Strange Brigade

Since playing Zombie Army Trilogy in 2015, I’ve had lofty expectations for what Rebellion’s next new IP would be.

Starting at €4.99Buy now

Get on Steam

Get on Xbox Games Store

Strange Brigade is a mystery shooter game that offers various gameplay options including single-player, 2-player, and multi-player co-op modes. Players explore ancient civilizations and treacherous tombs as one of four dashing explorers, each with unique weapons, tactics, and superhuman powers. The game features a thrilling adventure to fight against an army of mythological menaces unleashed by a resurrected Egyptian witch queen.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,236 reviews

story140 positive mentions

grinding30 negative mentions

story
469 mentions
30 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The story of "Strange Brigade" is often described as light-hearted and campy, drawing inspiration from 1930s adventure narratives, but it generally lacks depth and memorability. While some players appreciate the humorous narration and engaging gameplay, many find the plot simplistic and repetitive, with a predictable structure across missions. Overall, the game offers a fun experience, especially in co-op mode, but the story is not a significant draw for most players.
- “The storytelling and narrator that accompany you on your endeavors are both superb - you get the feeling that you're part of what is going on and since most of your actions are narrated, you won't feel left out.”
- “The story is great campy fun, and it knows what it is, without being eye-rollingly filled with references and self-aware humour.”
- “The storyline is captivating with a lot of action and comedy mixed in with the gameplay.”
- “While Strange Brigade has its moments of brilliance, it fails to be memorable. I wished for more content and depth for cutscenes and story scenarios.”
- “The plot is as thin as a dollar bill during the depression, and the characters are as interesting as a stale loaf of bread.”
- “The story is forgettable because it's literally the same mission all the time.”
gameplay
437 mentions
37 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Strange Brigade" is generally described as fun and engaging, particularly in cooperative settings, with smooth mechanics and enjoyable gunplay. However, many players note that it becomes repetitive after a few hours, with a lack of depth in both gameplay and story, leading to a feeling of monotony. While the puzzles and visuals are appreciated, the overall experience is often marred by clunky controls and a limited variety of enemies and mechanics.
- “The gameplay, story, and the narrator are engaging.”
- “Great game with an enticing storyline and addictive gameplay!”
- “The gameplay is fun and satisfying, the puzzles are cute, and the guns, customization, and game modes are also pretty decent.”
- “The gameplay loop is underwhelming due to the console port being clunky, as always.”
- “Gameplay sucks, the story is really lacking, characters have no character, and next to no progression makes this game incredibly boring and tedious to play.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive and boring.”
graphics
335 mentions
67 % positive mentions
31 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their impressive quality and aesthetic appeal, with many reviewers noting that they enhance the overall experience without demanding high-end hardware. Players appreciate the vibrant environments, detailed character models, and smooth performance across various settings, making it accessible even on older systems. However, some users have reported optimization issues that can lead to performance drops, particularly on lower-end PCs.
- “The graphics are beautiful and it runs really smoothly on my GTX 1660 with all settings on ultra (100-140 fps).”
- “The graphics are fantastic, the scenarios and challenges and level design are honestly impressive.”
- “The graphics are top-notch, the environmental and other visuals really giving off that sandy, sun-scorched vibe, and coupled with decent musical score, a great narrator and overall good story really rounds up the package.”
- “Oh and it also isn't very optimized, my PC gets pretty warm even with low graphics and resolution settings, worse than modern Call of Duty in that regard.”
- “The graphics are fine, but the visuals leave much to be desired both historically and in compelling storytelling.”
- “A friend of mine picked it up on a badass Steam sale once upon a time, but unfortunately he was having crippling graphics issues which appeared to be a known and common PC issue.”
humor
234 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, primarily driven by a witty and engaging narrator whose comedic commentary enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the light-hearted, British humor and the amusing interactions that arise during gameplay, particularly in co-op mode. While the humor is generally well-received, some players note that it can lose its charm over time, but it remains a significant draw for those seeking a fun and entertaining gaming experience.
- “The narrator is hilarious, which makes the game light-hearted.”
- “This game is a refreshing treat, fun, good looking, hilarious, and just an overall pleasure.”
- “All in all, Strange Brigade is a hilarious, action-packed romp that will have you laughing, screaming, and questioning your life choices (in the best possible way).”
replayability
91 mentions
23 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players enjoying the unique character abilities and cooperative dynamics that enhance replay value, particularly in multiplayer modes. However, many reviews highlight a lack of substantial content and limited replay options, suggesting that while there are elements like collectibles and horde modes that can extend playtime, the overall replayability is often deemed insufficient to justify the full price. Players who are completionists or enjoy playing with friends may find more value, but others may feel the game quickly becomes repetitive.
- “Each character is unique with a special ability and different traits, which adds a lot to replay value and is fun, especially in multiplayer where you can combo with a friend with different explosions and special abilities.”
- “The game's replayability and cooperative dynamics provide plenty of reasons to embark on this supernatural journey.”
- “Numerous secrets, weapon upgrades, and unlocks give it good replayability, too.”
- “There is not enough content or replayability to justify the full price tag.”
- “The replayability falls short as everything is straightforward, no prestige nor leveling system.”
- “Not worth the full price - there's not that much content and replayability is also not really a thing.”
optimization
58 mentions
64 % positive mentions
31 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed feedback from users. While many praise its excellent performance, smooth gameplay, and stunning graphics, some report significant issues, particularly on lower-end systems, leading to overheating and poor performance. However, several players highlight that the game runs exceptionally well with Vulkan support and is one of the best-optimized titles they've experienced, offering a solid experience across various hardware configurations.
