[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1000008656.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''[[Music/BlackSabbath Close the city and tell the people that something's coming to call! Death and darkness are rushing forward to take a bite from the wall!]]'']]

->''"Okay... You're sure you're ready for this? Because what I hold in my hand... is not just gonna blow your mind. It's going to blow your soul."''
-->'''-- Creator/JackBlack''', [[OpeningNarration Opening]] CutScene

''Brütal Legend'' is a heavy metal-themed HackAndSlash[=/=]RealTimeStrategy with light elements of driving and {{Rhythm Game}}s, developed by Creator/DoubleFine and published by Creator/ElectronicArts on [[{{Pun}} Rocktober]] 16, 2009 for the Platform/PlayStation3 and Platform/XBox360 consoles, Windows on February 2013, and Mac/Linux on May 2013.

The game is noteworthy in being inspired by, and providing a ludicrous number of {{Special Guest}}s, {{Shout Out}}s, and references to just about everything ''[[TestosteronePoisoning metal.]]'' All the areas of the game are basically [[TheEighties 1980s]] metal album covers, even. It provided yet another cult hit for Creator/DoubleFine in their long history of cult hits, but received mixed reviews after its DevelopmentHell ended. It has a very dedicated and vocal fanbase.

The story is pretty simple. Eddie Riggs (voiced by Creator/JackBlack), an average roadie for an average Second Wave of American Tween Melodic Rap Metalcore band is transported to [[MedievalStasis the Land of Metal]], where he must teach its people the ways of true metal to free them from enslavement by the demons of the Tainted Coil. For literally all intents and purposes, it's a story that is neoclassical metal wish fulfillment, backed up by one hell of a soundtrack that encompasses pretty much all forms of metal.

Compare ''{{WesternAnimation/Metalocalypse}}'', another AffectionateParody of all things '''METAL''' (and yeah, Dethklok ''is'' in the soundtrack of this one. They even had a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wj7fQq8vN8M short crossover]]).

%%NOTE FOR TROPERS: When editing or adding new entries to this article, ''please'' avoid incessant bashing of publishers, praising developers, trivia that is not EXTREMELY relevant to a trope, and heavily subjective examples. These belong in Trivia and YMMV respectively. This article is to inform readers unfamiliar with the work of what tropes are used in it and how they are used, not an outlet for personal opinions.
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!!Provides examples of:
* TwentyBearAsses: There is a set of secondary missions in which [[Creator/BrianPosehn The Hunter]] boasts that he'd managed to kill X of a certain type of wild animal, prompting Eddie to go and kill X+1 in the name of one-upsmanship.
* ThirtyMinutesOrItsFree: In one side quest, you have two minutes to deliver kegs of beer to a party on the beach while they're still cold. This task is made more difficult by the fact that if you bump your car around too much, the kegs will rupture, resulting in automatic failure.
* AbandonedMine: Semi-Averted. The Dry Ice Mines are technically a quarry, as one character will put it.
* AerithAndBob: What would you call the son of the hero Riggnarök and the demon empress Succoria? That's right, [[spoiler:''Edward''.]] The Age of Metal itself has spawned names like Ophelia, Aetulia, Doviculus, Lionwhyte and... Lars.
* AffectionateParody: Creator/TimSchafer described Brütal Legend as "a love letter to metal." Special mention goes to Lionwhyte, who although is an [[TheEighties Eighties]] Glam Rock stereotype, has some of the best metal and rock from that era, no matter how much people deny it.
* AlienSky: Lots of work went into the skies of Brütal Legend, which is never ever clear blue[[labelnote:*]]Except at the very end, so Eddie can effectively [[RidingIntoTheSunset Drive Into The Sunset]][[/labelnote]]. Inspired by the popular works of Creator/FrankFrazetta, the sky's colors shifts all kinds of colors at all times, and at night, brilliant stars and evil looking nebulae shower the night sky. Each playable character has the power to change the sky to be themed around them, causing different effects. When rain falls, it sometimes comes accompanied by ''meteor showers''.
* AllBeerIsAle: Where Eddie expects mead and ale, all the Age of Metal has is generic beer that comes from a sacred tree covered in breasts.
* AllPartOfTheShow: When Ormagöden is summoned in the game's opening scene, no-one seems to realize his suddenly appearing and killing the entire band isn't part of the show. The crowd goes absolutely wild with joy, jumping, screaming, and throwing up horns.
* AllThereInTheManual: Not the paper manual, but the in game Tour Book. It tells you everything about units, the world, and secrets. It's full of hilarious jokes and [[LampshadeHanging Lampshades]] things that don't make sense.
* AlmightyJanitor: Eddie. He can fix anything (except for Kabbage Boy's music), build anything, and start a revolution with nothing. Yet he deliberately stays out of the spotlight. Check out his quote on the HyperCompetentSidekick page.
* AmbiguousSituation: Throughout the game, it is assumed that the [[HeavyMithril Brutal World]] that Eddie lands in is somehow [[TheTimeOfMyths the distant past]] to the real world, [[spoiler:Succoria loses her will to live when she travels to "the present" and finds that humanity has taken over with no demon-presence in sight]]. With this in mind, it is never stated how [[ThePowerOfRock rocking's literal magical power]] went to [[TheMagicGoesAway just being noise]] in the "present", what became of the more metal-esque fauna or how Eddie's car radio can play 20th-century music, etc.
* AnimalVehicleHybrid: A few of the local fauna qualify, unsurprising given the HeavyMetal nature of the world. The most obvious is the Razorfire Boar, an unholy union between a very angry wild boar and an even angrier chopper bike. There's a mission that requires you to ride about three of them so your army can get their first long range fighters, and a trophy can be acquired for riding one a set distance doing tricks.
* AndThisIsFor: Used during the penultimate boss fight. [[spoiler: CarFu is involved. And each of them is punctuated with [[FlippingTheBird the middle finger]].]]
* AndYourRewardIsClothes: Purchase the DLC, and you can change Eddie's clothing post game.
* ArbitraryHeadcountLimit: Every unit has a Load value. The total load can never exceed 40. What that 40 Load points consists of is up to you. Also, you can only have a certain number of specific units. As Ironheade you can only have one Rockcrusher, or as Drowning Doom you can only have three Brides.
* AreYouPonderingWhatImPondering: The Baron and Eddie, on how to deal with Metal Beasts:
-->'''Eddie:''' OK, I have a plan...
-->'''Baron:''' [[KillItWithFire Burn 'em?]]
-->'''Eddie:''' No.
-->'''Baron:''' [[CarFu Run 'em over with the bus?]]
-->'''Eddie:''' No...
-->'''Baron:''' [[NoodleImplements Poison catnip?]]
-->'''Eddie:''' No, I'm going to recruit them! They're going to join our army!
-->'''Baron:''' ...Tell me you're joking.
* ArtifactMook: It's possible to miss two {{Side Quest}}s available during the campaign against General Lionwhyte and his glamed-up army. Since these quests assume you're still fighting him, coming back to complete them has you fighting HairMetal units past a point in the story that they've all been wiped out.
* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Lampshaded hard in the Tour Book.
-->'''Tour Book on Landmark Viewers''': What's that? You thought these devices were invented in the twentieth century to take coins from tourists? You thought wrong. You could't be more wrong.
* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: The reason for the Titans' disappearance from Earth.
* AtopAMountainOfCorpses: Eddie starts the game on one, and thinks it's awesome.
* AutobotsRockOut: Subverted, considered a twist in the ending. [[spoiler: Eddie, remaining true to his roadie job, never takes the spotlight, never performs a song at the end, and doesn't even seek the credit for his deeds.]]. Many players expected one of these in the end and were taken by surprise.
* AwesomenessIsVolatile: Ormagöden. Also invoked every time a character uses a guitar.
* BadassBoast: "For the honor of Bladehenge, for the freedom of its people, and the glory... OF ITS METAL!"
* BadMoonRising: The moon near Black Tear lands looks like a skull missing a jaw hanging in the sky.
* BadPresent: A demon [[spoiler: named Succoria]] travels from an ancient past full of magic where humans and demons are fighting to an industrialized present where demons are gone and humanity thrives on technology. From this demon's perspective, this human-run present is a ''very'' depressingly bad present.
* BaitAndSwitch: The option to turn the gore on or off comes up just as it looks like Ormagöden is going to cut Eddie open. After you choose, it instead turns around and decapitates the band.
** At the end of the game after the humans have won their freedom, in a ceremony the presenter prepares to present a statue, saying it is dedicated to the man who led humanity to freedom and should never be forgotten. He unveils the statue and it's Lars. Then another presenter appears as says there is someone else who needs to be commended, who fought night and day and is the reason that humanity won against Doviculus. They pull back to reveal [[spoiler:Lita. It fits considering Eddie considers himself no more than a roadie, someone who should never be the center of focus but just keeps the show going.]]
* BandLand: Albeit much less cute and innocent than most examples.
* TheBandMinusTheFace: The ending. [[spoiler: Lita replaces her dead brother, and is the Queen of Bladehenge.]]
