The first DLC pack for Splash Damage's Brink, "The Agents of Change", will be free upon its release early next month on the PlayStation Network, Xbox Live and Steam for two weeks, where if you grab it in that time it will remain free for you, miss it though, and you'll be made to fork out cash-money in what is an interesting way to attempt to balance the ire of FPS gamers who feel they shouldn't have to pay for new maps, item updates and more, versus a developers need to make more cash and extend the playable life of their game (though Brink really isn't that old to be worrying about that aspect just yet).

The DLC features two all-new environments, five new player abilities, two new outfits, and two new weapon attachments, while also raising the level cap to 24.

In tandem with the DLC, the teams at Splash Damage and Bethesda have been hard at work on the next major title update for Brink. The update is highlighted by online optimizations, AI enhancements, and weapon balance tweaks based on player feedback. A separate, incremental update is now available on PC, while players of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 version of Brink can expect the full title update alongside the release of Agents of Change.

You can find out more details about the new content by clicking right here. There's no official word on pricing for the DLC after its two free weeks are up, but my guess is the standard AU$15-odd dollars for each platform. We'll give you more details when we have them.

As promised, AusGamers review for Brink -- one of the year's most hotly anticipated multiplayer games -- is now online. There's been quite a bit of polarity among reviewers for this one, with a little drama thrown in for good measure -- criticism that perhaps some publications didn't choose the right person for the task of reviewing such a complex, core-gamer orientated multiplayer shooter.

Fortunately, with AusGamers history deeply entwined with these kind of games, we have no shortage of folk that are very familiar with the genre. Nachos has spent the past few days with Brink on our behalf, starting off with the Xbox 360 version and finishing with some quality PC time and at 8.2 out of 10, the verdict looks pretty good.

Splash Damage has a strong history of creating solid team-based shooters—Enemy Territory of the Wolfenstein and Quake Wars varieties spring to mind—and a lot of love has been put into the multiplayer portion of Brink. The strange but cool thing is how linked single-player, co-op and competitive multiplayer are. They’re all set on the same maps with the same objectives, regardless of the play mode. That’s the strange. The cool thing is that the characters you create are likewise linked. Regardless of whether you earn experience in competitive multiplayer, co-op or playing alone through the campaign (challenges or in ‘Freeplay’), all of your hard-earned XP goes towards your character. This is a fantastic addition to first-person shooters and makes it feel less like the usual grind associated that’s with the definitive split between single and multiplayer modes in other games.

Get the full story in this AusGamers review

We've featured a lot of Brink trailers in the past few weeks as Bethesda and Splash Damage plough toward release day of their hotly anticipated shooter, so for those that are getting a bit sick of hearing about it, the end just might be in sight.

Today, they've sent along the obligatory launch trailer -- a new two minute clip feature a mix of cinematic and game-engine footage that sets the scene of the game.

Check it out below or click here for the HD version.

Brink is due in Australia on May 12th 2011 for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Bethesda have sent word letting us know that they'll be hosting a special public event at Brisbane's Mana Bar on Wednesday night, the day before the game's official Australian launch.

Brink is an immersive first-person shooter that blends single-player, co-op, and multiplayer gameplay into one seamless experience, allowing you to develop your character whether playing alone, with your friends, or against others online. You decide the combat role you want to assume in the world of Brink as you fight to save yourself and mankind’s last refuge. Brink offers a compelling mix of dynamic battlefields, extensive customisation options, and an innovative control system that will keep you coming back for more.

This 'open to the public' Brink event will be held on May 11 from 5pm at the Mana Bar, Brisbane in Fortitude Valley. For more information on the Mana Bar please visit www.manabar.com.au.

The North American release date for the game is earlier still (Tuesday May 10th) so they'll already be playing it over there from the comfort of their own homes there, but this is still a good opportunity for any Brisbane gamers that want to check this one out before fronting up any (regionally inflated) cash. They'll also have some goodies from Bethesda and Turtle Beach to give away there.

Brink is due in Australia on May 12th 2011 for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

With Brink due on shelves this week, Bethesda continues the trailer onslaught today with a new video comparing the in-game free-running movement -- dubbed SMART (Smooth Movement Across Random Terrain) -- with footage of real-life parkour master Daniel Ilabaca traversing the London cityscape.

Check it out below or click here for HD.



Brink is due in Australia on May 12th 2011 for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Only a week left now until Brink launches in Australia and Bethesda's marketing machine have sent us yet another video in their "Get SMART" gameplay tutorial series.

Today's video deals with the real meat of the game, the player-classes and their roles and abilities. Check it out below or click here for HD. If you missed the previous four, you can find all of those and more on our Brink game page.

Brink is due in Australia on May 12th 2011 for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

With just over a week to go before the Australian release of the hotly anticipated Brink, Bethesda and Splash Damage have sent along the fourth video in their tutorial series. Today's clip provides a run down on the game's head-up display (HUD), describing in detail what the various indicators represent.

Watch it below or click here for the HD option. If you missed the previous three, you can find those and more on our Brink game page.

Brink is due in Australia on May 12th 2011 for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Following this morning's splendid news regarding dedicated servers, Bethesda have sent along another video in their "Get SMART" tutorial series for Brink (S.M.A.R.T. being an acronym for the game's Smooth Movement Across Random Terrain system, FYI).

One of the big detractors of Splash Damage's previous games has been the very steep learning curve. While that complexity in Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory and Enemy Territory: Quake Wars might have made for a very rewarding experience for seasoned players that stuck it out, it set the bar too high for many newcomers who would simply walk away from the product in frustration, hindering growth in both of those games beyond a core community.

The developers appear to have recognised this weak point and not only are many of the in-game interfaces and directions looking vastly improved, but these detailed tutorials seem like a great way of introducing new players to the game's non-conventional aspects. Let's hope these aren't purely for promotional purposes and are actually included with the game.

Tutorial number three gives a detailed overview of general gameplay, with a multitude of tips to help you stay in the fight.

Watch it below or click here for the HD option. If you missed the previous two, you can find those and more on our Brink game page.

Brink is due in Australia on May 12th 2011 for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

At long last quelling the concerns of seasoned PC gamers, Bethesda and Splash Damage have officially confirmed that Brink will support standalone dedicated servers, meaning that anyone that wants to run a game server for the PC version of the game.

A brief PDF FAQ goes further to explain that they hope to have the server software available for download on Steam ahead of the game's launch, giving all server providers (and anyone else for that matter) ample time to get their servers running for day one.

The Brink Standalone Dedicated Server includes several different game configuration files covering all of the regular game modes, including campaign, stopwatch, objective, and co-­-op challenges. In addition, there are a variety of server-­-side commands available that allow you to further customize your server, including team sizes, time limits and overtime, warm-­-up rules, friendly fire, voice chat, availability of Command Post buffs, rank restrictions, number of bots, and password.

The document certainly says all the right things. Now let's all hope that the game turns out to be as good as it looks and that its success prompts other multiplayer developers to follow suit.

Brink is due in Australia on May 12th 2011 for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

As Brink's launch date inches ever-closer Betheseda and Splash Damage continue their "Get SMART" tutorial series today with an overview of the game's objective system.

This 5 minute clip -- featuring more all-new in game footage -- takes an in-depth look at the many different objectives that you'll be tasked with across Brink's amalgamated singleplayer and multiplayer gameplay. It also offers a great look at the game's slick HUD interface, an aspect that often gets hidden in gameplay trailers for aesthetic purposes.

Check it out below or click here for the HD option.