Breach (2011)

 PC
Metascore
61

Mixed or average reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 12
  3. Negative: 2 out of 12
  1. Game Revolution
    Jan 27, 2011
    83
    Breach shows strong respect for armed combat. The weight, realism, and dry approach to the online shooter genre proves Atomic Games as a developer who takes their first-person shooters seriously. By dealing with its content maturely, Breach proves that sometimes games don't die; they just change shape.
  2. PC Gamer UK
    Feb 8, 2011
    81
    Excellent house-breaking multiplayer that's great while it lasts, but may wear out early due to lack of maps.
  3. Vandal
    Jan 27, 2011
    70
    This is a really good multiplayer game, with few but interesting maps, and a good number of different gameplay modes. But it is also a limited game, like a small Battlefield, and doesn't have much new features.
  5. PC Games (Russia)
    Mar 21, 2011
    65
    Breach combines most of the achievements across the genre in one very budget package. [Mar 2011, p.112]
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  6. GameSpot
    Jan 31, 2011
    65
    Breach delivers some excitement, but its generic online first-person shooter action and a number of performance issues prevent it from standing out from the crowd.
  7. FiringSquad
    Feb 10, 2011
    63
    This isn't so much a revolution in destructible environments as it is an over-the-top and unrealistic new spin on what we've seen before, which is disappointing considering its marketing.
  8. IGN
    Feb 7, 2011
    60
    For the price it's not bad for being a multiplayer-only title, it's just that nothing about Breach is particularly noteworthy.
  9. GameStar
    Feb 21, 2011
    55
    If we had to choose never to play a multi-player shooter again or to play breach, we would stop playing. Hitting walls with a hammer is probably more entertaining than Breach.
  10. Absolute Games
    Feb 25, 2011
    50
    Glitches can be fixed, but no patch can make Breach a deeper game. It takes a day or two to study it inside out, and come to a realization that you have wasted 15 dollars.
  11. D+PAD Magazine
    Jan 30, 2011
    50
    Despite all the criticisms, and despite the fact that it pales in comparison to its bigger-budget competition, Breach isn't a complete disaster.
  12. PC PowerPlay
    Mar 31, 2011
    40
    Buy it if you want to see Six Days in Fallujah someday. Though donating to Atomic Games directly would be less painful. [Apr 2011, p.71]
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  13. Gameblog.fr
    Jan 31, 2011
    40
    On paper, Breach is like Bad Company 2's multiplayer, in a low-fat, zero-sugar, ultra-light version. What we see here is a considerably less deep game, that one quickly dries out, and remains unable to bring anything new to the table.

Awards & Rankings

93
#93 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
5.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 45 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 45
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 45
  3. Negative: 15 out of 45
  1. oliathsg
    Feb 3, 2011
    10
    What does Breach offer you for your $12?

    It offers you something that many other $60 games fail to achieve. A solid and deep multiplayer    What does Breach offer you for your $12?

    It offers you something that many other $60 games fail to achieve. A solid and deep multiplayer experience that people will be playing for years to come.

    Back in the day a small indie game called Counter Strike launched from a modded half life engine. The orignal game was filled with bugs and isses... but yet it grew to be one of the biggest and most popular online games to date.

    Right now Breach is looking fit to repeat that process. Most of the low reviews you see here are due to a bit of a rocky start for the game. A few teething problems for a very small number of people is unfortunate. However - one week in and a patch is already out fixing many of the main issues.

    The online lobbies are crammed with players who are getting increasingly better at the game. Each round online is challenging and fun. The built in character upgrade system where exp earned ingame can be spent on new equipment is well balanced and highly addictive.

    My advice for anyone on the fence is to grab this game now while the skill level online is still not too high. Learn the ropes. Give the game time - as you need time to get good at this game - and it will certainly grow onto something that you cannot put down.

