Brut@l Reviews
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.
The rest of Brutal doesn’t live up to its inspired visuals but it still makes for a good time
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.
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.
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.
A neat dungeon crawler offering some fluid combat, with tough challenges wrapped up in an art style straight out of Tron.
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.
Brut@l is one of my favorite dungeon crawling games that I’ve played in a very long time. The visual style of the game is striking and beautiful, the combat is smooth and fluid, and the game has tons of replay value both with it’s level editor and the randomly generated dungeons. If you like trophies the game has a full set including a Platinum to go after as well. The altars in the game feel a little unfair and I wish you could have more than one level created and shared at a time but those are minor nitpicks in this great game. Brut@l is for you if you’re seeking a unique challenging new dungeon crawler.
The visual look of the game is novel and fun, but underneath it is a shallow and only intermittently enjoyable dungeon crawler.
People can argue the merit and worth of roguelikes until the sun goes down, but while they’re not the most assorted or varied of role-playing experiences, what makes Brut@l work is the very procedural nature of its design.
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.
Brut@l helps fill the void of roguelikes available on the PlayStation 4, though the lack of persistent upgrades makes Brut@l more of a game meant to be played in short bursts rather than working on a long-term improvement and domination. The solid gameplay and easy learning curve make Brut@l a strong introduction to roguelikes, though experienced dungeoneers may find it too shallow.
Brut@l is one of those roguelikes that I'll gladly pick up and play whenever I have the time just to see how far I can descend into the dungeon.
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.
The potions can help you or seriously hurt you, but I choose to drink them all…every time; that game of Russian Roulette is too fun to pass up
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.
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
Brut@l is a modernisation and homage to truly pioneering games that were addictive before graphics were even a thing. It’s a hugely entertaining, visually striking experience, and has instantly become my favourite multiplayer title on the PlayStation 4. It does represent how some corners of the modern gaming industry is pushing visceral action over complexity, and that is disappointing on one level, but at the same time I can’t really complain that the developers have gone with the times, especially when it’s this much fun.