Tim Schafer is the bearded figurehead for good games that sell badly. The brilliant mind behind classics such as Grim Fandango (recently announced to be receiving an HD remake), The Secret of Monkey Island and Psychonauts, Schafer is pretty much the definition of an underappreciated genius. Brütal Legend was set to change all this though. With movie star Jack Black on-board, and the huge popularity of the Guitar Hero series at the time, Brütal Legend initially seemed like it was strumming all the correct strings for success. The optimism didn't last long though. Brütal Legend's troubles began when it was dropped by Activision Blizzard, who acquired original publisher Sierra Entertainment following the merger between Vivendi and Activision. For a while, the game was in development limbo, until EA picked up the game in 2008. This resulted in a series of legal battles between Activision and Schafer's Double Fine Studios, further stifling development and pushing back the release. Ultimately, by the time Brütal Legend released in late 2009, the Guitar Hero craze had died, leaving in its wake an audience that just weren't interested in the heavy metal theme. This, combined with mixed reviews regarding the title's bizarre mix of action and RTS gameplay, resulted in disappointing sales for a game that has since been looked back on as an underappreciated gem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxnho1yTjRo
