The game is a squad-based third-person shooter that uses four members of a team who fight in numerous battles. Each character on the team has their own strengths and weaknesses. The story is of a science-fiction setting where humans spread throughout the galaxy and tension arises with the threat of a hostile alien race that appears. The squad, Brute Force, is sent in to confront the enemy.
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Despite this game apparently outselling Halo in it's first week (not joking: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/brute-force-sets-xbox-sales-records/1100-6030345/), this game seems to have been completely forgotten by history, and unfortunately that's not an entirely undeserved fate for Brute Force. Stiff controls, terrible frame-rate, boring level design, bullet sponge enemies, repetitive environments, and in-one-ear-out-the-other writing combine to simply make an entirely forgettable experience.
The only novelty on display here is the 4-person squad you can hotswap between at any time on the battlefield. However, you rarely find yourself in situations where you are better served by switching to anyone but Tex, who has the biggest health bar and can carry the best weapons. Your AI teammates also often fail to effectively assist you in almost any combat scenario, preferring to hang back rather than join you in firefights.
After slogging through an innumerable amount of bland and repetitive levels, I am met with completely arbitrary and frustrating final stage complete with an unnecessarily convoluted final boss that eventually ends in one of the worst final cutscenes I have ever seen. A fitting end to such a mediocre experience.
The only novelty on display here is the 4-person squad you can hotswap between at any time on the battlefield. However, you rarely find yourself in situations where you are better served by switching to anyone but Tex, who has the biggest health bar and can carry the best weapons. Your AI teammates also often fail to effectively assist you in almost any combat scenario, preferring to hang back rather than join you in firefights.
After slogging through an innumerable amount of bland and repetitive levels, I am met with completely arbitrary and frustrating final stage complete with an unnecessarily convoluted final boss that eventually ends in one of the worst final cutscenes I have ever seen. A fitting end to such a mediocre experience.
BRUTE FORCE!!
I liked playing as the big strong racist guy. Shame the game was total disappointment.
I don't think it's bad as what people make it out to be... as long as you aren't comparing it to Halo.
Poor man’s Halo
Brute Force had quite a bit of hype when it was coming out. A squad based multiplayer focused third-person shooter inspired by Halo exclusive to the Xbox was bound to get people talking. Too bad it’s poor man’s Halo.
Brute Force is a game that focuses on multiplayer. Its co-op nature is very prevalent with the tag-line “Dangerous alone - Deadly Together” and the ability for drop in drop out. So why is the frame rate so bad. It makes the second half of the game all but unplayable on multiplayer. Literal Microsoft PowerPoint type frame rate. It’s a multiplayer game. Completely inexcusable.
The gunplay itself is good. Guns are very loud and it feels nice to shoot enemies. Weapons are a little generic sci-fi but all have their uses. Level design is bland. Walk here, shoot guys, flip a switch. Very generic but doesn’t get in the way of the action.
Brute Force is a mid game with terrible performance. It shouldn’t have been released in this state.
4/10
Brute Force had quite a bit of hype when it was coming out. A squad based multiplayer focused third-person shooter inspired by Halo exclusive to the Xbox was bound to get people talking. Too bad it’s poor man’s Halo.
Brute Force is a game that focuses on multiplayer. Its co-op nature is very prevalent with the tag-line “Dangerous alone - Deadly Together” and the ability for drop in drop out. So why is the frame rate so bad. It makes the second half of the game all but unplayable on multiplayer. Literal Microsoft PowerPoint type frame rate. It’s a multiplayer game. Completely inexcusable.
The gunplay itself is good. Guns are very loud and it feels nice to shoot enemies. Weapons are a little generic sci-fi but all have their uses. Level design is bland. Walk here, shoot guys, flip a switch. Very generic but doesn’t get in the way of the action.
Brute Force is a mid game with terrible performance. It shouldn’t have been released in this state.
4/10
Big missed opportunity here. You would think a game meant to be up to 4 player co op would operate with a smoother frame rate but this game progressively gets worse and turns into a slide show. Even on single player it’s unacceptable. I don’t really get it since this is an Xbox exclusive how it’s so bad but it forced me to abandon this one about 3/4 of the way through.
Frame rate aside the game is fine. There isn’t quite as much strategy as you’d think as you get run n gun through most of the levels. Enemy variety is pretty standard and plays like every other third person shooter.
Each characters unique stats, abilities, and guns they’re able to use elevate the game a bit but a lot of it feels underwhelming. The shooting is fine and there’s a decent amount of pretty good guns but that’s about it.
The gameplay would have benefit from more depth and characters having a dodge/roll instead of a jump that basically isn’t used for anything.
Levels are pretty ugly and repetitive as you go back to the same 3 worlds about 5 times each.
Overall even without the terrible optimization the game would have been mid but would be decent enough to play with a friend. Unfortunately I can’t recommend this one.
Frame rate aside the game is fine. There isn’t quite as much strategy as you’d think as you get run n gun through most of the levels. Enemy variety is pretty standard and plays like every other third person shooter.
Each characters unique stats, abilities, and guns they’re able to use elevate the game a bit but a lot of it feels underwhelming. The shooting is fine and there’s a decent amount of pretty good guns but that’s about it.
The gameplay would have benefit from more depth and characters having a dodge/roll instead of a jump that basically isn’t used for anything.
Levels are pretty ugly and repetitive as you go back to the same 3 worlds about 5 times each.
Overall even without the terrible optimization the game would have been mid but would be decent enough to play with a friend. Unfortunately I can’t recommend this one.