Brink

Brink published on PC, PS3 and X360 is a first-person perspective shooter produced by Splash Damage, the authors of Enemy Territory: Quake Wars and a free expansion pack to Return to Castle Wolfenstein, called Enemy Territory.

Plot

The plot of Brink takes place in 2045, when the world is destroyed by a massive flood. The action is set on the deck of a floating, futuristic metropolis called The Ark, which in reality is composed of a set of small islands. This experiment city built from modified coral was a true land of peace, but now it is on the brink of civil war. Such situation emerged because the island served as an asylum for its creators, their descendants, but also for tens of thousands of refugees looking for shelter from the violence of the outside world. The place for five thousand people had to accommodate ten times more. The conflict has arisen not only because of overpopulation, but also – and quite ironically – because of isolation to the rest of the Universe. Lack of resources, empty warehouses, and an uncertain tomorrow pushed people towards crime. The future of human kind rests on your shoulders.

Mechanics

Gameplay largely depends on the way you build your character. As far as countless appearance options do not influence gameplay, the hero’s abilities and weapon modifications do. You can expand your soldier’s skills with experience point, while a special challenge mode allows for unlocking and upgrading weapons.

During combat, you are accompanied by other soldiers controlled by either AI or another player. Brink is designed to conceal the boundary between single and multiplayer. Due to that, anyone can join you at any moment and replace an AI-controlled character, be it one from your team (co-op) or from the enemy squad. Such design translates into multi-layered battles with emphasis on tactical planning.

Moreover, gameplay requires the player to accomplish a number of missions. Some of them have to be completed in order to push the story forward, while others are optional. Missions consist in interrogating, capturing hostages, planting explosives, escorting different units, fixing broken mechanisms, and capturing particular areas. As you progress, you earn experience points that can be spent on new items, weapons, and armours.

Technical aspects

Brink for PC, PS3 and X360 features great visuals along with a thrilling soundtrack mixed with real sound effects. The graphics are powered by idTech 4 created by id Software, so the engine employed in such productions as Doom 3 and Rage. Beautiful yet inaccessible, the Ark offers huge and detailed locations.

Last updated on 29 April 2011