Splash Damage is pretty well respected for its work on the Enemy Territory series, so a presentation on its new title Brink, at the Eurogamer Expo 2009 was worth a glance, at the very least. CEO Paul Wedgwood began with bold claims for his company, referring to its publishing partnership with Bethesda Softworks in 2008: “We announced our intention to make the transition from a pure multiplayer shooter studio for the PC, to a triple-A multiplatform game developer for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC, and Brink is the result of that partnership.”

As is the way with these things, of course, Splash Damage hasn’t strayed too far from its ideological roots. It’s worth mentioning straightaway that Brink looks to be, at heart, a multiplayer shooter with narrative pretentions, rather than a game that has equal amounts to offer in both modes, as Splash Damage claims.

Brink takes place on The Ark, a kind of above-water eco-Rapture. Wedgwood explains; “It’s an immense floating city, built at sea as part of a contemporary green vision, but now existing around 2045 and having lost contact with the rest of the earth it exists in total isolation and is an immense and artificial focus of conflict for two competing factions.” Two things are immediately apparent: unlike Bioshock, it’s a location built around an idea for a game; and seemingly, it’s not too much more than a team-based online multiplayer shooter, in true Splash Damage style. So what makes Brink ‘triple-A’, compared to what came before it?

The first level we’re shown is the Airport, and as you’d expect it’s exactly as you’d expect; large split-level lobbies, big windows with a runway outside. And in true failed utopia style, there are bloody scrawls all over the wall; “they took our children,” and such.  It’s an excuse for Wedgwood to show off what one punter called the Mirror’s Edge button. (Actually it’s called SMART [Smooth Movement Across Random Terrain].) Simply put, as you approach any kind of obstacle, hitting a key and looking at where you want to go will get you there as efficiently as possible. Be it as simple as vaulting a wall, or as complex as sliding under a metal detector’s lasers and leaping from one balcony to another, all in quick succession. More complex moves need more input, for example running and then crouching and hitting SMART performs a slide, so hopefully it won’t feel like the game is doing all the work for you. It certainly gives you options; over, under, around, or through, at least. When he’s finished flying around the level like a loon, Wedgwood shows us an impressively varied selection of meatheads, showcasing the character customisation options. As you’d expect, there are a few unique classes, options to change weapon and gadget loadouts, a whole range of clothing, accessories, and lots more to make your character unique. Or as Wedgwood puts it; “cool stuff to show other people how badass you are.” Quite.

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