Brutal is a basic hack and slash RPG that uses a dice pool system with opposed rolls to resolve an action. The game is designed to handle massive battles quickly. Author David Stanley writes:
This game is for serious players only! Hordes of Heart-stopping-pounding, Heavy-hitting, Hack-and-Slash action adventure await! This game is not for sissy players who don’t want their characters to die. In a BRUTAL game, your characters get killed all the time. How long can your characters stay alive?