Brink

 Xbox 360
User Score
5.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 409 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 140 out of 409
  2. Mixed: 148 out of 409
  3. Negative: 121 out of 409
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  1. cass500
    Jun 1, 2011
    6
    Brink is so far my biggest disappointment of the year. I love FPS but really don't have the time or skills to kick it hardcore on multiplayer, so a decent solo campaign is crucial to my purchase decision. Unfortunately the solo AI in Brink is so broken that there is no point in playing. Your virtual teammates are completely useless so unless you do all the mission specific tasksBrink is so far my biggest disappointment of the year. I love FPS but really don't have the time or skills to kick it hardcore on multiplayer, so a decent solo campaign is crucial to my purchase decision. Unfortunately the solo AI in Brink is so broken that there is no point in playing. Your virtual teammates are completely useless so unless you do all the mission specific tasks yourself (switching roles mid map as needed) you will never finish some of the missions, as your teammates will run off to guard command posts rather than assist with escort duty. In addition the really limited number of maps means solo play gets pretty boring pretty fast. It is not that hard to make an FPS with a solid solo campaign. Cyrsis II being just one recent example. Brink had a number of things going for it , a quirky art style, good customization of weapons and play style, a potentially good story line. But it fails to deliver where it really counts in the game play. Solo is a nonstarter and unless you are playing with a group of friends the online "team play" that should be the selling point is non existent. The two days I played everyone just went their own way. This is one more game i am glad I rented first.… Expand
  2. TheQuietGamer
    Jun 4, 2011
    7
    This was one of my most anticipated games of 2011, all the cool features I heard about had me excited, but in the end it let me down, don't get me wrong it's not a bad game, and the ability to fully customize your character is cool, and it's fun to play with friends or a well organized group of people, so it's good but not great, this game was built for multiplayer, so if your notThis was one of my most anticipated games of 2011, all the cool features I heard about had me excited, but in the end it let me down, don't get me wrong it's not a bad game, and the ability to fully customize your character is cool, and it's fun to play with friends or a well organized group of people, so it's good but not great, this game was built for multiplayer, so if your not connected to Xbox Live I wouldn't recommend it, and only then if you have friends who will play this with you, if your not connected to Xbox Live you'll have to play with the stupid A.I. , who rarely work with you, when you have to stop enemies from hacking a computer, instead of working with you the A.I. will run off to hack a computer or something while your left to fight off the endless hordes of enemies by yourself, so it's frustrating at times, and the smart system doesn't always work like they said it would, but if you get some friends together and play this, and manage you time and choose the correct classes, this can be fun, but in the end it's good but not great.… Expand
  3. benoski
    Jul 17, 2011
    7
    I was really looking forward to Brink, but when it got mixed reviews I decided to think about it. But I bought it anyway early in July. I was a bit disappointed, since I did not get excited about the single player for one bit. That explains how bad the campaign is. The same goes for the A.I, since even on the Easy setting I keep getting incapacitated a LOT! There are custom settings forI was really looking forward to Brink, but when it got mixed reviews I decided to think about it. But I bought it anyway early in July. I was a bit disappointed, since I did not get excited about the single player for one bit. That explains how bad the campaign is. The same goes for the A.I, since even on the Easy setting I keep getting incapacitated a LOT! There are custom settings for multiplayer, but they are for Private matches only which sucks.

    The parkour mechanic is alright, but it doesn't work well. I actually would have loved it if you just pressed LB to turn parkour mode on or off, but instead, Splash Damage just HAD to do the following: Press LB to turn sprint on or off and HOLD LB for parkour.

    There are ONLY 4 challenges to do, all have 1 star, 2 star and 3 star level. So the challenges are terrible.

    Brink is, to me, quite an unfinished title. I may hate the A.I, but I can always go on Multiplayer right? The SMART mechanic is a nice addition to the game and I will hopefully be getting the free DLC when it releases at the end of the month. If you have an Xbox 360 and Brink, I'd be happy to play with you. Brink is a great shooter, but designed for multiplayer experiences. Ignore the problems and you should have a fine shooter.    … Expand
  4. nufrequency
    May 24, 2011
    5
    Brink was suppose to be a fps revolution, too bad it turned out to be mediocre product (at least on xbox) with more annoyances than you can imagine.Muddy, washed out, low resolution textures that constantly load here and there, unfriendly confusing GUI, unlocks for weapons that can be only obtained by playing single player challenges and extremely clunky non responsive controls that makesBrink was suppose to be a fps revolution, too bad it turned out to be mediocre product (at least on xbox) with more annoyances than you can imagine.Muddy, washed out, low resolution textures that constantly load here and there, unfriendly confusing GUI, unlocks for weapons that can be only obtained by playing single player challenges and extremely clunky non responsive controls that makes you feel like ur character has bunch of bricks in his pants ...throw in so called single player and you end up with a $60 game that forces you to ask yourself " what the **** did I just bought !" There are some cool aspects like classes and team objective gameplay but at the end its just not enough (at least for me) and only way I could recommend this title is to wait for a bargain bin price… Expand
  5. s0cks
    May 24, 2011
    5
    Funnily enough I quite liked Brink. I bought the game without much prior knowledge or hype and was pleasantly surprised. The character customization is great. The game objectives give you something to actually play for, and the level design is rather good for the most part. So why have only given Brink a 5? Player base. I've purchased the game a mere 2 weeks (if that) after release andFunnily enough I quite liked Brink. I bought the game without much prior knowledge or hype and was pleasantly surprised. The character customization is great. The game objectives give you something to actually play for, and the level design is rather good for the most part. So why have only given Brink a 5? Player base. I've purchased the game a mere 2 weeks (if that) after release and there is NO-ONE playing. Or at least not in my area of the world (Australia/New Zealand). Playing against bots just doesn't have the same appeal. The game is pretty much dead, and so soon after release is disappointing. This game could have been good, but I cannot recommend it to anyone as it is no longer played. Now I have to try and sell.… Expand
  6. PevMaster
    Dec 10, 2011
    6
    After playing Black Ops half to death, the symptoms of CoD-itis were beginning to show. I wanted to try out a new, fresh shooter that actually did something different rather than used the same old rinse-and-repeat mechanics that plague every new Call of Duty. Brink's prospect of a free-flowing parkour system, fresh ideas, joyfully customisable and teamwork-oriented gameplay.

    Well, when I    After playing Black Ops half to death, the symptoms of CoD-itis were beginning to show. I wanted to try out a new, fresh shooter that actually did something different rather than used the same old rinse-and-repeat mechanics that plague every new Call of Duty. Brink's prospect of a free-flowing parkour system, fresh ideas, joyfully customisable and teamwork-oriented gameplay.

    Well, when I got into the game I discovered this was not the case. The maps were as boring as a brownbread ham sandwich, the customisation elements seemed rather pointless, the SMART system felt tedious, the voice actors lacked talent, the graphics are average, and the story was.....wait, what story?

    Despite all of its flaws, to its credit the guns do feel pretty solid and the teamplay works pretty well. In addition to the multiplayer, there is a pretty neat challenge mode, but there's only about four challenges, and the only replay value attached to them is in trying to achieve more points.

    But there's yet more flaws. The game is CRAMMED with bugs and graphical issues, and in a foolish attempt to 'unify' single-player and multiplayer, there is only eight levels. In the entire game. Each of these maps have one mission. And that's it. The game doesn't even have enough replay value to keep its players occupied.

    In spite of all the teamwork-gameplay and 'freshness', the most Brink is capable of achieving is the status of 'just another shooter'. Behind the illusion, you still have unlockable guns, perks and abilities, which, at heart, makes Brink a CoD clone, really. While it's new ideas could have been revolutionary, a lack of a story and bad voice actors keeps players disinterested in the missions; you quickly tire of the eight missions; the dull graphics make you want to fall asleep.....I could go on forever.

