This is a review i got for game spy.
I dont do xbox but for the good of the ppl here ya go.
Seeing as how we'll all have to wait until next year for Bungie's incredibly sweet Halo 2 it occurred to me that I just might be playing one of the better Xbox games we'll see until then. Brute Force offers a solid squad-based action experience that's simpler to play than the likes of the Tom Clancy games, but that's just as much fun in its own right.
Brute Force is set in the distant year 2340 -- a time at which the human race has discovered and inhabited over 50 star systems in the galaxy. Called the "Known Worlds" it has been decided that the Confed Republic must govern these systems to keep peace and order among the many different alien races that reside within. Of course, what kind of futuristic temporal horizon would it be without the odd rebellion or two. That's where a crack team of space commandos -- controlled by you -- employed by the Confed come into play. You must take charge of your elite team and run covert ops, eradicating any miscreants as you go.
The campaign mode of Brute Force starts you out nice and slow, introducing you to the first of the four main squaddies. Tex is a rock-hard human marine, bristling with more muscle and bad one-liners than you can shake a stick at. After completing a basic recon mission, you'll be subsequently introduced to Brutus -- a lizard-type alien from the Feral race -- and finally Hawk and Flint. Hawk is hot chick with stealth abilities, while Flint is a hot android chick with insane sniping capabilities.
Brute Force focuses heavily on teamwork; utilizing the strengths and compensating for weaknesses of each character as appropriate. Each guy or gal has a unique combat ability; Tex can wield dual weapons, Brutus can heal and see enemies using infrared, Flint is incredibly accurate at targeting, and Hawk can cloak herself to become invisible. All these powers are governed by an energy meter which depletes and replenished over time.
A cool premise in Brute Force is the one that brings DNA replication to the forefront of the player's mind. See, your squad could easily be killed in the line of duty. Luckily, technology allows the immediate cloning and deployment of a brand new replicated squad -- for a cash price -- so you'll not be stuck replaying long missions over and over again.
After the first couple of intro missions, all four characters will be controllable by you. A simple tap of the d-pad allows a primary character to be selected and used, and basic team commands are also given this way too. For the most part, Brute Force feels a lot more action-oriented than say Ghost Recon for example. It's not nearly has heavy on the strategy/planning side and reminds me more of a first-person shooter than a tactical-action game.
You want the truth? You can't handle the truth. That's not a bad thing either. One of the reasons that the game is fun is that it's really easy to get to grips with from the beginning. There'll never be too many times when you're left stretching your melon; trying to work out what to do next. And to that end, Brute Force can be a little on easy side.
I really liked the single player stuff. The game looks and sounds pretty decent -- supporting 480p HD display and Dolby 5.1 surround -- although there were quite a few times where the framerate took a dive during first-person sniping sessions when the screen was full of mayhem and explosions -- a minor niggle for sure. It certainly doesn't look as clean or smooth as Halo but it's perfectly acceptable nonetheless.
Brute Force features over 30 different kinds of weapons. Ranging from huge rocket launchers, energy weapons, projectile grenades and more, there's never a shortage of new ways to kill of enemy scrubs. Items such as gas, energy and fragmentation grenades, medikits and ammo clips also keep the action flowing at a great pace.
There are six huge worlds that are split up into sub-missions to divide and conquer, so the campaign game will keep individual players busy for some time -- particularly when you replay through missions on different difficulty levels. Probably the most interesting aspect of the game is the multiplayer stuff. The game's System Link functionality is fantastic for people tha thave the proper setup, though the lack of online play through the Xbox Live service definitely hurts the game.
Ghost Recon is the most popular Xbox Live titles to date. Why? Because people like to play online, as part of a team. It seems like an inexcusable oversight to have excluded Live play from Brute Force, but in the end you're still left with a fun one-to-eight player experience, albeit using two Xbox's, two TVs and a System Link cable. Playable in both co-op and deathmatch modes, Brute Force is a blast with a few friends. Sure, the graphics are dumbed down substantially when four players are going split screen, but the basic gameplay elements remain the same.
Additional content will be available shortly after Brute Force ships via Xbox Live and will feature new missions and full campaigns for both single and multiplayer. Add in some of the unlockable character DNA modules that are found in the campaign mode, and you're selection of players in the multiplayer modes increases too.
Brute Force might not be the big Halo killer that people have hoped for -- just have to hang in there for Halo 2 -- but it's a great third-person action title with a neat squad twist. Sometimes the missions might get a tad repetitive, and it might not be the biggest revelation in terms of gameplay you've ever seen, but throw in some friends and you'll have a blast. It offers solid action, cool visuals and a great distraction from reality -- it's just a shame that the online play is missing.
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