BRAIN / OUT
BRAIN / OUT is a side-scrolling, 2D competitive shooter that focuses on clean gunplay, tight maps, and quick decision-making. Pick a weapon, learn the angles, and chase frags across grim, post-Soviet themed arenas in three straightforward modes that keep the action moving.
 | Publisher: Desertkun Playerbase: Low Type: 2D Shooter Release Date: February 24, 2017 Pros: +Solid weapon modding and unlocks. +Simple fundamentals with a high skill ceiling. +Snappy, reliable controls. Cons: -Limited long-term depth. -Visually plain and repetitive. -No built-in matchmaking. |
BRAIN / OUT Overview
BRAIN / OUT is a 2D shooter set against a bleak post-Soviet backdrop, built around short matches and lethal sightlines. You jump into one of three modes, Domination, Normal, or Deathmatch, and the objective always boils down to winning fights and keeping the momentum. Movement is quick and forgiving, with easy running and jumping and no fall damage, so you can drop from platforms, reposition, and take risky routes without being punished by the environment. The real danger comes from other players holding sharp angles and reacting faster than you do.
Progression is present, but it does not turn into a stat-driven advantage. You earn experience, gain levels, and unlock more options such as Flashbangs and mobility-related specs, but you cannot equip everything at once. That limitation forces tradeoffs rather than stacking power. In practice, aim and map awareness decide most engagements, and a high level mainly signals time spent in matches, not an automatic edge.
BRAIN / OUT Key Features:
- Three Game Modes – jump into Normal, Deathmatch, or Domination depending on whether you want pure fragging or a simple objective to fight around.
- Weapon Customization – collect attachments and tune weapon stats to fit your preferred style and improve consistency.
- Line of Sight – enemies only appear on the map when they are visible (or when they take out a teammate), so checking corners and watching your back matters.
- Containers – earn containers that can award cosmetics, attachments, and currency for additional unlocks.
- Even Playing Field – levels do not replace fundamentals, you still need positioning and accurate shots to win fights.
BRAIN / OUT Screenshots
BRAIN / OUT Featured Video
https://youtu.be/e0u625G7uc4
BRAIN / OUT Review
BRAIN / OUT aims for the familiar rhythm of tactical shooters, but translated into a fast, side-on 2D format. It feels closest to Counter-Strike in spirit, quick rounds, lethal guns, and a heavy emphasis on peeking and punishable mistakes, only with platforming and mouse-aim layered in. It is not a deep competitive platform in the way bigger esports titles are, but as a straightforward arena shooter, it delivers a satisfying loop of learning maps, refining loadouts, and landing clean kills.
Core Gameplay and Flow
Each match begins with choosing a weapon, initially from a limited set, then from a wider selection as you unlock more guns. Once the round starts, the pace rarely slows down. Even in modes that are not explicitly Deathmatch, the action naturally turns into constant skirmishes as players collide around choke points and objectives.
The control scheme is simple, but it takes a few games before it becomes second nature. You aim with the mouse, manage your movement and jumps with the keyboard, and crouch for tighter peeks and stealthier approaches. The satisfying part is how readable the combat is, when you win an exchange it is usually because you were quicker, held a better angle, or anticipated a push. Getting a crisp headshot or picking someone off at range still feels great in 2D, especially when you earn it through positioning rather than luck.
Visibility, Sound, and Sneaking
A key twist is how information is handled. Opponents are not automatically revealed on the map, you typically have to spot them directly, or learn their location through teammate deaths. That makes flanks and off-angle pushes viable, and it also means you can never fully relax. Many fights are decided by who checks a ladder, doorway, or corner at the right moment.
Because there is no fall damage, vertical movement becomes part of combat rather than a risk. You can drop from structures to surprise someone, quickly rotate to a different lane, or retreat by jumping off a platform and reappearing from another angle. The result is a bouncy, aggressive style where awareness is as important as aim, and where pre-firing common spots can be a legitimate tactic rather than a bad habit.
