Brigador
 | |
|---|---|
 Box art for video game Brigador: Up Armored Edition | |
| Developer(s) | Stellar Jockeys |
| Publisher(s) | Stellar Jockeys |
| Designer(s) | Hugh Monahan Jack Monahan |
| Programmer(s) | Dale Kim Harry Hsiao Karl Parakenings |
| Artist(s) | Hugh Monahan Jack Monahan |
| Composer(s) | Makeup and Vanity Set |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux |
| Release |
|
| Genre(s) | Real-time tactics |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Brigador (originally titled Matador) is an isometric real-time tactical game from independent studio Stellar Jockeys, released on October 16, 2015 on early access. It officially left early access on June 2, 2016. The game has been compared to the Syndicate[1] and MechWarrior[2] series. Brigador: Up-Armored Edition, was the improved relaunch released on June 2, 2017, which provided a new introduction to game mechanics, rebalanced the game's overall difficulty, added localization support, and made graphical upgrades such as better explosions and lighting changes.[3]
Gameplay
[edit]Brigador is divided into two modes: Campaign and Freelance. Each mission in Campaign mode offers the player up to four different loadouts to complete a mission's objectives. The player can choose from three main objectives: eliminate a certain number of enemy NPCs, take out all the marked captains, or destroy the orbital defense platforms before making their escape. Completing a mission successfully rewards the player with money, which they can spend on unlocking in-game flavor text as well as other vehicles, weapons and pilots for use in Freelance mode.
In Freelance mode, the player chooses a pilot, vehicle, weapons and a "run" of levels to complete. What the player chooses for their run will affect the difficulty of enemies faced, what factions they may encounter, as well as the payout multiplier bonus for successfully completing a run of levels. Additional, harder runs can be purchased using the currency earned within the game.
Development
[edit]Brigador is the first game by Stellar Jockeys. Co-founders Hugh Monahan and Jack Monahan are behind the game's art direction and design, while Dale Kim and Harry Hsiao worked as programmers on the game's custom engine.[4] The game began development in 2011, and its development was entirely self-funded. Brigador was released in October 2015 as an early access title, with the full launch following in June 2016.[5][6] Following the 2016 launch, Dale Kim and Harry Hsiao parted amicably from the studio, with Karl Parakenings joining to provide programming support in their stead. On June 2, 2017, the game was relaunched as Brigador: Up-Armored Edition which added more content to the game, rebalanced the game's difficulty, and localized the game into several languages including French, German, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and several others.
Reception
[edit]| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 70/100[7] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Destructoid | 8/10[9] |
| GameSpot | 7/10[10] |
| PC Gamer (US) | 76/100[8] |
Brigador: Up-Armored Edition received "mixed or average reviews", according to review aggregator Metacritic.[7] On initial release, the developers found it difficult to generate awareness for the game, which contributed to its commercial failure.[5] However, due to the 2017 relaunch and continued support by the developers, the game saw improved sales numbers, particularly in non-English speaking territories.[11][12]
In May 2019, a direct sequel to Brigador, titled Brigador Killers, was announced.[13]
References
[edit]- ^ Smith, Graham (4 February 2014). "Mechs For a Good Time: Matador Trailer". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved 2014-02-05.
- ^ Shearer, Stew (5 February 2014). "Matador to Offer Isometric Roguelike Mech Action". The Escapist. Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2014-02-05.
- ^ Horti, Samuel (4 June 2017). "Brigador: Up-Armored Edition 'relaunches' the mech combat game". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved 2017-06-05.
- ^ Rad, Chloi. "Matador Merges Stylish Mech Combat With Challenging Roguelike Elements". Indie Statik. Archived from the original on 2014-08-07. Retrieved 2014-02-15.
- ^ a b Nathan Grayson (2016-07-21). "What Happens After An Indie Game Fails On Steam". Kotaku. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
- ^ O'Connor, Alice (October 16, 2015). "Isometric Action: Brigador Stomps Into Early Access". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
- ^ a b "Brigador for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
- ^ Petitte, Omri (29 June 2016). "Brigador review". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
- ^ Tolentino, Josh (4 July 2016). "Review: Brigador". Destructoid. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
- ^ Starkey, Daniel (15 July 2016). "Brigador Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
- ^ Glover, Benjamin (11 March 2019). "Thirteen tips for your next localization". Gamasutra Blogs. UBM LLC. Archived from the original on 2019-03-15. Retrieved 2019-07-30.
- ^ Monahan, Hugh (2019-05-04). "Was Brigador eventually a financial success?". Brigador: Up-Armored Edition General Discussions Forum. Stellar Jockeys. Retrieved 2019-07-31 – via Steam Community.
- ^ Tarason, Dominic (2019-05-29). "Brigador Killers is giving us a whole new world to stomp flat". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