* BattleCry: When Eddie performs the Battle Cry solo, a golden aura forms into Lars' sword (also called Battle Cry), and bursts into a soundwave. The [[AudibleSharpness sound]] compels allies to fight harder, boosting attack power. ([[ThePowerOfFriendship Double Teams can double in power.]])
-->'''Headbanger 1:''' What is that sound?
-->'''Headbanger 2:''' It's a Devil screaming!
-->'''Headbanger 3:''' It's an Angel singing!
-->'''Headbanger 2:''' It is the pounding of Creation's Hammer upon The Anvil of Time!
-->'''Headbanger 1:''' It's fucking awesome!
-->'''Eddie:''' It's called... Heavy Metal.
** BattleCry can BUFF THE ROCKCRUSHER. Which in itself [[SerialEscalation buffs other units]].
* BattleOfTheBands: A far more literal example, where the bands are also armies. Notable for being the inspiration for the RTS part of the game.
* TheBigDamnKiss: [[spoiler:Happens at the end of the chapter "Pilgrimage of Screams".]]
* BookEnds: Eddie's expression of what he does. First when he saves the guitarist of Kabbage Boy, and much later [[spoiler:after Doviculus is killed, Lita takes the position of leader of Ironheade/Queen of Bladehenge and Eddie goes off to [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration complete any sidequests he left behind]].]]
-->'''Eddie''': "A good roadie knows his whole job is to make someone else look good. Keep someone else safe. Help someone else do what they were put here to do. A good roadie stays out of the spotlight. If he's doing right, you don't even know he's there. And once in a while he might step on the stage to fix a problem. To set something right. And before you even realize he was there, or what he did, he's gone."
* BullfightBoss: Lampshaded with the worm-like boss.
-->'''Eddie''': Ha! I can't believe you fell for that twice!
* CallARabbitASmeerp: If you turn down Fletus' first challenge, he'll flap his arms and make chicken noises.
-->'''Eddie''': What is that, a chicken? I haven't seen any chickens around here.
-->'''Fletus''': That's the blood skink! The most cowardly of all skinks!
* CameraLockOn: A button allows you to do this. Sadly, there is no graphical indicator to let you know who's being targeted... Other than Eddie simply looking at the enemy for the entire duration of the lock-on.
* CarFu: Your default attack for the Deuce is to ram people with it. [[spoiler: Is also the only way to defeat the penultimate boss.]]
* CastOfSnowflakes: Exaggerated. This is an action/RTS hybrid, and ''every single type unit is wildly different than every other.'' Check the character sheet!
* CastingGag: The Kabbage Boy guitarist is shown doing Raz's victory dance from ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}''. Creator/RichardStevenHorvitz voiced both the guitarist and Raz. He also plays the guy who operates the Death Rack, later on, who sports a [[ActorAllusion familiar pair]] of [[GogglesDoNothing red-tinted goggles]].
* CelebrityCameo: The game features numerous appearances from major figures in metal:
** [[Music/JudasPriest Rob Halford]] plays General Lionwhyte and The Baron.
** [[Music/{{Motorhead}} Lemmy Kilmister]] plays the Kill Master.
** [[Music/TheRunaways Lita Ford]] plays the Zaulia leader Rima (''not'' Lita Halford, contrary to several internet sources - this one's voiced by Creator/KathSoucie).
** Music/OzzyOsbourne plays the "Guardian of Metal," who basically ''[[InkSuitActor is]]'' Ozzy.
*** He also voices the father of a family of [[ActorAllusion bats]], that are based on [[Series/TheOsbournes his own family]].
** Kyle Gass, the other half of Tenacious D, plays the role of a neurotic mortar cannon operating Bouncer who even has the same head as him.
** David Cross plays the victim of the Screamwagon.
** Comedian and metal fan Brian Posehn as the Hunter.
* CensoredForComedy: Optionally, the game lets you censor swearing with bleeps. Just before the first curse in the game, it prompts you to choose - the button for turning on the censor says "It's funnier if it's bleeped out." For added kicks, it also plasters big [CENSORED] boxes over any of the games numerous [[FlippingTheBird middle fingers]].
* ChainLightning: The Axe Treatment Chain Lightning electrocutes enemies and the effect spreads to nearby enemies.
* ChekhovMIA: [[spoiler:Succoria and Riggnarok.]]
* ChekhovsArmory: Eddie has a hell of one. It includes [[spoiler: his belt buckle and t-shirt.]]
* ChekhovsGunman: When Eddie's climbing down the corpse mountain, you can spot a fan leech.
* ChestInsignia: Several. Ophelia wears a bird with an ankh on her chest, which is a family crest from the Legend images. Each faction produces shirt merchandise with their crest on the center.
* ChewingTheScenery: Most, if not all, of the lyrics from Kabbage Boy's "Girlfriend" music video. [[labelnote:Lyrics]]"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! GIRL FRIENNND! You really wanna make my HEART BENNNDD! You know you'll always be my BESSSSTT FRAY-ENNNNNDD! What I'm SAYING TO YOU, I CAN'T, PREEE-TENNNNNNNND! Cause I'm turning in-side out." SO FIINE, OH MIINE, TREAT'CHA LIKE A PORCUPIINE! (Say what?) Got a kinda lover, GOT A HEART BREAK-IN VALEN-TINE! PUT MAH FINGER IN YO BEE-HIIIND! The stinger gets stung but I got some-thin special on the tip o' mah TONGUE!" "I'M FLY-HY-HY, HY, ING... ANNNND I'M DY-HY-HY, HY, HE-E-ING...I'm frying. My heart isn't beating, I'm dying. And I want you to see that I'm crying."[[/labelnote]]
* CivilWarcraft: [[TheQuisling General Lionwhyte's]] faction of [[EvilCounterpart Evil Counterparts]].
* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: The spotlights in the sky tell you what units are doing from afar.
** Orange means attack or where they are attacking.
** Pink means "Follow Me." They are chasing you.
** Blue means "Defend." They are holding still.
** Green means "Move," in which they are moving to a second green light that you designated.
* CombinationAttack: You can do this with all your units. They are called Double Teams. There are achievements/ trophies for doing it with all units of each side. They are also the [[ThePowerOfFriendship most powerful attacks in the game.]]
* ACommanderIsYou: Each factions have their own unique specializations.
** Ironheade is [[JackOfAllStats a Balanced, Generalist Faction]]. They're also a Brute Force Faction, with no special abilities to their name. No weaknesses, but no particular strengths except high-speed vehicles. Formerly the GameBreaker, but due to being [[{{Nerf}} heavily downgraded]], they're now rather weak.
** The Drowning Doom is a Technical Spammer Faction, focusing on weak units that can debuff and take control of the stronger enemy units to even the tide in their favor.
** The Tainted Coil is a Gimmick Elitist Faction. The main stage only has three units for production, but by Double Teaming with them Doviculus can summon and upgrade his units from anywhere on the battlefield.
* CompetitiveMultiplayer: A first for Creator/DoubleFine.
* CompletionMeter: The game keeps a large number of counters in the main menu, from how many collectables Eddie has found, to how many unit combos he tried out, etc.
* ConceptArtGallery: There is an in-game gallery that allows you to view concept artworks, but these can be unlocked through story progression or by defeating specific enemies a certain number of times.
* ConcertClimax: As a stage takes damage, sirens blare and spotlights shoot upward in warning. At low health, fire and sparks flare up dramatically. The Tainted Coil stage actually bleeds.
* ConstructAdditionalPylons: The only structure in the game are the Stage, which functions as your base and from where units are spawned, and the Merch Booth, which is used to channel Fans to your Stage.
* ContinuingIsPainful: If you die in a Stage Battle, the fans can revive you endlessly, but your opponent is awarded 50 Fans, punishing players who try to fight alone.
* ContinuityNod: One can speculate on whether or not multiplayer is canon. In it, [[spoiler: Drowned Ophelia and Doviculus are alive, the Headbangers and Eddie talk as if Lars is still alive, and Doviculus does not understand that cars are machines and not living things. He [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments tries to command them to surrender and obey him.]]]]
* CoolCar: All three {{Hero Unit}}s have their own, but the Deuce (AKA "Druid Plow") gets special attention in the campaign with a variety of weapons, upgrades, and paint jobs that can be bought from the Motor Forge.
* CosmicDeadline: [[spoiler: After Lionwhyte's palace, the speed of story resolution picks up suddenly. Drowned Ophelia and Doviculus get far less screen time and development than Lionwhyte did, which reaches its unfortunate peak when they are forced to share the same boss fight.]]
** [[spoiler: Ophelia gets her fair share of screen time and stage battles, but it feels faster because there's no missions between them and you keep moving from zone to zone as opposed to fighting in and around Bladehenge.]]
* CreationMyth: Features, appropriately, the most ''metal'' creation myth ever written. The world was a dark desert populated by fantastically-ugly First Ones until the Eternal Fire Beast Ormagöden showed up and lit the world with his burning body. The First Ones hated the light because it showed their ugliness, so they tried to drown Ormagöden in mud; instead of letting them drown him, Ormagöden exploded himself, and the pieces of his body created the world as we know it. His flames flew up and became the Sun, his metal body seeded the earth with rich ores, his blood rushed out and formed the seas, and his death scream forever echoed throughout the world, manifesting in badass engines and metal music.
