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Double Fine: Brutal Legend is 'fine,' weevils not
In a way only they could, the mad minds at Double Fine have confirmed that Brütal Legend is not dead. (Unlike the weevils Tim Schafer found in his cereal and has been posting photos of to Double Fine Action News.)In fact, it's via Schafer's latest snapshot of dead weevil-age that the famous designer of such games as Full Throttle and Psychonauts delivered a status report on Double Fine's next creation. Mousing over the photo (under "More Information") reveals pop-up text which reads "Brütal Legend is fine." Rawk. Of course, there's still the matter of who's going to publish the game, given Activision Blizzard's apparent (and, as many agree, unfathomable) lack of interest in it.
The Joystiq Free Game Club: Psychonauts
We thought we'd take a break this week from our usual Flash-based fare this week on the Free Game Club to talk about a slightly meatier experience that you could be having for for free right now: Psychonauts. Yeah, that's right. Tim Schafer's bizarre, hilarious action-platformer is available right now as a free selection on GameTap.So here's the question: Why haven't you played it yet? You might have had an excuse a couple of years ago, when it was just a poorly-marketed Majesco game. But how has it not made its way onto your must play list at this point? It's cleverly written, it's got some really memorable levels and characters, it's just an all-around great way to spend your time. OK, so maybe some of the actual platforming and combat gameplay is a touch spotty from time to time. But we can look past it, and we're betting you can too.If you've played the game, feel free to use the comments below to share your thoughts/gushing adoration. If you haven't, we'd love to hear your excuses. If you're about to play it for the first time ... well, don't let us keep you. We'll still be here when you're done.
No Brtal Legend at E3 for you!
Are you ready to rock? We said are you ready to ROCK?! Oh, um, well in that case we're sorry to inform you that Double Fine's Brütal Legend -- the rock opus featuring Jack Black -- won't be melting faces at E3 this year. The news comes as the game's maestro Tim Schafer informs MTV's Multiplayer that new Brütal Legend info will have to wait until after "the dust settles from this whole [Activision Blizzard] merger thing." As Joystiq points out, Activision is not attending E3 anyway, though Schafer's announcement means Brütal Legend won't be making it to the company's offsite event on Tuesday either.Truly, it is a sad day for rock.[Via Joystiq]
Brtal Legend will not make E3 appearance
Due to the conference's inabilities to meet its exuberant demands (1,000 brown M&M to fill a Brandy glass), Double Fine's Brütal Legend will not be making an appearance at next week's E3 Media and Business Summit. Designer Tim Schafer and co-conspirator Jack Black made the announcement yesterday while floating across the River Styx on a yacht made entirely from the bodies of those whose heart stopped when LucasArts ceased making adventure games. The duo then proceeded to fly off on black motorcycles so fast that they broke the sound barrier and permanently deafened every person within a 20 mile radius, with engines that sounded like a Schecter guitar plugged into a wall of Marshall amps cranked to 12 (yes, one louder than 11).... Okay, so that's not really how it happened. Rather, Schafer told MTV Multiplayer via email that the game wouldn't be at E3, but he hopes to discuss it soon after, "as soon as the dust settles from this whole [Activision Blizzard] merger thing." We're not surprised, of course, given Activison won't be attending E3 at all, but it sounds like the game will be missing out on the publisher's non-E3 event set for next Tuesday.
Jack Black: Brtal Legend coming 'someday'
At the MTV Movie Awards a few weeks back, Jack Black came wearing a huge gash across his neck. But you'll want to direct your attention below the wound -- no, not to the pantaloons -- to Black's slightly more subtle statement: a "Brütal Legend" tee. We're not sure how many casual viewers have attempted to google the term, only to be stifled by the key command for an umlaut, but those of us attuned to Black's sense of style certainly appreciate the nod to Tim Schafer's seemingly in limbo project, for which Black lends his vocals. When questioned about his getup, Black responded, "I just wanted to represent. I do this video game Brütal Legend. It's coming someday."MTV Multiplayer followed up with Sierra on Black's impromptu plug, reporting that the publisher was, obviously, grateful for the nationally televised marketing. Still, Sierra declined to elaborate on Black's vague promise, saying only, "we are excited to reveal more details regarding our plans for Brütal Legend very soon."
