like watching bad improv, which, we suppose, is exactly what it is. There are a few notable tidbits in here, like Tim Schafer explaining that he didn't have the nerve to approach Jack Black for the project until he found out Black was a Psychonauts fan. Still, that one nugget -- which we've heard before -- will cost you five minutes of awful. For the truly masochistic, two more videos can be found after the break, one of Tim Schafer interviewing Jack Black, and another of Black playing Brütal Legend.
Brutal Legend multiplayer mode explained in latest trailer
So, you've had a little trouble understanding the ins and outs of Brütal Legend's expansive multiplayer mode. Don't be embarrassed -- it's a little difficult to wrap your mind around. Fortunately, Double Fine recently released a trailer explaining the rules, regulations and terms of victory of the epic multiplayer skirmishes in Tim Schafer's heavy metal brainchild. Watch the training video above, and start studying up on your stage-smashing tactics. As a side note, if Double Fine doesn't call this multiplayer mode "GwarCraft," we might just boycott the game. %Gallery-69999%
Tim Schafer lends some LOLs to Fallon on Late Night
That's it, folks -- the game industry has finally made it into the bigtime! With Brütal Legend's dark overlord Tim Schafer appearing on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon leading up to the game's October 13 release (video found after the break), it's become clear to us that we've finally made it. What more could we ask than one of the game industry's greats appearing on a late night television show? Next thing we know, editors of Joystiq sister site Engadget will be appearing on Fallon and Halo will have its own soda! Yeah, right, like that will ever happen. [Via Kotaku] [Image credit]
PSA: Tim Schafer on Jimmy Fallon tonight, Rocktober 2nd
Late Night host Jimmy Fallon continues fulfilling his pledge to be as inclusive of video games as other forms of entertainment tonight by welcoming onto his set Tim Schafer, creator of Brütal Legend (you might have heard of it). We imagine the interview will focus mostly on why Schafer decided to make a heavy metal-themed game, but we also have a sneaking suspicion the gaming legend may have some serious funny up his sleeve. (Going on past experience.) The episode with Double Fine's founder will air at 12:37 a.m. ET/PT on NBC, so set those TiVos and magic video tape boxes accordingly.
PSA: Brutal Legend demo now on Xbox Live; PSN must wait
Rocktober has come a little early to Xbox 360, as EA and Double Fine have made the Brütal Legend demo available for Xbox Live Gold members today. Weighing in at 1.57GB, the playable sneak peek is the same demo made available exclusively for pre-orders earlier this month.While a PS3 version of the demo also already hit PSN for folks who reserved the game, the same can't be said for a "public" demo. According to a source close to the game's development, a demo is definitely planned for all PSN users -- it just won't be available right away. Given that the game takes the stage at retailers on October Rocktober 13, we'd hope EA intends to get the PS3 trial on the PlayStation Store within a few weeks.