* CueTheSun: One of your solos does this. It gives a buff to all your units.
* CurbStompBattle: In multiplayer, advanced players will control their armies as automatically as possible...so they can fly alone to your side, attack your units as much as possible and keep you on the defensive.
** Summoning your car and driving all over your opponent's army nonstop is a quick way to make them RageQuit.
** In the single-player mode the fight between Lita and Ophelia is a curb-stomp battle. With a few swings of her pole-axe and a well-placed kick, Lita disarms Ophelia and knocks her to the ground. Only Eddie's intervention prevents Lita from killing Ophelia.
* CurseCutShort: Lose a race against Fleetus.
-->'''Eddie''': "Lousy demon son of a-"
-->'''Game Interface''': "Retry?"
* CuteMonsterGirl: The first time you see a Drowning Doom Bride, it's almost portrayed as a horror movie, and their ragged veil only shows their glowing eyes. In reality, they're actually quite cute under [[http://24.media.tumblr.com/cde8f6130b6e2deef358bfa083cd33ec/tumblr_mh014hJE061rhhn7to2_1280.jpg there]].
* DamageIsFire: Most vehicles catch fire when damaged.
* DamageReduction: The Axe Treatment Black Tear, which instead of decreasing the damage you ''take'', [[StatusEffects decreases the damage the people you hit do.]]
* DarkAndTroubledPast: The Black Tear Rebellion, oh dear.
* DarkReprise: The romantic rock ballad [[Music/ScorpionsBand "Holiday"]] plays over a dream sequence of Eddie and Ophelia [[MeadowRun frolicking on a beach]] [[OffhandBackhand stabbing druids]], then as Eddie wakes up it brilliantly and eerily segues into the haunting and depressing "So Frail", by Mirrorthrone, [[spoiler: as Ironheade launches their final attack on her.]]
* DeathByChildbirth: Edward’s mother [[spoiler: Succoria]] died after his birth.
* DeliberatelyMonochrome: When ''Skies Afire'' is active, the graphics switch to a flame-orange and b&w only color scheme.
* DespairEventHorizon: Upon finding [[spoiler:that the future world belongs to humans and not demons, Succoria is robbed of her will to live. Only Rigganrok's care kept her alive.]]
* DeusSexMachina: Remember kids, enough orgy can initiate [[spoiler: time-travel]].
* DevourTheDragon: For the final battle, Doviculus [[spoiler:tears out Drowned Ophelia's heart and shoves it into his own chest, which grants him the power to control the Sea of Black Tears.]]
* DieChairDie: The HeroUnit will grumble and complain they're not doing any damage when they attack vehicles head on. In particular, Eddie provides [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall obvious advice]] that the player should not be doing that, and should instead build anti-vehicle units.
* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Eddie explains that he got one thing from his father, indicating his belt buckle.
* [[DontExplainTheJoke Don't Explain the Joke:]] When the Bouncers join Ironheade:
--> '''Eddie:''' Okay, but I can't be holding their hands the whole time. ''* chuckles* '' Get it? 'Cause their hands are too big.
--> '''Ophelia:''' ''* sighs* ''
* DramaticDrop: The "Rally Army" solo. Units will also [[GondorCallsForAid call out to you]] in response.
* DuelingShows: Two rock stages set up. One stays standing.
* EarthShatteringPoster: Drawn by Scott Campbell and [[http://shop.doublefine.com/collections/posters available for purchase.]]
* EasterEgg: The game has a few:
** If you play the game on December 8, the Ormagöden save game icon will be replaced by a picture of a dime in memorial of [[Music/{{Pantera}} "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott]], who was tragically killed on December 8, 2004.
** If you play the game on February 19, the save game icon will be the lightning bolt from Music/{{ACDC}}'s logo in remembrance of singer Bon Scott, who died on February 19, 1980.
** If you play the game on March 19, the save game icon will be an "RR", remembering guitarist Randy Rhoads, who died in a plane crash on March 19, 1982.
* EasyCommunication: Subverted; you have to be close enough to your units for them to hear your orders. However, the game gives you a "Rally Army" [[ThePowerOfRock solo]], which calls your troops to your position, no matter how far away they are.
* EasyLogistics: Fan Geysers are the main source of "military fuel", for creating units for both teams. Any side can build a Merch Booth around one, and the number of Merch Booths can easily determine who owns the tide of the battle.
* EitherWorldDominationOrSomethingAboutBananas: When Eddie tells other humans that he'd been brought to their world by a creature they identify as Ormagöden, Lars explains that there is a legend among their people of a prophecized warrior who would be brought to them by Ormagöden. There is a debate regarding the translation of the legend, which leads to an EitherOrProphecy of whether the warrior will destroy humanity or deliver it from demon oppression.
* EmpathicEnvironment: The three factions can change the sky with guitar solos to benefit them.
%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample * EnergyWeapon: Laser Panthers.
* EnormousEngine:
** The Deuce is upgraded with progressively larger engines as the game goes on (because "more powerful" equals "bigger" in this setting), to the point where you start to wonder how Eddie manages to see the road behind the hulking motor.
** Fleetus' beloved Squealer has its own comically gargantuan engine, almost as big as the demon himself. For comparison, Fleetus is so massive, he has to drive Squealer with his whole torso sticking out through the moonroof, wearing the car like a pair of motorized, flame belching pants.
* EpicRocking: The equivalent of casting a magic spell.
* EscortMission: Tour of Destruction (all three of them).
* EvilIsVisceral: Everything one could associate with FireAndBrimstoneHell is considered neutral or good, such as Ormagöden, meanwhile the Tainted Coil are the BigBad and are disgusting, diseased, BodyHorror covered demons.
* EvolvingWeapon: The Axe Treatment Bloodlust increases in attack power as you kill enemies, and goes back to normal over time.
* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: The Facemelter solo melts faces.
* EyeScream: If you fail the stage battle against the Tainted Coil at the end.
-->'''Doviculus:''' [[spoiler:You have your mother's eyes. And soon, so shall I.]] [[Camera shifts to Eddie's POV]] [[spoiler:On a necklace, I think.]] [[Pauses for a moment, then shoves his hand into the POV]]
* FailedASpotCheck: The entire second half of the game could have been avoided if anyone had bothered reading Eddie's shirt, including Eddie. Doviculus actually points this out during TheReveal.
* FantasyLandmarkEquivalent: The game features such landmarks as Bladehenge as a stand-in for Stonehenge and Mount Rockmore, which is not just a stand-in for Mount Rushmore, it can be customized by Eddie purchasing effigies of various characters in the game from [[Music/OzzyOsbourne the Guardian of Metal]].
* FastballSpecial: Eddie and Ophelia's combo attack.
** Bouncers can likewise be tossed into battle, but given their size, they don't fly anywhere near as well as Ophelia.
** Soul Kissers have a more explosive version with Doviculus.
* FinalBossPreview: Doviculus gets one ''hell'' of one. It involves one casual murder, a few words of truth, the destruction of a city with a bored snap of fingers. All set to Through The Fire And Flames.
* FirstGirlWins: Near the end of the game it's implied that Lita has developed feelings for Eddie. However, Eddie only has eyes for Ophelia, and she's the one he ends up with.
* FlingALightIntoTheFuture: Before they [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence ascended to a higher plane of existence]], the Titans left behind the knowledge and means to recreate their technology.
* FlippingTheBird: This is done from time to time throughout the game. Amusingly, having swearing turned off covers the finger with the "PARENTAL ADVISORY: EXPLICIT CONTENT" box.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: [[spoiler: Eddie going all demonic and spawning wings isn't because of poison]].
* ForgedByTheGods: A lot of the stone and metal landscape. In particular, the sword in the center of Bladehenge is called the Blade of the Metal gods. [[spoiler: The Ironheade final attack summons a second one out of the sky.]]
* ForgottenFramingDevice: The game opens with Creator/JackBlack leading the viewer into a record shop and showing him the Brutal Legend record, which turns into game menu. You can beat the game, but you'll never see that record shop again.
* FriendlyFireproof: As long as Eddie's the one dishing it out, his soldiers show an amazing immunity to fire, explosions, lightning, lasers, and ''zeppelin crashes''.
* FullBoarAction: The Razorfire Boar. This creepy, yet awesome mammal is a boar with the body of a motorcycle, and pointed tusks made of steel. You can ride them, but Ophelia kills them and converts their engine-like carcass into a massive rifle.
* FunctionalMagic: [[MagicMusic Fuelled by Heavy Metal]]. ThePowerOfRock indeed:
** Bass solos played on sufficiently thick strings can heal people.
* GameBreakingBug: A serious problem on [=PS3=]. Players are reporting their save getting corrupted just by approaching 80% in the single player.
* GameplayProtagonistStoryProtagonist: Downplayed. The gameplay protagonist Eddie Riggs has his own struggles and character arc throughout the game, but the narration makes it clear that history will only ever remember him as a HypercompetentSidekick in the story of the RebelLeader Lars Halford ([[spoiler:despite the latter falling in combat half-way through the game]]).
