Better to be Schafer than Sorry

If you like videogames but you don't like Tim Schafer's output, you're part of the problem. There, I said it. Alright, these days you don't get a lot of people revisiting old adventure games (please do, they're very good), but even so, to have a game as accessible, beautiful and enjoyable as Psychonauts show up and tank in the charts is just wretched.

Satire: the large fellow represents Games That Sell,
the smaller fellows represent Games That Are Good.
Now laugh: ha ha ha ha ha.

Back in the day, Schafer worked on games like Maniac Mansion and The Secret of Monkey Island, before turning project leader and developing Day of the Tentacle, Full Throttle and (arguably the ultimate offering in the genre) Grim Fandango.

"Robert Frost."

The genius of Psychonauts (which garnered, deservingly, Eurogamer's Game of the Year award for 2005) was that it coupled all the personality and story of a classic-era adventure game with action gameplay and set the whole thing in a totally organic, interactive world. Now, in the spirit of his mandate to always make the exact polar opposite of his previous game, Schafer's announced his next project: a game set in an alternate heavy metal past, infused from the ground up with rock iconography, starring Jack Black as this world's saviour - a roadie from the present day. The game is called, and don't y'all be missing that umlaut, Brütal Legend.

Oh man.

That's the cover of what seems to be this month's Gameiormer, offering the world's first ever preview of the game. Of course, if you want all the info in-depth, you'll have to buy the magazine! There are, of course, scans going around at the moment, but naturally I wouldn't ever hope to encourage the reading thereof by clicking here click here now. In the meantime, I'll try to keep the details to a minimum.

However, I can share that the game seems roughly to be an Action RTS RPG. Of sorts. Terms such as these are usually the hallmark of games with facile smatterings from each genre disguising a largely uninspiring experience. However, in this case, there are grounds for trust. Tim Schafer and his team are just good enough to pull off the surreal blend of Golden Axe, Dynasty Warriors, Shogun: Total War and Guitar Hero that Brütal Legend appears to be.

Although so far it looks like it'll be limited to an Xbox 360/PS3 release (leaving Schafer's established PC audience behind, sadly), this one should be going to the top of your developments-to-watch list right now. Who wants to rock? I wanna rock. Duh du-du-du-duh, duh-du-du-du-duh, duh. And so on.

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'Beat' Nick usually prefers jazz, mind you.