Return to Quest Quiz: Tim Schafer
Alright, Tim Schafer, you win. After targeting various industry folks with a typically contrived adventure game puzzle and then assembling their responses in our GDC Quest Quiz feature, we simply weren't prepared for your relentless response to our silly challenge. Not only did you trick us into doing all the hard work, but you successfully navigated through our made-up-as-we-went-along chicane of bizarre logic. But don't grow complacent in your victory -- we'll get you next time.The PlayerDouble Fine's Tim Schafer, designer of Full Throttle, Grim Fandango, Psychonauts and upcoming god of gwar epic, Brütal Legend. Prior to the release of those games, he worked on The Secret of Monkey Island, Monkey Island 2 and Maniac Mansion: Day of the Tentacle.The PuzzleYou're standing in front of a cave. The goal is to get inside the cave, taking care to foil the ferocious robot bear guarding the entrance first.The Inventory (1) perforated parasol (1) rubber chicken with a pulley in the middle (1) sealed manila envelope (1) miniature macaroni Tim Schafer statue Make your way past the break to read our adventurous e-mail exchange.
Double Fine drops new mini-game 'My Game About Me'
There are plenty of games about heroes doing heroic things like saving kingdoms or talking to a girl for a long time about her favorite movies and then killing a giant robot weapon. Sadly, there just aren't that many games about the sort of things everyday folks do, like eating soup or trying to stay asleep. For us common masses, there is Double Fine's new mini-game: My Game About Me, created by staffer Nathan "Bagel" Stapley. Set up as sort of an Olympiad of Mediocrity, MGAM is one of the oddest games we've seen since ... well, since Epic Saga: Extreme Fighter. Give it a whirl, you'll see what we mean.[Thanks, Torin]
Tim Schafer keen on Xbox Live Arcade
Tim Schafer, guru of Double Fine Productions (Brütal Legend, Pscyhonauts), while speaking to the 2007 IGDA Leadership Forum, made it known that he would "love" to make an Xbox Live Arcade game. He told the forum, "We talk about making Xbox Live Arcade games all the time. Who doesn't want to make Xbox Live Arcade games?" Don't jump for joy just yet though, as Schafer admits that the studio is not currently working on any Xbox Live Arcade games. Schafer says the studio is too busy to focus on such a project.We have a suggestion for a quick project, Tim. How about a Live enabled sequel to Epic Saga: Extreme Fighter?[Via Joystiq]
Tim Schafer would 'love' to make an XBLA game
We, like all good and wise people, love Tim Schafer. What we don't love is having to wait years between fresh infusions of Double Fine goodness. So it gave us no small amount of pleasure to hear that while speaking at the 2007 IGDA Leadership Forum, Schafer said he'd love to make a small XBLA game, even though he didn't have one in the works."We talk about making Xbox Live Arcade games all the time. Who doesn't want to make Xbox Live Arcade games?" he said. "It's like when you see a Great Dane taking a giant shit and then you see a poodle taking a little Tootsie Roll shit. The poodle is so cute, but at the end of the day you're still picking up shit. Seriously though, we'd love to make Xbox Live Arcade games, but we're really busy now." ... We're not exactly sure what you meant by that, Tim. But we're fairly sure we couldn't have said it better ourselves.
