When Activision left Brutal Legend to twist in the wind, it seemed like just the latest act of villainy from the industry's new Baphomet, now that Electronic Arts (a company with a market capitalization of six point seven six billion dollars) has been reconfigured as the scrappy rebel. With the game in hand, it makes a lot more sense. Brutal Legend is - in no way, shape, or form - something you could call "sure fire" as a piece of entertainment, and it's clear now that someone at Activision simply did not "get" it.

I knew from Interviews that it had "RTS Elements," but I've reached a part of the game where there's a whole lot of RTS going on, and it's not a genre for which I have much aptitude - particularly with a gamepad. At the same time, my healer units drive around on huge motorcycles emitting waves of healing bass. This is what we in the business call an impasse: a game I like, but don't especially want to play. The brochure would look something like: "Come for the incredible art and unique comedic voice. Stay for the... You know, like, stay for... for the... Hmm."