Double Fine Unleashes 'Brütal Legend' for a Devilishly Short Time in Ozzy Tribute – Rock On!
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Double Fine honored the late Ozzy Osbourne by making 'Brütal Legend' free for a limited time, a metal-fueled tribute to the Prince of Darkness's impact on gaming. It was a headbanging deal, but blink and you missed it!
Right, listen up, metalheads and gaming goblins! Double Fine, those legends behind 'Psychonauts' and, of course, the face-meltingly awesome 'Brütal Legend,' have pulled a seriously cool move. In a tribute to the one and only Ozzy Osbourne, who sadly passed away this week at 76 (fair dinkum, a legend gone too soon), they made 'Brütal Legend' completely FREE. But here's the catch – and isn't there always a catch? – this offer was only live for a ridiculously specific 666 minutes. That's right, eleven hours and six minutes of pure, unadulterated heavy metal gaming goodness.
Ozzy wasn't just any old celebrity cameo in 'Brütal Legend'; he voiced the Guardian of Metal, a character practically ripped straight from his iconic image. Imagine hearing the Prince of Darkness dispense wisdom (or at least, Ozzy-esque pronouncements) while you're shredding through hordes of demons with Jack Black's roadie-turned-hero, Eddie Riggs. Glorious, isn't it?
According to IGN South Africa, who originally broke this electrifying news, the offer was launched at 4 PM PT and ended at 3 AM PT the following day. So, if you missed it, you missed it – unless you've got a time-traveling DeLorean hidden in your garage. (And if you do, give us a shout, yeah?).
'Brütal Legend,' for those who somehow missed it the first time around, is a wild genre-bending mashup. We're talking action-adventure, real-time strategy, and a whole lotta heavy metal attitude. Think 'Guitar Hero' meets 'Lord of the Rings,' but with more leather, fire, and screaming guitar solos. And let's not forget the killer soundtrack hand-picked by Double Fine's main wizard, Tim Schafer, featuring over 100 metal anthems to get your headbanging. Lemmy Kilmister, Rob Halford, and Lita Ford also lent their voices and likenesses to the game, making it a true metal pilgrimage.
It's worth remembering that 'Brütal Legend' had a bit of a rocky start. Originally slated to be published by Activision, the project was dropped, leading to a bit of a legal dust-up between Activision and Double Fine. EA eventually stepped in to save the day, bringing this metal masterpiece to the masses. A win for gamers everywhere, I reckon.
So, while the free period is now sadly over, the gesture itself is a testament to Ozzy's impact on gaming and the wider world. A proper salute to a true legend. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to crank up some Black Sabbath and pretend I'm Eddie Riggs for a few hours. Rock on!
Tags: Brütal Legend, Ozzy Osbourne, Double Fine, Tim Schafer, Heavy Metal
Original article: IGN South Africa