Brut@l Reviews

Brut@l is ranked in the 40th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Metro GameCentral
Top Critic
5 / 10
Aug 8, 2016

The visual look of the game is novel and fun, but underneath it is a shallow and only intermittently enjoyable dungeon crawler.

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7 / 10.0
Aug 2, 2016

The rest of Brutal doesn’t live up to its inspired visuals but it still makes for a good time

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5 / 10.0
Aug 11, 2016

I can’t recommend this to all but the most diehard of genre fans. Even then, the art style may be lost on people who aren’t old enough to remember MS-DOS or a ZX Spectrum. That seems to be the most unique feature of the game.

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6.5 / 10.0
Feb 9, 2017

Brut@l is entertaining, but it is not a great game. This Stormcloud Games proyect has been too ambitious and due to that it has not succeeded in any concrete aspect.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

7 / 10
Aug 2, 2016

Brut@l is certainly a punishing experience for those not used to Rogue-like tropes. Yet it’s a visually attractive game that pays tribute to Rogue in its ASCII style that’s genuinely appealing, as well as having a clean interface and enough flair in the combat to not be devalued as a button masher. A few issues rise when it comes to cooperative play, which make this a harder sell, but Brut@l is otherwise a fitting tribute to Rogue and the genre that came from it that dominates the indie scene.

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IGN Italy
La redazione
Top Critic
6.5 / 10.0
Oct 2, 2016

Brut@l is a decent action game, only for fans of the genre.

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7.5 / 10.0
Aug 2, 2016

A neat dungeon crawler offering some fluid combat, with tough challenges wrapped up in an art style straight out of Tron.

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Aug 17, 2016

Brut@l is a clever homage to old-school ASCII dungeon crawler games, but its stiff difficulty, cheap deaths, and repetitive gameplay limit its appeal.

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65 / 100
Feb 23, 2017

Hallways are outlined with hash symbols, doorways are represented with plus signs, crafting items are letters of the alphabet, and the dungeon map is a faithful top-down expression of a traditional rogue-like.

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7 / 10
Aug 2, 2016

Brut@l is a fun dungeon crawler regardless of whether the historical significance of collecting letters and throwing the @ sign at goblins is lost on you. A distinctive visual style complements simple and enjoyable combat, a satisfying collection of craftable weapons, and a rewarding learning curve. Dungeon runs can get a bit samey, but a co-op mode and robust dungeon creator reward further visits.

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7.5 / 10.0
Aug 4, 2016

Arguably, Brut@l lacks the depth of some of its genre contemporaries while the uniquely touted ASCII-inspired veneer, though a flamboyant shift from the norm, results in some visually repetitive environments. All the same, Brut@l still acquits itself nicely as a decent hack and slash yarn whose prospects are elevated by co-operative play and a neat level editor that adds a good number of extra hours to its playtime.

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8 / 10.0
Feb 9, 2017

When it comes to gameplay, Brut@l may not be very innovative to the rougelike genre at its core; it’s actually pretty standard as those kind of games go. This game has its artstyle and inspiration to thank for adding tons of charm to what would have been a pretty by-the-numbers entry into the genre. If you love roguelikes, or have fond memories of the old ASCII games, you will absolutely enjoy Brut@l. Even if it lacks the depth of some of its competitors, it makes it up in spades in old-school retro charm, and will hook you for hours.

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6.8 / 10.0
Aug 14, 2016

The overall structure of Brut@l is well designed, and procedural generation of the dungeons is good enough to present sufficiently varied floors. Unfortunately a the combat system is soporific and too simplified to entertain.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Aug 8, 2016

Brut@l has visual style to spare, but like a dull book with a beautiful cover, the actual game itself is nothing more than a standard dungeon crawler with divisive rougelike elements.

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ACG
Top Critic
Buy
Aug 2, 2016
Brutal Review "Buy, Wait for Sale, Rent, Never Touch?" video thumbnail
7.5 / 10.0
Aug 2, 2016

If you couldn’t tell, Brut@l is a game that warrants exploring. The dynamically generated world and character leveling systems help to emphasize its infinite replayability. After a few plunges into this violent abyss the repetitive grind will set in a bit, but the solid combat helps to take the sting out of infrequent bouts of déjà vu. Plus, the inclusion of couch coop and a fully featured level designer only further cements its value. Have no fear, adventurer. This is a quest that is well worth embarking upon.

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Fextralife
Forum Pirate
Top Critic
7 / 10
Feb 10, 2017

In case it hasn't become clear, Brut@l is a simple experience. That simplicity isn't necessarily bad, as it allows the game to be very focused on the intended experience. I enjoy the game, and for others your enjoyment of the game will hinge entirely on how much you enjoy the core gameplay: kill/break stuff to get materials for more and better stuff, try to conserve resources, repeat until boss or death. The simplistic combat leaves a little to be desired, but it's an entertaining and mostly gratifying way to unplug and spend a few hours causing a little mayhem.

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GameSpace
Top Critic
7.5 / 10.0
Feb 12, 2017

When all is said and done, Brut@l is a decent hack’n’slash game with better-than-average combat and a totally wicked graphic style. While not on par with classic ARPGs like Diablo II or Titan Quest, it’s still a lot of fun and worth the $14.99 (11.99 through the 16th) price tag.

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KeenGamer
Michael Keener
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Aug 10, 2016

Brut@l is an amazing game when you consider what it is representing. It's paying tribute to the history of RPG dungeon crawling games while offering a unique 3D and current gaming twist to it. Casually sitting between a game with depth and a game so simple in gameplay you can restart a couple times every day, every RPG fan could find something interesting about it.

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7 / 10.0
Aug 2, 2016

Brut@l could use some more content to make runs feel more unique, but the game is pretty fun as it stands. A lovely ASCII-inspired artstyle, entertaining co-op, and some great exploration help carry so-so combat and a lame dungeon creator.

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