Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons came out in 2013 to critical acclaim and high praise for its unique take on storytelling, dynamic co-op single player game-play and artistic flare. I personally did not play the game when it first came out and it passed me by entirely. Only after playing the game now do I feel a great deal regret. Why do I feel such regret for not playing this game sooner? Read on.
Brothers is a tale of two sons (like the title would imply), and their struggles during an epic journey to save their dying father. The world is similar to many fantasy epics as it is presented with a childlike manner at its core. Our young heroes are told to venture to a distant land in order to find a rare fruit that will help their father’s sickening condition. The boys have already lost their mother after she drowned, and the younger brother feels shame because he was not able to save her.
Brothers has a few compelling elements in play that allow for an incredibly immersive game. One small thing that helps create this effect is the unrecognisable spoken dialectic. Everyone in this beautiful world speaks in a tongue unknown to us, and it’s only through their actions and emotional responses, we can understand them. This is a great means of storytelling as the two brothers explore the world before them. This type of storytelling was done with care and consideration; the developer helped us understand every expressed emotion from the characters with simple gestures and visual representations.
Our Brothers will have to deal with Mother Nature herself; they fight the elements, antagonizing humans, and some deep rooted issues they have from their past. There is a great deal of challenge to overcome and only together will they do so. The brothers themselves share a great bond and even though you may not understand the spoken words they say, the game does a great job to show emotions and connections through actions.
The game’s sleeker look and impressive frame rate, have an impressive wow factor with enhanced detail and more of an organic presence in the game world. This helps Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons have a sense of wonder while exploring the game; the fantasy world has come to life in some degree.
Despite the world looking beautiful as the tale progresses, it is relentless in its efforts to destroy those who upset the balance. The world is alive and filled with much pain and suffering, and the brothers can intervene at any moment. There are very few games that have hit me hard just from what you see and how small events have a big impact. From endless battlegrounds to people at breaking point doing the unthinkable, this game is remarkable at what it has to show you. But even more impressive is how many events can be engaged with or completely ignored. Truly harrowing and a spectacle to observe, Starbreeze Studios has created a beautiful fantasy world with depth, woe, depth and wonder.
In terms of gameplay, Brothers reinvents the co-op formula, by removing the co-op aspect and focusing on a two player journey with a single player at the helm. You control the big and the little brother with the right and left analogue sticks. Moving the camera is done so with the bumpers while all interacts can be made with the left or right trigger, depending on the brother you’re controlling. The controls for the mechanics and interactions are kept to a simple structure, and while the controls can be somewhat awkward at first, the game does a great job at easing you in. It presents simple tasks at first and builds on that to allow you time to grasp the control scheme. Even if it takes some time, you’ll learn how this game works, but it’s also easy to get confused when confronted with tasks that require both brothers to move at the same time.
Various challenges come through platforming sections that mostly come with some creative set pieces that involve dynamic teamwork; You are defeating enemies with cunning, stealth, or setting up traps. Each brother has their own purpose and skills for the world’s challenges, and one can’t function without the other. There are a host of different puzzles from traversal climbs, carrying large objects through cluttered areas, and even energetic set pieces that require good timing and control of two characters. There is also a great deal of interaction in the world, in which players can communicate with other NPCs, admire giant pillows, carry sheep, and help those in need. There are various small actions that act as a representation of the world and a hint at a story or event that has happened. It’s all very engaging, and you can’t help but admire the level of detail that has gone into making this world and the mythos behind it.
Again though, the controls are a little pesky when taking on the bigger set pieces and simple mechanics can be a little annoying to work with as the controls scheme is something rarely seen.
Brothers does a great job at pacing the conflict and balancing the aspects of the journey to invent a gripping game of exploration. Levels are designed with high creativity, showcasing an effort that the developers wanted our heroes and the players to explore the world around them and interact with it. The high amount of detail in each location and the number of locations is outstanding. We sense the world is big due to exploring the various landscapes and surrounding areas. Taking us from a Fable-like village on the hills to the deepest pits of the earth within the confines of an underground prison to the cold and harsh mountains where the dead harbour the land, there is a lot to see in Brothers.
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is a glorious and outstanding journey, but it is also a game that cleverly (if a little clunky) brings in a new form of co-op play for single player. The possibility of co-op could have been put in place but the journey is well spoken enough and more meaningful for a single person; having a two-player option might have ruined the experience. This grand tale is beautifully told in a vastly detailed and organic world that’s truly alive. Gaming has come a long way, and in many respects, this shows that the medium can hold a high level of artistic merit.
An Xbox One code was given by 505 Games for the purpose of this review.