The Most Metal Games Ever Created!
What makes something metal? It’s hard to describe exactly, but we all know it when we see it. Games are often quite metal in and of themselves. But some take this to the next level. Here we take a look at three classic titles that have earned our respect for being, in our humble opinion, the most metal video games ever created.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011)
It would be tantamount to sacrilege not to include this game in our list. Bethesda’s Skyrim is the fifth major release in the legendary Elder Scrolls series. This long running saga of first-person RPGs includes classics Morrowind (2002) and Oblivion (2006) in its prestigious gaming lineage. But Skyrim is uniquely amazing, and is still played by millions of gamers even 10 years after its initial release. Few games even now are able to match its incredible depth, immersion and robust character creation. It’s blend of sandbox open world exploration and dozens of quest chains make every playthrough rewarding, even for veterans. All of that goes to establish why Skyrim is a great game, but why is it a metal game? Quite simply this is the most epic sword-and-sorcery gaming experience you can find, and pairs flawlessly with Blind Guardian or Rhapsody of Fire as a musical accompaniment. Truly this is the stuff of power metal legend, replete with legitimately fearsome dragons, endless dungeon raids, battle-mages and demon knights. And let’s not forget the setting, which may as well be the foot-hills of Valhalla. The game’s Viking/Norse themes and aesthetic give it that extra push ahead of the competition to make it the most legendary and heroic game we’ve ever played. Tonight we ride!
Doom (1993)
Where to begin with this next one? Probably the name. Any game called Doom has already done more than enough to be considered for the short-list of our round-up here. If that wasn’t all, Doom looms large as one of the most influential titles of all time spawning countless sequels, clones and imitators and helping set the blueprint for the FPS genre. Released in 1993 on MS-DOS and developed by id Software, you play as an unnamed space marine that has come to be known by fans of the series as Doomguy. When stationed on the planet Mars, demonic hordes attack and Doomguy must fight his way through extremely metal sounding levels titled “Inferno”, “The Shores of Hell” and “Knee Deep in the Dead”. The initial game took some heat upon its release, with people concerned about the levels of gore and violence it featured. Doom’s MIDI soundtrack featured a series of chip-tunes directly inspired by popular metal songs, including Metallica’s “Master of Puppets”, Slayer’s “Silent Scream”, Judas Priest’s “Painkiller”, Venom’s “Red Light Fever” and Bathory’s “Necromansy”. The title also featured a chainsaw and shotgun among its roster of weapons that were directly inspired by legendary horror film, Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead (1981). All in all that’s some serious inspiration.
Brütal Legend (2009)
There’s no escaping it, Brütal Legend had to make the list. The 2009 action-adventure game serves as the ultimate love letter to the heavy metal genre in video game form. You take charge of Eddie Riggs, the archetypal roadie voiced by the legendary (and hilarious) Jack Black. Riggs gets thrown into a parallel world that strongly resembles the scenes depicted on classic metal album artwork. Kitted out with a hot-rod motorcar, and a Flying V guitar that doubles as a battle axe, Riggs sets about fighting his way out of the demonic universe he finds himself in. The game features cameos and voice performances from the upper echelons of heavy metal royalty, including Ozzy Osbourne, Lemmy, and Rob Halford. The game manages to carry off this on-the-nose homage without collapsing under its own weight and is a thrill-ride from start to finish. If that wasn’t enough to sell you on it, you need look no further than the game’s official soundtrack drawing on 75 bands, which is unlike anything we’ve seen before or since. Classic metal greats such as Black Sabbath and Saxon rub shoulders with cult legends King Diamond and Manowar, and Black Metal bands from Emperor to Children of Bodom. Top this all off with a few Tenacious D tracks and you have hands down the most metal game ever devised and executed.
