Man I really am enjoying Brink a lot now 3 hours in, but I really really really wanted the story to shine here. I can really see it being held back, because there's such an interesting premise to what little narrative there is. The cutscenes are swish, every scenario/level has story purpose, and they're arguably structured in incredibly well-designed set pieces, but stage layouts have all been designed with multiplayer at the forefront.
Poor AI aside, I was hooked by the story a long time ago, but playing through the game in general speaks to me more of a "what could have been" game. The combat itself plays out quite nicely, but the Unreal Tournament approach to the story doesn't feel like it's doing the premise any justice, especially when a lot of the narrative work smacks of writers and animators begging to do much more with the potential there was.
There are minor balance issues here and there, but far less than some other shooters, and the SMART system isn't as spectacular as it was touted to be, but it most definitely improves the shooter experience and makes the game feel smoother. Customisation is fantastic, and voice-work is decent. I like the game, but I want more from certain areas.