Brtal Legend official, Psychonauts 2 not in the cards [update]
We're a bit late getting to this news, so we're cobbling together two Double Fine headlines in one post. First and foremost, Brütal Legend has been officially announced by Sierra and Double Fine. The game stars a roadie named Eddie Riggs (played by Jack Black) as well as several rock icons including Lemmy from Motörhead, Rob Halford of Judas Priest, and Ronnie James Dio (NSFW). We don't know much about the game except that it tells the legend of the "Age of Metal." Double Fine's Tim Schafer says it best on the company's blog: " The moral of the story is that Brütal Legend is going to be the best f***ing game you have ever played." So there you go. Oh, and in case you're wondering, the image above is a special message from Lemmy and Tim Schafer to all the publishers that passed on Brûtal Legend. You can check out the first trailer for the game after the break.The other bit of Double Fine news is that it looks like a sequel to Psychonauts may be in the works. Listed on Double Fine's projects page is a banner featuring the Psychonauts cover art with the words "Coming Soon" emblazoned across it. It's hard to imagine the original being ported to any more platforms, so we're assuming that the banner refers to a wholly new project. Here's hoping.[Update: It was nice while it lasted, but Joystiq has learned that Double Fine's projects page does not signify that Psychonauts 2 is in the works. It turns out that that "coming soon" placeholder is merely for the upcoming page about the original game. Sigh.][Via Joystiq (and Joystiq)]Read -- Brütal Legend announcedRead -- Psychonauts 2
Psychonauts 2 in development?
Hot off the heels of Double Fine's announcement of Brütal Legend, we get this tasty little morsel of potential excellence. On Double Fine's projects page, beneath the link for Brütal Legend, we have the teaser image pictured above. No great mystery regarding its contents -- that's clearly Raz, and the logo for the first Psychonauts. Is Tim Schafer trying to not-so-subtly tell us that a sequel is in the works? Or is this some sort of twisted joke? (Schafer does, after all, have a "twisted mind," as many a press release have said). Not much else to speculate here. We'll keep our eyes peeled for any further announcements or information.[Update: Sadly, it seems that the "coming soon" image was merely intended to indicate an eventual info page for the original Psychonauts. Double Fine has recognized the confusion, and quietly un-darkened the image to make it more apparent. So no Psychonauts 2 after all. Color us disappointed.][Via Rock Paper Shotgun]
First Brutal Legend video is ... well, it's brutal
The marketing for Tim Schafer's latest game is in full swing and – even though the game designer can't talk about the game himself (check out Double Fine's blog to watch him squirm) – the Game Informer cover and now video trailer sure as shinola confirm its existence. It turns out Brütal Legend is appropriately titled; the trailer is full of axe-assisted dismemberment on the part of protagonist (and rock roadie) Eddie Riggs.So let's run down the checklist: Rockin' metal soundtrack? Check. Buckets of violence? Check. Overwrought mythology? Check. Bitchin' Hot Rod with flame exhaust? Check. Demon wings? Check. Sexy metal babes? Check. All in a video game format? Very check. Wait a second, this game wasn't designed by Tim Schafer at all. No, it was designed by the collective fantasies of every teenage boy who's ever lived ... Schafer's just the tool they'll use to see their vision writ large.
Tim Schafer's Brutal Legend lands on Game Informer cover
"A Rock 'n Roll roadshow through the twisted mind of Tim Schafer?" That sounds fantastic, though we imagine it comes across like nails on a chalkboard to the publisher hoping to hear terms like "shooter," "sequel," "football," and "based on the hit movie" in the game pitch. Preferably, it'll be all of those.And for all we know, Double Fine's Brütal Legend could contain any of the above. For now, the only information we have is that obtained from the cover of the latest Game Informer magazine (we've confirmed the image is real), graciously snapped and posted by "Iksenpets" on the official Double Fine forums. The image reveals who we assume to be Jack Black's character -- an axe-wielding, axe-wielding roadie named Eddie Riggs. Oh, and when you check between the pages to find out more about Mr. Schafer's latest road trip, be sure to find out how NF HELL 4K2: The Movie: The Game is coming along.[Thanks, Max]
Brutal countdown for Double Fine's Brutal Legend?
The countdown seen above recently popped up on Xbox.com. Set to expire tonight at midnight ET, we speculated earlier today that it had something to do with Ninja Gaiden 2 and the alleged screenshots of it in action. A news report on IGN, however, points in a different direction, as Double Fine -- makers of the critical darling Psychonauts -- recently trademarked the name "Brutal Legend." This corresponds with rumors of a game of the same name starring Jack Black. While we're as excited as the next gamer to see what Tim Schafer and company have cooking, the timing for such an announcement seems odd. With such a packed holiday lineup and the imminent release of Halo 3, it's strange that Microsoft would be announcing a new game. Still, the Tokyo Game Show is right around the corner, so anything is possible. At least we won't have to wait long to find out, right?
