A case for Bethesda to reinvent Brink as a modern shooter

technically speaking, Brink he's actually not even dead. Servers are still active. Since 2011, it has disappeared significantly. At the time of writing, there are still 10 dedicated players in the game. There are a lot of younger players right now who don't even realize what Brink is. Developed by Splash Damage, this first-person shooter had the potential to be a hit. However, the game's fire was extinguished by a combination of poor timing and feeling incomplete compared to the surrounding competition. BrinkThe failure to live up to expectations made it one of the most disappointing games of 2010. Despite this, there is still a chance for Bethesda and Splash Damage to breathe new life into the FPS by taking advantage of modern genre trends.

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How has this affected ARC Raiders nearly a month after Marathon's release?

While Marathon didn't make a huge impact on ARC Raiders' player base, both titles are still moving in the growing extraction shooter genre.

Brink has the potential to come back from the brink of extinction

For those who don't remember, Brink promised to be a revolutionary new take on the FPS genre. In fact, it was in several ways. One of the most influential features Brink boasted its Smooth Movement Across Random Terrain (SMART) system. It was a one-button parkour mechanic that helped players move around the maps more smoothly. Parkour or fluid movement like vaulting is not exactly new. Games like Titanfall 2, Fortniteand Final they all have some kind of twist on the movement-focused controls, but Brink was a pioneer in this specific feature.

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Other key features of Brink

• A combination of single player and multiplayer, with the first player's team full of robots.

• A much heavier focus on classes with four different options: Soldiers, Engineers, Medics and Operatives.

• Choose from three different body types.

• Emphasis on objectives and teamwork instead of kill count.

Some of the most influential games of the 21st century are still gaining recognition, but Brink is one that unfortunately seems to have been forgotten. These mentioned features can now be found in a wide variety of shooters, but one of them BrinkMost notable was how he dealt with the body type in a manner similar to Team Strength 2. Characters can have either heavy, medium or light bodies and it would affect the gameplay. Heavy characters were slower but could handle all weapon types. Light bodied characters had less health and were limited in the weapons they could carry, but this build was much faster and better for parkour. The middle served as a balance of the two. Splash Damage played with some great concepts, but BrinkGroundbreaking ways aren't the only reason the game deserves a comeback.

Brink's story and setting could be the perfect base to build an extraction shooter

Tradition behind BrinkThe world is one of the main aspects that helped make the game so interesting. It wasn't a deep story, but it has a lot of potential to explore further. The game takes place on an artificial island called the Ark, which was created as a self-sufficient and environmentally conscious community. However, worsening global warming has caused most of Earth's continents to be overtaken by the ocean, leaving the ark as one of humanity's last safe havens. The surviving refugees flocked to the Ark, quickly causing tension between the natives and the new arrivals. Overpopulation has taken a toll on resources, and the class divide between the refugees and the Ark's founders has driven the man-made island into a civil war between two factions, the Resistance and the Ark Safety. Post-apocalyptic games can have unique identity issues, but BrinkThe concept of human destruction had its own voice.

Brink would probably still work well revamped as a battle royale, but the genre's reign is coming to an end. Even the recent layoffs of Epic Games claimed to be declining Fortnite Engagement led to the decision to cut 20% of the workforce. The industry looks to be moving more into extraction shooters as the next big trend. ARC Raiders was one of the biggest hits of last year, and Marathon finally up and running in decently solid numbers.

There are several options to choose from ARC Raiders and Marathonbut plenty of players are still warming up to extraction shooters. The genre isn't oversaturated yet, which could leave Bethesda and Splash Damage with the perfect opening to jump into the trend soon. Of course, this would require some significant gameplay modifications, which would take time. However, it is not impossible.

Brink Getting a new lease on life is ultimately a dream

The game may have been divisive, but Brink it had some great features that influenced future games. As interesting as it would be to see it return in a new and improved state, it's an unlikely scenario. Splash Damage is currently busy working on his secret project Astrid. Not much is known about the game, other than that it's an open-world survival title being developed in collaboration with popular streamers Sacriel and Shroud. Splash Damage has been tight-lipped since its announcement. The studio faced layoffs last year, but it's unclear if that affected the game's development.

There's always the possibility that Project Astrid could be a fresh take Brinkstory, but only time will tell. Splash Damage teased intense gameplay combined with immersion and storytelling, which is definitely something extraction shooters like. ARC Raiders and Marathon to have in spades. However, this is probably wishful thinking. as it stands Brink will continue to be an FPS that had a lot of great ideas that suffered from not being fully realized. On the other hand, the game is still fully active and you can play it for free if you don't mind playing with bots.