Let's talk about BRINK for a moment. This game has many flaws but also many strongpoints. I'll keep it simple, and sectioned with PRO, CON, and summary. Review number 3...
PROS
Something Different- This game is not your typical run of the mill, shoot em dead kind of game. As a matter of fact there is no deathmatch mode at all. It focuses on objective based gameplay which is a welcome step in a new direction. Hopefully Bethesda learns from this fames mistakes and releases a BRINK 2 someday.
Customization- I have never played a game that has such a large focus on character creation other than sports or fighting titles. This game has everything you could want in an FPS aside of women. (would look horrible given their art style) You get clothing for nearly all parts of the body, multiple layers, tattoos, body types, face types, skin color, voices, multiple classes, lots of weapons and tons of attachments for weapons, and abilities. The chances of running into someone who has all the same choices as you are likely one in however many people play BRINK.
Sound Effects- The gun sounds vary greatly and many are insanely crisp or over the top. Grenades aren't so great at first but become alright with upgrades.
SMART system- Instead of saying what SMART stands for I'll explain how it works. Holding RB allows you to move over, under, across, and around nearly anything in your way. This makes navigating maps tons easier and quite enjoyable. It uses the same button as sprinting which may confuse some. To sprint simply press and don't hold the button.
Custom Controls- You can set each action to any button of your choice allowing you to be as comfortable as you like.
Music- Aside of menu music I have only noticed music a few times on rare occassions. However the theme is catchy and fits the customization, which is what you'll be doing if you happen to listen to it.
Class Variety- The class you pick will greatly affect how you play the game, assuming you play skillfully. The four classes are...
Medic= As the name implies medics use medicine for buffing, reviving, granting temporary bonuses etc. Best if not used on the frontlines.
Soldier= Frontline units. They get extra ammo, stronger explosives, extra equipment, and double as the Demo men.
Operative= A more behind the scenes role. Operatives can disguise as enemies, reveal enemy locations on the HUD, spot mines, reprogram turrets, and hack objectives or shortcuts. Goes well with light body type and suppressed weaponry. Gets special grenade types suitable for trapping locations, sentry bots for scouting, and a special dead man bomb, giving you a chance to kill someone after death using your corpse.
Engineer= The mega class. Engineers can buff weapons, buff armor, set mines, defuse enemy mines, place turrets, defuse enemy charges, repair objectives, repair turrets, repair bots, and remove sticky grenades before they detonate. Engineers are effective in front line or anywhere else really.
Level Design- There aren't very many levels, but every one is enjoyable on each side. They are generally seperated into attack and defense sides, each with different segments for objectives, varying in difficulty. The levels are creative, multi tiered, and bring the Ark to life. Your body type will affect what paths and shortcuts are open to you, and your class can alter some of them to help allies or hinder opponents.
Challenge Mode- A quick diversion that I would recommend playing before the story or Mp which is generally the same. These mini missions work as in game training modes, each utilizing different implemented features. They reward you with special weapons and unlocks.
Audio Logs- Much of the game's story lies in the files you recover after missions. They help to flesh out the game for those who care, and can be ignored by those who don't. The game never forces them on you.
CONS
Story mode- This game features a double sided campaign which is a fine idea. There is little to no story telling however, so reading loading screens, and listening to your briefing is the only way to truly understand everything.
DLC- The dlc was at one time free, now it costs 800msp. This includes 2 new maps, a few weapon attachments, some clothing, and an increased level cap along with new abilities.
Story Mode is MP- This is not horrible by any means, but sometimes you want your multiplayer experience to be different than your single player.
MP setup- You can freely customize your search or host options, however people of a higher rank than you can not join your game. Even worse than that, is that there are no lobbies whatsoever, mic chat is normally set to off, and finding friends to play with is highly unlikely unless you force it.
MP challenges- You can do challenges on mp, but it does not unlock the rewards earned for single player.
Faster Audio Logs- For some reason you acquire logs faster by playing in mp, this allows someone to shave off hours of time to get them all just by playing through multiplayer. Single player will take twice as long.
Bad AI- The worst feature of this game is the AI. Most noticably on Hard. The enemy AI will be unrelenting Marskmen all armed with Shotguns, Revolvers, and a Kross smg every now and then. Your team AI has a problem avoiding mines, prioritizing targets, helping in escorts, scoring objectives, reviving you, resupplying you, aiming, defending objectives, and trying to complete primary objectives. They always go for secondary.
OVERALL
BRINK isn't a bad game, I find it very enjoyable being tired of Halo or CoD type games. Good sound effects, graphics, and gameplay. A solid customization feature, and near genius level design, coupled with classes and objective based gameplaynoffers a new kind of shooter experience. The only real downsides lie in the offline gameplay, and trying to play online with random people.
If I've forgotten anything let me know and I'll update gladly.
4.0