Iron Brigade

85%
Game Brain Score Based on 621 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • humor
Iron Brigade Game Cover
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"Iron Brigade" is a thrilling tower defense shooter game that combines action-packed combat with strategic fortification building. As a member of the Iron Brigade, you must defend your base and repair your fortifications while fighting off hordes of invading robots. With a variety of weapons and customizable mechs at your disposal, the fate of humanity rests in your hands.

  • PC
  • Cloud
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
  • Xbox Game Pass
  • x_box_cloud_gaming
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

85%
Audience ScoreBased on 621 reviews
story26 positive mentions
optimization10 negative mentions
  • Unique blend of tower defense and third-person shooter mechanics with customizable mechs.
  • Fun and humorous storyline with quirky characters and engaging gameplay.
  • Supports co-op play for up to four players, enhancing the overall experience.
  • Multiplayer connectivity issues and disconnections can hinder gameplay.
  • Game is capped at 30 FPS, which may affect performance on modern systems.
  • Some players report bugs and glitches that can disrupt the gaming experience.
  • story150 mentions

    The game's story is generally viewed as lighthearted and humorous, with a retro-futuristic theme that adds charm, though it is often described as simple and cheesy. While some players enjoyed the entertaining narrative and character interactions, others found the plot lacking depth and criticized the unskippable cutscenes that disrupt gameplay. Overall, the story serves as a fun backdrop to the gameplay, but it may not satisfy those seeking a more profound narrative experience.

    • “Even if this game shows its age, its charm, original gameplay, and entertaining story will keep you hooked for the duration.”
    • “The story was enjoyably over-the-top, and the voice acting was great.”
    • “It's such a great premise, the levels are challenging and the prerequisites to get gold medals on each mission scale with the number of players, which means it's not a cakewalk with more people.”
    • “Unskippable long cut-scene before every mission, no retry option (cut-scenes again) and no button to start the mission, but it starts automatically after you patiently watched the cutscene really wreck any chance for me to give a positive review.”
    • “The story is pretty sparse, you never really find out what 'the broadcast' is, or why it made one guy want to rule the world with TV monsters.”
    • “A lighthearted, corny 1970's sci-fi story that is actually shorter than the loading times for the game.”
  • gameplay88 mentions

    The gameplay of this game is a unique blend of third-person mech shooting and tower defense mechanics, offering a fun and challenging experience that keeps players engaged despite some repetitive elements. While the game showcases its age in graphics and certain mechanics, it is praised for its depth, customization options, and the variety of playstyles available. However, some players note issues with balance, bugs, and the necessity of co-op play for optimal enjoyment, which can detract from the overall experience.

    • “Even if this game shows its age, its charm, original gameplay, and entertaining story will keep you hooked for the duration.”
    • “Mixes a customizable mech with tower defense mechanics to bring a unique experience.”
    • “The gameplay is challenging, albeit a bit repetitive, and across the board you can feel the passion behind this project, from the mechanics to the design.”
    • “The tower defense aspect is lacking, and the gameplay for my initial 40 minutes just wasn't much fun.”
    • “The game could be great but there is a lack of important features, like difficulty settings, call fast wave, etc. It has low tower defense options and is mostly an action game. Also, it relies on co-op gameplay, but nobody plays it right now.”
    • “Unfortunately, this was at the 3.5 hours mark of gameplay and this was when things went downhill.”
  • humor50 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by Double Fine's signature sarcastic and campy style, featuring quirky dialogue, amusing character interactions, and funny enemy names. Players appreciate the blend of humor with gameplay elements, noting that it enhances the overall experience, although some feel it may not reach the heights of previous Double Fine titles. Overall, the humor is seen as a charming and entertaining aspect that complements the game's fun mechanics and cooperative play.

    • “In true Double Fine tradition, the game tries to be funny.”
    • “Creative, interesting, and incredibly fun balance of a third-person shooter with a tower defense, wrapped into the good sense of humor you'd expect from Double Fine.”
    • “But it's worth it for the cooperative play and the great humor throughout the story, dialogue, descriptions, even the loading screens.”
  • graphics44 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally described as charming and unique, with a cartoonish and dieselpunk aesthetic that enhances the overall experience, despite showing signs of age. While some players appreciate the art style and find it visually appealing, others note that the graphics are simplistic and may not meet modern standards, leading to a mixed reception. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's fun factor, even if they lack the polish of contemporary titles.

    • “The visuals are wonderful, and the explosions especially never get old.”
    • “Awesome 'pulp alternate history post-WWI' design and overall art style, crammed with attitude and goofiness.”
    • “The graphics are great, the missions are fun, replay value is huge (especially co-op), and the price is cheap and out of this world.”
    • “The plot may be cheesy, and the graphics are dated, but the gameplay is quite enjoyable in my opinion.”
    • “If you don't mind staggeringly mediocre graphics, slightly buggy controls, unskippable and repetitive cut scenes, levels designed that make it hard to get a clear picture of what is going on, then you can still have some shooty fun with this game.”
    • “Downsides include a straight port from the 360 version, no graphical upgrades, and being capped at 30 fps.”
  • replayability23 mentions

    Overall, the game offers high replayability, particularly through its co-op modes, diverse playstyles, and survival gamemodes, making it enjoyable for players who appreciate its unique blend of tower defense and third-person shooter mechanics. While some players note that replay value may diminish after acquiring all items and completing missions, many find the gameplay engaging enough to warrant multiple playthroughs, especially with friends. However, issues with multiplayer functionality and repetitive elements can impact the experience for some players.

