BRINK

About

"Brink is a first-person shooter set on the Ark, a floating city divided by conflict between original inhabitants and refugees. The game offers both single-player and multiplayer modes, allowing for 2-player co-op and competitive multiplayer. Despite good gameplay, visuals, and extensive customization, Brink is poorly optimized and bug-ridden."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+17

56%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,946 reviews

story120 positive mentions

optimization22 negative mentions

Brink features a unique parkour system that allows for fluid movement and traversal of the environment, adding a fresh dynamic to gameplay.
The character and weapon customization options are extensive, allowing players to tailor their experience to their preferences.
The game has an interesting premise and art style, with a visually appealing design that stands out in the FPS genre.

The multiplayer community is virtually non-existent, making it difficult to find matches and leading to a reliance on AI teammates, which are often unhelpful.
The gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth, with missions often boiling down to similar objectives across different maps.
The game suffers from numerous bugs and performance issues, particularly on certain hardware, which detracts from the overall experience.

story
526 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
63%
14%
The story in Brink is generally viewed as weak and poorly executed, with many players finding it confusing and lacking depth. While the game features two factions with distinct missions and a backdrop of class struggle, the narrative is often overshadowed by repetitive gameplay and unengaging character development. Despite some players appreciating the concept and potential of the story, the overall execution leaves much to be desired, making it feel more like a multiplayer experience than a cohesive single-player campaign.
- “The story of this game considers humanity in the dystopian future of climate change and an unexplained pandemic, at least for the lower classes.”
- “The cut scenes and audio logs create quite a rich story and universe setting.”
- “My favorite aspect of the entire campaign and story is that you can play both sides and see how the story develops and progresses as you complete levels and objectives.”
- “The story had a cool concept but sadly didn't deliver well enough.”
- “The story isn't anything to write home about either.”
- “From the dreadful launch, the lack of content, the absence of a story, and the limited scope of delivery for each of the promises culminated in one of the biggest disappointments in gaming I have ever had to swallow.”
gameplay
463 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
55%
12%
The gameplay of *Brink* is characterized by its unique parkour mechanics and class-based system, which some players find enjoyable and innovative, while others criticize it for being repetitive and poorly balanced. Many reviews highlight the game's aesthetic appeal and customization options, but also point out significant issues with AI performance, gun mechanics, and overall execution, leading to a mixed reception. Overall, while the game offers a fresh take on team-based shooters, it struggles with execution and player engagement, particularly in its single-player and multiplayer components.
- “The insane amount of customization and the fun team-based gameplay was something I'd never experienced before and I really love it.”
- “Brink is a fun, refreshing and all-around unconventional shooter that excels with its gratifying class-system and movement mechanics.”
- “The gameplay in Brink is excellent and provides fun each time you play.”
- “Even with the multitude of classes, perks, and guns, I still can't help but fail to immerse myself in the gameplay and world of 'Brink' because it just feels so boring and multiplayer-oriented.”
- “Clearly the game failed as a competitive team-based shooter, and I think this is partly due to the devs overcomplicating the gameplay with too many elements and not paying enough attention to balance.”
- “The gameplay is god awful and the balancing makes me puke.”
graphics
258 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
41%
7%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising its unique art style and visual appeal, particularly for a title released in 2011. While some players find the graphics to be impressive and well-optimized, others note issues such as blurriness, performance problems, and a lack of support for modern resolutions like 4K. Overall, the game's visuals are often highlighted as one of its strongest aspects, despite some technical shortcomings.
- “The graphics, weapon customization, and parkour system were never seen before and everyone's jaw dropped.”
- “Personally, I love the distinctive graphical style, environments, and general ambience of the game.”
- “The graphics were years ahead of their time, still on par with most FPS games today.”
- “The graphics are blurry and the game is unoptimized.”
- “Horrible animations, ugly graphics.”
- “Cel shaded graphics are just a cover up for the poor bland textures and lack of art design.”
optimization
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
44%
44%
The optimization of the game has been widely criticized, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including stuttering and low frame rates, making it nearly unplayable for some. Despite decent graphics and mechanics, the game's poor optimization, particularly for certain hardware configurations, detracts significantly from the overall experience. Many users recommend avoiding the game unless on console or with a high-end rig, as the optimization problems overshadow any potential enjoyment.
- “Innovative TPS/RPS mix, with stunning graphics, smooth controls, and great optimization.”
- “They offer some decent visual effects without a huge problem to performance.”
- “Unfortunately, it was far too rushed so the developers could meet corporate deadlines, meaning it couldn't possibly deliver everything that it had promised, and what we did get wasn't optimized very well.”
- “Overall, 'brink' is borderline unplayable but the performance issues are not wired to hardware; the game is just so terribly optimized now that most people who try playing it for the first time will likely get nauseous from the hard stuttering.”
- “Unfortunately, this excellent and pleasant game is now abandoned, full of bugs and with horrible optimization.”
- “Even if you somehow find a way to enjoy this kind of gameplay, the horrible optimization will completely kill off any desire to keep playing it.”
stability
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
88%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many players reporting significant bugs, performance issues, and freezing problems, particularly at launch. While some users noted improvements after patches, the overall sentiment remains that the game is still plagued by glitches and lacks a stable player base, making it frustrating and often unplayable. Despite its potential, the persistent issues have led to disappointment among players.
- “This game isn't buggy, which is a miracle given it comes from Bethesda.”
- “Fun game, runs great.”
- “A very good port for the PC, bug-free.”
- “Dont waste your time, the game freezes, then unfreezes, then freezes again, then unfreezes again, and so on... can't even return...”
- “This game is so buggy it doesn't even load, so don't waste your money unless you want to suffer the fate of extortion.”
- “Sadly it was a buggy mess on release, leaving a wave of players who'd paid full price (or even worse, pre-ordered) with a list of valid complaints.”