    The sniper class in this game is one of the most satisfying to play in any of the fps titles i have played in the last ten years. The destruction physics are more than just eye candy. They have been carefully modeled by military specialists and provide a serious tactical advantage if you know how to use them in your favor.    … Full Review »
  2. JaoSming
    Feb 3, 2011
    9
    Connectivity
    The 360 version had MAJOR lag issues. I couldn't connect to matches, stay in a match, but the short time I did get into a game it    Connectivity
    The 360 version had MAJOR lag issues. I couldn't connect to matches, stay in a match, but the short time I did get into a game it was a lot of fun. The PC version on the other hand ran a lot better. I was able to get better connections but still had issues. The PC version got a better dedicated server over the weekend and since then I have had 0 lag issues.

    Gameplay
    Do NOT buy this expecting something that will tear you away from CoD, BC2, or any other shooter....you will be disappointed. This game isn't fast paced like those games...it's got more of a Counter Strike feel and pace. The 4 maps (1 night version of a map is included too) are pretty big, and while playing in a full 8v8 server things can get a bit hectic, but you can always get away from the fight if needed. The problem I run into is when I enter a 4v4 server or 5v5.....the maps are just too big for those amounts and there is no scaling to take care of it. Its usually only a problem in TDM gametypes with campers/snipers though........and on that note, this game favors the sniper rifle. If you can snipe, then this is the game for you. Most TDM games I've played are sniper fights, which can be really fun, but I know that is not some people's cup of tea. The active cover system helps balance that though. As rifleman can keep in cover while they dodge sniper bullets and use blind fire to kill them. Just don't expect to run at them like in CoD to take them out.....also never count on the knife for anything in this game.

    Game Modes
    TDM as I said usually turns into a sniper fight. It goes to 50 kills and while it doesn't do anything special or different from other games, it is still fun.
    There is a retrieval gametype where you try to grab a canister and plant it on the other team's side of the map. All of the maps are set up very well for these you get this side I get the other team modes.
    Infiltration is your standard domination gametype. This one is a LOT of fun with the destruction aspect of the game. Blowing out walls to surprise anyone puppy guarding the control point is a blast (haha).
    Sole Survivor is a no respawn gametype.....pretty much everyone hides and it can get drawn out....but its a nice, short, gametype.
    Convoy is the best though. You either escort or try to destroy a couple of hummers and there are roadblocks to blow up too. The back hummer has a triple shot 'nade launcher that just decimates buildings where the attackers hide but is balanced since you are a very easy sniper target.

    The Destruction
    It's satisfying...but when you look closely at it....it could be a lot better. There is nothing better than taking down a wall and surprising the enemy inside, but just looking at the destruction part, it falls flat. If you start a private game just to blow crap up you'll notice that concrete floors and certain pillars can't crumble. Also the ground doesn't deform and trees don't fall. The best part of it though are the shacks that make great sniper traps. Snipers love those shacks and if they get on a tear they rarely move from them...so find an RPG and take that sucker down in a heap of wood.

    Gadgets/Perks
    The gadgets in this game are pretty awesome. You can get sticky grenades or a vest to begin with, and as you level up (every 2000? 2500? XP) you get more to buy (with XP). There's a sonic imager that can let you see through walls, proximity mines, and my personal favorite, Sniper IR detector. Snipers show up with a lens flash on your screen when they are looking through their scopes kinda like Far Cry 2.....very VERY helpful.
    The perks are nice too, but useless when you unlock and buy BadAss. It doubles XP but halves your health....which doesnt matter much in hardcore games (which I usually play). There is also a sprint for longer, throw 'nades farther, more ammo, faster ADS & Reload, and an agility perk that evidently lets you move as fast as CoD.
    Weapons are unlocked by getting 2000XP and then 3000XP in a certain class. So for snipers, once I earn 2000Xp in that class I unlocked the 2nd sniper rifle, then after another 3000XP I earned the .50 Cal.

