Gaming Metal? Video Games Inspired by Metal Music

If you’re a fan of metal, you’ll know that it extends far beyond a music genre. It’s a style of storytelling, an aesthetic, a community and a rebellious spirit. Given the popularity of metal over the last 40 years, its influence has inspired plenty of game developers to bring the spirit of metal to video games – drawing on each of these unique aspects of the genre. So, let’s take a journey through metal in gaming.

The Sound of Metal

Of course, there are some games which take metal’s influence at face value: incorporating the frenetic energy of metal music into their identity, and thus bringing a lot of the aforementioned baggage along for the ride.

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1. Brutal Legend

Known by many as that metal Jack Black game, Brutal Legend is a cult classic for a reason. You play as Eddie Riggs – who is essentially Jack Black under a different name – as you fight through a world of demons with your flamboyantly shaped guitar. Of course, the game features a tonne of metal music with bands like Motorhead and Slayer contributing to the soundtrack. You even encounter many metal legends who cameo within the game. While it also brings a fair bit of Jack Black-style humour, this is undeniably one of the most metal games out there.

2. Doom (2016)

A reboot of the game which kickstarted the FPS genre, Doom (2016) is one hell of a ride – quite literally. You battle your way through hellspawn on Mars, ripping out their hearts as headbanging tunes blast your speakers. It’s an explosion of blood, guts, bullets and demons doused in powerful metal tunes from Mick Gordon. It’s one of those rare games which is both a challenge and a serious power trip.

3. Metal: Hellsinger

If the title didn’t give it away, this is most certainly a game focused on Metal. It’s a rhythm shooter heavily inspired by our last mention, Doom. But it cranks the metal up to eleven, rewarding you for timing your attacks to the beat and really nailing the demonic, hellish aesthetic metal is so infatuated with.

The Aesthetic of Metal

As we already mentioned, Metal goes far beyond just powerful music. It’s a genre which has a whole aesthetic built around it; one doused in black, covered in spikes and communing with demons and ghouls. These are a few games which resonate with those aesthetics, without actually including a metal soundtrack.

1. Bloodborne

From Software’s catalogue has always been covered in a dark, unforgiving nihilism. This is both due to their unforgiving difficulty and their shadowy, bleak aesthetics. Bloodborne is perhaps the game which best encompasses the metal spirit. It’s Lovecraftian themes, torn up clothes, crude weaponry, demons and lust for blood all resonate strongly with the look and feel of metal music.

2. Post Void

This indie shooter isn’t quite as well known as our previous mentions, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less metal, even erring on punk. Post Void is a roguelike shooter at a pace you’ve never seen before. You find yourself racing down corridors to blasting music, headshotting strange modern demons as you race your way to the end of the level. It’s metal influences come out in its affective themes of disorientation, displacement and the search for power.

3. Devil May Cry

This one’s got devil in its name, so you know the drill. Devil May Cry is a long running series which you’ve probably heard of, combining the aesthetics of gothic horror and anime – which translates to a guy with an absolutely massive sword and badass attitude slicing up demons and battling existential threats. Lots of the games also do feature metal music, but as a whole, the franchise is just dripping in influence from metal. While you're at it, don't forget to check our Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat gift codes list, for the official Android and iOS spin-off,

The Feel of Metal

Outside of the music and aesthetics, metal is a style which simply has a certain feel to it. These are a couple of games which encapsulate that feel in an extrapolated sense; going beyond simple sight and sound.

1. Rocket League

Soccer with nitro-powered cars may or may not sound metal to you, depending on what part of the culture you’re into. But Rocket League’s fast paced action, energetic soundtrack and nitro fueled mayhem brings that metal energy to a whole new genre. Get a head start; buy rocket league accounts.

2. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

Sure, it sounds seriously metal, but this game is very different to the other games on this list. It’s a relatively slow, calculated and emotional narrative experience where you play as a Celtic warrior on a quest to save her dead lover from Norse hell. Of course, that sounds incredibly metal, and it is, but the presentation of the game focuses more on Senua’s metal illness and psychosis, making it a complex and enlightening experience.

As we have explored, metal has influenced tonnes of video games. Influencing everything from the soundtrack to the aesthetic even to the mood and content presented. If you’re looking to get your metal fix, be sure to pick up one of the games on this list – they won’t disappoint.