Brütal Legend isn’t just a video game; it is the ultimate metal concept album wrapped in a tight little package of awesome, courtesy of Tim Schafer and Double Fine Productions.

Schafer, the man behind such visionary games as Grim Fandango and Psychonauts, brings his ability to craft hilariously believable alternate worlds, his eye for detail and his apparent love for the source material into his latest foray, the multi-platform Brütal Legend.

To begin, Jack Black leads his friend and confidant, you the player, into a music store, all the while regaling you with tales of a fantastic, mythical metal album. The album, he claims, appeared out of nowhere and the staff keep it stored in back with “the rare stuff.” He speaks of the album like Indiana Jones speaks of the holy grail, in hushed tones and reverence. After dropping to a penitent knee, Black unveils the album, dubbed Brütal Legend, and lays it out for inspection.

This starts the game. In front of the player, serving as the main menu, is the album itself. Thumbing through the album artwork, paper sleeve or album itself presents the “New Game,” “Continue,” “Options,” etc. that most gamers are familiar with. A wonderfully imaginative menu system that introduces the player to what they’re in for; mostly, a huge break from the ordinary and a whole lot of fun. Further, fans who pre-ordered the game from Best Buy may have snagged themselves an alternative, limited edition, record sleeve sized case for their Brütal Legend disc.

Thanks to Brainstorm 9 for the off screen video capture. Skip to the 45 second mark to get to the good stuff.