    • “Short campaign, but decent replay value.”
    • “Infinite replayability through survival game modes.”
    • “The graphics are great, the missions are fun, replay value is huge (especially co-op) and the price is cheap and out of this world.”
    • “Replay value is a bit low, with a progressing/leveling system and future weapons being so much stronger than old ones, but it's definitely a fun game that is only better with friends.”
    • “Those 3 1/2 problems can be kinda off-putting at times in the game, especially since there's no real replayability after you've beaten the game.”
    • “Even with all the mech loadout variety, eventually the replay value will drop without a stronger online community.”
  • optimization19 mentions

    The game's optimization is widely criticized, with players reporting significant stuttering, audio issues, and high memory usage, particularly in co-op modes. While some users note improvements after updates, such as the removal of Games for Windows Live, many still experience performance problems, especially during intense gameplay moments. Overall, the lack of modern graphical options and ongoing support contributes to a frustrating experience for many players.

    • “It also lacks many of the options we are used to with modern titles like graphical settings, but the game runs smoothly even on my potato PC.”
    • “There are not really defined classes with optimized weapons; however, there are different trench chassis, legs, and weapons, each with their own more or less ideal combinations. However, you are rarely locked out of a weapon class.”
    • “With some optimization and more weapons, legendaries, and stuff, and adding some random stats drop mechanics, maybe with some added effects and damage types.”
    • “It's so poorly optimized and uses so much memory that the game causes constant stuttering and audio issues, even while playing single player.”
    • “This is just unbelievably poor performance from a game that came out in 2012.”
    • “Sometimes the co-op slows down big time—whether it's because of junky net code or the game engine is not optimized, the very thing that makes this game enjoyable also hinders it.”
  • grinding12 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while it can be tedious and sometimes frustrating due to random drop rates and the need to farm specific items, it also offers opportunities for experimentation and rewards for grinding rare items. Some players appreciate the variety of enemies and frequent loot drops, but others note that grinding becomes necessary for leveling and upgrades, particularly in later levels. Overall, the grinding can feel excessive at times, but it also contributes to the game's fun and customization options.

    • “Sometimes farming certain items can be kind of a pain due to random drop chances.”
    • “Some mech parts can only be collected by random drops, so collecting them all involves grinding a particular mission until you get what you're looking for.”
    • “One downside I came across is that the later levels will require grinding to complete.”
  • stability7 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent bugs, glitches, and disconnections in multiplayer, as well as co-op freezes. Players also report crashes when attempting to exit the game and a frustrating 30fps cap in certain areas. Despite these problems, some still find enjoyment in the gameplay if they can overlook the technical shortcomings.

    • “At first, I thought it was unbalanced, buggy garbage.”
    • “The multiplayer has some glitches where you can be randomly disconnected from each other.”
    • “Co-op freezes every few seconds.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    Players appreciate the monetization model, particularly the DLC that introduces a new campaign and additional content, enhancing the overall experience. The graphics are also praised, with many feeling that promotional images do not fully capture the game's visual quality.

  • music2 mentions

    The music aspect of the game features a pleasant, upbeat drum-heavy soundtrack, although some users noted the absence of music in certain parts. Overall, the soundtrack contributes positively to the gaming experience.

    • “Pleasant drum-happy soundtrack.”
    • “There is no music.”
    • “The soundtrack is pleasant but lacks variety.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere of Iron Brigade is characterized by its humorous and unique storytelling, set in an over-the-top, fictional World War I environment that features anachronistic technology. This distinctive blend creates an engaging experience that appeals to fans of third-person shooters and tower defense games.

    • “The game's atmosphere is an over-the-top setting reminiscent of a fictional World War One with anachronistic technology.”
    • “Ib is humorous with a unique story and atmosphere; I think nearly everyone who likes third-person shooters and tower defense games needs to try Iron Brigade!”
    • “The game's atmosphere is an over-the-top setting reminiscent of a fictional World War I with anachronistic technology.”
    • “The environment feels lifeless and fails to immerse players in the experience.”
    • “The sound design is lackluster, making the atmosphere feel flat and unengaging.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Users express disappointment in the emotional aspect of the game, expecting a profound and touching storyline but finding it to be a straightforward and unremarkable tower defense experience instead.

  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted through unique and engaging character designs that enhance players' emotional connections and investment in the story. The visual representation of characters contributes significantly to their depth and individuality, making them memorable and relatable. Overall, the design choices effectively support the narrative and character arcs.

    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with any of the protagonists.”
    • “I was disappointed by how little the characters evolved throughout the game; their arcs felt predictable and uninspired.”
    • “Despite the interesting premise, the character development is poorly executed, leaving many storylines feeling incomplete and unsatisfying.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

5hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
2-9hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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