    In conclusion, Brink is probably simply best for the kind of person who's sick of Call of Duty to pick Brink up for five pounds when the price drops. They'll be entertained by the moments of fun, but to be fair Brink will probably end up being condemned to the bottom of the games collection, forcing you to wonder what this could have been.    … Expand
  7. baddeadtaste
    May 24, 2011
    6
    While I did enjoy my time with brink it also left me wondering.....what just happened? The overall interface is a little confusing IMO and I often had a hard time understanding who was on my team and who or what was a bot. Perhaps I am just ignorant and the execution of the team mechanic was lost on me. Nonetheless I was left with a feeling of wanting more by the time I decided to callWhile I did enjoy my time with brink it also left me wondering.....what just happened? The overall interface is a little confusing IMO and I often had a hard time understanding who was on my team and who or what was a bot. Perhaps I am just ignorant and the execution of the team mechanic was lost on me. Nonetheless I was left with a feeling of wanting more by the time I decided to call it quits with Brink. That is not to say the game does not have it's strong points and should be outright dismissed, it just did not work for me. Both the movement and gun play in Brink is excellent. Hit detection seems to be overall excellent and clean. The movement system really had me smiling from time to time. It was great to run, jump and slide around the map avoiding enemy gunfire on the way to my next objective. There is also a great deal of character and weapon customization at ones disposal. Everything from grips, silencers to under mounted grenade launchers. Mostly standard fare but still cool. You have enough character options to truly craft a unique persona and probably not run into anyone else that looks even remotely like you, if you can determine when you are actually online with other human players which was my main problem. Some may read this and think I am a fool for not being able to determine a bot from the human counterpart, but so be it. I have been a gamer for over 30 years now and overall Brink left me a little confused. IMO it is worth a rent to check it out and see if it may be for you, but I do not think this game is worth the full $60 price tag by any means.… Expand
  8. L00neyT00ns
    May 20, 2011
    6
    An opportunity wasted to bring something new & fresh to an increasingly stale genre.Brink could have been so much more but instead it gets let down by dated graphics & sound,lack of maps,poor single player,lag in multiplayer & a poorly implemented Parkour system.
    It does have a few plus points though,the character customization & character balancing are good and splash damage should be    An opportunity wasted to bring something new & fresh to an increasingly stale genre.Brink could have been so much more but instead it gets let down by dated graphics & sound,lack of maps,poor single player,lag in multiplayer & a poorly implemented Parkour system.
    It does have a few plus points though,the character customization & character balancing are good and splash damage should be applauded for trying something new.
    I hope they make a sequel but learn from this game as it can only get better.    … Expand
  9. MechMarine
    Jun 5, 2011
    7
    While Brink is a wonderful multiplayer game, it is just that: A multiplayer game. The singleplayer AI lacks the intelligence to create a full experience, while the objectives are often much harder when you have no competent allies to help. Beyond the bad AI, Brink is a wonderful game. While it could use a better tutorial, and perhaps more of a backstory, the gameplay is phenomenal.
  10. slsoccer7
    Jul 11, 2011
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. All in all, I say this is a rental. I got this about a week after it came out, eagerly waiting to play it. I heard so much about the character customization and how many different possibilities there are. That is a very cool feature. As for the rest of the game, I wish it could have been done differently. I don't like how the multiplayer is almost the exact same thing as the single player. The other thing I do not like is how the resistance missions and the security missions are just flipped around. For example, instead of guarding the person, you need to kill him. You also don't get new maps for different campaigns. The reason it got a 7 from me is because the first time playing, and getting to use the parkour system "SMART" is pretty neat.… Expand
  11. jcop678
    Jul 25, 2011
    7
    well frankly im disappointed i thought for sure this was going to be fun and it kind of was the multiplayer was fun the controls are smooth and i love the parkour. The thing i hate and is why it gets a seven is the AI... this is the worst AI i have ever seen in gaming you have to do everything your self and its just annoying and another reason is the graphics they aren't what I expectedwell frankly im disappointed i thought for sure this was going to be fun and it kind of was the multiplayer was fun the controls are smooth and i love the parkour. The thing i hate and is why it gets a seven is the AI... this is the worst AI i have ever seen in gaming you have to do everything your self and its just annoying and another reason is the graphics they aren't what I expected from a 2011 game im deeply disappointed with the out come of this game it was a great idea and the devolper couldnt do it but i had fun despite my disappointment… Expand
  12. NinjaSniperJim
    Nov 28, 2011
    5
    This game is really not too good. Crappy Graphics, Boring Storyline. Oh and don't get me started on the A.I just DON'T! The only good thing is the Shooting and Custimazation. But that only feels like Half a Game. Overall this game felt rushed.
  13. Mattar
    Nov 30, 2011
    5
    When I first started playing Brink, I loved it - the objective based rounds, the different classes and the ability to play online co-op and multiplayer. However, things went downhill from there. The AI are the worst part about this game. If you put AI in a game, I'd expect them to provide defense for me when I'm trying to capture an objective, or help me capture it. But all the Brink AIWhen I first started playing Brink, I loved it - the objective based rounds, the different classes and the ability to play online co-op and multiplayer. However, things went downhill from there. The AI are the worst part about this game. If you put AI in a game, I'd expect them to provide defense for me when I'm trying to capture an objective, or help me capture it. But all the Brink AI seem to want to do is take command posts (secondary objectives which give your team a health/supply boost) and then run off only for the command posts to get captured by one or two enemy team members. Thus this cycle repeats itself. However, the full customization of your character was a very good idea, and the graphics are very good. The Parkour aspect means nothing to me though sadly, because if I wanted to survive taking an objective by myself I had to make myself a heavy body type, meaning I can barely climb over crates and low walls. This game had such potential.… Expand
  14. 360gamer8302
    Feb 1, 2012
    6
    This game isn't bad. It's just not that good either; it's kind of middle of the road. The graphics aren't very good. The "story" is below par compared to other FPSs. My only real advice is instead of playing a game that takes ideas from TF2, why don't you just buy The Orange Box? It has TF2 in it. Plus more games. It's like 10 dollars at GameStop.
  15. AyexeM
    May 11, 2011
    7
    I've been eagerly anticipating this game for many months. All the talk about the unique features had me drooling for something new in a shooter.

    In my opinion its a great game, but it doesn't live up to the PR hype that splash damage put out. First, the seamless experience between multi-player and single-player just means that single-player doesn't exist. Instead its offline    I've been eagerly anticipating this game for many months. All the talk about the unique features had me drooling for something new in a shooter.

    In my opinion its a great game, but it doesn't live up to the PR hype that splash damage put out. First, the seamless experience between multi-player and single-player just means that single-player doesn't exist. Instead its offline multi-player with bots which have average shooter AI, which means they are morons with excellent vision.

    Also, the developers talk about rewarding teamplay, but in this case it basically means that if your team sucks, then you cannot do well. Gun skill means nothing in Brink so enemies can just run away and their health will refill. Also, no post-game stats, it only displays "points". You could be waxing fools left and right but that bot medic constantly healing teammates will probably out score you.

    Now what I do like. The characters maps and weapons are all beautiful. I love being able to customize my character. Voice acting is fantastic. It is feels great to push through the enemy and complete objectives which come at a fast pace and can vary widely from map to map. The perks are totally different from any other shooter.

    At this point I'm only 6 hours into the game, so I am still discovering things. I don't regret the purchase at all, but I have to shake my head at all the pre-launch PR from splash-damage.    … Expand
  16. OneClassyGuy
    May 12, 2011
    6
    I had really high hopes for Brink and after putting several hours into it, I come to the conclusion that the game is good, not great.

    PROS: The thing that is great about Brink is it feels genuinely ambitious and original, dripping with potential. The whole idea of objective oriented, team-based FPS, though not entirely new, is a sub-genre in the FPS arena that I feel does not receive    I had really high hopes for Brink and after putting several hours into it, I come to the conclusion that the game is good, not great.

    PROS:
    The thing that is great about Brink is it feels genuinely ambitious and original, dripping with potential. The whole idea of objective oriented, team-based FPS, though not entirely new, is a sub-genre in the FPS arena that I feel does not receive enough attention from developers. I found the fact that Brink does not track K/D to be a little weird at first, but after a while of playing a game where "the objective is all that matters" I felt right at home without it and found the feeling refreshing.

    I really enjoy the presentation of the game. The slightly stylized human and gun models are visually interesting and genuinely different from the slew of realistic FPS games out there. I really like how the visuals sort of straddle the line between cartoony and realistic, like a mash-up of Team Fortress 2 and Borderlands through a Blade Runner-like lens.

    The game is chock full interesting little bits of style that I enjoy. When downed by gunfire, choosing between waiting for a medic and respawning is accompanied by piano notes. Stylish but simple. The objective wheel is visually inviting yet straight to the point and easy to navigate. Menus are clean and easy to read.

