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Like many people, I wanted this game to be like Team Fortress 2 but to the next level. Unfortunately, you cannot have as much fun in Brink like TF2. Obviously the game is new and not as many people own it but there should be more servers with different mods or methods of playing. For example, games like Uncharted 2, Black Ops, Killzone 3, Socom4, and others have many different ways to play. Brink has a number of mission types but it does get repetitive. As far as I know, I have not seen a Team Deathmatch type game even though you are technically in one due to the mission.
PROS
-Very good Graphics
-Cool Customizations
-Maps are large and lots to do
-The movements of the game
CONS
-Not enough weapons
-Some glitches
-Not Enough maps
A DLC will be coming out in early July (was supposed to be June) that will include 2 new maps (only)and some new content. The DLC is free for people the first 2 weeks it (the DLC) becomes available.
This game is not horrible, but it is not great. It was hyped up no doubt and should have way more content. The content in this game is about 10% of what it should be. Solutions
1. Adding at least 5 more maps
2. Adding new weapons somewhat similar to Team Fortress 2 but more modern looking. We all know the huntsman of TF2 for the sniper. Brink should have Crossbows, flamethrowers, harpoon guns, whips, chinese stars,swords, and many other items.
Cannons would be cool instead of the stupid mg nests. This game has a lot of potential but needs a serious upgrade for the weapons. Like many have pointed out the weapons are very similar even with some of the changes you make. The sniper rifles are pretty good but need more additions.
3. Needs more gamers playing on PC and others to create new servers with new mods
Just look at Team Fortress 2. They have new additions every so often with weapons and maps. Yes it has been out for a long time, but Brink runs the risk of not getting more sales and losing current gamers. This new DLC better be very good and they need to have another update about a month or two later because Modern Warfare 3 and Battlefield 3 will surely make Brink forgettable. I know they are not the same style, but people can only play so many games at once.
Team Fortress 2 is favored over Black Ops and many other newer games by many gamers. It does not have the greatest graphics but it makes that up by having a huge amount of maps and upgrades. Brink needs to follow this lead and bring more maps and weapons. Currently there are only 8 maps (2 more with DLC) and weapons are horrible before you customize them.
To people who hate this game, it may be that they really don't like it. I hated this game the first couple days I had it until I learned how to quickly upgrade the weapons. Common sense: You must go to Challenges and complete each one. When you go to the weapons selections it tells you what challenges you must complete to get the weapons. Once I upgraded my weapons I went from a one star rating to a 3 star rating.
Bottom line: This game is not as bad as people say. However there should be more interacting when playing as a team via typing or mic and more mods and other upgrades via Bethesda as I pointed out.
Thankfully I got this game for under $30 and play on PC. As for Xbox360 and PS3 I don't think you would be disappointed spending about $30 on this game. I think the price needs to drop to $30 or less for all platforms not just PC.This game would be excellent for $20 which could happens soon if the DLC is not good. People should rent the game or buy it used if you are unsure. Also keep in mind that the DLC update coming soon will be free for 2 weeks. So you need to get the game sometime during the 2 weeks that the DLC is available.
I went on very long and was a bit repetitive cuz I hope Bethesda improves this game. I also wish more people owned this game and played it like Team Fortress 2.
***** UPDATE***** 8/11/2011
I have been playing the game mainly on PC ( I also own the PS3 version but PC version is far better, especially the graphics) Nevertheless, it is still pretty fun on PS3.
So the DLC has two new maps and a few other items added for the classes. However, Splash(Bethesda) has failed to incorporate different modes in the game such as team deathmatch, capture the flag, or other modes of play. This game will probably be next to free very soon especially since the big hits (B3 and MW3) are coming out pretty soon. Nevertheless, I would still recommend this game for PC due to the better graphics and the long and fun matches between teams on a full server. When the servers are filled with human players (not bots) the game is very fun even on PS3. The matches last a lot longer and you can see what the developers wanted this game to be like. However they failed on a number of things. I will list the following recommendations that can make this game a huge hit like TF2.
