In 2005 a post apocalyptic Metallica tie-in game was in development called Damaged Inc. Ultimate Classic Rock states that the game would have been based around players driving around a dystopian wasteland in a selection of modified vehicles. The visual aesthetic of films such as Mad Max and The Road would have been a huge influence on the game according to the site. And while Metallica fans knew about the canceled game (with some investing in the graphic cards pro gamers use to get ready for it), this month is the first time that actual game play footage has been released.
The footage is presented by the YouTube channel PtoPOnline with the channel taking viewers through the game play and design of the virtual world. Whilst some elements seem to reflect gaming trends of the time (like those seen by people who go to LoL smurfs to buy accounts), it also seems to have its own flair to it. The video depicts a car shooting its way across a desert landscape. While this level is the only one available to see it is reported that others were worked on. According to the video, the game was going to be released on the PC, PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Video game news site Game Rant state that one of the most widely believed reasons why the game was canceled was over licensing issues. It is unsure what these issues were but as it was a Metallica game it is a good bet that it was due to music licensing. Disney closed down Black Rock the company responsible for developing the game five years ago.
Metallica would eventually get their own video game with a tie-in with Guitar Hero. Guitar Hero: Metallica (2009) featured 29 songs by the heavy metal band and a further 21 by the band’s favorite artists. It was the second tie-in for the Guitar Hero franchise after Aerosmith. Lead singer of Metallica, James Hetfield told Rolling Stone that games such as Guitar Hero are “a great gateway drug to real music” for young players. He also talked about his character’s appearance stating that he wished his “guns were bigger”.
An article by Gamesradar shows that Heavy Metal and video games have had a strong connection over the years. In their list of the top ten metal games of all time, Gamesrader cited examples such as Doom using heavy metal to great effect in its soundtrack. If you want to experience this great game and it’s metal soundtrack for yourself you can buy it along with other cheap PC games here. The level “BFG Division”, where you get the best gun ever created by mankind, is only surpassed by the amazing metal track of the same name.
It is not just video games that have tried to harness the power of heavy metal, but casino games as well. In an interview with game designer Rob Anderson, he spoke of creating a slot machine game with Alice Cooper. He stated that Alice Cooper’s iconic song “Schools Out” and Cooper’s popularity will help the game garner a worldwide audience.
Unfortunately we will never get to play Damaged Inc, not even a demo version. We’re very lucky to get the video footage at all. Game conservation is a strong topic amongst gaming fans, especially as the systems that Damaged Inc was supposed to be played on are no longer in production and as time goes by will be harder to come across. Many people are already turning towards things such as a super mario emulator so that they can play games that are nolonger being made. Who knows, perhaps a demo version of Damaged Inc may sneakily become playable this way.
However, just because we can’t play Damaged Inc doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. Metallica is due to release a new album titled Hardwired…to Self Destruct on November 18th via the band’s own Blackened Recordings. According to music site Loud Wire , the heavy metal group are in the process of planning their 2017 tour.