    CONS:
    Unfortunately, the game just doesn't feel finished. Enemies at distance have choppy movements. The parkour elements work for the most part, but at times don't feel tangible like the character is merely floating around the environment. There are several times when I would try to jump to a platform in the game and clearly miss and suddenly find myself pulling myself up the platform. It was nice to make the jump, but I felt like the game was just "giving" me the ledge; too forgiving, like the game is holding my hand. The campaigns, though completely different than any other campaign I've played in a FPS, was underwhelming. Each campaign chapter is proceeded by a short movie that tries to set the stage, but it never really comes across as pertinent or interesting. Each campaign mission is merely an online game populated with bots. While this fact isn't necessarily a bad thing, it doesn't help to pull the player into the narrative and make them feel invested in the story.

    Enemy and ally A.I. is extremely inconsistent, at times mind-numbingly stupid and others tactical geniuses, which necessitates online and co-op play. I played several private matches with a few friends online through the campaign, which definitely increased the fun factor of the game. However, the few times I tried playing public matches online were plagued by game-crippling lag. Splash Damage is apparently working on this problem.

    The plethora of guns in the game feels unnecessary as they don't differentiate between themselves very well. Most of the SMGs feel identical as well as the Assault Rifles to each other. I would prefer a smaller armory with more distinct firearms. Weapon balance feels like an issue needing attention as some guns feel completely overpowered while others feel like they're not even firing bullets.

    BOTTOM LINE:
    In the end, I have to say that I find Brink genuinely fun, however there are definite problems with the game that prevent it from reaching its full potential. The pros do outweigh the cons, but only just. Splash Damage's ambition is obvious and very refreshing, but the game is plagued with problems that I think could have been avoided had a beta been available. In all honesty, it feels like there was very little if any quality assurance conducted on the game, which is a shame, because underneath the tarnished surface, lies a shimmering game that deserves more attention. Who knows? Perhaps with a few updates this game can be as good as it should be. I hope it comes to be.    … Expand
  17. MajorTomTGC
    May 10, 2011
    6
    +Good character customization
    -Awkward movement/controls
    -Poor single player -Not really much content -Spotty online play Again I am disappointed by a FPS that promises to change the way we play them. I will say that I tend to play mostly single player games, but I have a soft spot for online FPS. Unfortunately, in Brink S/P and M/P are the same game, seriously. Once again I was hoping    +Good character customization
    -Awkward movement/controls
    -Poor single player
    -Not really much content
    -Spotty online play

    Again I am disappointed by a FPS that promises to change the way we play them. I will say that I tend to play mostly single player games, but I have a soft spot for online FPS. Unfortunately, in Brink S/P and M/P are the same game, seriously. Once again I was hoping for Borderlands and was severely let down, this isn't even Black Ops. If you really, really enjoy FPS Kill/Die/Respawn/Repeat mayhem, then this is for you. I however, I don't really, but at least L.A. Noir is out next week.    … Expand
  18. TLove
    May 12, 2011
    7
    Disappointing when you consider the hype this game got. Was marketed as having limitless customization, alas, the appearance options are all pretty stupid looking. The character face options are weird and does not allow for making your character look like yourself at all. Gun customization is mediocre but the gun camo isn't changeable which is hard to understand.. The actual game-play isDisappointing when you consider the hype this game got. Was marketed as having limitless customization, alas, the appearance options are all pretty stupid looking. The character face options are weird and does not allow for making your character look like yourself at all. Gun customization is mediocre but the gun camo isn't changeable which is hard to understand.. The actual game-play is satisfying and new but the story is piss poor and barely even existent. I played the entire Rebellion campaign without learning a single character's name.… Expand
  19. Qwik
    May 11, 2011
    6
    Unfortuantely this single player campaign in the game is unplayable. The AI is one of the worse I've seen and essentially kills the game. Multiplayer, with 2-4 buddies is much better and obviously the way the game was designed. However, the need to play the game in only that mode limits the overall value (for me) of the game. I do like the look and feel of the game but just wish it hadUnfortuantely this single player campaign in the game is unplayable. The AI is one of the worse I've seen and essentially kills the game. Multiplayer, with 2-4 buddies is much better and obviously the way the game was designed. However, the need to play the game in only that mode limits the overall value (for me) of the game. I do like the look and feel of the game but just wish it had a single player mode that was fun (or even worthwhile).… Expand
  20. Super-Evil-DOOM
    May 10, 2011
    6
    This game is insanely mediocre. It lacks depth and variety which is not a trait that should be found in a game that is 100% multiplayer. There is absolutely nothing special about Brink whatsoever which is a shame because it certainly has some style and an interesting idea in the whole freerunning element mixed with an FPS. The movement is clunky, like people were saying. There are lots ofThis game is insanely mediocre. It lacks depth and variety which is not a trait that should be found in a game that is 100% multiplayer. There is absolutely nothing special about Brink whatsoever which is a shame because it certainly has some style and an interesting idea in the whole freerunning element mixed with an FPS. The movement is clunky, like people were saying. There are lots of issues with sprinting and bumping into teammates that will just outright stop people which is pretty silly considering multiplayer games always spawn you next to the entire team. The SMART system isn't as precise as it should be which contributes more to movement issues. There would be several times where something wouldn't work or would be really slow and pointless to use and I would just think of how Mirror's Edge did the first-person free-running thing so much better. I remember watching these trailers and I questioned whether or not the parkour would really change FPS gameplay. Imagine stuff like wall-running or jumping off walls in an FPS. They try to show some of this in the trailers but the fact is, you will die if you try anything other than random sliding in the middle of a firefight unless you're trying to run away. Some of the level design is interesting but overall it doesn't feel that the majority of them took advantage of the fact that you can run all over the place.

    There is a lack of maps and the modes are all pretty much attack/defend with an occasional escort objective thrown in, with really long time limits. The majority of the time this makes it really easy on the attacking team because all you have to do is get one good run and you will get the objective but maps are broken down into around 2-4 different objectives, all usually with a 6-10 minute time limit which can makes gameplay extremely tedious and based around camping. The classes also don't bring too much to the table other than going for class-specific objectives. There's the Medic that every class-based game has, Engineer, Soldier, and Operative, which is kind of like a poor man's Spy from Team Fortress 2. The game itself is kind of like a watered down Battlefield with a style reminiscent of Borderlands, but even the general shooting gameplay isn't really tight. It feels like someone threw a wrench in the Call of Duty machine (and Call of Duty's formula already has some dead rats twisting in the gears) and out came an extremely basic FPS in an era full of them. I don't really care about a game lacking single player but it's absolutely ridiculous to call something a 2-8 player co-op campaign when it's just playing against bots.

    If you want a class-based multiplayer shooter, get Bad Company 2, Monday Night Combat, or Team Fortess 2. If you want to do cool free-running, buy Assassin's Creed or Mirror's Edge. If you want very little of both that leaves very much to be desired, buy Brink. It saddens me that this game doesn't bring anything special to the genre. I've been playing the Gears of War 3 beta for three weeks it's better than Brink.    … Expand
  21. MaxxSwan13
    Dec 10, 2011
    6
    I'm giving it a 6.5/10 cuz it's fun but gets boring after a while. Especially most of the missions. I can't find any people online to play it with. It annoys me.
  22. MAGiCR
    May 10, 2011
    7
    All we seem to be playing these days is First Person Shooters and in Brink, that's what we have. Can Brink step up to the mark in the wake of the impressive Crysis 2? We're going to give you the low-down on this highly anticipated release from developer Splash Damage, produced by Bethesda.

    Set in the near future, Brink places you firmly on the 'Ark' a floating city just off the beautiful    All we seem to be playing these days is First Person Shooters and in Brink, that's what we have. Can Brink step up to the mark in the wake of the impressive Crysis 2? We're going to give you the low-down on this highly anticipated release from developer Splash Damage, produced by Bethesda.

    Set in the near future, Brink places you firmly on the 'Ark' a floating city just off the beautiful coast of San Francisco. The 'Ark' houses near 50,000 inhabitants scrounging for basic supplies due to the severe overcrowding. I'm going to stop right there for a moment because Brink is not about story-telling, nor is it pretending to be. Brink aims to seemlessly blend the single player and multiplayer aspect of the game, which it does albeit in a slightly confusing fashion. You can select Story Mode and join a public session to face off against human enemies as opposed to AI, or go at it Solo. The choice is yours.

    The first time you boot up the disc, you're greeted by what only can be described as an RPG style character creation screen, which is something 99% of RPG's would give a lobotomy for, it's impressive, but this is a First Person Shooter? Which begs the question, is it necessary? I think in Brink's case it is. Burning away hours in the customization screen only adds to time spent, where content is otherwise on the slim side.