1.****************** NEEDS MORE MODES OF PLAY.*******************************
2. Addition of different items every so often such as TF2 that can be purchased and some would be free.
3. Game should be made free or for $10 maximum to attract lots of gamers.
4. More maps and weapons as stated
5 A Reason to play. ( TF2 has people playing since its fun and free. But more importantly, there is something to play for. People have new items being acquired and people can dominate others in the game) Brink needs this type of stuff to make the game REWARDING if you know what I mean.
Like I said, if this is implemented this game will be one of the biggest hits on steam and the company will make lots of money selling items and just giving the game for free and building a very strong and active Brink community.
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I have completed this game now on my main class engineer as well as taking another to 15 as medic, and after figuring out the point distribution I have high hopes for this game once it is online for my platform (ps3).The point system lets you max out only one character class, but does not totally punish you for changing jobs on the fly if needed. Not to reiterate the previous reviews I want to touch on what they did not.
I play Call of duty, Killzone 3 and many FPS since the early 90's. Many of my favorite FPS are what I would refer to as frag tag. Fast kills in an almost arena like atmosphere. This game is not of that model.
This is a splash damage game as they have always produced, taking a Wolfenstien / quake: Enemy territory approach to a comic like post apocalyptic universe.
I have scored it high because what it does it does well. I feel the low reviews are based on expectation. Expectation that does it no justice as it is being compared to games that are FPS but not of the same style.
The choke points that people complain about can be flanked or massed against. They are meant to cause a strategic showdown between two opposing teams and they deliver.
I am not a "fanboy" of this title, but I am a bit disappointed with the low reviews. To me many of them mirror a fictitious popular mechanics article trashing a car because it did not do well when they tried to take it out on the lake. Most of the anger is frag taggers beckoning to know why it took more than 2 shots to drop a foe, frustration due to overcoming a obstacle they expected to glide through. I understand, it's not the fast smash and grab/ Run and gun they are used to. It is like the difference in action RPG, and a Menu based RPG.
Here is the honest ending statement if you like a challenging first person shooter blending a similar play style to Unreal tournament/ Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory.
Then you will enjoy this game. People wanting a bad company 3/ COD 5 should wait for those titles. This is not meant to be offensive to fans of these type games I am as well but hopefully this will make people more aware of what type of title this is. Some people would love a game of this style and have been dissuaded due to "It's not COD!" type reviews. My opinion is thats all the more reason to love it, it adds to my library without adding to an army of clones.
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What do you get when you try to cross MAG or Team Fortress 2 gameplay with the look and feel of Borderlands and a futuristic Mad Max? Bethesda Softworks (Fallout 3, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion) and Splash Damage (Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars) hope its the next big franchise to hit consoles. The impressive art direction in the advertising campaign originally drew me to this game, but does it translate to tengaging gameplay? Now that it has dropped in price almost universally, is it something you should pick up now? Is it even worthy of it's all CAPS moniker?
The premise in BRINK is not anything we really haven't seen before, but it centers around a man-made, eco-friendly, floating city, designated The Ark, that is on the brink (get it) of Civil War. Since the oceans of the world have begun to rise to unsafe levels, The Ark has become a sort of haven for people affiliated with its original inhabitants, as well as other displaced people looking for a better life, who have to live on the outskirts. It's basically a bunch of Haves versus Have Nots. One group wants to break free of the overpopulation and desecrating conditions for the outcasts on The Ark (called The Resistance) and leave the floating city to see what the world is like beyond its walls, while the other group wants to keep the refugees in control and living in continued squalor, while they continue to benefit in The Ark (called The Security).
Upon starting the game, you have to first select and customize a character. While the customization options are ample, they aren't exactly endless. The character design is similar to Gears of War, with overexaggerated features and bulging muscles. There are four different classes of characters: Soldier, Engineer, Medic, and Operative. Obviously each has their own strengths and weaknesses and in this game you will be switching classes a lot during each level or mission, to complete objectives.