* GameplayRoulette / GenreBusting: The core of the game is a third-person brawler, mixed with vehicular combat, RhythmGame like guitar solos, with RealTimeStrategy boss battles, all connected by a WideOpenSandbox.
* GenreBusting: Unless you're one of the very few who have played ''VideoGame/{{Sacrifice}}'', ''VideoGame/{{Battlezone|1998}}'' or ''VideoGame/GiantsCitizenKabuto'', this will be your first Action/RTS, in which you command an army with the size, scale, and command ability of a RealTimeStrategy game, yet get to fight along side your army like an action game. Oh, and let's not forget the open world that contains it.
* GladiatorGames: The Stage Battles. Where the viewers are the actual [[HumanResources source of power.]]
* AGoodNameForARockBand: Eddie tells Lita that it's okay for her to cry over [[spoiler:Lars' death]], and we get this exchange.
-->'''Lita:''' Never again. I'd sooner have scorpions crawl down my cheeks than tears.\\
'''Eddie:''' ...That'd make an awesome album cover, actually.\\
'''Lita:''' What?\\
'''Eddie:''' Aw, never mind.
* GoodSmokingEvilSmoking: Eddie loves his cigarettes, often lighting up after proving yet again that he's the coolest thing on two legs. Killmaster likewise is usually seen enjoying a smoke while lounging on his motorcycle.
* GothGirlsKnowMagic: Ophelia. [[spoiler:Goths seem to be a separate ethnicity descended from the members of the ill-fated Black Tear Rebellion, who drank from the Sea of Black Tears and were granted ancient powers]].
* GreatBallsOfFire: So great.
* GrimUpNorth: The obligatory northern mountains are called Death's Clutch. (Death's Fjord in multiplayer)
-->'''Lita:''' He said we'd meet him at Death's Clutch.
-->'''Eddie:''' Is that like saying, "I'll see you in Hell?"
* GrossUpCloseUp: Eddie vs the Lamprey...
-->'''Eddie:''' It's smells like a whale... ate a bunch of cabbage... and died in your mouth... like a year ago!
* GuideDangIt:
** Many frustrated players didn't know the game's true manual is the in-game Tour Book.
** Creator/TimSchafer conceded that the game needed more tutorials to get players to understand how to play such a game that combines Action and RTS. He created a [[http://www.doublefine.com/news/comments/battle_time/ guide]] to help players out.
** In the headbanger mines, you're told to play into the microphone, but there isn't one. You're supposed to play into a headset (which ''has'' a microphone, but given the rock concert theme of the game nobody would fault you for thinking you were supposed to look for a stage mic).
** It's never said, in either the game or the tour book, that you're supposed to use the Earthshaker move to unlock the Artifacts of Legend. Most players will probably be able to figure it out, but those who assume they just don't have the right move yet might go the whole game skipping them entirely.
* HairMetal: Lionwhyte's faction, the "Hair Metal Militia."
%%* HamToHamCombat: The Stage Battles.
* HaveANiceDeath: Losing certain main story missions will net you a short cutscene where the people you failed to help end up dying or some other miserable fate.
* HaveYouSeenMyGod: The Titans. All that was found was a single clipping of a single toenail.
%%* HeroOfAnotherStory: [[spoiler: Riggnarok, Eddie's dad]].
* HeavyMetalUmlaut: They [[{{Troperiffic}} häd to do this]]. [[WebAnimation/ZeroPunctuation Yahtzee]], [[CunningLinguist who studied German]], had some fun with this.
* HeavyMeta: Several tracks are songs about how Heavy Metal is awesome, and how nothing can defeat it.
** "Deadly Sinners" by ''Music/ThreeInchesOfBlood'', was in the Demo Trailer, and is practically the Ironheade theme song.
** "Die for Metal" by ''Music/{{Manowar}}''
** "The Metal" by ''Music/TenaciousD''
** "We are the Road Crew" by ''Music/{{Motorhead}}'' becomes one since the protagonist is a roadie.
* HeavyMithril: Not only are there loads of fantasy metal songs, but the land itself is based around fantasy and hard rock.
* HellBentForLeather: This being a game fueled by heavy metal, pretty much everyone wears some amount of leather, but special mention goes to the Zaulia, who dress in nothing ''but'' spiked leather.
** The demons dig up the old hotrods and motorcycles the Titans made ''specifically to get the leather''.
* AHellOfATime: The beginning of the game.
* HeroicLineage: Eddie and Ophelia both come from important parentage.
* HeroUnit: Eddie, Ophelia and Doviculus are the controlled commanders of their factions and are responsible for fighting, giving orders and collecting Fans via Merch Booths. In the single-player campaign, characters like Lars and Lita are technically a variation of this as unique units with unique Double Team techniques.
* HeyYouHaymaker: In a sense. When you lose your first stage battle against the Drowning Doom [[spoiler:(even before you know those guys are following Ophelia, despite accidental spoilers on Mangus' part), Lita will stare at the destroyed stage and cry. One of the Gravediggers will then come up behind her and wipe a tear off her cheek. She'll turn to look and see him savoring the tear right before whacking her with his shovel.]]
* HindenburgIncendiaryPrinciple: Eddie's final [[FunctionalMagic guitar solo]] is called "Bring it on Home" and summons a flaming zeppelin that zeroes in onto the summoner's location, devastating everything in wide radius on impact. This is obviously a reference to Music/LedZeppelin's first album cover (even though their cover of the ''song'' "Bring it on Home" first appeared on their second album), which, in turn, depicted the original Hindenburg disaster.
* HoldTheLine:
** The first Stage Battle, set to "One Shot at Glory", by Music/JudasPriest, and it's awesome.
** And again, in the Doom's Dawn mission, set to "Frost" by Enslaved, setting a dark, eerie mood.
* HornyVikings: The Titans, and the upgraded Ironheade infantry.
* {{HUD}}: A minimalist version. HUD elements only appear when selecting / performing solos, building units, units are damaged, or when something happens involving your stage or a fan geyser.
* HumansAreSpecial: [[spoiler:Miniature versions of the Titans, in fact.]]
* HumanResources: A light, humorous version. The CommandAndConquerEconomy is all about The Fans. Souls hidden in geysers who long to listen to some fucking METAL. By capturing a geyser, a Merch Booth gets built, and those souls visibly fly to your stage and begin to party there.
** A possible exception is Tainted Coil. Their Merch Booth is called a Digestor--it's a giant mouth chewing fans. When Doviculus compels the fans to join him, he sometimes mutters "suckers..."
* IBangedYourMom: Inverted when Doviculous says he ''didn't'' bang Eddie's mom, meaning he's one of he the few men who know for a fact Eddie isn't their son.
* IChooseToStay: Eddie Riggs likely sets the speed record for this trope in fiction. When Lita remarks that Eddie might be longing to return to his home world during their first meeting, he openly scoffs at the idea.
* IKnowYouAreInThereSomewhereFight: Eddie towards [[spoiler:Drowned Ophelia]], even though he seems to be the only one amongst the Ironheade ranks who believes this (try talking to the Razor Girls before appropriate stage battles; they are more inclined to believe [[ThatManIsDead That Woman Is Dead]] instead).
** Though he seems to forget this in stage battles, wailing away at her as freely as the player desires. Then again, [[FridgeBrilliance like Eddie, she DOES respawn during stage battles...]]
* ImpossibleHourglassFigure: Every woman, human or otherwise. Special Mention to the [[NaughtyNuns Battle Nuns]], whose torso basically consists of large breasts, large hips and a sliver of something in between.
* ImpressivePyrotechnics: During attacks, they can launch enemies into the air or set them on fire. During Solos, they indicate successful notes and are color coded depending on your character.
* ImprovisedCross: In the intro, Kabbage Boy's drummer attempts to ward off Ormagöden by crossing his drum sticks in front of him. Needless to say, it doesn't work, and the Fire Beast promptly crushes him with its fist.
* InformedAttribute: The Sea of Black Tears is supposed to be extremely beguiling and tempting, but none of the Ironheade troops show any desire to drink from it, and two characters even swim in it without obvious harm.
* InstrumentOfMurder: Got a guitar in the Land of Metal? Congratulations, you're a mage!
* IntercontinuityCrossover: With ''{{WesternAnimation/Metalocalypse}}'', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLTz56PJJT0 appropriately.]]
* IntercourseWithYou:
** "Still of the Night" by Music/{{Whitesnake}}.
** "Girlfriend" by Kabbage Boy throws in this at one point, but it's [[{{Squick}} rather gross.]]
* InterspeciesRomance: [[spoiler: Riggnarok and Succoria.]]
* IWillWaitForYou: Subverted in an awesome way. [[spoiler: Post-campaign, Eddie can return to the giant cross near Bladehenge and make out with Ophelia for days on end.]] There's more, see the trivia page.
* JustifiedTutorial: The story teaches the stage battles slowly, and is woven into the story to the point where skipping straight to the multiplayer spoils many things, such as [[spoiler: Eddie learning to fly, and especially Ophelia's FaceHeelTurn.]] Eddie starts off with basic weapons and car, and introduces the creation of Ironheade slowly, unit by unit. None of the factions were made possible [[spoiler: until Eddie's arrival in the Age of Metal. The human race was disconnected, the Drowning Doom didn't exist, and even the Tainted Coil did not have cars until they observed Ironheade.]]