    Normally I would tell you a bit about the campaign mode and the single player features however, Brink doesn't have a single player/campaign per se. This is a multiplayer game in the same context as Unreal Tournament and Quake Wars, where the single player modes are essentially the multiplayer side of the game but with bots. I would love to have had a dedicated campaign mode in Brink, whenever multiplayer got you down or frustrated, at least you could unwind, relax and just enjoy some good storytelling, not here. Single player is far more frustrating with largely inept bots replacing human counterparts in the same environment covering the same missions.

    Brink shines when the bots are replaced by cursing, sweaty men. Multiplayer is fun and teamwork is back on the menu, success and level progression is solely based on how much of a team player you are. Are you the type of player that hits the Select button after every death to check your kill to death spread? None of that here, a superb experience points based system challenges your ability to work as a group and it's refreshing to play a modern day FPS that not only encourages you to play as a team, but demands it.

    Level progression doesn't immortalise the players that have spent the longest time playing either, only makes you a more valued support team member. Newcomers will not be blown away by somebody that is higher level on a one-on-one duel by way of equipment, but by skill. Being alone out there is a scary place, stick by your team to stay alive to complete primary objectives and class specific secondary objectives. Just sticking close to a group will yield experience points. Once you reach the maximum character level, you might as well create another character and alternate between the different characters you've created, after all this is a Role Playing First person Shooter.

    It's only when you're either confronted or joined by bots that this game becomes frustrating and at times unforgiving. Thankfully an option to invite up to 3 other friends to strategically help you out through every mission is very much welcomed. Brink is a game that requires you to have plenty of friends at hand for you to fully appreciate its direction, in an era where FPS are all about lone wolves and killstreaks.

    The art styling of Brink is smooth and further demonstrates Splash Damage' ability to think outside the box. Some will like the style, some won't, that doesn't mean it's a bad looking game, just notably distancing itself from the current crop of modern day FPS titles, for which we applaud.

    The game mechanics from the upgraded ID Tech 4 engine is as smooth as you like and plays as you would expect, very well.
    Brink ushers something relatively new to the table thanks to Splash Damage' SMART system (Smooth Movement Across Random Terrain). This system in theory will allow you to manoever around the lush landscape on the 'Ark' without fuss, does it work? Yes it does, however it can be clumsy and difficult to master, even after spending time in the brilliant tutorial videos you'll still inadvertantly stumble over unwanted random terrain.

    Closing Thoughts
    Brink is a multiplayer game and as such needs humans to populate the game modes. Due to poor AI, the single player side is entirely forgettable and it's hard to recommend a full priced game for just multiplayer alone.

    Read the rest - Full review > http://magicr.co.uk/wordpress/index.php/2011/05/10/brink-review/    … Expand
  23. NJR
    May 10, 2011
    6
    Big disappointment. The campaign is awful, no real story and is stupidly boring, in-game graphics are very shoddy, AI are mediocre. You can max out your character within a day or two, there are not enough maps and it is just generally way too repetitive. On the plus side though the movement system is a very nice touch, very smooth and easy to get used too and also I enjoyed playing a FPSBig disappointment. The campaign is awful, no real story and is stupidly boring, in-game graphics are very shoddy, AI are mediocre. You can max out your character within a day or two, there are not enough maps and it is just generally way too repetitive. On the plus side though the movement system is a very nice touch, very smooth and easy to get used too and also I enjoyed playing a FPS that actually tried to be different to CoD or Halo. Could have been a good game, won't be playing this one for much longer.… Expand
  24. dayer
    May 10, 2011
    6
    Disappointing and repetitive are two words that spring to mind, the A1 are just plain dumb, as usual the hype is bigger than the content. Good try though at doing things a little different, just needed a bit more thought...
  25. Jerik02
    May 10, 2011
    5
    This game was pretty meh as it is basically a team fortress knock off. I don't like the cartoony, cheesy character models and the ai is terrible. Another example of how Bethesda rushes games out the door before completion. The reviews and sales figures don't lie.
  26. AtlantianGarbo
    May 10, 2011
    7
    This game is VERY odd. Not what I was expecting at all. Brink has the same type of campaign as Star Wars Battlefront II. By that I mean it has many small missions on small maps instead of a linear storyline.
  27. VermillionHaze
    May 11, 2011
    6
    Brink is getting mixed reviews as it should. But what i'm hearing the most is it's too hard and the allied AI is not sufficient. I'm of the minority that shooters are too easy. The single player is extremely brutal but even with one human partner all the missions are pretty easy for the avid fps gamer. I don't think anyone bought this game to play alone anyways. My opinion is this game'sBrink is getting mixed reviews as it should. But what i'm hearing the most is it's too hard and the allied AI is not sufficient. I'm of the minority that shooters are too easy. The single player is extremely brutal but even with one human partner all the missions are pretty easy for the avid fps gamer. I don't think anyone bought this game to play alone anyways. My opinion is this game's campaign and story are mediocre compared to Halo or Cod however the multiplayer is more engaging and fun. The levels are well crafted minus a few design flaws when it comes to "Escort" missions. The parkour gameplay while not earth shattering should be mandatory in these games. In conclusion Brink is a solid game that might even be GREAT given a patch or two. It's difficult and addicting unlike the same thrown up Call of Duty we get every few years.… Expand
  28. Devil_Man_X
    May 12, 2011
    6
    This is not a bad game exactly. It's just not a good one, especially for the price. In a few months when gamestop is selling it for $20 (As I'm sure this will happen) it will then be well worth the price. I'm going to cover a few things so that no one makes the same mistake I did.

    Graphics: Very lackluster. Character models are not very polished at all. Characters look rather pixelated    This is not a bad game exactly. It's just not a good one, especially for the price. In a few months when gamestop is selling it for $20 (As I'm sure this will happen) it will then be well worth the price. I'm going to cover a few things so that no one makes the same mistake I did.

    Graphics: Very lackluster. Character models are not very polished at all. Characters look rather pixelated in some cases, with squared off edges popping up quite often. Glitches in picture quality are frequent yet inconsistent. Overall not hideous but not what you would expect with Bethesda publishing it.

    Gameplay: Pretty solid. Controls feel tight and responsive. Amazing customization of controls. Being able to map the controls to any button you want is a wonderful yet often overlooked option. As solid as the controls might be there are far too many good shooters out there that are just as tight and deliver far more.

    S.M.A.R.T. movement system: This is the most hyped yet under-delivered option that Brink brings to the table. This can be fun but does not deliver the depth or feel that Mirrors Edge did. It sometimes fails to do the intended action. It doesn't help that the maps don't seem to have the detail for this to be really useful. Most areas in which you can use the system in some way are just too obvious. Some that seem like they should be reachable simply aren't.

    Campaign: Non-existent. The campaign is simply regular match made style objectives with cut scenes thrown in. The game is terrible at trying to tell a story and does next to nothing to tell you what your mission is. Don't be fooled by the so called "mission within a mission" options. These are class based and are as simple as going to point A and plant an explosive. Customization: The customization options for your character and guns have a rather cool look and style. Yet there are far too few options over all. The big head scratcher here is why some options are permanent. Tattoos and scars that can be chosen at the character creation screen can not be changed past that point. A complete fail on the part of Splash Damage.

    A.I. Bots: Any time you're playing the game and don't have a complete team on both sides the game will fill those slots with A.I. Bots. These are some of the worst bots I've ever seen. They do everything from using the same bottle necked hallway over and over again to ignoring the obvious target to chase someone else. Overall: Basically it's not a terrible game it's just not that good. There is definitely some fun to be had here just not enough fun for the $60 price tag it comes with. I've read some reviews that claim the team based element is what makes it worthwhile. Don't be fooled by that. I agree that the teamwork aspect is one of the good points to the game but it is far from making up for Brink's other failings. A serious lack of depth as well as a multitude of glitches and lag ruin what could have been an good game. Splash Damage failing to deliver on so many promises is the real problem here. When it inevitably goes on sale for $20 or less it will be a worthwhile option.

