Brink Review

I know this is incredibly late and I was going to pass up writing a review but some of the complaints regarding the game are unfounded. Many gamers and reviewers are discriminating against a game that wasn't made by either Activision or EA/DICE. I haven't put much time into the game as it didn't have enough draw to pull me away from my relapse into World of Warcraft. It's been a slow time for gaming and I reactivated my WoW account and joined a server to play with a Christian guild.

Anyways... at the bottom is a solid review I found from PC Gamer that does give credit to the game where credit is due (My review is also based on the PC version).

Likes

♥ Something New - It was really nice to play a shooter that wasn't a rehash of the same old, same old. Cartoony graphics + classes + leveling + parkous = new and fresh.

♥ Smooth Launch - I can't speak for console issues but the PC launch was extremely smooth. I saw a lot of complaints regarding the launch and bugs and though I encountered some, none were game-breaking. The game locked up once, fixed by a restart. The sound died once, also fixed by a restart. Compared to the Bad Company 2 PC launch and the Black Ops PC launch (both riddled with awful bugs that made them unplayble for the first week or so, Black Ops being the worst), Brink has been pretty smooth.

♥ Graphics & Art - I've definitely enjoyed the look and the feel of the artwork, the design, the characters and what not. The game is running smooth on high settings as well.

♥ Class & Leveling - The classes are a lot of fun and each have their own appealing elements. The Operative seems a little weaker compared to the others as it does not have any "boosting" skills such as healing, refilling ammo, or boosting damage like the other classes. Disguising yourself as an enemy is a heck of a lotta fun though. There are 20 levels and 5 (levels???) within those 20 that unlock different tiers of abilities. The abilities seem well-balanced and nothing is overpowered, specifically the turrets.

Dislikes

- Missing Components - The game appears to missing some elements, like a lobby or way to locate specific dedicated servers. You choose a level you want to play and then join a random group. It has worked smooth so far but the PC crowd specifically, requires some more depth to choosing where to play.

- Maps & Gametypes - The game could have definitely benefited from some more maps. Though some of the gametypes seemed fresh, I would have liked to see some old favorites such as CTF or a Domination/Control type game. I think CTF would be particularly fun in Brink with the classes and parkour elements.

- Combination - I've heard this complaint and it's a decent one. All the elements are great but they don't quite mesh together perfectly. I.E., the parkour moves are great but at times you have to be perfectly lined up with an obstacle or piece of the terrain. Headshots should be more powerful, Operative class needs some boosting abilities, etc., etc.

Result

I think the game is definitely worth purchasing. I'm not really sure about it's staying power but if I can pull myself away from WoW, this is the shooter I'll go to. I still play Bad Company 2 some but I'm over Black Ops and "new map packs" can't keep me coming back to that game. However, wait until you can get the game for $40 and it's definitely worth it. I at least picked it up for $50 on Steam.

It's a fresh, new IP that has a lot of potential. All the elements don't mesh together perfectly but with some fine tuning, a decent size patch, and some DLC, it could easily turn into a AAA title. Splash Damage is a company to keep an eye on in the future.

http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/05/20/brink-review/