'Brink'
First-person shooter with unprecedented freedom of movement
(T) **1/2
Bethesda Softworks
Xbox 360
"Brink" is a first-person shooter that boasts an unprecedented freedom
of movement, much like parkour. You can slide-tackle your opponents, hop over
rails and other obstacles, and of course, just shoot people the old-fashioned
way. The game's story puts you on an island metropolis, which has seen better
days. You can choose to fight on the side of the security forces, who see their
city as the last remnant of lawful civilization, or you can fight with the
rebels who've come to consider their home a prison. Whichever choice you make
will determine whether the guys you shoot at wear slick-looking body armor
or look like they're ready to attend the Burning Man festival. The game's unique
art style is a highlight, but the aesthetic trumps the gameplay, which never
quite works the way you wish it did.
Though offering dimwitted A.I. bots to blast away, this game was really designed
for online play with live adversaries, and there are quite a few bugs that
still need to be worked out. Your parkour-inspired abilities function inconsistently.
You might execute an astonishing leap one second, just to find yourself unable
to clear an obstacle — half the height — a second later. Your
fast-paced moves are terrific when they work, but they're hampered by a chugging
framerate an irritating amount of the time. It's admirable that Bethesda
Softworks tried to offer an online FPS experience different from the myriad "Call
of Duty" clones, but if you're looking for free running action, your
best bet is still one of the "Assassin's Creed" games. CV