To move around, BRINK also uses whats been classified as SMART (Smooth Movement Across Random Terrain). In this, a button can be assigned to to quickly traverse across different environmental obstacles. Think of it as parkour influenced climbing, jumping, and sliding, reminiscent of Mirror's Edge. Unfortunately, much of the time, I kind of forgot about SMART and did the regular old climbing and jumping, except for the occasional slide.
I've spent quite a bit of time with this game, beating both campaigns (a total of 16 missions, but they are long missions, which turns out to be a blessing and a curse), and utilizing both solo play, as well as completing levels online with human counterparts. I get that the online component was designed to be a major selling point for BRINK, but the online community is pretty stagnant at the moment. When starting a level online, I would say that only about 25% of the time did I have another human joining me.
Gameplay
This game is quite frenetic when you first jump in. There is a lot of action going on around you and quite a bit of chatter from your teammates (which I liked initially, but then grew to hate). Initially, only one or two classes will have an objective that are pretty basic (hack this, defend this, escort this person, etc.), but the objectives increase (both primary and secondary), as you progress through the game. Just find a (or take over an opponent controlled one) command post, and you can switch classes. There is an objective wheel that is easily accessed at any time, that highlights the objectives and classes needed, so it's not too confusing. Select an objective and it'll point you in the right direction to complete it.
That's not to say that BRINK isn't fun because at times it really is. Shooting people and is almost always fun... for a while. Having the missions broken up by each side seemed like a really interesting idea, but they basically turn out to be the same levels, but just opposite objectives of each other. If the Resistance was trying to destroy something, when you play the mission as the Security, you're trying to defend the same thing you were previously asked to destroy. This doesn't flesh out the story as much as I would have hoped for, and really didn't make me pick a side I was rooting for, as if they had added totally different levels for each side.
There is a major problem with your teammates AI in the game. They are basically worthless (but every now and then surprise you with a well-placed turret), and you constantly feel like you are the only one that is able to do anything. For instance if you have to repair something and are playing solo, without human teammates, it seems like you are the only one of the class you selected that can get anything done. You have usually around 10 minutes to complete the objective, but it usually takes all 10 minutes because your teammates don't help at all. When they do decide to help, it's like a mad rush in the final minute or two. The opponents know where to congregate to protect what's needed, but it seems as if your team gets bored rather easily and leaves their mark.
Which leads me to my next problem with the game. If you die, or I should say when you die, because your opponent's ammo tends to be much more powerful than your own, you have to respawn
There are a few "what if" missions tacked on at the end, but they seem as more of an afterthought, than a critical part of the story, and are some of the shorter missions of the whole game. I recommend playing through some of the Challenge levels early on, as by completing them, you earn some upgrades for your weapons. There are 3 different types of challenges: fulfilling objectives, moving around with SMART to certain areas in a time limit, and defending, each with three levels of progressively harder levels.
Graphics
There are two distinct setting for the missions in BRINK. One is the futuristic Ark, which kind of reminded me of something out of Mass Effect. Lot's of plexiglass, neon, etc. Once the action moved away from The Ark, to Container City, I became re-interested in the game again. It's a totally different kind of look that really made me push through to finish my first half of the Campaign. There are lots of little crevices and creative shortcuts to find.
I didn't really experience any lag, when playing online, but only really connected with one other person at a time when playing the campaign. The multiplayer was solid and much more fun than playing with bots, but by the time I tried multiplayer, I was kind of burned out by the game. Sometimes when enemies died, parts of their body would be underground, or if they were standing on something and killed, seemed to be floating in mid-air.
Sound
Throughout the game you have a Commander basically talking in your ear the whole time. He gets very frustrated when things aren't going the planned way. Considering that you feel like you are a one man show on many of the levels, it get very annoying quickly.