Maps and Visual Style
Good 2D shooters live or die by map design, especially how they avoid turning into endless long-range duels. BRAIN / OUT generally does a solid job here. Maps feature layered lanes, tunnels, small rooms, and plenty of cover that breaks sightlines. You rarely get a single uninterrupted firing line across the whole arena, and many positions that look safe have a counter-angle nearby that can punish you if you linger.
The presentation leans heavily into a grey, industrial, post-Soviet mood. You will see battered buildings, military hardware, and worn interiors, all in a subdued palette. It fits the setting and keeps silhouettes readable, but it is not especially distinctive. Compared to more colorful or stylized 2D arena shooters, BRAIN / OUT can look plain, and the atmosphere does not always compensate for the lack of visual flair.
Weapons and Customization
Once you unlock more of the arsenal, the game becomes more interesting. The weapon variety is healthy for the genre, and most guns can do the job if you play to their strengths. Some options are simply more efficient, but the difference is not so extreme that you cannot succeed with a personal favorite.
Customization adds another layer. Attachments can adjust stats and let you fine-tune how a weapon behaves, but you are at the mercy of container rewards for parts. It is a slightly unusual amount of tinkering for a small 2D shooter, and it gives you a reason to keep playing beyond raw kill counts, even if the system leans on randomness.
Progression, Specs, and Loadout Choices
Leveling unlocks equipment and character specs that function like perks. Importantly, you cannot stack everything. You choose one option from each category, which encourages specialization rather than runaway power. The available tools include items like C4, flashbangs, and other utility, plus specs such as quieter movement, armor, or faster mobility.
In most matches, these perks feel like small edges rather than match-deciding advantages. If you are landing shots and taking smart fights, you will still outperform someone with better unlocks who is careless with positioning. That balance helps keep the game approachable for new players while still rewarding those who invest time into experimenting with builds.
Containers and Rewards
Containers are the game’s primary reward loop. By leveling up or completing challenges you receive boxes that reveal a set of cards you flip for rewards. The contents range from cosmetics to currency to weapon parts, and collecting full sets of parts can lead to new weapons. Currency can be used for specs and other items, while players who want to spend money can purchase different container types.
It is not the most exciting system, and it is hard to ignore how much it depends on RNG, but it does provide a steady trickle of goals and unlocks that keeps short sessions feeling productive.
Conclusion – Great
BRAIN / OUT succeeds as a sharp, arcade-leaning 2D shooter with enough mechanical bite to stay interesting for more than a few matches. The gunplay is responsive, the maps encourage smart peeks and movement, and the unlocks add some variety without turning the game into a pay-to-win grind. Its weaknesses are mostly in longevity and presentation, with limited depth and a visual style that blends into the crowd. If you enjoy competitive 2D gunfights and do not mind a simple feature set, BRAIN / OUT is an easy recommendation.
BRAIN / OUT System Requirements
Minimum Requirements:
Operating System: Windows Xp, Vista, 7, 8/8.1, 10
CPU: 2 GHz Dual Core
Video Card: 128mb Video Memory, capable of Shader Model 2.0+
RAM: 512 MB
Hard Disk Space: 250 MB
Recommended Requirements:
Operating System: Windows 7, 8/8.1, 10
CPU: Dual Core 3.0 Ghz
Video Card: 256mb Video Memory, capable of Shader Model 2.0+
RAM: 1000 MB
Hard Disk Space: 250 MB
BRAIN / OUT Music& Soundtrack
Coming Soon!
BRAIN / OUT Additional Information
Developer: Desertkun
Publisher: Desertkun
Release Date: Spring, 2017
Development History / Background:
BRAIN / OUT is developed and published by Desertkun, a Russian game studio. It was the studio’s first title to launch on Steam. While the game’s broader release window is listed as Spring 2017, it fully released on Steam on February 24, 2017.