Amon Amarth, a Swedish viking metal band that gets its name from the Lord of the Rings, has launched a video game. Titled “Amon Amarth,” the game has four worlds, 12 levels, and “four epic battles” where you–as Thor–face off against legendary Norse creatures and beings. The game features 13 of the band’s songs, but presented in chip-tune form.
The announcement trailer uses the band’s ripping cut “Raise Your Horns,” but with its chip-tune presentation, it has a very different sound and feel to it.
You fight against enemies you might have seen in Thor: Ragnarok, including Surtur, Fenris, and Hel. The serpent Nidhogg is also an enemy you’ll face with your hammer, Mjolnir. You can also of course wield the power of thunder and lightning. Take a look at the announcement/launch trailer above to get a closer look.
A press release (via MetalSucks) from Amon Amarth’s label, Metal Blade/Sony Music reveals that the game was developed by Swedish studio Ride & Crash Games. You can pick up the game right now for iOS and Android for $9.
The press release explains that Ride & Crash Games producer Robert Chirico Willstedt came up with the idea for an Amon Amarth video game in Fall 2015 after meeting with the band. Realising they had similar interests, including drinking “epic amounts of beer” and enjoying video games, they started to talk about making an Amon Amarth video game.
“The band met the development team continuously during the development process to ensure the end product would stay true to the initial vision of the game. This is an authentic Amon Amarth product,” reads a line from the press release.
The name Amon Amarth is the Sindarin name of Mt. Doom from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series. The band has been together for more than 20 years, releasing 10 albums and an EP over that time.
Amon Amarth is not the first heavy-sounding band to launch its own video game. Avenged Sevenfold released a Diablo-like mobile game, while Iron Maiden made a game called Legacy of the Beast. Recently, Dave Mustaine revealed that a Megadeth video game is in the works.
Now, if someone could please get the Finnish folk metal band Ensiferum to do the music for a Lord of the Rings game…