music
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
61%
8%
The music in the game is widely praised for its cinematic quality and ambient style, providing a compelling backdrop that enhances the overall atmosphere. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, with some even stating it was a primary reason for their interest in the game. While opinions vary on the volume and presence of the music during gameplay, the consensus is that the soundtrack is exceptional and significantly contributes to the game's appeal.
- “The music is amazing.”
- “There is something about Brink, the atmosphere, the soundtrack, the look of the world you're in.”
- “☑ meh, background music.”
- “While many FPS games have fast adrenaline-pumping music, Brink's OST is calm and ambient.”
- “The beautiful environments influenced but not overtaken by science fiction elements are a sight to behold, and the music fits very appropriately, but it's all brought down by the developers' hubris.”
replayability
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
42%
13%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag. While many players appreciate the ability to experience both sides of conflicts and enjoy the multiplayer component, some find the single-player experience lacking and repetitive, leading to lower replay value. Customization options and co-op play enhance replayability for some, but the short campaigns and bugs detract from the experience for others.
- “The ability to play on either side of every conflict is a great addition to replayability, and while it seems like another twist on a two-team objective-based game, it's still fresh enough to hold my interest, and I still replay it.”
- “One of my top 3 games of all time! I love this game; it's an awesome objective shooter with huge replay value, awesome customization, and lots of stuff to do.”
- “Although the campaigns are short, they're very replayable due to the inbuilt multiplayer component similar to Unreal Tournament.”
- “A game that had a lot of potential but was ruined by bugs, lack of replayability, and a single player that is the same as multiplayer.”
- “But it's campaign is incredibly short and so replay value is pretty lacking.”
- “The story and artwork are beautiful and the character customization and leveling is a really good trade-off for the lack of replay value (which can feel very monotonous after a few playthroughs).”
character development
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
67%
17%
Character development in the game is largely criticized, with many players noting a lack of meaningful progression and repetitive missions. While there are numerous customization options for character design, the overall experience feels shallow, as players find the characters ultimately lack uniqueness despite their initial appeal. The art style is appreciated by some, but it does not compensate for the absence of engaging character development or a compelling narrative.
- “There are loads of clothing, character design, and weapon attachment options which you unlock through leveling and playing the game.”
- “A very fun game with cool character design.”
- “Once you get over the unique (and unusual) character designs, you'll find quite a solid shooter here.”
- “Missions are boring and repetitive, there is no real character development present, no one seems to play multiplayer anymore, and the story is vague and uninteresting.”
- “Character development: when I watched the videos about the character creation I was so excited...only to find out they're all the same.”
- “Just wish that the art and character design were used in another game, truly a waste.”
monetization
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
86%
The monetization model of the game appears to be underdeveloped, featuring numerous trivial cosmetic items that feel like a prototype for future microtransactions. Players express frustration over misleading advertising and gameplay mechanics, suggesting that the monetization strategy may not align with player expectations or satisfaction. Overall, the game's approach to monetization has drawn criticism for its lack of depth and clarity.
- “Seems like this game has a lot of small pointless cosmetics as some kind of prototype to a microtransactions model that was still a work in progress.”
- “If all the ads and dev videos being rendered weren't a hint enough for you that the gameplay wasn't going to be as promised, then check out the number of people playing now.”
- “And that tells you a lot about the art of ads.”
humor
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as inconsistent, with some players finding the elongated character models amusing, while others note a lack of actual comedic content despite the cartoonish graphics. While the game offers a funny diversion in a stale genre, it ultimately fails to deliver on its humorous potential, leaving players wanting more. Overall, the humor is seen as a mixed bag, with some entertaining elements overshadowed by a lack of depth.
- “Although the player models themselves look pretty funny with ridiculously elongated heads, the world itself is pretty detailed and reminds me heavily of 'rage' and 'bulletstorm'.”
- “It also suffers from some bugs, like crashing now and then, etc., but it's a funny diversion in a genre that's gotten stale.”
- “[Great, unique customization. Some interesting skills that range from funny to downright destructive.]”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of Brink to be tedious and repetitive, often leading to a lack of excitement once the initial fun wears off. While there is some enjoyment in multiplayer modes, the grindy progression system is frequently compared unfavorably to other games, making it feel like a chore rather than an engaging experience.
- “When things start to get exciting, they suddenly become tedious.”
- “What I got was a Team Fortress 2 ripoff with a painfully grindy progression, in which you can replace one team with a pile of idiot bots.”
- “Once you finish grinding the game, that's kinda it.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, including a captivating soundtrack, impressive audio effects, and a unique visual design that leaves a lasting impact on players. Many reviewers highlight how the combination of these elements creates a compelling world, despite criticisms regarding the lack of campaign and multiplayer modes. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature that enhances the overall experience.
- “Audio: the audio is really cool and I let the sounds of the guns and atmosphere when bullets bounce off stuff, even the voices are on point.”
- “History, graphics, and atmosphere are great, but it has a lack of campaign and a non-existent multiplayer.”
- “The game's art style, atmosphere, and general approach to visual design had a profound effect on me and inspired me creatively like no game ever had.”
- “There is something about Brink, the atmosphere, the soundtrack, the look of the world you're in.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is described as intense and draining, with players feeling blindsided by its shortcomings. While "Dirty Bomb" lacks the deep narrative and moral complexity of "Brink," it still evokes strong feelings, leading to a mix of frustration and emotional engagement. Overall, the experience can be both fast-paced and emotionally impactful, though it may not resonate with everyone.
- “I cried that night!”
- “Fast paced, emotionally draining, can you handle life on the brink?”
- “Nominated this because its shittiness blindsided me emotionally and want the sick review achievements.”