- February 9, 2017
- Stormcloud Games
Brut@l
A neat dungeon crawler offering some fluid combat, with tough challenges wrapped up in an art style straight out of Tron.
Platforms
About
"Brut@l is a modernized ASCII dungeon crawler, combining classic gaming with 3D visuals. Choose your hero and descend into a procedurally generated world to reach the 26th floor, battling various enemies and squads. Enjoy local multi-player, good graphics, and satisfying game mechanics with characters like the Minotaur, each with unique attack styles and weaknesses."








- The game features a unique ASCII-inspired art style that is visually appealing and reminiscent of classic roguelikes.
- Gameplay is fun and engaging, with a solid crafting system and the ability to create your own dungeons, enhancing replayability.
- The cooperative multiplayer mode adds a great social element, making it a fun experience to play with friends.
- The platforming mechanics are frustrating, with instant-death pits that can end runs unexpectedly, leading to a lack of enjoyment.
- Controls can feel clunky and unresponsive, especially when using a keyboard and mouse, which detracts from the overall gameplay experience.
- The game lacks depth in terms of enemy variety and progression, making it feel repetitive and shallow over time.
graphics
39 mentions Positive Neutral NegativeThe graphics of the game are praised for their unique and nostalgic art style, reminiscent of classic roguelikes and ASCII aesthetics, effectively translated into 3D. Players appreciate the smooth visuals and responsive animations that enhance the combat experience, although some note that the aesthetic may lack variety for those seeking more traditional graphics. Overall, the game's visuals are considered a strong point, contributing to its charm and appeal.
“The art style is a nice nod to the roguelikes of yesteryear, and the developers did a great job translating the ASCII style into 3D.”
“The art style is cool, and the brawling has weighty but responsive animations which make it feel fun to fight the enemies.”
“Very fun game, do not underestimate this game with its simplistic yet very clean graphics.”
“If you are looking at brut@l because you like proper roguelikes (rogue, nethack, dungeonmans, caves of qud, adom, that sort of thing) and are tempted by the ascii-inspired graphics, move on.”
“5/10, for visuals and polish, and it could be enjoyed casually.”
“The aesthetic, while being a major selling point, can also conversely be a negative if you're a fan of variety.”
Brut@l Review
Brut@l is a fun dungeon crawler regardless of whether the historical significance of collecting letters and throwing the @ sign at goblins is lost on you. A distinctive visual style complements simple and enjoyable combat, a satisfying collection of craftable weapons, and a rewarding learning curve. Dungeon runs can get a bit samey, but a co-op mode and robust dungeon creator reward further visits.
70%Brut@l PS4 Review
Arguably, Brut@l lacks the depth of some of its genre contemporaries while the uniquely touted ASCII-inspired veneer, though a flamboyant shift from the norm, results in some visually repetitive environments. All the same, Brut@l still acquits itself nicely as a decent hack and slash yarn whose prospects are elevated by co-operative play and a neat level editor that adds a good number of extra hours to its playtime.
75%Brut@l Review
A neat dungeon crawler offering some fluid combat, with tough challenges wrapped up in an art style straight out of Tron.
75%