Brew [Review]

Brew is a complete game, not in early access, yet it still feels somewhat unpolished. The game's standout features are the striking models, environments, and character designs, which are full of personality and incredibly well-done. The graphics and art style are fantastic, creating a vibrant and beautiful game world.

This is a satisfying and deep rogue-like shooter with excellent combat control reminiscent of Jack and Daxter or Ratchet and Clank. The gameplay will keep you on your toes, and unlocking upgrades and power boosts successfully makes you feel more powerful. Potions add variety to gameplay and strategy.

However, the game has several rough edges. The animations feel dated and are a letdown, sometimes failing to match the hitboxes—I found that I needed to focus on the effects to confirm a hit. Furthermore, potions are only truly useful when equipped to a weapon. Inventory management is also a significant issue; from what I can tell, the game lacks a clear sense of when items will run out or when hoarding is necessary. This ambiguity often led to the frustrating cycle of deleting seemingly unneeded items only to discover their usefulness later. Additionally, the in-game sounds seem strangely muted. Overall, this is a fantastic game, and it is constantly being updated, so overall this is an easy recommendation. It feels like a blast from the past, a modern PlayStation 2 title if you will.

This is an incredibly fun title, bursting with color and beauty, and a modern classic despite its rough edges. Though currently a bit of a "scuffed gem," with more updates and polishing, this game has the potential to truly shine.