I just wanted to post my two cents, seeing as how this is the most polarizing love/hate game in recent memory. I'm an avid fan of the FPS genre... my first online FPS experience was the original Quake TeamFortress. No, no, I take that back.... freaking MARATHON on a school LAN back in the mid-90s, haha. I've played pretty much everything in between and consider myself pretty discerning when it comes to FPS quality.

My taste: I love the Battlefield series, love Modern Warfare, but couldn't stand Black Ops (played online for all of five matches). I loved CounterStrike and Tribes, went a little nuts over Unreal Torunament 2004, but never really could take Halo multiplayer seriously. In short, I'm all about the team-based play, but the MECHANICS of the game need to be fun in order for me to like playing a game. It needs to be fast, responsive, and fluid.

So, over the course of the last few days, these were my reactions (PC version):

- "1000 points for a video? Sure. Rock on."
- "Cool customization options. These models look great. Wait, I can't customize my face? How do I undo these tattoos. Crap."
- "Hmmm, the mechanics are a liiiiiittle clunky. But this SMART system is pretty neat."
- "OMFG I remember playing with these bots. These are QUAKE bots! I haven't played with you guys since 1996! Where the f*** have you been? Really? Sniffing paint and eating Vagisil? You haven't gotten ANY better at this? Ugh, okay... sit back and I'll do the work."
- "Maybe I made a mistake buying this game... Kind of disappointing."
- "Oh, THIS is how you connect to matches full of players and not bots."
:: One day later, after unlocking all weapons upgrades and finally learning the game ::
- "Holy s***, this is fun. Just spent 15 minutes holding the fallen escort dude at the gate."
- "Oh F*** ME. Just unlocked the light body type. THIS is what SMART is supposed to be. Jesus."
- "This feels like TF on crack."
- "I really want those twenty minutes back that I spent on the video. I should have just been playing. 1000 exp points is nothing."
- "Just... need... 3000 more exp.... before bed. Need to see the unlock.... BEARDS!"

In all, this game has grown on me tremendously over the last few days. I was initially disappointed, then learned more of the game mechanics, figured out how to play with real people, and found a weapon/class/body combination that really fits my playstyle (a light engineer who uses sniper rifles -- hit and run from a distance, and the self-buffed rifle damage is insane). If you know what the object of the map is, know the chokepoints, etc., it really is a lot of fun. The game mechanics don't feel as realistic as games like Modern Warfare, but there is a mania to it that is pretty addicting.

It reminds me of a combination of TeamFortress, Tribes, and Left4Dead. It takes a while to understand the mechanics and really figure out how to play it in a fun way, but when you do, it becomes rather addicting. I'd give this game a solid 8.5/10 if I were a reviewer. I really can't wait to see the direction SD takes with this game. With more content and more polish, this experience will just keep improving.

This game made me a non-gamer for a good 24 hours. But when I got back to it I found that I actually like it. More so for the "non-gaming" aspects to it, the art and the setting, but gameplay isn't that bad once you accept the fact that it's just attack-and-defend counterstrike with a few more stages. Oh, and if you never try to tackle any objective when not playing co-op.

I am going to get spoiled with SMARTS, though. Maybe not so much for Section 8 (which I'm also playing right now) which lets me have jetpacks but more so for any "modern war" shooter I might pick up again.

Your thought processes are awesome.

And the "TF on crack" line was loltastic.

VERY well written, good sir.

I LOL'D so hard when I read:


"I really want those twenty minutes back that I spent on the video. I should have just been playing. 1000 exp points is nothing."


So true so true lol.


Game has grown on me also, they have a real gem here if they can fix the lag issue. I find myself sitting at work just dieing to go home and play.


Good post OP.

Well put OP.

Reading what you yourself thought while going through all stages of Brink makes the point i was trying to make in my topic sound pretty much bang on. Even though this is based on the PC Format i think it applies across the board.

Yeah, Brink requires you to un-learn certain things you've probably used to doing in other FPS. I think that's why a lot of people quickly dismiss the game mechanics, stick with it a LIGHTBULB will finally light up in your head about how this game works ultimately.

I have to agree with you. At first, I hated it. But the more that I play it, the more I seem to enjoy its different feel. Nice to have something different, although I would love to see a graphics boost.

It's funny how the last few years have just been absolutely dominated by either A) realistic military shooters or B ) superhuman space marine shooters. We're used to certain tropes in both, and there hasn't really been much room for lateral innovation. I don't know exactly how "innovative" Brink is, but it's definitely a throwback to days where people were making crazier, more tongue-in-cheek shooters. I'm loving it, haha.

these are basically the same feelings i had, for the first 30 minutes i just really didnt get it, i was just ploughing my way through the campain. Once I unlocked the light body, started doing challenges and actively using smart it suddenly just clicked :lightbulb: and now im hooked. Its like if cranberry juice and crack had baby and for some reason it was a game :drool:

yeah that pretty much describes my experiences...lol...I'm still trying to find out what works for me...I like the engineer but I am thinking about trying light or heavy body type because medium is just not working for me...but I love my SMG!! Getting there. This thing is far too addictive...those bots are hilarious....

