Game Review Brutal.io

 

Brutal.io is another one of those FFA multiplayer games. It shares the visual style of Wormax.io and mostly copies the gameplay of Zlap.io. Whether or not we need another .io game isn’t a concern. The best ones rise to the top of the pack, enjoying greater popularity for their better-than-average gameplay and/or concept. Fortunately, Brutal.io appears to be just that—it might look like and sound like other games, but it’s better than the rest.

Swinging, Flinging, and More
Brutal.io puts each player in control of a car and a flail. Much like the name implies, a flail can swing freely, or “flail,” about the arena. Each car begins with one small, detachable flail. Just like in Zlap.io, players can spin around to swing their flail, building momentum and power. Any nearby cars are easily struck and defeated by fast-moving flails.

Close-distance attacks aren’t the only way to survive. In fact, they’re one of the least common causes of death in Brutal.io. The real secret lies within flinging flails. Regardless of size or speed, players can toss their flail across the arena. Anyone within the flight path will be defeated. This is the best way to attack bigger enemies, because you don’t have to go anywhere near them. If your flail strikes another player, they lose and you score. Once again, momentum is an important factor. Building up momentum before throwing the flail is like a major-league pitcher winding up before delivering a blazing fastball; strong momentum results in faster, deadlier flails.

Roaming, Hiding, and Shocking
The arena in Brutal.io isn’t just an open space. Instead, there are plenty of special areas and obstacles. One green energy ball resides in each quadrant of the map. These immobile circles release bursts of energy when struck. Players can crash directly into energy balls or hit them with flails to release energy. Colorful energy bits fly out of the opposite side of the ball. So, be careful when releasing energy, because you could easily refuel another player.

There are two large crosses (i.e. “plus” symbols) near the center of the map. These blue barriers double as safety walls. Cars and flails cannot cross through walls. Thus, walls can be used to hide from others and rest for a few seconds before heading back into the action.

Red zones are the exact opposite of blue ones. Instead of providing safety, red parts of the map represent danger. These electrified zones have the potential to kill any player who dares to enter. There are two large red areas near the center of the map, along with one small wedge in each corner. Stay away, unless you plan on leading another car into danger.

Charging Up FTW
Energy is essential for growing and staying alive in Brutal.io. Provided you continuously pursue energy (from energy balls and AI-controlled triangles), you’ll have a solid chance to climb the leaderboard. The Brutal.io experience is much deeper than that of its peers. In this game, the real danger comes from other players and their flying flails. Be brutal with yours, and enjoy this .io powerhouse.