* KillItWithFire: The Axe Treatment Eternal Fire sets enemies on fire.
* LaResistance: The heroes are this.
* LamePunReaction: The guardian of metal's opinion of the Ace Of Hades paintjob.
* LargeHam: Doviculus hams up every scene he's in.
* LateArrivalSpoiler: [[spoiler:Drowned Ophelia]]'s FaceHeelTurn was thoroughly spoiled by the game demo, the game commercial, the multiplayer, magazine previews...
* LegCling: Eddie gets a Zaulia on each leg, Ophelia on his left arm, and a Razor Girl on his right. But that trailer was so early into the game's production that it has practically nothing to do with the game. (It's a now-dead Sierra trailer.)
* TheLegionsOfHell: The big bads are this, with a certain [[CorruptChurch Black Mass]] / [[BondageIsBad Hellraiser]] sort of twist.
* {{Leitmotif}}:
** One would think there would be many due to the amount of characters, but only [[spoiler:Ophelia]] has one: "Betrayal" by Lita Ford.
** In fact, each ''mission'' has its Leitmotif (like "[[Music/DefLeppard Rock of Ages]]" when you go rescue the Headbangers early on).
* LibationForTheDead: There are many empty beer bottles strewn about the graveyard, suggesting this is in heavy practice. One of the Kill Master's bass players spends his time there after the game, looking meaningfully at a grave while drinking. When Eddie asks him who's grave he is standing over, the bass player admits he does not know, [[SubvertedTrope he just prefers drinking alone and doing it in a graveyard makes it seem like less of a problem]].
* LifeDrain: The Axe Treatment Soul Sucking gives you part of an enemy's health upon defeating it.
* LiteralChangeOfHeart: Doviculus keeps his defeated enemies' hearts in his chest, though it doesn't really change his personality.
* LosingYourHead: Drowning Doom gravediggers and brides will fight through decapitation. Lampshaded by the Gravediggers:
--> "I just hope I can keep my head today..."
* LostTechnology: Cars and music. Only Eddie's Roadie skills and knowledge of HeavyMetal make them available.
** In multiplayer, Doviculus demands obedience from cars that he attacks, as if they are living things.
-->Can you hear me?! I AM YOUR MASTER!
* LoudOfWar: Of course, this is a Rock-themed RTS. The Roadies play this straight, as a Double Team allows Eddie to 'kill birds'' using the amplified speakers.
* LoveHurts: We have this little gem:
-->[[spoiler:''Through the woods a girl came sadly\\
Something broken in her chest\\
She had dared to love another\\
Alas, no better than the rest\\
Up my path a girl came gladly\\
Something opened up my doors\\
I longed to stop her bleeding heart\\
So I drew her to my shores\\
Those you trust will hurt you badly\\
Something now I'm sure you see\\
So drown your tears in me, my dear\\
As you drown, my dear, in me.'']]
* LukeIAmYourFather: Peculiarly averted, as [[spoiler:Doviculus]] is explicitly stated to ''not'' be Eddie's parent (it only comes up as part of a YourMom joke). (We do find out his parentage, but neither parent is ever met.)
* MakeOutPoint: The giant Iron Cross for [[spoiler: Eddie and Ophelia, post game.]]
* MaleMightFemaleFinesse: Eddie and Ophelia; he sports a ridiculous Heroic Build and fights with a giant double axe, while she is a petite girl who dual-wields daggers and relies on evasive moves.
* MatchMakerQuest: There is one sidequest where Eddie must help a lovestruck young headbanger (complete with a Don Juan mustache) hook up with the razorgirl of his dreams. To do so he needs to use the mosh pit special attack to keep amorous bikers away from the woman long enough for the headbanger to woo her.
* MassMonsterSlaughterSidequest: The HunterOfMonsters's sidequests.
* MeadowRun: [[spoiler:Eddie's dream pre-Drowned Ophelia fight, in which he and Normal Ophelia have one of these all the while being chased by demons.]], set to "Holiday" by Music/{{Scorpions|Band}}. Even cute loves scenes can be metal.
* MeaningfulBackgroundEvent: After you sneakily take down the Impalers, a few Headbangers can be seen hauling off the weapon's pieces. They improvise a mobile version for you by the next mission.
* MediumBlending: The main menu.
* MegaNeko: The Metal Beasts and Laser Panthers.
* TheMerch: [[invoked]] The structures designating fan-geysers as controlled by a certain faction are merchandise booths. After the first battle with the Drowning Doom, it's the fact that Ophelia has merchandise of her own that seems to be what makes Eddie realize what a serious threat she can be.
* MerchandiseDriven: In-universe example. All of the stage battles ''run'' off this trope, because making merch booths for the fans is the only way to build and upgrade your army. It gets to the point where Eddie realizes [[spoiler: Drowned Ophelia]] is going to be a problem '''''just because she has merchandise.'''''
--> '''Eddie''': "Merch is a little like a wedding ring. Sure, it's a material thing, but it's a symbol of your connection."
* {{Metalhead}}: Too many examples to count in this game.
* MsFanservice: Um... Every female lead?
** Even the minor female characters adhere to this trope. The Zaulia wear KISS makeup and {{Stripperiffic}} outfits, and the Razorgirls have tight t-shirts, tight-jeans, and Playboy bunny proportions. Even the battle nuns are, as Eddie puts it, "kinda sexy in a weird way."
* TheMinionmaster: Eddie during stage battles and everyone in Multiplayer.
* MistakenIdentity: [[spoiler: Doviculus was seeking out Succoria by scent. Ophelia refusing to explain who Succoria was made her look like Succoria in Eddie's eyes. She was really hiding the fact that Eddie could be related to her, so Lita and Lars would not assume he was going to destroy them as the prophecy says. It tears them apart.]]
* MoodMotif: Each faction has one. Ironheade is themed off classic HeavyMetal and ThrashMetal. Drowning Doom is based of DeathMetal and BlackMetal. The Tainted Coil is based off of IndustrialMetal. And Lionwhyte's army is modeled after HairMetal.
* MoodWhiplash: It happens from time to time, sometimes depending on how fast you move on to one mission from the last.
* {{Mordor}}: The Sea of Black Tears zone, as well as [[spoiler:Bladehenge after the death of Lars]].
* MundaneMadeAwesome: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcPm-MQiCQ8 The History of Metal]] is told as an epic. They actually managed to make [[SpoonyBard Bards]] cool.
* MusicalAssassin: Eddie and Lionwhyte both wield the power of weaponized stage effects through the power of a guitar and a microphone, respectively. Later on there's [[spoiler:Drowned Ophelia]] and Doviculus, both with guitars of their own.
* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: Several, but special mention goes to the Kill Master. He's deliberately invoking this trope in order to scare off people who might otherwise bother him.
* TheNeedForMead: Subverted.
--> '''Ophelia''': What's a flagon of mead?
--> '''Eddie''': It's a drink... [[WrongGenreSavvy Aren't we in Medieval Times?]]
--> '''Ophelia''': I, uh... We only have beer, but you can have as many kegs as you want.
--> '''Eddie''': TO BLADEHENGE!
* NearVictoryFanfare: The Rockcrusher plays the Ironheade stage's music wherever it goes.
* NeglectfulPrecursors: When the Titans ascended, they left behind the Tainted Coil that they had kept as pets. Confused and frightened by the Titans' departure, the Tainted Coil attempted to recreate the Titans but created humans instead. Believing humans to be a mockery of the Titans and jealous of their ability to use their knowledge, the Tainted Coil enslaved them.
* {{Nerf}}:
** For multiplayer, the three Nuke Solos became available only at Tier 2.
** Unit specific Nerfs are available at the [[Characters/BrutalLegend Character Sheet.]]
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: [[spoiler: After killing Drowned Ophelia, Doviculus makes sure Eddie knows it's his own fault Ophelia became that way.]]
-->'''Doviculus''': [[spoiler: ''Oh, please! That was nothing compared to what YOU did to her.'']]
* NightmareFace: Two demon units -the Nun and the Warfather- have exposed faces. They're a bear trap and a horse skull, respectively.
* NoCampaignForTheWicked: Sadly, there are no adventures as Doviculus or [[spoiler: Drowned Ophelia.]]
* NonIndicativeName: [[LampshadeHanging As Mangus notes]], two areas visited aren't quite as advertised.
** The Dry Ice Mines appear to be a quarry, since you never go into any tunnels.
** The Sea of Black Tears is closer in size to a lake than an actual sea.
* NPCRoadblock: In a moment of WrongGenreSavvy, Eddie [[WhyDidItHavetoBeSnakes (pretends to)]] think a Thunderhog Bassist is doing this.
-->'''Eddie:''' I'm going into the lair of the Metal Queen. Anybody got a problem with that?\\
'''Bassist:''' *silence*\\
'''Eddie:''' Look I don't have time to argue, my friend is dying! You sure you don't want to talk me out of it?