    Overall
    This game was well worth the $12 I spent on it and I would be very happy at the normal $20 price point as well. However the 360 version seems to be having issues right now with servers that match you up with people in Europe. The community team at the official forums are on the ball (kind of like Marcus was here with NBA Live) and rushed out the dedicated server fix for the PC version in 3 days. An update is impending for the 360 version, so if your only choice is XBLA....wait to see what the update does to the lag issues. A lot of reviews that reviewed gameplay before the release were very positive, ~8/10 range, so the good game without lag is there, but the reviews and public response post-release have been 5-6's because of the connectivity issues.    … Full Review »
  3. Gamegirl
    Feb 3, 2011
    9
    Breach is a surprisingly great downloadable title. In an era dominated by arcade military shooters, such as Call of Duty and Medal of Honor,Breach is a surprisingly great downloadable title. In an era dominated by arcade military shooters, such as Call of Duty and Medal of Honor, you would think there is little room for an independent modern warfare shooter. Thankfully, Breach takes a different approach to the genre, going back to the more tactical, slower paced battles that made older FPS games so great.

    The first thing that caught my attention is the slower pace of the game. Many modern military shooters have turned into run-and-gun titles, often waving aside the need for planning and tactics. In Breach, players are forced to move methodically through the map and make good use of cover. Sprinting around willy nilly will result in a very quick death.

    Breach achieves this slower pace by altering some key mechanics. The standard health bar is brought back into action instead of regenerative health. Players are no longer bullet sponges. If you get shot and somehow survive, you deal with it. There is no magic healing once you find cover. This forces the user to slow down and become more aware of their environment, knowing that a wrong move is likely instant death. Additionally, there are quite a few open spaces within the maps, making them a great playground for snipers. You can try running around in the open if you like, but it probably will not end well.

    Do not get me wrong though. This is not a game where you turtle around either, taking an hour to get from one side to another. There is still quite a bit of action going overall. You only have a limited time to get objectives taken care of, so it becomes a balance of patience and urgency, knowing when to make the right moves.

    The game offers five different gameplay modes that you would expect most shooters these days to have. There is your standard team deathmatch, convoy (escort mission), infiltration (capture and hold), retrieval (capture the flag), and sole survivor. There is the addition of a hardcore mode, which is what makes this game truly come alive. This removes your crosshairs, hud, and essentially forces you to pay attention to all that is going on. Overall, the gameplay is decent and engaging. It is what you would expect from your standard shooter, only a bit less forgiving than other similar titles.

    The mouse controls started out on the iffy side, but they have since been patched up by the developers, feeling very tight and spot on. The original sluggish feeling is completely gone. The only other issue is sometimes I am unable to attach myself to a wall immediately after leaving it, which has resulted in a few silly deaths, but overall it has not been a major issue.

    The biggest selling point though for Breach is that of destructible environment. Since the game was announced, this has been the prominent feature displayed to the public. Here, you can destroy walkways, bridges, walls, small buildings, and chip away at larger structures. The game does a decent job in succeeding at this. I have had to relocate often due to losing key cover, and I have often cut off paths from the enemy by destroying certain walkways. Then there are the moments where you breach through a wall with your team, surprising the other and wiping them out completely.

    However, this feature is still not fully fleshed out at this time. While you can destroy structures, you cannot destroy smaller trees that may be in your way. When it comes to breaching a concrete wall, you can only do so in specified places. This keeps some maps fairly predictable, primarily those with tunnels and only two breach points at each end. So while the destructible environment exists, there are still some limitations that can provide for some minor frustrations.

    As for the visuals of Breach, they are nothing spectacular. The graphics are below that of many other modern military shooters, but they are by no means terrible either. They are of a decent level. Personally I have had little issue with the graphics, other than they seem a little washed out or bland at times. There are currently some glitches with the animations regarding cover though, but these are being patched out as we speak.

    One of the bigger disappointments with Breach is the audio. I have little idea what these weapons sound like in real life, but going by my own assumptions, they sound very underpowered. There is little satisfaction when firing them, and they could be much improved. There is also a peculiar issue with footsteps. I have not seen any other complaints about this as of yet, but personally, my footsteps always sound slightly at a distance. This is fairly distracting, as I keep thinking it is an enemy trying to sneak up on me. The audio could use a little more work, in my opinion.

    Overall though, despite some shortcomings, I find myself enjoying this title. It is rough around the edges, but the slower and methodical game pacing is very attractive to me, and a great throwback to older FPS military shooters.    … Full Review »
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