I also sit at work fiending for when I can get home and play....I'm tempted to read the strat guide for some tips but I'm definitely going to the light body type for my engineer...gotta try different things...

I agree, while at times you go "Why the [censored] did I buy this?" (even for me and I've been following it since forever and a day ago) you always come back because lets face it, the game is fun as hell.

There is quite a long learning curve with Brink, I think.

Last night playing co-op with one friend. Me: [Cut scene suddenly begins, but I have just spawned.] What happened; did we win? Friend [who, similarly, was far away from the action]: I guess the bots delivered it for us.

Playing co-op will last quite a while, I think. Hopefully by then the kinks with online play will have been worked out. This is fun game ... I have characters at levels 15, 11, 10, and 5.

I'm curious... why are you leveling up four characters? Other than the cosmetic archetype face and tattoo selections, is there any reason to do that?

I love the game but I never had a second of buyers remorse. I basically knew what I was getting into but it does grow on you. My favorite thing to do is since I only play a heavy with the big machinegun not the minigun. I charge the room(after my medic friends buffs my health to full and gives me adrenaline) and just start mowing people down. Sure I go down usually in no time flat due to charging a firing line but it often gets my team riled up for a charge and all hell breaks loose. Great fun, certainly cant get that anywhere else. If the lag would just piss off this game would be something I could see myself playing for a long time to come.

50 abilities, you can only give each character 20 of them.

Various combinations of abilities will be practical, useful and awesome for different styles of play.

The cosmetic options are an added bonus, and creating one each for Light, Medium and Heavy body types would seem reasonable for me in addition to possible class-based character designs.

I did have a minute of buyers remorse, back when I couldn't really distinguish what started where and whose this was taking that, but the more I got familiar with it there more I realized this game is A #1 Go Yankees

I can't recall being this svcked in to any game the last 15 years as I've been into BRINK. Absolutely fantastic.

Same here.... i got the game today.. have been playing non-stop for let me see..... 4 HOURS!?!?! OH MY GOD! Yes i am serious....and i am not even done with campaign yet -_-'
I got it on PS3 so there is no MP available yet.... but it is still awesome!!!

Oh snap, that makes perfect sense. I didn't realize there was a limit. I haven't been too careful about what abilities I've been taking. There is a re-buy function, though, right?

Dang, this adds another layer to the game. You kind of have to plan a level 20 build, haha. One for each class.

I agree with all of these posts.
Once I got the game to work (Xbox kept freezing... wayy too much) I fell in love with it. I was a little iffy at first, but now i'm just jubilant.
Med. body type/Engineer.
haven't changed body types much, but there's no doubt i'll be creating multiple characters.
Level 11 and growing

I have 2 lvl 20's and I went hybrid builds for both of them.

My 1st is an Engineer/Medic:

Universal- Battle Hardened, Supply Max Increase, Sprinting Reload, Sense Of Perspective and Resupply Rate Increase
Medic- Increase Supplies, Metabolism, Improved Increase Supplies, Speed Boost, Improved Life Buff, Self Rez and Lazarus Grenade
I left out Adrenaline Boost and Transfer Supplies b/c they would have to be mapped in place of Metabolism, Speed Boost or Lazarus Grenade and I feel that AB and TS are more situational specific buffs.
Engineer- Everything except Nerves Of Steel

My 2nd is a Soldier/Operative

Universal-Battle Hardened, Supply Max Increase and Resupply Rate Increase
Soldier- Everything
Operative All but Homing Beacon

I'm on a PS3 so I haven't really battle tested these builds, but they seem to be the best suited for my play style.

I lol'd at the TF2 on crack thing..

My experience so far:

- EFF YEAH! Finally got Brink!
-Tutorial video for free 1000? Sure!
-Wtf? It's still going on? Better play Peacewalker some more
-Finally! I get to play!
-I can't customize the face? Oh well.
-Aww, no dual wielding. Oh well.
-First match! Let's do this!
-Wtf am I supposed to do?!
-How did I win?! I ran around in circles for 15 minutes!
-Oooh so that's what I'm supposed to do.
-First online match; let's rock!
-SO. MUCH. LAAAAAG.
-Let's try ANOTHER match.
-MOAR LAGZ.
-ANOTHER!
-BEST F@#$ING MULTIPLAYER I'VE PLAYED IN A WHILE.

Personally, I love Brink. It's fun, challenging, and, unlike Halo where everyone uses only a small handful of OP'd guns, EVERY gun in Brink can get a kill. So many choices for how you play, too. Light, fast moving freerunner that slips behind enemy lines and causes havoc? Heavy, nearly-indestructible tank with a heavy gun? Or somewhere in-between? (Prefers Medium Operative with an SMG; havoc behind enemy lines!)

And that's my Brink experience so far. Hope a solution for the lag arises soon; how many other FPS actually have teamwork amongst random players in them nowadays?

Agreed, was pretty disappointed at first and now I'm loving it. Just hope they fix the texture crap and lag soon.