-->'''Bassist:''' *silence*
-->'''Eddie:''' *Departs then turns for one last glare.*
* NumberOfTheBeast: The Brütal Legend LP in the opening/menu has a $6.66 price tag.
* NuMetal: The band Eddie works for in the opening. He's depressed by them. Doesn't stop industrial/nu metal band Static-X from appearing in the soundtrack, though. You can unlock the very song Eddie was disgusted by, too.
* ObligatoryBondageSong: The Tainted Coil are this trope made (abused) flesh.
* OffhandBackhand: Eddie and Ophelia both pull this when they first meet.
-->'''Eddie:''' Uh... right shoulder.\\
'''Ophelia:''' * ''[[UnSoundEffect shank]]''*
** There's an even more hilarious (and adorable) moment of this later on; Eddie dreams about running along a beach with Ophelia, happily slashing down Druids together with nary a glance away from one another.
* OffWithHisHead: "[[LargeHam DECAPITATIOO]][[OverlyLongGag OOOOOOOONNNNN]]!" (for nearly half a minute without stopping to take a breath)
* OhCrap: [[spoiler: Lionwhyte]] gets one of these before his [[spoiler: KarmicDeath]].
** If you are fighting the Tainted Coil and you hear a whistle in the sky, followed by the sound of something crashing into your stage, it's a Bleeding Death.
** Eddie gets a quite literal one when he first spots [[spoiler:the Drowning Doom on the march.]]
-->'''Eddie:''' "Oh shit."
* TheOnlyOneAllowedToDefeatYou: Just like ''VideoGame/HerzogZwei'', the HeroUnit can't destroy the enemy stage. [[ThePowerOfFriendship Only your units can do it.]] If you try to, the fans residing there will visibly swat away your attack and hurt you.
* OurDemonsAreDifferent: Well, they're, uh... sexy in a weird way.
* OurDragonsAreDifferent: Serpent Statues, as well as Metal Beasts, giant firebreathing panthers with rocker spikes ridden by half-naked amazons.
* OurZombiesAreDifferent: They are intelligent, TurnOfTheMillennium EmoTeen crybabies.
* PaintingTheMedium: The command beacon.
-->'''Headbanger:''' How did you make that light shine down from the heavens?
-->Don't you know? Light itself now bends to his will.
* PantheraAwesome: Laser Panthers. Black panthers with streaks of purple and eyes that shoot lasers.
-->'''Eddie:''' OK, I'm not killing any more of those. They're ''way'' too awesome to be made into a hat!
* ParentalIncest: The Tainted Coil. [[{{Squick}} ALL of them.]]
* PassingTheTorch: The Titans ascended to deity-hood after a millennia of developing and growing. Before they left for their new home, the Titans weaved the information for all their inventions in the natural world itself. They etched hieroglyphics into stone shrines to teach the new generations how to put these materials together.
* PiecesOfGod: [[spoiler: Metal, Noise, Blood and Fire.]]
* PillarOfLight: Sort of inverted: the beacons Eddie uses to find quests don't come up from the earth, but rather down from giant stage lights in the sky.
* InkSuitActor:
** Eddie was intended to look like a cross between Jack Black and Glenn Danzig (although he behaves a lot more like the former than the latter). Tim Schafer recounts that originally, he merely was basing the character off Jack Black. Sierra however chose to just get Jack Black to do the role.
** Music/OzzyOsbourne is pretty much playing himself. "Who, me? Oh, I'm nobody. Just The Guardian of Metal."
** The Hunter is comedian [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chiVMrWMHko Brian Posehn.]]
** The Kill Master looks just like [[Music/{{Motorhead}} Lemmy Kilmister]], his actor, down to the moles on his face.
---> '''Lemmy Kilmister''': [[http://www.brutallegend.com/media/videocelebtrailer-20091015094909316 "I'm playing Kill Master. Typecasting, y'know."]]
** The Fire Baron looks like Rob Halford in the late 70s-early 80s (back when he had hair atop his head, rather than only around his mouth).
** A cannon operator with whom you can converse to start secondary missions not only is voiced by Kyle Gass (Black's partner in ''Music/TenaciousD''), but he also has Gass' head mounted on a Bouncer body.
* PowerGlows: The infantry in all three armies, when upgraded, don neon streaks on their bodies and clothes.
* ThePowerOfFriendship: The Double Teams are the most powerful attacks in the game. WordOfGod often tells players they don't Double Team enough. In contrast, the game was specifically designed to punish players who try to act like [[VideoGame/GodOfWar Kratos]] or [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry Dante]]. Getting killed gives your opponent a free 50 Fans. A common mistake by players is to fly into a group of enemies and start slashing.
* ThePowerOfRock: Pyros. Headbanging. Face-melting guitar solos. And the hero is "the world's greatest roadie." This game is ''literally'' built around this trope.
* {{Precursors}}: The Titans.
* PrecisionFStrike:
-->'''Eddie:''' I told you not to climb on that, you STUPID, MOTHER...''FUCK-ING!!''...PIECE OF '''SHIT!'''
* ThePsychoRangers: Well, each faction has well-defined functions that essentially serve the same purpose on stage battles. For Basic and Ranged Infantry, Ironheade has Headbangers and Razor Girls; the Drowning Doom has Gravediggers and Frightwigs; and the Tainted Coil has Soul Kissers and Punishing Parties. But what stands out in this trope are Lionwhyte's troops, which boil down to a glammed-up Ironheade army (and that's even considering the Bouncers that defected to Ironheade; Lionwhyte replaces them with Glitterfists, which are ''the exact same thing'' with a glam makeover).
* PuzzleBoss: The final stage battle in the campaign has this element tacked on.
* RacingMiniGame: Druid Plow vs. Fletus' Squealer...GO!
* RandomizedTitleScreen: Every time you boot up the game, one of the metal singer voice actors (Jack Black included) randomly shouts/sings "DOUBLE FIIINE!!!" when the Double Fine logo appears (Ozzy Osbourne ends his with his trademark EvilLaugh).
* RaysFromHeaven: The rays are portrayed as stagelights in the sky. They can be utilized to mark waypoints and mobilize your troops during battle segments.
* RealTimeStrategy: With lots and lots of Action mixed in it.
* ReferenceOverdosed: Almost everything is simply a shoutout to the existing Metal/Rock bands.
* RescueRomance: Eddie [[spoiler: was born from one, Riggnarok nursed the despairing Succoria back to health, and in the process, they conceived Eddie.]]
* RidiculouslyFastConstruction: Well, it is an RTS. Stages and merch stands are built in a matter of seconds.
* TheRoadie: Eddie Riggs is a roadie [[spoiler:literally]] BornInTheWrongCentury, famous in the biz for his roadie skills and love of classic HeavyMetal, forced to work under the [[{{Jerkass}} disrespectful]] Second Wave of American Tween Melodic Rap Metalcore band "Kabbage Boy." After [[spoiler:dying on stage and accidentally summoning Ormagoden in the process]], Eddie ends up in a HeavyMithril world where his [[AccidentalPun rocking and roadie]] skills help him lead the [[HumansAreWarriors human]] [[LaResistance resistance]] army [[HeavyMetal Ironheade]] against the [[HairMetal Hair Metal Militia]], the [[DeathMetal Drowning Doom]] and the [[IndustrialMetal Tainted Coil]]. Once he helps save the world, [[spoiler: Eddie leaves and allows the other heroes to take credit for any of his accomplishments.]]
** Roadies are later presented as a stealth-based infantry in Ironheade's army, wielding incredibly large amps and invisibility skills that allowed them to free Ophelia's Razorgirls from Lionwhyte's pleasure tower. Watt-R-Boys are the Hair Metal Militia equivalent.
* RockIsAuthenticPopIsShallow: The world is based on HeavyMetal visual art and has various factions of different aspects of Rock and Metal. The only appearance of Pop is a disappointing BaitAndSwitch boy band in the prologue that quickly dies.
* RuleOfCool: Only every single thing about the game.
* SarcasticClapping: Lionwhyte, complete with "Bra-''vo''."
* SealedEvilInACan: The Sea of Black Tears. The corruptive waters were so dangerous and enticing that the Titans placed a mountain over them to protect theselves from its call. The Tainted Coil broke open a path in the mountain to the tears to lure humans into drinking them and destroying their own rebellion from within.
* SceneryPorn: The art design of the world is truly breathtaking; no matter where you are in the world it's virtually guaranteed that there is something cool to look at. And to make sure you don't miss any of it, the game includes mounted tourist binoculars of the best vistas and gives experience points and an achievement for viewing them all.
* SchizoTech: Thanks to instructions left behind by the Titans and the unusually metal-rich environment, inhabitants of the world have the means to build cars, lights, and sound equipment, and not much else. They don't even seem to have agriculture- they hunt for food, and drink beer siphoned from a particular tree.
* SelfFulfillingProphecy: [[spoiler:Succoria]] arguably creates one of these. [[spoiler:When she travels to the future, she sees that humans ultimately win the war against the Coil; crushed, she stays in the future and eventually gives birth to Eddie. Therefore, Succoria deprived the demons of their true leader ''and'' created the person who would ultimately defeat Doviculus--causing humanity to win the war.]]
