» Sat Jan 15, 2011 2:19 pm The first thing I noticed about this game is that there is a learning curve. I had watched every video on Brink I could find and therefore felt like I'd be able to hit the ground running. That was not the case. I spent the better part of the first hour getting my butt kicked by the AI. However, once I got the hang of the game, it became incredibly addicting. The AI is not the smartest, and when playing solo I found myself completing all the primary objectives mostly alone. They are adept killers though, which keeps the game challenging. Once I jumped into co-op with some of my friends, Brink became one of the most fun FPSs I'd ever played. The S.M.A.R.T. system works great after your initial "trial" period of figuring everything out, and the game is very balanced with one exception: the engineers. The engineers have much more to do than the other classes. One one of the maps, almost all of the primary objectives require engineers. However, the other classes will always be needed. My main problem with engineers is that they can buff their own weapon damage, making them really adept killers, which is supposed to be the soldier's job. The heavy body types are balanced well, offering incredible firepower and a slight bonus to health as long as you have the patience to waddle slowly through the map. The fact that there is only one primary objective going on a time seemed like a drawback at first, but it does keep a constant and epic firefight going, and the slight edge gained by the team who flanks or owns the command posts will help them come out on top. The secondary objectives work well, usually allowing the attacking team to reach the target faster if completed, which really helps in time-based gameplay. The leveling system could use more depth, and I am surprised to say that there really aren't as many character customization options as I thought there would be.
All in all, the game for me did not quite live up to its hype, but is incredibly well balanced, focuses teamwork just as much as they said it would, and is incredibly fun. While I might be SLIGHTLY dissappointed, this game is none-the-less my favorite FPS to date, and I will be playing it for a long, long time, especially if they release some well thought-out DLC. For single-player with AI bots I'd give this game a 7.5/10, and for multiplayer I'd give it a 9.5/10.
Congrats to SD on making a very balanced, fun, and team-focused game! I find Brink worth every penny.
