Brawl

Leaps and bounds ahead of their previous effort, Brawl might not be the most polished title available and the dark setting certainly feels overdone but as a multiplayer party title, the game arguably brings the thrills where it counts.

52%Game Brain Score

graphics, atmosphere

story, gameplay

60% User Score Based on 35 reviews

Critic Score 58%Based on 16 reviews

Platforms

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About

Brawl is a single player and multiplayer survival fighting game. It was developed by Bloober Team SA and was released on January 20, 2019. It received neutral reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

The most explosive competitive arena game of the year has arrived on Steam! Battle it out in this heavily skilled-reliant bomb bonanza, controlling one of eight unique characters, each possessing their own deadly skillset that adds speed and tactical depth to the oldschool gameplay.

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60%

Audience ScoreBased on 35 reviews

graphics6 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

Unique take on the classic Bomberman formula with dark, atmospheric themes and a gritty art style that stands out.
Diverse characters each with two unique special abilities, adding strategic depth and variety to gameplay.
Well-executed local multiplayer mode with multiple game types offering fun party experiences and solid single-player campaigns with character-driven stories.

Steep difficulty, often unforgiving even on easy mode, leading to frustration especially in single-player boss fights.
Multiplayer online has very low player base or connectivity issues making it hard to find matches.
Controls can be unresponsive or stubborn, especially on keyboard; controller recommended but keyboard support lacks customization.

story
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The story mode provides in-depth character tutorials that blend backstory with gameplay mechanics, offering strategic and diverse missions. While some find it long-winded and occasionally corny, the dark, twisted narrative and challenging boss fights add depth and engagement. Overall, the story mode is well-voiced, fast-paced, and enhances the single-player experience.
- “This is a game that you're definitely going to want to play through the story mode for each character.”
- “The story modes play out like in-depth tutorials for each character, allowing you to learn a bit of their backstory as well as exactly what their skills do, instead of relying on trial and error.”
- “Each character's storyline is pretty well put together for a game like this.”
- “The story mode was well voice acted but long winded and I ended up skipping most of it.”
- “Single player missions try to diversify by having you protect something or play through levels that are not of equal dimensions.”
- “One thing to mention is that the boss fights (in story mode) can be quite challenging and difficult to survive and come out on top.”
graphics
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The graphics are generally praised for their quality and mature, distinctive art style, standing out as a strong point compared to similar games like Bomberman. While visually appealing and well-executed, some users feel the game could offer more originality beyond its graphical presentation.
- “The visuals are exceptional.”
- “For me, I like the more mature art style in this game.”
- “This seems to be a well executed clone of that game, with great graphics.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
The gameplay draws heavily from the classic Bomberman formula, featuring solid mechanics and character-specific abilities that add some variety. However, level design and controls, particularly on gamepads, can feel stubborn and limit enjoyment. While it offers enjoyable hot-seat multiplayer and a unique art style, some feel it lacks originality beyond being a Bomberman rip-off.
- “Thematically it works really well and the gameplay tweaks to the old Bomberman formula are interesting, but the controls are a bit too stubborn to enjoy, at least on a gamepad.”
- “The thing about this game is that it not only gives you solid gameplay, but also offers hot seat play, which many gamers who grew up playing video games will appreciate.”
- “Unfortunately, the level design and gameplay are just not fun.”
- “Thematically it works really well and the gameplay tweaks to the old bomberman formula are interesting, but the controls are a bit too stubborn to enjoy, at least on a gamepad.”
- “You can play as one of several characters - each of them has its own, individual set of abilities that alter the gameplay.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The atmosphere is consistently praised for its dark, gloomy, and gritty tone, enhanced by well-crafted characters, voice acting, and narration. It uniquely blends the classic bomberman-style gameplay with a modern, foreboding ambiance and complex storytelling.
- “It sounds silly, but after some time, you really feel the gloomy atmosphere start to take hold.”
- “The characters, cut scenes, and voice acting are very atmospheric.”
- “Brawl is dark and grotesque, featuring a truly atmospheric voice-over by the narrator.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
Users feel that the music is well-crafted and enhances the game's atmosphere, with effective integration for different controls. The soundtrack, along with sound and voice acting, contributes significantly to the overall appeal and immersion.
- “The menu music also added a lot of appeal for me.”
- “Also the sound, music, and voice acting are great and put you into the character and mood of the game.”
- “Obs the soundtrack is ok”
- “[td]sounds / music[/td]”
- “They seemed to really try and nail the details with the music and the quick button switch from keyboard to gamepad.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is well-optimized, running smoothly even on older rigs, and offers good controller support; however, keyboard controls are uncomfortable and cannot be remapped.
- “The optimization is good and the game runs smoothly even on older rigs.”
- “The game is also optimized for a controller.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers high replayability with polished gameplay and a wide variety of content, including multiple modes that encourage competitive play and tournaments.
- “This is a very well polished game with a ton of replay value and a good amount of content to experience, including tournaments to see who the best is at deathmatches or any of the many other modes.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game demonstrates strong stability, with users reporting no bugs or glitches and a solid overall performance.