    Thanks for reading.    … Expand
  29. Ross87
    Jul 26, 2011
    5
    Like most had been waiting for this game, so i traded in crysis 2 to get it, i player it 3 times in total, for no more than an hour each. single player is EXACTLY the same as multiplayer just with bots instead. No real story to it, although the challenges can be fun with a friend on xbox live. If i knew what i know now, i would skip buying this game,and save your money for something more refined.
  30. SuperHans28
    May 13, 2011
    7
    Brink is an enjoyable, class based, team FPS with hectic game play. Launch issues of lag in the free play 8v8 online isn't a great way to start but this is apparently being worked on. On the other hand, the co-op is really fun and is usually completely lag free. The challenges do offer a good amount of challenge especially the Tower Defence and Be More Objective modes. Customization is aBrink is an enjoyable, class based, team FPS with hectic game play. Launch issues of lag in the free play 8v8 online isn't a great way to start but this is apparently being worked on. On the other hand, the co-op is really fun and is usually completely lag free. The challenges do offer a good amount of challenge especially the Tower Defence and Be More Objective modes. Customization is a bit lacking but compared to FPS there is actually considerably a lot more then most other shooters. Overall, I would say try the game by either buying, renting or borrowing it off a friend and make up you're own opinions not base them off reviews.… Expand
  31. YourThoughts
    May 17, 2011
    5
    I am giving this game a rating of 5, due to the fact I returned it to the store within 5 hours of owning it, This being said, i am open minded and understand i know people who are enjoying the game but to me it just seems TOO simple (like a free online FPS for PC), I found the game non-atmospheric and boring. Trailers portrayed the game to be a fast paced, free running shoot em up, but inI am giving this game a rating of 5, due to the fact I returned it to the store within 5 hours of owning it, This being said, i am open minded and understand i know people who are enjoying the game but to me it just seems TOO simple (like a free online FPS for PC), I found the game non-atmospheric and boring. Trailers portrayed the game to be a fast paced, free running shoot em up, but in reality you can only hop over objects such as couches (soo much for the urban 'Ark' world we were promised), while sprinting makes no real improvement to walking. Graphics are a HUGE let down compared to other recent releases, unless your in to long faced cartoon people and endless glitches make this game too frustrating when playing against others online. Fair enough that the glitches can be updated in time and that downloadable content will become available, but character customization is not as vast as it first seems and downloadable content will not change the overall gameplay. Seems to me that Bethesda had a great idea for a new upbeat FPS which could have made one of the best modern shooters we have seen in a few years, but sadly it failed to live up to its expectations.
    The campaign storyline and cinematics seem to be there only as an introduction to each battle and there is no real depth in the story, so if you a single player person i cant see why you would enjoy 'Brink'. But there is still hope for Bethesda's 'BRINK' as i do know a few people who are fans of the game and relate it to an older FPS known as 'Shadowrun' (which was popular for its online gameplay). So if you enjoyed 'Shadowrun' then chances are you are sure to love 'Brink'. I personally am not a 'Shadowrun' fan, but i am open minded and understand it will be a good play for certain gamers.    … Expand
  32. MindSpaz
    Sep 18, 2011
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Do not buy this game.
    Why?
    There are many reasons, but I'll just talk about the main ones. For the Xbox 360, it feels like the controls were just moved from the PC version and it is hard to control and maneuver the player and slight delays with button presses, AKA, bad programming.
    It lacks in the "free-running" aspect which is what originally drew my attention to this game, you can only simply wall run and climb, simple things like that, and it's very, very hard to keep a "flow" because of the lag online. The single player and the online gameplay are nearly exactly the same, except with one factor, lag.
    Trying to get this game to run on my computer was even a hassle, it kept crashing without reason, and the controls felt sticky and slippery and just all over the place.
    The one good thing however, is when you're getting this game to actually work properly.
    The objectives are interesting and it is fun to play with friends, the customization is very in depth and its pretty much the only reason I'm giving this game a 5/10.
    Overall, the game seems very, very unfinished and it seemed like bethesda was trying to meet a deadline. If this game was worked on a little bit longer, I'm sure this would be an amazing gemstone of a game that would definitely be a popular first person shooter on the market.    … Expand
  33. Theguyoffire
    Mar 4, 2012
    5
    Storyline is utterly forgettable, Gameplay is no fun, and the graphics look like it was from 2007. But forget all that. How much more overhyped could this game be? I bought this game last year because my friend wanted me to buy it. Turns out it sucked. Rent it rating at best. 4.0/10
  34. xHEISENBERGx
    Mar 20, 2012
    5
    I was initially very excited about brink, but in the end it was a dull, forgettable experience. I really enjoyed the concept of parkour shooter. Hell Mirrors Edge was great, how can imporiving upon the combat component and allowing online matches be anything other than amazing, right? Wrong. It's lackluster experience just starts to wear the more you play. First, some praise. I love theI was initially very excited about brink, but in the end it was a dull, forgettable experience. I really enjoyed the concept of parkour shooter. Hell Mirrors Edge was great, how can imporiving upon the combat component and allowing online matches be anything other than amazing, right? Wrong. It's lackluster experience just starts to wear the more you play. First, some praise. I love the art style, its sleek and futuristic while still chaotic. Second, the SMART movement aspect works great most of the time, though occasionally I would find myself lunging over boxes or jumping on walls when I did not mean to do so. Some of the gripes I have are toward the gameplay as a whole. The weapons are fun at first but most of them start to blend together due to very similar playstyles. The gametypes are bland at best, all the same blend of CTF/territory or escort, not even a death match mode! Supplemented by some terrible A.I. Tie it all together with a virtually non-existant story, which plays as more a pregame cutscene than a driving force for the game, and it makes for a game that is very difficult to enjoy. I really wanted to love Brink, but honestly, in a market flooded with FPS clones, there are plenty of better substitutes the Brink… Expand
  35. twos
    Jun 11, 2013
    6
    I overall enjoyed this game although I have to say I didn't put a lot of time into it. If you are looking for story line you will be dissapointed, however as an arena style fps this game was thoroughly entertaining. The friendly AI can at times be more than aggravating, but the class system, style and game play mechanics are decent. you can get it in a bargain bin and get a few decentI overall enjoyed this game although I have to say I didn't put a lot of time into it. If you are looking for story line you will be dissapointed, however as an arena style fps this game was thoroughly entertaining. The friendly AI can at times be more than aggravating, but the class system, style and game play mechanics are decent. you can get it in a bargain bin and get a few decent hours of entertainment out of it just playing through two sides of the campaign.… Expand
  36. legacyofkane
    May 27, 2011
    7
    Brink, unfortunately for Splash Damage, did not live up to all the talk that it's creators had released into the world. The lack of content and lack of story-telling will ultimately keep this game from walking the road with great games; despite all of that however, there is something in brink that we as gamers will see again. The one thing that the developers promised and delivered upon: aBrink, unfortunately for Splash Damage, did not live up to all the talk that it's creators had released into the world. The lack of content and lack of story-telling will ultimately keep this game from walking the road with great games; despite all of that however, there is something in brink that we as gamers will see again. The one thing that the developers promised and delivered upon: a different approach to playing the game. The ability to see a strategically advantageous location, reach it, and utilize it effectively through SMART. It does require a certain amount of practice to use it well in-game, but once the player has reached that point it becomes a tool that will aid the player immensely. The SMART system, i believe, will be reincarnated into a new game. I only hope that the world is much larger and more diverse than the one it currently occupies.… Expand
  37. pointydagger
    May 30, 2011
    5
    I'll keep this as short as possible: I love the idea for this game. A huge amount of customization in a class based shooter with an easy to use free running tool. It sounds great on paper, but not on a disc, which is very upsetting because I was waiting for this game for half a year. There are things I question like why every multiplayer option has to be a mission, why I have to make anI'll keep this as short as possible: I love the idea for this game. A huge amount of customization in a class based shooter with an easy to use free running tool. It sounds great on paper, but not on a disc, which is very upsetting because I was waiting for this game for half a year. There are things I question like why every multiplayer option has to be a mission, why I have to make an ingame chat to talk to teammates, why heavy is even an option because the health is barely noticeable, and you could just hack the health post for the same effect, why they introduce characters when all they do is take up 6 possible spots and hand them to the terrible AI. Yup, 6 spots automatically go to bots. 3 on both sides. When you get into a game, even though people have said something about an early update, there is a good chance of lag. All that said, once you play it is fun, and you will get your semi-mindless shooter fix. I guess I was just hoping for a little more than mindless shooter.… Expand
  38. flyjar
    Jun 2, 2011
    6
    While the updates have fixed the major lag issues the game still isn't that great. When playing co-op on-line, even on easy, the computer controlled players seem too powerful and I often wonder how I got killed. There are too many choking points on the maps where you are killing and getting killed far too often. It's not always obvious when you are in an enemy base only to be killed byWhile the updates have fixed the major lag issues the game still isn't that great. When playing co-op on-line, even on easy, the computer controlled players seem too powerful and I often wonder how I got killed. There are too many choking points on the maps where you are killing and getting killed far too often. It's not always obvious when you are in an enemy base only to be killed by the turrets. And while the movement system is pretty nice, I find myself vaulting on to boxes that I didn't want to, completely exposing myself to the enemy. The medic class seems to be over powered and very easy to max out, when getting frustrated I found myself switch back to this class quite often. Tip: when you shoot an enemy, make sure you kill them in "last stand" so the medic doesn't revive them.… Expand
  39. JakeLunn
    May 15, 2011
    6
    Brink is fun for some, but not for others. For those who are blessed with living in an area that has fast internet speeds for a low amount of money, it is fun. For those who can't afford fast internet speeds or don't live an area with them available it is not; Brink is a total lag fest for them. Not to say that any game isn't a lag fest if you have **** internet, but Brink seems to notBrink is fun for some, but not for others. For those who are blessed with living in an area that has fast internet speeds for a low amount of money, it is fun. For those who can't afford fast internet speeds or don't live an area with them available it is not; Brink is a total lag fest for them. Not to say that any game isn't a lag fest if you have **** internet, but Brink seems to not even attempt to adhere to the less fortunate. The game itself however is fantastic, if you have a good enough connection to support it.… Expand
  40. amnix
    May 15, 2011
    5
    Only one word to describe this game; Unpolished. Texture streaming cant keep up. Unplayable multiplayer due to lag. Extremely pixualized visuals that make this game look last gen. No ingame lobbies or gamebrowser. Bots swarm the multiplayer servers. Campaing/offline mode is severely unbalanced with the godly enemy AI. Controls are very poor and generic with one sensitivity for both lookOnly one word to describe this game; Unpolished. Texture streaming cant keep up. Unplayable multiplayer due to lag. Extremely pixualized visuals that make this game look last gen. No ingame lobbies or gamebrowser. Bots swarm the multiplayer servers. Campaing/offline mode is severely unbalanced with the godly enemy AI. Controls are very poor and generic with one sensitivity for both look and ADS, which is a shame because it makes all of the guns to feel shallow. I *really* wanted to like this game, as i've been following the development of it for years. As of now, Brink, should still be in beta, this game is NOT finished.… Expand
  41. Rimsie
    May 17, 2011
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I tried not to write this as I think the guys at SplashDamage represent a fine slice of gaming history. I hope that they can produce something new and innovative in this genre, Brink is not it. Brink is a little like Killzone 3 and a little like Team Fortress but does not compare to either. It has placable turrets, a disguise ability and varied objectives like Killzone 3. The look and movement are more like Team Fortress. It has the typical classes. The player movement is great. The graphics are poor and the game play relies heavily on communication which is where it falls down. The AI is incredibly useless as the gameplay requires support between players and you dont get this from the AI. Most multiplayer games are not full with real players. AI make up the remainder and just frustrate you in their uselessness. Added to this is the fact that the players that are on are never on voice chat. This game is probably very enjoyable if played privately with full teams. Ideal for clans. It just breaks down when played between random players who don't communicate.
    Its currently quite laggy as well. There are no addictive aspects to the game, its easy to put down after a short time. The challenge mode is very short and then you're just left with campaign which uses the same few maps and objectives as multiplayer. If a patch could improve the AI and add maps then that would be great as graphics are a small matter when having fun.    … Expand
  42. SRSFACE
    May 16, 2011
    7
    Brink is enjoyable, but I wish I payed twenty less dollars for it. It feels like a $40 title. There's a lack of polish that strikes me as odd considering all the videos for the game hinted at much more than what is delivered. There's only a handful of maps, but thankfully due to the objective-based gameplay they have a lot of replay value without getting stale (especially if you switchBrink is enjoyable, but I wish I payed twenty less dollars for it. It feels like a $40 title. There's a lack of polish that strikes me as odd considering all the videos for the game hinted at much more than what is delivered. There's only a handful of maps, but thankfully due to the objective-based gameplay they have a lot of replay value without getting stale (especially if you switch sides.) The whole "blends single player and multiplayer" thing they touted? It's crap. It means bots fill in the slots when you don't play multiplayer. There is an abhorrent lack of story, too. The little clips that play before rounds in the campaign make little to no sense, and even if you bother to go through the dossier to listen to unlocked audioclips, there's nothing compelling about what's going on in the least.

