Brute Force Review

Developer	Digital Anvil
Publisher	Microsoft
Genre	Third-Person Shooter

In the beginning there was Halo, and it was good. Known for its impressive AI, graphics, and gameplay, Halo set the bar for any first party title that would follow. Debuting on the Halo disc as a non-playable demo, Brute Force looked to be Microsoft’s follow-up hit. Touted as a tactical, squad-based third person shooter, Brute Force appeared to build upon the framework that Bungie created. After finally being released on May 28, Brute Force manages to be a game that most shooter fans will enjoy.

Gameplay - Brute Force offers a squad of four playable characters (the aptly titled “Brute Force”), each with their own unique strengths and weaknesses. Brutus and Tex are the two heavy fighters in the group, while Hawk and Flint rely on distance and stealth for the majority of their kills. This serves to accommodate a wide variety of play styles—anything from sniping to run and gun action is present. It does not serve to make Brute Force a strategic title. Brutus and Tex are capable of running through an entire level without having to rely on sniper fire from Flint or scouting from Hawk. This relegates Flint and Hawk to support roles rather than making them integral members of the squad. The promise of strategic, squad-based action fails to be achieved because of this.

The squad elements are weak, but the combat itself is fast-paced and solid. The enemy AI is good, and each race employs different tactics. The mutants (who love their Molotov cocktails) rush when provoked, while militia members tend to take a more conservative approach. This makes each gunfight more interesting. Instead of employing the same tactic each time the enemy is engaged, players have to adapt to each new situation. Grenades become a necessity when fighting Militia Members or Seers, and back peddling while letting loose a spray of bullets is the typical way of dealing with mutants. The action remains varied, frantic, and fun regardless of the setting.

The controls are great for the most part. Copying the scheme created by Halo (why mess with perfection), Brute Force will be instantly familiar to anyone who’s played that game. The only difference lies in the fact that Brute Force is a third person shooter. Turning seems less responsive than it was in Halo because you have to wait for your character to catch up with the camera. This leads to some lag in the controls, and can become frustrating when a quick 180 degree turn is required.

Graphics - Everything in Brute Force has a generic sci-fi feel. All of the environments and character models look as though they’ve been seen many times before during late-night programming on the Sci-Fi channel. Everything from the requisite lava planet to the equally important idyllic landscapes are present throughout the game. This would have been a greater problem had the developers not crafted the environments so well. Every level boasts massive amounts of detail, and most manage to have no fog or pop-up. As an added bonus, the frame rate stays stable regardless of how much action is on screen.

The weapon effects are a mixed bag. Although some, such as the minigun and grenades, offer a solid feeling of power, most of the weapons don’t feel like they pack much of a punch. Most of the weapons feel interchangeable as well—the game features many futuristic guns that have similar aspects. The weapon models themselves are good, but the shots that fire from each are weak. The lack of truly different guns, and the generic laser-like effects that emanate from a vast majority of them, drops the quality otherwise excellent graphics.

Sound - The ambient noise and musical score throughout the game are easily forgettable. While they are never annoying, they also don’t stand out. It’s difficult for a game to have a truly good musical score—Morrowind had one, Halo had one, but Brute force just doesn’t. The ambient noise is appropriate for each level and successfully keeps the game from ever growing silent.

Weapons sound like they look, with grenades being the notable example in this category. Just as the explosions from each grenade looked great, so too do they sound. Most weapons sound as weak as they feel. The sounds for weapon effects are just average.

Overall Value - This game offers a fun experience to shooter fans, but it fails to live up to the squad-based action it promises. The replay value is drastically increased by the inclusion of three different difficulties—brutal requires different tactics than easy, and well worth the time for someone who enjoyed their first run through the game.

Brute Force fails to rise above other stellar titles in the shooter category (Halo, Wolfenstein, and Ghost Recon all offer better experiences). But, if you’ve already worn out your copy of Halo, and don’t have Xbox Live, then Brute Force may be your best bet.

Review by Matt Dedrick