* SeriousBusiness: Youtube comments for the tracks in the game. Oh dear.
* SheIsTheKing: Turns out to be the case for [[spoiler:Succoria. This is how Eddie can be the child of the Tainted Coil's emperor despite having a human father.]]
* ShockAndAwe: The main attack for the guitars and many Drowning Doom units employ this. You can also pick up lightning cannons as a top-tier weapon for the Druid Plow.
* ShoutOut:
** Besides the many, ''many'' shout outs to heavy metal bands and songs, occasionally Eddie will shout, "[[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Super effective!]]" while attacking, and after playing the "Call of the Wild" solo, he'll scream, "''[[Literature/TheCallOfTheWild Call of the Wild]]'' was my favorite book!"
** Previous Creator/TimSchafer game ''VideoGame/DayOfTheTentacle'' gets a shout out in a rare response to Eddie's orders: "I'm on ya, lasagna!" Something Hoagie (a roadie, as it happens) would say to Creator/BenjaminFranklin.
** [[spoiler: So, [[Theatre/{{Hamlet}} Ophelia died after drowning, huh?]] sad way to go.]]
** Another Creator/TimSchafer game ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'' gets a shout out at the very beginning, one of the Kabbage Boy members, voiced by Richard Horvitz (who also did Raz in Psychonauts), does the little dance thing Raz does, right before he falls.
** After dealing the final blow in the first boss fight, Eddie remembers the appropriate {{Catchphrase}}.
--->'''Eddie:''' Bingo! I mean, [[VideoGame/DevilMayCry Jackpot!]]
* ShutUpHannibal: While listening to Lionwhyte monologue about how much humans suck, Lars gets fed up and delivers one of these.
-->'''Lars:''' The time has come for you to ''shut the hell up'', Lionwhyte!
* ShutUpKiss: [[spoiler:Eddie, to Ophelia]]. Ends up being ''quite'' amusing due to the topic of conversation.
* SideQuest: The game has dozens. However, most of them fall into five basic categories:
** The "Ironheade Sneak Attack" missions in which you and a small group of allies must eradicate a passing enemy patrol.
** The "Riding the Death Rack" missions in which you must use the Deuce's weapons to defend a stationary point against waves of enemies.
** The "Summon Fiery Death" missions where you have to direct mortar fire against incoming enemies.
** Racing missions where you must beat Fletus to the finish line.
** Missions given to you by the Hunter where you have to kill a certain number of wandering creatures.
* TheSiege: The Battersmith and Pleasure Gardens mission.
* SigilSpam: The symbol of the titans is an Iron Cross, anything bearing one is directly connected to them. Lars' sword, car parts, even the flowers that mark their buried relics.
* SingleTear: Ophelia sheds one near the end. [[spoiler:A ''black'' one.]]
* SnowMeansDeath: [[spoiler: Lars]]
* SongsInTheKeyOfLock: The [[ThePowerOfRock Relic Raiser]] solo.
* SpikesOfVillainy: Good, evil, or even just part of the landscape; the game is ''loaded'' with spikes. [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant No, not]] [[SpikesOfDoom that kind.]]
* SpiritualSuccessor: The Stage Battles are a faster, console version of ''VideoGame/{{Sacrifice}}'' or ''VideoGame/{{Battlezone|1998}}'' (the remake), and the even more obscure ''VideoGame/GiantsCitizenKabuto'', both games by Shiny. The heavy metal theme and prevalence of bikers also tie it closely to an earlier Schafer gamer, ''VideoGame/FullThrottle'' - as does returning voice actress Creator/KathSoucie.
* SpawnBroodling: The Tainted Coil's Rock Stage can only produce these, in the form of Battle Nuns, Warfathers and Overblessers. They spawn demonic units by... uh... [[Creator/TimCurry germinating Doviculus's seed.]]
* SquadControls: The game, lacking the traditional bird's eye view of {{Strategy Game}}s, uses this to give orders to allied squads during Stage Battles.
%%* StabTheSky: Eddie on the cover.
* StatusEffects: ColorCodedForYourConvenience
** Golden weapons and clothing trimming indicate and Attack Boost. Blue is Attack Down.
** The unit's entire body glowing orange is a build rate buff(Tainted Coil).
** Glowing Light Green indicates Defense Boost. Appearing very dark is Defense Down.
** A blood red body is poison. According to the Tour Book, even cars can get their gas tanks poisoned.
* SticksToTheBack: Eddie's axe and guitar. Lita's spear also sticks to her back when not in use, and Ophelia's swords stick to her hips. The only one with a proper scabbard for his weapon is Lars.
* StrangeStage: Ironheade's stage is shaped like Ormagaden, the gigantic Fire Beast whose death gave birth to the Age of Metal. Having weaponized The Power of Rock, each faction/band's stage also serves as their home base in battles (of the bands).
* StrategicAssetCaptureMechanic: Fan Geysers appear during stage battles. Building a Merch Booth on top of one will send the Fans to your stage, letting you build and upgrade your army.
* [[SummonBackupDancers Summon Backup Band Members]]: Core game mechanic.
* SummonEverymanHero: Basically the introduction, though Eddie's anything but ordinary.
* SummonARide: The first solo Eddie learns summons the Druid Plow for quick transportation (or harassing enemies).
* [[SummonMagic Summon Solo]]: Each faction has a solo that summons units. Ironheade's Call of the Wild summons wild animals to fight, the Drowning Doom's Baleful Misdirection creates phantom units to distract and draw fire from your real units, and the Tainted Coil's Summon Tick Choppers does [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin just that]]
* SuperDickery: Anyone who played just the demo can be quite forgiven for thinking that Ormagöden was an evil monster and the overall BigBad of the game. [[spoiler:In truth, he's anything but. He was more like a force of nature for one, and while the Tainted Coil are his spawn, much of the rest of what he left the world was all meant to be used for good.]]
* SuperDrowningSkills: So much as dipping a character's foot in water deals damage, increasing with depth.
** If you hold the block button, [[GoodBadBugs you'll never drown. Or burn. Or be poisoned...]]
* TacticalSuperweaponUnit:
** The Tainted Coil has the Bleeding Death, which needs to be purchased as normal, then deployed by being fired out of a cannon towards the enemy by a "Solo" (the game world runs entirely on ThePowerOfRock, and [[MagicMusic a guitar solo is the equivalent of a magic spell]]). It has the highest health and attack speed in the game, but its status as a constantly bleeding FrankensteinsMonster means that it'll die on its own eventually.
** Ironheade has the Rock Crusher, a tank-like idol to Örmagoden (the setting's god) with several mortars and a grinder, as well as being covered in radio handsets to give all nearby units the benefits of an InUniverse ThemeMusicPowerup. Its "Double-Team" attack creates an inescapable ring, then drops the FlamingSword of a Titan into it from orbit.
** The Drowning Doom's super units are split between one that relies more on the cheeseball tactic of being able to fly in a setting where everything happens at ground level to make it immune to most attacks, rather than sheer durability or an InstantDeathRadius (a Dirigible that drops jars full of concentrated despair on people while smothering them with the weapons-grade stink of its undead pilot), and a GiantMook called the "Treeback" (a very tough zombie ogre with a tree growing out of its back that harbours a murder of hungry crows).
* TakeThat: Kabbage Boy is a ''[[{{Anvilicious}} very]]'' obvious TakeThat against bands accussed of "ruining" metal such as Music/LinkinPark. However, it becomes a little harder to accept as a TakeThat with Chester Bennington's death, and especially since Linkin Park's songs may have actually told his feelings on life and were not the "emo" fluff their hatedom thought it to be.
** When two of the same army are fighting (Drowning Doom vs. Drowning Doom, etc.), they'll tend to take potshots at each other for the other's lack of "Trueness", often yelling out "Poser!"...
** One of the Headbanger's [[VictoryQuote Win Quotes]] is "Now you know what ''real'' metal sounds like!".
** [[invoked]]WordOfGod provided this gem in an interview:
--->'''[=GamePro=]''': ''Were there any other reasons for the lack of contemporary metal?''
--->'''Creator/TimSchafer''': ''You mean besides it sucking?''
* TearOffYourFace: The special attack "Face Melter" (originally a generic term for a particularly powerful guitar solo in HeavyMetal) literally melts the faces off any nearby enemies who have one.
-->'''Eddie''': "[[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments Bet you wished you wore a bib cause now you've got face all over your shirt!]]"
* TechnicianVsPerformer: Edward Riggs is {{The Roadie}}, knowing all the technical aspects of running an army. But due to being, well, {{The Roadie}}, he gets outshone by Lars Halford, whose charisma allows him to inspire Ironheade to go through Hell and back. However, Lara can’t organise an army for shit, so it’s up to Eddie to do all the logistics and actual commanding. [[spoiler: Even after Lars’ death halfway through, he STILL gets the credit for Ironheade’s success, and even Eddie resigns to being overshadowed. However, Eddie is still recognised for his work, and it’s ultimately because of his greater technical skills that Ironheade was both able to get off the ground and finish the fight, a rare win for Technicians that didn’t rely on the Performer having {{Worf Had The Flu}}.]]
