June 3, 2009 - Brink is developer Splash Damage’s latest first-person shooter, currently in pre-Alpha yet on display behind closed doors at E3 2009. I got a chance to sit in on a gameplay demonstration at the conference yesterday and was impressed with what I saw.

The game not only looks quite sharp at this early stage, but it also employs a compelling, role-based squad-shooter gameplay that looks like a heck of a lot of fun. Getting online with up to seven other buddies on either side of an isolated conflict in a floating city out at sea, and using the ultra-fast S.M.A.R.T. movement mechanic will undoubtedly endear this title to shooter fans when it releases sometime next year.

To give you a little story background, players will take on the role of a hardened combatant in a struggle between two factions: the Resistance and Security forces. You see, a few decades prior to the current conflict, a group of pioneering citizens moved aboard a massive floating city called the Ark. The Ark was created as a template for green, utopian living. However, after about 20 years and being cut off from the rest of humanity (supposedly due to rising sea levels), the Ark reverts to a dystopian world. This makes the Ark the perfect playground for shooter fans to run around and wreak havoc.

Splash Damage CEO and game design lead, Paul Wedgwood, took us through the title’s paces. Hopping into an abandoned airport, Mr. Wedgwood was able to show us some of the game’s fundamental concepts without his efforts being thwarted by opposed combatants. Perhaps the greatest innovation in Brink is that of the S.M.A.R.T. mechanic for simplified movement. This clever acronym (a term Bethesda coined) stands for Smooth Movement Around Random Terrain.

Essentially, Splash Damage has created software that is constantly analyzing the surroundings, allowing players to move quickly around, on top of, and through obstacles with a press of a button. While movement can also be performed normally, using S.M.A.R.T. to tactically make your way through the environments of the Ark not only looks smooth but seems to be very efficient. Rather than constantly bumping into objects like a mindless automaton, players will now take advantage of a mechanic that allows for natural movement. Just like humans, the program will constantly make calculations in order to get you to where you want to go in a very efficient manner, without having you get bogged down by boxes, or stuck on a platform because the next one is just a few pixels shy of your character’s jumping ability. S.M.A.R.T. movement controls should keep this game fresh and unique.

On that note, players can also keep things unique through the expansive character creator. Because much of Brink will be played with friends in drop-in, drop-out co-op multiplayer of up to eight-man squads, the need to differentiate yourself from others playing the game is paramount. As such, the developers created easy to use customization tools with an estimated 19.2 billion different combinations.

Another important characteristic of Brink is the use of soldiering roles to complete objectives. We were able to see two different roles in action: Soldier and Engineer. The Soldier was a great character for literally leveling the playing field. These guys are the ones you want to play when you feel the urge to just blow stuff up. On the other hand, if you feel like taking on a supporting role that allows your team to circumvent obstacles and get into flanking positions, the Engineer is the way to go. Each role has unique skills, allowing for very different ways for completing objectives and advancing the game. Best of all, these roles can be switched out at any time, on the fly, via strategically placed command center terminals. This also holds true for weapons load-outs. Depending on what type of terrain and enemy fortifications you’re up against, players will want to switch between heavy weapons like grenade launchers, close combat arms like shotguns, or more precise assault rifles. It is apparent that the appropriate mix of roles and weaponry will be essential to passing through levels efficiently.

During the demo, we were treated to a level set in the confines of a ruined port complex. Known as Container City, the site is a rusted out assemblage of aging shipping containers and a sordid lot of nasty Resistance fighters. Despite the fact the environment was a jumble of obstacles, the S.M.A.R.T. system negotiated the terrain for Mr. Wedgwood with the greatest of ease. Progressing through the level, he would constantly refer to a radial mission wheel. Rather than players going through the environment in a preset way, gamers have the option of tailoring the experience any way they want. This radial wheel of objectives gives you several options for tackling the situation at hand. Each objective is given an XP number relative to its difficulty. Players will thus make their way through the game dynamically selecting tactical objectives which ultimately improve the player character and resolve the overarching mission. This ability to adjust the experience on the fly should go a long way toward replayability.

Though the game is only in pre-Alpha, we were encouraged by just how much quality is already going into the project. The Ark is an intriguing place, full of varied environments to roam around in and in which to frag to your heart’s content. That being said, it also seems like it may be little more than a playground for gunplay – don’t expect a particularly deep narrative to keep you engaged. Nevertheless, the quality action and role-centric strategy should be more than enough to keep players interested. We’ll have more on Brink as the title matures in the months ahead of its spring 2010 release.

By Jonathan Marx
CCC Editor / News Director