Brink

Pros

• Innovative SMART movement system adds fluidity to gameplay
• Extensive customization options for characters and weapons
• Integrates campaign with multiplayer, focusing on team play and objectives

Cons

• Limited selection of only eight maps
• AI inconsistencies affect single-player experience
• Complex HUD and varying learning curve for multiplayer
• Lacks content compared to other titles in the genre

Blending high-octane shooting with parkour-style movement, Brink promised a fresh take on the first-person shooter genre. Set in a dystopian future, the game offers class-based warfare in a fight to control the decaying Ark city. While its ambition was unmistakable, the execution fell short of revolutionizing multiplayer gameplay.

The SMART Way to Move

Brink introduces the Smooth Movement Across Random Terrain (SMART) system, which stands out as one of the game's strong suits. Borrowing from parkour-infused titles like Mirror's Edge, SMART allows players to traverse the environment fluidly, emphasizing mobility in combat. The system is designed to cater to different play styles, offering three body types—light, medium, and heavy—each bringing its own movement dynamics and weapon handling.

The light body type excels at agility, enabling players to wall jump and move swiftly, adding a layer of verticality and speed to combat. However, the sacrifice comes in lower health and less firepower. Conversely, the heavy body type can withstand and deal more damage but is hindered by its slower pace and limited agility. The medium body type offers a balanced approach, suitable for players looking for a middle ground between the extremes.

Campaign and Multiplayer Modes

Brink's campaign can be played solo, cooperatively, or as part of multiplayer skirmishes, blurring the lines between offline and online play. Its narrative is set against the backdrop of the aforementioned Ark, a once-utopian floating city now on the edge of civil war. Players choose sides: the security forces trying to maintain order or the resistance fighting for freedom.

Despite the seamless integration of campaign and multiplayer, the game can feel lacking due to the sparseness of its map selection—a mere eight maps cannot sustain the variety that fans of the genre might expect. Moreover, the AI in single-player mode is inconsistent, sometimes presenting a significant challenge, while at other times behaving in bafflingly foolish ways that detract from the experience.

Customization and Progression

Character and weapon customization is a cornerstone of Brink's appeal, with extensive options allowing for a high degree of personalization. Each class and character can be tailored to fit individual play styles, and progressing through the game unlocks a wider array of tactical possibilities and aesthetics.

Multiplayer: Where Action Is

Brink truly shines in multiplayer, encouraging team-based tactics and objective-oriented play. However, with its complex HUD and lack of map diversity, the multiplayer experience can feel overwhelming at first. Adjustments and a clearer user interface could streamline the experience, allowing new players to acclimatize more smoothly to the frenetic pace of the game.

Performance-wise, Brink expects a solid online connection to keep gameplay smooth, a common requirement for multiplayer-centered games. Future patches and downloadable content were anticipated to refine the experience, although the initial offering was seen as too meager to compete with heavyweight titles dominating the FPS market.

Final Thoughts

Brink aimed to combine swift, parkour-like movement with the intensity of a shooter, a concept that was promising on paper. Nonetheless, it struggled with execution, leaving players yearning for more content and a more polished experience. While the innovation in movement and commitment to collaborative, class-based combat were commendable, they proved insufficient to carve out a unique spot for Brink against its robust competitors.

Pros

• Innovative SMART movement system adds fluidity to gameplay
• Extensive customization options for characters and weapons
• Integrates campaign with multiplayer, focusing on team play and objectives

Cons

• Limited selection of only eight maps
• AI inconsistencies affect single-player experience
• Complex HUD and varying learning curve for multiplayer
• Lacks content compared to other titles in the genre