Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10774 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Microsoft
• Released on: 2003-06-20
• Platform: Xbox

Amazon.co.uk Review
Brute Force has taken a long time to wash up on our shores, and comparisons to Halo have been fuelling anticipation for this long-awaited title. The question on everyone's mind is has it been worth the wait? At first glance the answer is no; it has the graphics and polish to rival Halo, but somehow seems to lack the bite. Comparisons aside, Brute Force should be viewed on its own merits. Like most third-person shooters the basics never change, go from one point to the next leaving a path of death and destruction behind you--but the longer you play it the more rewarding it becomes.

As part of an elite fighting force know as Brute Force, you begin as the sole member Tex, progress through the levels and unlock three more characters Brutus, Flint and Hawk, each with their own unique ability. From rage, stealth and sniper to all-out guns blazing, the choice is yours--put all this together and you have an unstoppable crack unit.

Once you have all four unlocked, the additional element of strategy is introduced, and the beauty of this strategy is that it is simple and quick to grasp. The commands although basic keep up the pace of the game so you can quickly switch from one character to the next without numerous button combinations. The fact that all the members of Brute Force are clones and that there is an inexhaustible supply of each member, means once your team have been wiped out you can carry on from where you left off, rather than restarting each level.

Brute Force is not another Halo, nor should it be. With 18 single-player missions, numerous multi-player options and downloadable content from Xbox Live, it's one of the best titles on the Xbox. --Robert Holliday

Manufacturer's Description
Instantly take control of any one of your four highly specialised super-commandos in Brute Force, a new action-packed sci-fi squad-based shooter. Whether the encounter requires stealth, tactics, sniping or just Brute Force, your team is ready and able. Experience the intensity of a shooter with the cunning strategies of team-based tactical combat. Play alone through six different worlds in the extensive single-player campaign, or grab up to three of your friends to jump in on-the-fly in Dynamic Co-op mode. Battle it out in a multitude of competitive deathmatch modes as well. Brute Force is the first Xbox title from world-renowned developer Digital Anvil.

Customer Reviews

Shallow Entertainment
You may have heard that this is an excellent, polished and intelligent game. Well, two out of three isn't bad. Brute Force is basically a sci-fi shooter, and is good when it doesn't try to be anything else. The adverts with it as a squad based shooter are slightly misleading - squad options are available, and to the developers' credit they are easy to use, but in reality you'll find that running in guns blazing is the easiest, and most enjoyable, option.

You are Tex, Flint, Hawk and Brutus, so overall a bit schizophrenic. Nevertheless, the different types of character give good variation to make it something other than a Halo clone, and the graphics are certainly better than Halo's. To be honest, it's unfair to compare Brute Force to Halo - one is an intelligent, demanding shooter that requires tactics and a lot of time to finish. The other is Brute Force.

One thing Brute Force has going for it is the multiplayer - unlockable characters, loads of maps, and options to fight man-to-man or squad-on-squad - and yes, your unlockable characters do have some things in common, meaning that you end up with different squads with different strengths.

Playing the campaign with a group of mates is also available, and they can jump in any time they want - although you may find that you all fight over Tex - the one with dual miniguns.

So, Brute Force is in essence a good looking, entertaining blaster, with the option of some tactics, and the chance for you and some friends to take it to the enemy. It's great fun - just don't expect anything too taxing or serious.

Action which sounds as good as it looks
Most X-Box specific magazines have loved this game, but multi format mags like Edge and Arcade have rubbished it. Each to their own, I dont know what Edge expected but if its action and fun with good looks, great sounds and music and diverse weapons this ones for you.

The squad based gameplay is simple enough to get into quickly and allows rudimentary tactical play but nothing overly complicated. But if thats what you want get a PC and play Rainbow Six, this is all about noisey fun! The sounds are great all weapons have punchy effects which make you want to pull that trigger again and again. Ambient sounds, especially in the swamps and the spooky levels on Shadoon are great as is the music.

The level detail is decent enough but it is very linear, no exploring the surroundings here, but i can forgive them that as should you.

Multi player is not up to PC standard as split screen can never be, but is better than Nightfire and there's always Halo style co-op play which is great fun.

Enjoy this one, I did.

Very Average
This game was hyped as a squad game, but it's simply an average shoot-em-up.
If a squad game is what you want then by Ghost Recon!
If a run around shooting game is what you want then buy Halo, Unreal Tournament or Return to Castle Wolfenstein.
This game does not live up to what it claims to be...very disappointing.