The recent NPD report covering video game sales for October shows that Brutal Legend, excuse me, Tim Schafer's Brütal Legend, did not crack the top 10. NBA 2K10 was listed twice in the top 10, a game that I saw almost no marketing push for, no press coverage, no hour long specials on cable, no pod casts dedicated to the game, nothing. As a gamer I have 0 interest in either game. As a regular Joe, Brutal Legend irritates me for many reasons. I can't speak to the game play or actual game experience, I refuse to rent the game. I will share my opinions and thoughts, and explain why I do not want to even try a demo.
This game had an overwhelming media blitz. Magazines, TV, Blogs, Podcasts,Game stores asking 
you if you want to pre-order it, Commercials, Jack Black, MTV so on and so forth, all shoved this game in my face. The Media proclaimed "best game ever" "game of the year" "you like metal? Get this game. You like video games? Get this game. You like both? Get this game" This all did not work. Yes, the game placed 12th in sales for all of October, but other people probably got sick of this game being forced on them and decided to wait until its $17.99 used at Gamestop in 3 months right next to " Ninja Bread Man" and "M&M Adventures" and "Hell Boy 2". EA tried way too hard to get attention and potentially shut off customers from interest.
Why is everyone putting this guy on a pedestal? 
He made critically acclaimed games and commercially underwhelmed people. I played Full Throttle, I played Grim Fandango. Both were fun, but I don't understand why this guy is being revered as the Prodigal Nerd Son who saved video games. He has shitty hair, did he take notes from "Penn and Teller Get Killed"? For being touted as a comedic genius, Schafer is not that funny. He's like the kid in high school who sat next to you in math class and cracked jokes all day about imaginary numbers. He probably hung out with fat chicks who thought it was funny to talk like Miss Piggy all the time, laugh about cheese, and wear princess tiaras all the time. I don't get it. Watch this.(To Mr. Schafer's credit, he is only half the reason why this clip is shitty.)
Tim Schafer is a bucket of LOLZ
X-Play | MySpace Video
One more reason I don't have any interest in this game is the over exposure of Rock, Metal and having a Bad Ass, Satan Lovin', Leather Jacket, Guitars, Whiskey and Motorcycles attitude. Since Guitar Hero 1 set the trend of bringing rock n' roll to video games, then Rock Band stepping it up, I just cant take it. If Metal is so bad ass explain this?
Jack Black is a huge perpetrator of making it cool to say "Rock" all the time, Tenacious D , 
School of Rock, him being the quintessential Gen X slacker, the fast talking, witty, defy authority on your own terms type of dude that makes Guy Fieri look like a choir boy compared to him, a fucking choir boy. Jack Black has the safe appeal to moms but the cool factor to appeal to 12 year olds and people that appreciate high comedy (not Redman and Method-Man high comedy, more like Arrested Development) The role of Eddie Riggs seems like it was a composite of Jack Black characters, made just for Jack Black. If any one
can tell me if there are some shades of Black's Augie character from the hit film Airborne let me know! Why am I going to play a game where my lead character is Jack Black...not Eddie Riggs or another made up character. I can't get over that fact and it turned me off. Having actual metal musicians and singers in the game does not appeal to me either. Having grown up in front of MTV, and now VH1 classic Metal Mania, I get more than my fill of Judas Priest, Motorhead, Van Halen, Poison, The Crue and all of the other iconic metal bands. All their music and music videos are the appeal of those persona to me. Not hearing Ozzy Osbourne who is far over exposed in the media because being a Rocker and Metal head is cool.
Better luck next time Mr. Schafer at trying to get my money.
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