    Where the game shines is in the teamplay aspect. As aiming is really a secondary skill for this title compared to other FPS games, controlling chokepoints and utilizing your class to it's fullest is how you get the most out of playing. There's no kill/death ratio which I absolutely love, because there's no smack-talking from childish clowns on the other team.

    There are some balance issues. For one, the "stealth" class is awful. Soldiers resupply ammo, medics revive people, engineers buff gun damage and armor, and the other class (I honestly forget what it's called because I refuse to play it) provides no tactical use to a team. Other than when they are required to hack spots, they serve no team utility.

    Each gun handles pretty much entirely the same. Almost all of them have similar stats across the boards, anyway. AR guns all handle the exact same with slightly differing clip sizes, all the SMGs handle the same as every other SMG, etc. Handguns are worthless because while the game claims that it ups your melee damage by giving you a knife, melee is 1,000,000% useless.

    The game really, really, really needs some sort of reason to aim. As long as I'm remotely shooting at the enemy, I score hits and spray til people drop. I tend to get a lot more kills since switching to a mini-gun as a result, as ironsighting hinders your ability to drop enemies rather than help. Headshots don't kill immediately either, so no reason to aim at anything other than the midsection of baddies.

    I love the graphics. The "S.M.A.R.T." system to run freely and leap over obstacles is fairly cool. It doesn't feel any different than hitting the action button on obstacles you can climb in other shooters, though, so I don't get what the big deal is. Sound could use a little tweaking as I feel overwhelmed with loudness jumping behind one of the MGs and it's too difficult to tell what guns enemies are using.

    I think there's a potential for franchise development so I'm giving it a 7 rather than a 6, purely for breaking the mold and daring to be different. It's a mediocre game that still offers a lot of replayability at best and an unpolished lackluster title at worst.    … Expand
  43. minharo200
    May 29, 2011
    6
    To start off, I entered this game with high expectations. Now this could be good or bad depending on the person, but I followed this game religiously for a few weeks here and there, being a previous fan of Wolfenstien and Quake Wars. However, how on earth did they screw up?!
    PROS:
    Gameplay - You work as a team and it is fun to take separate roles to tackle certain objectives. Each class    To start off, I entered this game with high expectations. Now this could be good or bad depending on the person, but I followed this game religiously for a few weeks here and there, being a previous fan of Wolfenstien and Quake Wars. However, how on earth did they screw up?!
    PROS:
    Gameplay - You work as a team and it is fun to take separate roles to tackle certain objectives. Each class does have its strengths and it does gear itself to helping newcomers to grapple the reins easier.
    Artwork - Really well done, the world is fleshed out and you do feel a certain connected-ness to the environment because the battles do take places in areas that subliminally tell a story. Also, character customizations are really nice and gun customizations make you look more tougher and fit your style of play and character.
    CONS: (unfortunately, here's where I need to say)
    Story - The story starts decently, but since watching videos instead of jumping into the combat while online is pointless, so if you want to play online immediately, you cant waste time learning the little back story which doesn't do much to the game play and doesn't give enough time to make you care about your side.
    Also, when playing several matches, you begin not to care about a bigger story and really just care if your team is going to work together or not.
    Graphics - I said the ARTWORK was nice, not the graphical component. While yes, the areas are designed to look real and liveable, the game is always loading textures even in the middle of combat. It makes a greased-lens effect which does make it a bit distracting since the textures of everything change every couple of seconds. Also, explosions don't look nice.
    Gameplay - While the team work is fun, it is not perfect. Either you get lucky and get a team that plays smart or you dont. If you become the only intelligent person trying to fix the main objective, many people just go off trying to get kills and leave you vulnerable and many times don't support. Also, the AI for allies and enemies, are terrible. While they do give support, they will not go after objectives, leaving the grunt work for you every time and the enemy AI can be unforgiving, seeming to target you more often than not. This is a game meant for TEAMS but if one person doesn't support, it can mess the entire vibe. Also, there is not a emphasis to learn and become skilled with one class. Spies are good but don't really help the team too much, Soldiers can lob Molotov all day but that's about it. Engineers are the strongest class since they can just turtle around building sentry guns at will and not be penalized whenever its destroyed. Medics heal and are important but noone ever wants to be a support, and are always in dire need. It is supposed to be balanced but when you are playing with real people who want glory and battle [a unfortunate side effect thanks to COD] noone cares about the comrade next to you unless there's nothing more important occupying your time at that moment.
    and leveling up? you can level up in 1 to 3 days, depending how much you play, but even then its not a lot. Once you finish a character, its just build another one and the list goes on.

