Impressions: Brink (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
The Splash Damage and Bethesda title that remained a secret for so long was revealed last week in Brink. We were given a teaser video with little more content than an eye and an ominous white tower. So, when we arrived at our appointment with Bethesda today, we were anxious to see more on the game, and Splash Damage delivered.
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Paul Wedgewood, CEO of Splash Damage, was all too willing to show off his new game Brink, and without much of an introduction, we were thrust into some gameplay. A FPS boasting an open-ended mission system, Brink takes place in a future where the planet is covered almost entirely with water. One last bastion of hope for civilization looms in the blue abyss, and it's known as The Ark.
The Ark is the one remaining hub of human activity, where a war is constantly waged against Security and Resistance forces. These factions are comprised of different classes, all playing their part in the grand scheme of things. But, enough of the game's setting, let's get to the good stuff: gameplay.
As said, the game is a FPS with a persistent world, and some minor Mirror's Edge-like environmental navigation for good measure, Players can climb over obstacles and hang on ledges much like Faith, however Splash Damage is aiming to make it even simpler than that game by delegating these actions to a single button (they call it S.M.A.R.T.). Watching Paul in action seemed like this simplification worked fairly well, but wasn't half as exciting as watching Faith scurry about.
Paul divulged that there would be two different campaigns for each side of the conflict, and chose a Security recruit and jumped into the game. One of the more interesting things about Brink that Splash Damage is promoting is a mission system that provides players with dynamic objectives given what the current situation is. For example, the Security forces needed intel, so Paul chose the "Interrogation" mission, tracked down a wounded Resistance fighter, and proceeded to shock him into submission, extracting not only information, but also copious amounts of experience points for him and his team.
The team plays a vital role, as well. At any given time, you can play with up to 7 friends in co-operative play through the main storyline (again, two seperate storylines for each faction). Or, if online is more your thing, you could simply take those 7 friends of yours and go up against 8 other players, with your single player character reaping all of the benefits and keeping the experience points from completing these tasks.
Brink is scheduled for release on the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC in Spring 2010.