I did find the chatter between teammates amusing. When you give supplies to another teammate, they always respond with some form of thanks. Additionally, when you have some supplies and they are needed by someone nearby, they will let you know.
Replay Value
There is a planned DLC coming soon (free for the first two weeks), which may increase the number of people playing online. Currently, there are 8 maps available for multiplayer skirmishes. I fear, however, that most players originally interested in the game have either moved on to something else or sold/traded in their copy.
Once the campaigns are completed, there is not much incentive to return to those missions. Especially the ones where your teammates seem clueless. There are some audio logs to collect, which supposedly add more to the story (or unlock a trophy/achievement when all are collected) but I didn't have an interest to find more.
There is a cap at level 20. When I finished both campaigns, I was at level 16, so I played multiplayer and replayed missions to reach the cap. There are bonuses for completing missions online (which I didn't know until about halfway through the game)
Honestly, I really wanted to like BRINK. Blending solo, co-op, and multiplayer into one somewhat seamless experience seemed innovative and intriguing. However, in the end, it wasn't done well enough to grab my interest for extended periods. Each mission is quite long, and if you don't succeed, feels arduous instead of energizing at the challenge, that you have to relive 15-20 minutes all over again.
Rating
6.5
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another new IP, another disappointment [read: homefront].
first of all, if you plan on getting this for the single-player campaign, don't. there is no single player campaign.
brink's 'campaign' is simply offline multiplayer with bots [think about Killzone's 'skirmish' mode and you get the idea]. there are eight 'missions' in all and each mission can played from either the resistance or security persepctive.
unfortunately, these missions are convoluted, difficult to navigate, and even more difficut to complete because your wonky AI squad mates are essentially useless. most of the maps contain narrow corridors that result in chokepoints with 16 guys in a fifteen foot radius all doing the hokey pokey or break dancing. i was half expecting pop 'n taco to show up with a broken down cardboard box and do the electric bugaloo. and if you should die, well, you may have to wait as long as twenty seconds to respawn and then spend another 30 seconds running back to the action. in and of itself, it's not a bad thing, but since all the 'campaign' missions are timed, it's problematic.
another big complaint: weapon damage. sure, i can understand wanting to eliminate one-shot kills, but it literally takes an entire magazine to put someone down. so most of the time you're trying to find ammo or hoping one of your squad mates buffs you some. good luck with that.
sure, you have four quadrillion customization options, but if you're playing from a first-person perspective, who even cares? you can't see all your fancy face paint, head gear, and outfits [unless you're in the menus], so why bother?
instead of a great new shooter, you've got a great new $60 digital costume closet. congratulations.
if splash damage had spent as much time with the gameplay as they did with the customizations, they might have had something. unfortunately, as is the case with so many shooters these days, the game ships with skimpy content and we undoubtedly await the first $15 "map pack" in about a week or two.
it's getting downright insulting.
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I avoided Brink at first due to poor reviews, but as the price got a lot cheaper, I decided to give it a try. Since I've only started playing it, and am nowhere near an expert on it I'm just going to comment on what I've experienced with the game. As a first person shooter, I didn't find it very satisfying. First of all, I'm amazed at how difficult it is to actually kill the enemy. Even at point blank range, it takes what seems as too many bullets to take someone down. Then, your downed enemy often isn't dead, but will rise right back up to kill you if you don't go and finish him off. Meanwhile, the action, which is pretty much non-stop, sometimes makes it difficult to even do this. Also, the actual aiming and shooting process just isn't as much fun as many other 1st person shooters that I have played. I want to like this and have played the first few missions on it, but I just can't see myself sticking with it. However, If you like non-stop, fast paced action, it certainly does deliver on that. It's frenetic pace does sometimes lead to confusion as what to do next, or exactly what is going on at the moment. I was hoping for a little more stealth and discovery, rather than the constant run and gun action. I could deal with the run and gun action if the actual shooting was a little more rewarding. I'm just glad I didn't pay $60 for it when it came out.