    Overall, if you are not a hardcore shooter fan but a fan of team shooters, this is worth checking your time. However, if you want more serious roles and stronger games in the same respect, you could do a lot better, such as Team Fortress 2. Don't misunderstand me, this is a good game. Its just not great.    … Expand
  44. DevelopedMilk
    Jun 20, 2011
    5
    yeah just alright . 5 based on retail price 60 us definitely not worth the money. disappointing campaign, multiplayer, and allaround gameplay. was expecting an epic campaign that really swayed my thoughts on controlling freedom and exploiting but the story was not in the least bit immersive. i played enough with one character to know that the gameplay was broken and did not flow halfyeah just alright . 5 based on retail price 60 us definitely not worth the money. disappointing campaign, multiplayer, and allaround gameplay. was expecting an epic campaign that really swayed my thoughts on controlling freedom and exploiting but the story was not in the least bit immersive. i played enough with one character to know that the gameplay was broken and did not flow half asmuchas promised. online was laggy and the only play i really got was with rediculously hard computers. by hard i mean powerful but just plain stupid. like a group of medics staring at me as i walk towards them opening fire just repeatedly healing eachother not even attempting to take me out. guns just didnt fire right, smart didnt smart right, and customization was kinda bland. there were times when i enjoyed owning fields of guys but more often than not games were unwinnable. i traded it in a week after purchase because cutting my losses was worth more than keeping it around. five is probably more than it deserves but im still hopeful for a proper sequel.… Expand
  45. sinadoom
    Sep 7, 2012
    5
    Credible concept and admirable effort at an arena-based shooter which is modern, class-based, fast-paced, objective-orientated and still skillful since there aren't any stupid killstreaks or perks in the game. Unfortunately however, the game is not incredible due to a number of flaws in theexecution of it. It's a complex game but explained and made simple. But it feels like it was made forCredible concept and admirable effort at an arena-based shooter which is modern, class-based, fast-paced, objective-orientated and still skillful since there aren't any stupid killstreaks or perks in the game. Unfortunately however, the game is not incredible due to a number of flaws in theexecution of it. It's a complex game but explained and made simple. But it feels like it was made for PC as an alternative to the dull and boring/repetive Unreal Tournament 3 kind of game. Brink runs on a decent game engine but for some reason (most likely outdated hardware) id Tech 4's graphics look like Quake 1 most of the time because the Xbox 360 takes literally seconds to load textures on just about everything. For instance, look at something really close up, turn around and quickly turn around again and you have to wait for it to load. This problem has not been addressed with id Tech 5 either so it's yet another generation issue rather than the game's fault. The difficulty is iffy and inconsistent, especially in the challenge missions which are frustrating. Be More Objective is extremely difficult even for seasoned players, because of the badly implemented AI and poor map design and spawns. The story and customisation is pretty bad but above all it's pointless. The cheesey and obvious names for weapons that look exactly like some real-life weapons makes the game feel like a gimmick, which isn't greatly aided by the hideous looking character models. As a team-based multiplayer arena shooter Brink brings some fresh innovation by combining tried-and-tested elements with arena-based gameplay and objectives. It's no TF2 though, so don't expect it to be too much fun. The voice acting is also hideous, especially when you have to hear "Brothers" at the start and end of EVERYTHING. So all in all, Brink is nothing more than a next-gen concept for reviving the arena-based FPS, but it's still very much in the prototype stage with many small but significant imperfections which need to be addressed. It's OK for developers to make mistakes but the important thing is for splash damage to learn from what they did wrong in Brink and try to make their next iteration more polished. The current state of this game has too many issues and can't be taken seriously at all. The idea is exciting, but because it's plagued in just about every department of what constitutes a "good" game I can't brand it as good. Certainly below average performance. It has potential though.… Expand
  46. The_Lang_Theory
    Nov 20, 2011
    5
    This game had huge potential for a story as well as gameplay and still does if a sequel is produced with a complete restructure or the game could be completely remade. Brink feels like Battlefield but is no way near the latter. The single player feels as if you are playing multiplayer :/ the interface is not user friendly and you find it frustrating at points where you just wish thatThis game had huge potential for a story as well as gameplay and still does if a sequel is produced with a complete restructure or the game could be completely remade. Brink feels like Battlefield but is no way near the latter. The single player feels as if you are playing multiplayer :/ the interface is not user friendly and you find it frustrating at points where you just wish that controls and movement would just agree with you. The setting is seriously cool and I think a movie adaptation could be amazing. The story was compelling enough for me to buy the game without taking anything else into consideration however I found that as the plot progressed the game began to flop. This means that I have stopped playing altogether and I will be trading it in for a discount on a game with more lasting appeal. If you're interested in seeing how the game pans out and make a deduction of your own no one is going to stop you from buying it but please consider renting or checking out some gameplay videos before proceeding.… Expand
  47. FizzBickets
    Dec 27, 2011
    5
    I went as low as I could while still making this a mixed review, because Brink is not a good game. Let's begin.

    Story: I didn't get the game for it's story, but it's still a pretty awful plot. The rebellion VS. the authorities is pretty common, whether it be movies or games. Actually being able to pick which side to be on does add a LITTLE flavor to it, but not much at all. Gameplay: The    I went as low as I could while still making this a mixed review, because Brink is not a good game. Let's begin.

    Story: I didn't get the game for it's story, but it's still a pretty awful plot. The rebellion VS. the authorities is pretty common, whether it be movies or games. Actually being able to pick which side to be on does add a LITTLE flavor to it, but not much at all.

    Gameplay: The combat itself is decent. It's not good, it's not bad, it's just decent. The guns in the game are relatively easy to manipulate, instead of holding down the fire button, just keep tapping it for no recoil. But of course, the main part of Brink is the objective. Now the objectives are just about the most repetitive thing in the game. You rebuild, destroy, and hack everything. That's fine for your non-story driven multiplayer, but it makes for a lousy campaign. Not to mention your team's AI very frequently goes off and does some minuscule objective, leaving you to push the game ahead by yourself. This makes the game stale, quick. Brink is certainly not your average game, but that's not always a good thing.

    Multiplayer: Near nonexistent. The multiplayer is not your average Call of Duty multiplayer, it's you and a few other people (and the annoying as ever AI) playing the few campaign missions the game has to offer. Not to say that there is no competitive aspect to it, or that all multiplayer must follow the Call of Duty standards, but there's just no incentive to play the multiplayer as it is just a mirror of the single-player.

    Controls: The default mapping of the button layout is pretty shockingly erratic, so I almost instantly switched over the the "Call to Duty" controls, which sets the game to a typical FPS button layout. Going off these controls, the game runs pretty smooth. It's certainly nothing to save the game from its other flaws, but it keeps one more thing from frustrating you.

    Visuals: The graphics are also another savior to the game. No, they are not mind-blowing, but they give you something nice to look at as you watch your team run around and go capture another command post.

    Where Credit is Due: Probably 4 points out of this review is right here. The customization in this game is outstanding. The only game to date that I think surpasses it is The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which is my favorite game of the past couple years. There are endless possibilities from the clothes to the guns to the size of your character. It really does boost the game's replay value that would otherwise be out the window. Also, the little side missions are actually fun to play, mostly because of the fact that you have no team. There are still frustrating ones, though, so it's not great bundles of fun.

