The Brute

## Brute

* Monstrum
* Monstrum 2

**The Brute** is one of the three antagonists going after the player
while they attempt to escape the ship in *Monstrum* and it's sequel *Monstrum 2.*

## Description

**The Brute** is a large, heavy-built, bipedal monster that at first glance appears to be composed of rock or lava, with an extremely hot, glowing core that causes orange light to project from its eyes and mouth. Closer inspection of the Brute suggests that its body may be comprised of thick charred flesh, and that its hands and feet are curiously human like.

## Abilities

As its name suggests, the Brute's skill set revolves around raw strength and aggression.

**INTELLIGENCE:** Considered to be the least intelligent of the monsters, the Brute is easily lured by distractions and noises. Do not underestimate it however, as the Brute can and will use shortcuts in a chase, something it seems to do better than any other monster primarily due to its raw speed and disregard for doors.

**SPEED:** The Brute's running speed is the fastest of the monsters by a significant margin, and is about equal to that of the player, making the Brute very dangerous in tightly knit areas, as the player is given very little time to hide once the Brute sees them, which may force them to run. The Brute is not faster than the player, and cannot catch them if both are in a straight sprint.

Because it moves slowly when not actively chasing the player, the Brute is perhaps the least dangerous monster to deal with in a more open area, primarily because it can easily be seen from far away, and because the player should have ample time to start moving in the event that they are spotted.

**STRENGTH:** Due to its size, the Brute is immensely strong and unhindered by most physical obstacles such as doors, and will smash through them with little effort, even if they are power-locked. Despite the Brute's weight, it is strong enough to clamber up through the holes in the cargo hold very quickly.

**SPECIAL ABILITIES:** The Brute is immune to the effects of fire, and cannot be stunned by a flare gun.

## Warning Signs

There are three things you need to pay attention for if the Brute is the monster:

**HEAVY FOOTSTEPS:** The Brute's footsteps are loud and unmistakable. A skilled player who listens carefully enough will be able to judge where the Brute is based on the loudness of the footsteps and which direction they are coming from. Be warned, as its footsteps may sound like it's above you, when he could actually be on the same level as you and really close.

**ORANGE LIGHT:** The Brute's face emits a bright orange light. It is especially noticeable in darker areas like the cargo hold. If the player thinks they see an orange light and it is indeed moving, hide or run, whichever is more beneficial to the player surviving.

**BIG ROAR:** A loud roar typically indicates that the Brute has found you, however the Brute has been known to seemingly roar at nothing. This appears to be caused by it walking into steam, most notably the always-on pipes on either side of the helipad.

## Tips

* Don't be afraid to run from **the Brute** if you know you'll be able to get into an open area such as the Main Deck or a preset path you have marked or memorized, especially one with a pit trap on it. Although the Brute is fast, he's not faster than you; even if it sounds like he's right on your tail, he's not as close as it seems (though it's certainly close enough).
* Stairs are highly effective ways of escaping the Brute, as they slow it down slightly, giving you a little extra time to get away or hide. **Note that the stairs near the helipad and in the submarine room slow it down to near walking speed.**
* Do not waste time closing or locking doors; it's pointless. The only time you *should* close a door is in a scenario where the Brute is running at you down a very long corridor that leads directly into the room you're in, in which case closing the door may obscure its vision long enough for you to hide safely in something.
* The Brute is immune to fire and flare guns.
* The Brute is vulnerable to pit traps, fire extinguishers, and steam.
* The Brute will always wander around your general vicinity, due to a sort of "homing beacon" built into its AI. You can buy yourself some extra time by provoking the Brute purposefully, and hiding, where it will be scripted to leave your vicinity.

## Trivia

* According to **Team Junkfish's Design Blog #05**, the Brute's behavior and looks were inspired by the **Cave-troll** from The *Lord of the Rings,* **The Tank** from *Left 4 Dead,* and **Killer Croc** from the *Batman: Arkham* series.
* The Brute looks and has a resemblance to Tar pit a DC Supervillian from the Flash.
* Out of the three monsters, the Brute has the lowest killing range. The Fiend and the Hunter can kill the player from a fair distance away, while the Brute has to be right next to the player in order to trigger a death.
* Some speculate that the Brute may have once been a human, as its hands, left arm, and feet are abnormally human-like compared to the rest of it.
* The Brute is capable of opening unlocked wooden doors without outright destroying them by swinging them open (somewhat harshly). If the player keeps closing it (from under a table or from behind the door), the door will eventually explode as if it had been smashed. However, metal doors never explode, meaning the player can continue closing the door every time the Brute opens it indefinitely. (As long as the Brute never catches sight of the player while this is happening).
* The Brute is the "figurehead" of the game, being the first monster implemented.
* Its design resembles that of a "Lava Spitting EVO" from the "Generator Rex franchise."
* On the 21st December 2020, the Brute and the Fiend were both added as playable DLC characters in the Pac Man-stlye multiplayer game *Dark Deception: Monsters and Mortals*.
* The Brute is the only monster from the first Monstrum that makes a reappearance in Monstrum 2 albeit with a new design.

## Gallery

### Death Animations

The Brute finds a twig that it wants to snap. That twig was the player.The Brute takes tag a little too seriously.
### Images

The Brute about to squash an ugly bug.The Brute trips on a pit trap.The Brute trips on another pit trap.The interior of the Brute's head. Pretty empty.The Brute's innards.The Brute's left arm. (Note its uncanny resemblance to a human's)The Brute's back.
### Audio

Monstrum OST 03 The BruteMonstrum OST 04 Hiding From The BruteMonstrum OST 05 The Brute Stalks The Halls

 • The Bhagra • The Malacosm