* TerminatorTwosome: Inverted in every aspect with [[spoiler: Succoria going to the future and Riggnarok stealthily tagging along.]] [[spoiler:Legends of Brutal Legend reveals it went even further, since Succoria was accompanied by an entire harem of slaves, one of whom was a disguised Riggnarok.]]
* TestosteronePoisoning: And how!
* ThatCameOutWrong
-->'''Eddie''': "Maybe you guys can just blow me over the gorge?"
-->'''Roadie''': "I'm not blowing anybody!"
* ThemeMusicPowerUp: During Stage Battles, the opposing stages are each playing a song from the faction's themed playlist. As they take over fan geysers and spread across the map, their music gets louder and starts to swamp out the other side's music. Played totally straight with the Rock Crusher, who plays your stages' music as it goes and gives friendly units a damage buff at the same time.
* TheTimeOfMyths: The Age of Metal.
* TimeTravel: Eddie is transported [[spoiler: back in time, to a Fallen Age of Metal. His parents were sent forward first]].
* TinyHeadedBehemoth: The Bouncers are giants with disproportionately small heads, and disproportionally large fists.
* TitleDrop: Brütal Legend is an vinyl album that Creator/JackBlack is inviting you to look at, which serves as the title menu. The physical album actually exists as a prop. As you navigate the menu, Jack Black uses his hands to open, fold, and reveal different parts of the elaborate album and record inside. How it was designed can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK_ldZ6op1w here.]] Players who pre-ordered the game from Best Buy actually got a Brütal Legend vinyl jacket just like the one used for the title screen as a free gift.
* TitleScream: Well, the ''developer'' 's name is screamed instead. "DOUBLE FIIIIIIIINE!" For bonus points, every time you boot the game, one of the different musicians who participated in the game (including Jack Black; remember he's half of ''Music/TenaciousD'') will scream it. One of the best ones has to be Ozzy Osbourne's, which he follows with a "Crazy Train"-style laugh.
* ThisIsGonnaSuck: Even in the face of "brutal defeat" (as the game puts it), Eddie manages to keep his cool most of the time.
* TimeSkip: Three months are skipped after [[spoiler:Lars' death]]. It's a rare example of seeing a "X Time Later" screen in a videogame.
* TorturedMonster: The summonable but uncontrollable Tainted Coil unit named "Bleeding Death" may be this: it is a perversion of nature (not to mention the single strongest non-Hero Unit in the game), which is slowly dying, so its attacks are merely expressions of its agony.
* ToughSpikesAndStuds: Practically every character, to varying degrees. Heck, even some of the wildlife and landscapes.
* [[TrappedInAnotherWorld Trapped In A World Based on Metal Album Covers]]: Eddie doesn't really want to leave.
* TribalFacePaint: The Zaulia tribe wears it. It's styled like Music/{{KISS}} makeup.
* {{Troperiffic}}: It's a game by Creator/TimSchafer that revolves around ThePowerOfRock. This was pretty much inevitable.
* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: Eddie seems to acclimate to the heavy metal world extremely quickly; acting pretty calm about hacking evil nuns to death with an axe and teaching Ophelia of ''French kissing''. Eddie seems to be the kind of guy who would acclimate pretty quickly to anything. Besides, as he says himself about the world near the game's opening, "Some might call it hellish, but I have to admit, it's pretty badass."
-->'''Lita:''' "Don't you long to return to your world?"
-->'''Eddie:''' "[[IChooseToStay Pfft!]]"
* VaginaDentata: The lamprey in the Feeding Area map and early part of the campaign.
* VictoryQuote: In a multiplayer victory, you will either hear one from a unit involved in the stage's destruction, or a gripe from a unit defending it.
* VideogameFlamethrowersSuck: Justified. Ironheade exclusively has a lot of fire attacks, and they are meant just for attacking burning infantry, not being as effective on vehicles or structures.
* VillainRevealsTheSecret: PlayedWith, where Demon Emperor Doviculus seemingly reveals to the heroes that one of them, Ophelia, is TheMole, resulting in her being cast out after they escape. It turns out, however, that he was actually referring to Eddie, who is not TheMole, but the son of the ''previous'' Empress and thus a half-demon himself.
* VillainsNeverLie: Doviculus.
* ViralUnlockable: The achievement "Six Degrees of Schafer" is unlocked by either playing an online game with Creator/TimSchafer or with someone else who has the achievement.
* VSign: Both the Kill Master and the Guardian of Metal flip people off in-game using these. Because so do the actors.
* WarHasNeverBeenSoMuchFun: HeavyMetal armies fighting to the death yet infinitely respawning from a CommandAndConquerEconomy fueled by ThePowerOfRock? Sign me up!
* WeaksauceWeakness: In the Land of Metal, water ''kills everything.''
* WeaponizedCar: While at first you're limited to just ramming people, The Deuce can be upgraded with machine guns or missile launchers, among other things. Said upgrades being sold to you by ''Music/OzzyOsbourne''.
* WeirdMoon: In the very beginning, Eddie comments on the cool eclipse. Some theories state that it was the Earth he left behind, because of its color. Later on, in Drowning Doom territory (and during Encompassing Gloom in multiplayer), the moon is [[BadMoonRising shaped like a skull.]]
* WeirdSun: The sun is never visible and the sky is never a clear blue. See AlienSky.
* WelcomeToCorneria: {{NPC}} in-game dialog in single is limited, but it's still a good idea to TalkToEveryone to hear all the jokes and little touches between missions. In multiplayer, the dialog is much more varied and the writing for Creator/TimCurry and Creator/JenniferHale shines much greater.
* WhamLine: Ironheade realizes exactly what they're up against when they flip over a corpse and see a familiar emblem.
-->'''Lita:''' [[spoiler: "Ophelia."]]
-->'''Eddie:''' [[spoiler: "...she has [[ThisIsGonnaSuck merchandise]]."]]
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Ormagöden at the Kabbage Boy concert. [[spoiler:This only gets obliquely addressed in the Legends of Brutal Legend, which implies that he physically bore Eddie back to the Age of Metal.]]
* WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove:
-->'''Eddie''': And now, I shall teach you of French kissing...
* WhatMeasureIsAMook:
** Generally Defied. Every kind of unit is unique, without much overlap between factions even.
** Played straight by Doviculus, who can throw Soul Kissers, making them commit suicide and severely damage units.
* WhatWereTheySellingAgain: The advertising not only intentionally hid the core gameplay, but it also turned off some people who hate Creator/JackBlack, found the combat in the demo shallow (not knowing Eddie is a HeroUnit to something bigger,) and causing people to think the game is a "joke" or "VideoGame/GuitarHero" game.
* WheelOfPain: You have to free a bunch of headbangers from one of these in an early mission.
* [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity With Great Power Comes Great Emoness]]: The fate of all who drink or bathe in the Sea of Black Tears.
* WideOpenSandbox: Though the campaign is heavily story-driven, it's threaded through an open world.
* WildTeenParty: The soldiers of Ironheade have a keg party, complete with bonfires and large amplifiers blaring heavy metal music, set up on the beach. [[spoiler:If you visit them after beating the campaign you can even join them for a beer.]]
* WorldOfBadass [[WorldOfHam Ham!]]: This is a game built on ThePowerOfRock after all. Even the porcupines and the ''deer'' are hardcore.
* WorldOfBuxom: Some ladies are {{Stripperific}}, some are TokenWholesome, nearly all are stacked.
* WouldHitAGirl: Absolutely no one in the setting has any problem slaughtering razorgirls or any other female unit. Eddie occasionally expresses distaste about it, but he doesn't hesitate.
* WrittenByTheWinners: Hidden throughout the single-player world are Legends which flesh out how the Age of Metal came to be. During the second half, the player can find some that are chained up until the story is completed. Then they can be unlocked, and they reveal the truth about [[spoiler: Eddie's past, how he (not Lars) is MessianicArchetype and how he saved humanity.]] Unfortunately, they tend to unlock slightly BEFORE the game reveals most of them.
* XtremeKoolLetterz: Used by Eddie, who tacks an "e" onto Ironhead to let everyone they "Mean business".
* YouFightLikeACow: Considering Tim Schafer's [[VideoGame/MonkeyIsland history]], a lot of these happen in multiplayer.
-->'''Eddie to Doviculus''': I'll make an ashtray out of your hoof!
-->'''Eddie to Eddie''': I don't think this is symbolic at all!
-->'''Doviculus blocking''': That's the spirit!
-->'''Doviculus taking hits''': [[TooKinkyToTorture Oooooohhh...]]
-->'''[[spoiler: Drowned Ophelia]] to Eddie''': Does it make you feel like a man?!
-->'''[[spoiler: Drowned Ophelia]] to fleeing opponent''': Ladybug ladybug, fly away home. Your stage is on fire and the children are all gone!
-->'''[[spoiler: Drowned Ophelia]], enemy flies away''': [[MundaneSolution PULL!]]
* YouRequireMoreVespeneGas: The main resource of the Stage Battle segments are "Fans", which spout from a geyser and are used to build additional units. You control them by playing the Fan Tribute solo in order to build a Merch Booth.
* ZergRush: Doable with practically any unit, check the character sheet.
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