Tim Schafer talks new-gen, suggests XBL MySpace features
Double Fine founder Tim Schafer told Gamasutra that while he's mostly a single-player kind of guy, he has really enjoyed the Xbox Live system that "facilitates ... playing with people you know," he said. Schafer, speaking in general about all the new generation consoles, also suggested that Xbox Live incorporate some of the features found in social networking sites. "You know how funny it is to go on MySpace or Friendster and write testimonials," he said. "I wish you could post those kinds of things about each other."Schafer also expressed glee with his Nintendo Wii, specifically the controller, Twilight Princess and the Mii channel. "As soon as I got it, just sitting there making Miis and sending them to all my friends was incredibly entertaining for about the first four days." That prompted the developer into suggesting XBL incorporate testimonials. We're imagining a Mii-like avatar creation tool for Xbox Live, and how enjoyably devious that would be.Double Fine is responsible for last generation's award-winning, scholarly media darling Psychonauts, which suffered from economic-centric maladies (read: poor sales). Before that, Schafer's work included Grim Fandango and contributions to the Monkey Island series. Double Fine is currently working on an unknown project for an unknown medium.
Psychonauts and Valve make steamy, Steam-y love
Last night, reading about RoboBlitz coming to Steam, we knew we weren't alone in wondering where our promised Psychonauts was. The BAFTA award winning (congrats, guys!) critics darling may not have been the belle of the retail ball, but she was always beautiful to us ... and now, Steam subscribers everywhere can take her out dancing for the digitally distributed price of $19.99 starting tonight!If you're hearing the sweet, sweet sound of romance in the air, you may wanna turn down the Barry White and listen up, cause Psychonauts developer Tim Schafer has something he wants to say you ... and only you ... in his low, deep, gravelly baritone:"So for the press release. uh. man, it's tough because every single 'steam' related play on words has already been done," said Schafer. "Double Fine and Valve: With a love this hot, you know there's gotta be STEAM! How about that?"Ooooh! We like that, and we know you do as well, dear reader. Just when you thought we'd already beaten that equine to death, sawed its head off, and tucked it gently into Doug Lombardi's comfy bed, here comes the ever dependable Schafer, pitching in with one. final. sawing. thrust! Phew!That's hawt. The comic Psychonauts art director Scott Campbell made commemorating the tryst is even hawter.
Psychonauts picks up Steam in October
This just in from the astral projection: Double Fine productions' masterpiece Psychonauts will arrive on Steam in early October. That's right: no longer will you have to trudge five miles in the snow to seek out this underrated overlooked gem -- huzzah!The price has yet to be revealed. Psychonauts publisher Majesco has also announced that Bloodrayne 1 & 2 and Advent Rising will be available for Steam starting today. The original Bloodrayne will be $10, while the other two titles are $20 apiece.Tim Schafer et al. are currently working on another project, as-of-yet unannounced, to be published by Sierra.[Thanks, 1up_clock]
Vivendi and Double Fine have something next-gen a-cookin'
Double Fine, the er, fine fellows who brought us the dark and humorous (nearly Tim Burton-styled) Psychonauts, have recently teamed up with Vivendi Games. Even more recently is Vivendi's confirmation that they will be publishing Double Fine's next effort on the next-gen systems, under the new Sierra Entertainment label.The president of Double Fine and mastermind behind not only Psychonauts but also Day of the Tentacle and Grim Fandango had a few words about the team at Sierra. "Everyone we've met brings experience from a small developer background, so they know where we're coming from and what we have to do to make a great game." he says and we agree. The worst thing that happens to developers is being forced to change their image and ideas to suit their publisher's schedule (which is apparent in the rushed mess that was Grandia III... thanks, Square-Enix, for damaging Game Arts' image). No details on the game yet, but it'll probably be funny and uniquely styled, if prior games give any clues.