    The Bottom Line: Splash Damage did not blow me away with what was a very hyped-up game. The core elements of the game are for the most part lacking, but the polish and what should have been the lesser parts of the game do an exceptional job. It's hard to look back on this game and say that I bought it on release date, because I was very disappointed with the return on investment. $59.99 is nowhere near what I would pay for it now. This game is maybe worth buying for fifteen, MAYBE twenty bucks, but otherwise, keep your money in your pocket.    … Expand
  48. Samotslayer
    Sep 7, 2012
    5
    Brink is at heart a multiplayer game, Just like Splash Damage's previous game ET:QW. The gameplay is simple and so are the classes, the story of both Rebel and Ark Security are boring. The guns are generic, gameplay does not flow well and matchmaking is pathetic.
  49. FatalDeathSG45
    Aug 4, 2013
    5
    In a way, this game was special. It had a lot going for it: a civil war on an oceanic floating city, customizable weapons, class-based gameplay and the SMART movement system. However, after playing it for a few hours, my expectations were diminished. All the attachments in the world won't cover the fact that your guns are very weak, sometimes taking an entire magazine to kill one enemy.In a way, this game was special. It had a lot going for it: a civil war on an oceanic floating city, customizable weapons, class-based gameplay and the SMART movement system. However, after playing it for a few hours, my expectations were diminished. All the attachments in the world won't cover the fact that your guns are very weak, sometimes taking an entire magazine to kill one enemy. Then there's the A.I. This game is clearly designed to be played with human players, because your A.I. partners are dumber than a bag of bags, ignoring objectives, standing still being bullet magnets and only coming to your aid when they feel like it. Meanwhile, the enemy A.I. seems to fire magic homing bullets, because you'll get hit almost every time. And there's the gameplay itself. Every match seems to lean more towards the defending team rather than the attacking team. Between that and your dumb A.I. partners, this game is virtually unplayable offline. Again, this game is designed to be played against other humans, and even then it's not that great. This game is such a disappointment. If they make a new Brink, I'm not going to buy it unless it's really, really good.… Expand
  50. houyi111
    May 10, 2013
    5
    The game is bearable (and sometimes even fun) if you play only online (and hopefully no lag) with other real people, not AI. Otherwise, the game is garbage. I gave this game a 5, mainly because it offered the easiest 1000 achievements. If not, I will give it a 3.
  51. Polish_Infidel
    Jul 1, 2013
    5
    I had extremely high hopes for Brink before it was released. The pre-release videos showed a great FPS games with amazing team-oriented multiplayer utilizing classes of soldiers attempting to complete various mission types. Even better was the amount of customization allowed for outfits, physical features and weapons. Also there are Mirror's Edge type running, jumping and slidingI had extremely high hopes for Brink before it was released. The pre-release videos showed a great FPS games with amazing team-oriented multiplayer utilizing classes of soldiers attempting to complete various mission types. Even better was the amount of customization allowed for outfits, physical features and weapons. Also there are Mirror's Edge type running, jumping and sliding movements. However, the game was released buggy as heck and the computer AI seems to be broken. Single player story is basically the same thing Section 8 did. No real plot, just playing basic missions against the broken AI. The game had so much potential and then failed to deliver. Son, I am disappoint.… Expand
  52. SuperFloorMat
    Apr 28, 2013
    5
    Brink. .Brink of disappointing gameplay. I had a lot of fun training my engineer into lvl 20 but after that it was very very boring. I had a lot of tolerance for the frustratingly retarted AI that did nothing to support your team. They say you need Teamwork for Brink when I found myself not needing any, there is not much teamwork needed, It works like any other shooter for me. Defend as aBrink. .Brink of disappointing gameplay. I had a lot of fun training my engineer into lvl 20 but after that it was very very boring. I had a lot of tolerance for the frustratingly retarted AI that did nothing to support your team. They say you need Teamwork for Brink when I found myself not needing any, there is not much teamwork needed, It works like any other shooter for me. Defend as a team, attack as a team. .nothing much more. Brink has very unique graphics similar to borderlands where it was meant to be like that, which I like, It takes away the judgement of graphics and focuses on gameplay. .which was "meh" To upgrade your weapons and put attachments on them you would have to play mini games to get awards, by yourself and with friends. I thought this was good at first, but then I just wanted to skip them and played it in the missions, even though the mini games tried to teach you things that people should already know how to do. The story could of brought the game even more positive reviews, but sadly their is nothing. just little clips that was easily skipped of people talking about their problems and little fire fights going on, nothing important because they wanted to focus on "gameplay" Brink is fun with friends and a full lobby of people. But later on I sold Brink because I never played it again after 10 hours of gameplay.… Expand
  53. electriclight41
    Sep 3, 2013
    6
    This game probably deserves its rating, but is definitely worth playing. It had a bunch of hype before its release, which is why its ratings suffered. But it's a fun game with a multiplayer feel and tons of replayability. You can currently find it in the $5 range, which especially makes it a smart buy for people looking for a quality co-op game. Try it out!
  54. iddqd4
    Mar 19, 2018
    5
    Этот текст здесь для того что бы оценка отобразилась в моем профиле.
  55. Bradyboy12
    Aug 13, 2014
    7
    Brink is a surprisingly fun and refreshing fps in a world full of military Sims. Sure it has its issues like a lack of polish, a non existent story and lots of bugs, but if you feel swamped by traditional fps, brinks cool ideas and interesting mechanics are what you need.
  56. ethanvenzin
    May 5, 2014
    7
    i think brink is a great game it has soo much potentials but some of them just not fulfilled
    It's Stiff the game is and the character creation is not too good but i just love the gameplay and the franchise to do the parkour it's just sooo great
  57. fijiboy
    May 2, 2014
    5
    what was suppose to be a new innovative and ground breaking new FPS with parkour elements, came off as clunky, unisnspired and gimmicky. I mean its ok I guess, but there are so many better FPS games out there, and this one was such a dissapointment
  58. ThePotnoodleBoy
    Jun 21, 2014
    5
    The gameplay is simple, much like Team Fortress 2. The weapons feel useless and the supposed SMART system is actually quite dumb, along with the simple Utopia gone wrong plot line. But this game shines in the character customization, it is near limitless.

    However, sadly not much replay value offered here. 5/10
  59. gamingisgreat
    Aug 6, 2016
    5
    Brink is a decent shooter.

    Brink is squad-based,not in single player though.You have to do amazing,as your AI teammates are stupid as hell.Thankfully,the gunplay is the game's biggest strength The framerate is solid,but the game looks ugly,with bad textures etc. The character customisation is cool aswell,with a lot of combinations to make some silly-looking soldiers.    Brink is a decent shooter.

    Brink is squad-based,not in single player though.You have to do amazing,as your AI teammates are stupid as hell.Thankfully,the gunplay is the game's biggest strength

    The framerate is solid,but the game looks ugly,with bad textures etc.

    The character customisation is cool aswell,with a lot of combinations to make some silly-looking soldiers.

    Overall,Brink is a decent game.    … Expand
  60. UltaZer0
    Aug 11, 2015
    7
    I really like Brink, I planed on playing both the story's, but there is one level called Early Launch (day 6 of the Security story) where the AI is SO bad that I cant win, they go off to get the health command post (That you don't need) and leave me as the only one going after the main objective (The mission is timed btw) the first objective get's done fine, but the 2nd one.......OtherI really like Brink, I planed on playing both the story's, but there is one level called Early Launch (day 6 of the Security story) where the AI is SO bad that I cant win, they go off to get the health command post (That you don't need) and leave me as the only one going after the main objective (The mission is timed btw) the first objective get's done fine, but the 2nd one.......Other then the awful friendly AI and sort of clunky controls I really like Brink, and I would say yeah, give it a go, I got it for 3$ anyway but if you're going to make a timed team based shooter, make sure the friendly AI doesn't suck… Expand
  61. dogii
    Aug 7, 2016
    5
    Mediocre at best game, with constant bugs and pop in graphics. Also has a very stale story that you cant really engage in. The gameplay is pretty good though
  62. storygamer
    Sep 14, 2020
    6
    I saw the Bethesda logo on the cover of the Xbox 360 game Brink and was looking forward to a great gaming time. Unfortunately I was very disappointed. The beginning of the game is amusing. The controls are good and the campaign is fun. But the graphics and animations are just ok and the characters move like bricks. Even the multiplayer is disappointing after some matches.
  63. HydrophobikFish
    Jun 9, 2023
    5
    Parkour elements are fun and the character customization is awesome but overall pretty half baked. Campaign is just multiplayer maps with AI. Multiplayer is fun but poorly balanced. Overall forgettable.

Awards & Rankings

17
#17 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2011
21
#21 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
68

Mixed or average reviews - based on 85 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 36 out of 85
  2. Mixed: 42 out of 85
  3. Negative: 7 out of 85
  1. DailyGame
    Dec 12, 2011
    70
    Brink can be awesome and annoying, euphoric and inexplicable, all in the same breath. Unfortunately, fist pumps are followed by fits of controller throwing all too regularly to make this one score much higher.
    Read full review
  2. CD-Action
    Jul 1, 2011
    70
    Interesting but unpolished, ambitious but too weak to lift the weight of these ambitions. What bothered me most was that the brilliant idea of bringing other players into your single player mode was not realized properly. [June 2011, p.80]
  3. X-ONE Magazine UK
    Jun 28, 2011
    80
    It offers a new angle on the genre and one that will excite fans. [Issue#73, p.84]
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