- “The developers optimized the game amazingly.”
- “This game is absolutely stunning in ultra graphics and optimized so well you can run a download in the background without any gameplay interference.”
- “Witty, charming, action-packed, fun, full of secrets to find (with ample rewards for finding them), great controls, great graphics, and even better: great optimization.”
- “But holy shit it's so badly optimized it makes my computer scream like a jet engine off the main menu.”
- “Huge performance problems on my RTX 3060.”
- “It also feels like it was heavily optimized for the consoles and not for PC.”
atmosphere
44 mentions
73 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and engaging qualities, featuring a light-hearted tone, detailed environments, and entertaining voice acting that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the unique themes and humor, which contribute to a fun and enjoyable gameplay atmosphere, reminiscent of classic adventure narratives. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, rivaling that of larger titles while maintaining its own distinct charm.
- “The attention to detail in the environments and atmospheric effects is breathtaking.”
- “The voice acting and witty dialogues keep players entertained throughout the adventure, creating an endearing and charming atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is what sells it, however.”
- “The atmosphere present rivals that of bigger games such as Uncharted and Tomb Raider, but with more of a pulpy, energetic vibe versus a realistic one.”
- “Although it has gameplay similar to Left 4 Dead, the two games are quite different from each other in terms of tone and atmosphere.”
grinding
40 mentions
8 % positive mentions
18 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that grinding in the game is generally perceived as tedious and repetitive, with many players feeling it detracts from the overall experience. While some find it manageable or even enjoyable when playing with friends, others describe it as a significant drawback, leading to a lack of motivation due to minimal rewards and a formulaic gameplay loop. Overall, the grinding aspect is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the challenge while others find it frustrating and boring.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Not too grindy to get a 100% achievement completion either.”
- “Game is otherwise plain and simple, not grindy at all and just lets you enjoy experimenting with different weapons and abilities and gives you the satisfaction of causing a little mayhem and destruction with bombs and traps.”
- “If you're into dull, middling third-person shooters with a tedious, formulaic game loop.”
- “Not much to unlock so it feels like you're playing for no reward, grinding for nothing.”
- “Levelling system / grinding is not profound enough to keep you playing.”
stability
18 mentions
72 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
28 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is highly praised, with many users reporting smooth performance and no significant glitches or bugs. It runs well even on lower-end hardware, maintaining high frame rates and good graphics. However, a few users noted occasional sound glitches and minor visual issues, but these did not detract significantly from the overall experience.
- “Game runs great at 1440p maxed settings on a 144Hz monitor, and although my PC is fairly well specced as of 2023, you can't say that about many games these days.”
- “It's also bug-free and feels like a complete experience that the developers put the right amount of time and effort into without having unrealistic expectations or plans to milk it for every penny through a hundred DLCs.”
- “Game runs great without any issues.”
- “The game stutters and stammers like a jittery flapper at a speakeasy, with glitches and bugs galore.”
- “The only thing I did not like was the sound glitches sometimes, but that may be a tech fault on my side.”
- “Although some ugly glitches here and there, it is pleasant all the same.”
music
17 mentions
59 % positive mentions
24 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players noting that it fits the game's theme and enhances the overall experience. While some find it appropriate and enjoyable, others feel it can be overshadowed by environmental sounds or lacks variety after extended play. Overall, the sound design, including music and narration, contributes positively to the game's adventurous atmosphere.
- “The music was completely appropriate and fit the world.”
- “The narration and music are great.”
- “From the music, to the level design and to the narrator... this game is so filled with adventurer pulp that I'll have enough vitamin C for quite some time.”
- “The music is okay, the theme is okay, the gameplay is okay, but after you play through the first story level and spend maybe twenty minutes in the horde mode, you have seen everything this game has to offer.”
- “Background music (but it does take away from the environment sounds) you can turn it off.”
- “It gives me that 'mummy' movie feeling from 1995, though I would say the in-game adventure needs music; maybe I accidentally turned it off.”
monetization
10 mentions
20 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
80 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players criticizing its corporate feel and the presence of ads for DLC in the menu, which detracts from the overall experience. However, it is noted that there are no microtransactions, which is a positive point for some users. Overall, the monetization strategy seems to lean towards a cash grab mentality rather than a player-focused approach.
- “No microtransactions.”
- “Microtransactions: none.”
- “If this was some indie title full of love and support with a $5-10 price tag, yeah I'd say it's good, but for a AA game that has ads in the menu for DLC and a very soulless by-the-numbers corporate vibe, nah.”
- “Another Rebellion cash grab.”
- “Granted, despite this game's more casual feel, the hip fire still feels a little erratic and the ADS walking speed is geriatric.”
emotional
5 mentions
80 % positive mentions
-40 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a mix of dread and enjoyment, with players feeling a strong sense of tension from the announcer's voice, while also appreciating the cooperative fun it offers. However, some find the story narration lacking and the narrator's presence annoying, which detracts from the overall emotional engagement.
- “Literally, the announcer made me feel absolute dread the first time he opened his mouth.”
- “Awesome, wholesome great coop fun.”
- “The story narration in the pre-mission cutscenes is boring, and the narrator during the game is quite annoying.”
- “The emotional depth of the characters feels shallow and unengaging.”
- “I found it hard to connect with the story, as the emotional moments felt forced and lacked authenticity.”
character development
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise Diablo III for its intricate character design and development, highlighting the game's addictive progression system that enhances player engagement and investment in character growth.
- “Diablo III had intricate character development and an addictive factor in terms of scaled progression.”
- “Great character design.”