Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons

It is not life changing experience. It wont cure cancer nor make you better person. But it arouses emotions - thats something!

Very enterntaining and fun game. The 2 joystick-2 people mechanic is very fun and different. I also found the setting very beuatiful

This is a turning point in the history of indie games. One of those masterpieces that built upon what Limbo established—a linear narrative with some scrolling, combined with puzzle-solving. I played it with my son, sharing the same keyboard, and it was captivating. Without a doubt, the mechanics require synchronization, but in a subtle and very practical way. The music is enchanting, a strong point in its aesthetic, and even though it’s a "silent" story, its imagery is worth far more than a thousand words. I truly regret only one thing: not playing it when it first came out. But as they say, everything in its own time. And that’s what this game is about—a life lesson. More than just a game, it’s a new way of telling a story, of living it, of simulating it. What I mean is that Brothers introduced a new way of storytelling. It showed us that narrative is constantly evolving, migrating toward new artistic expressions. Kudos to the developers, who have captivated me with this brilliant tale of brotherhood, hope, grief, and peace.

This is a story, charmingly and elegantly told. Except for the little puzzles thrown in your way, "Brothers" might fall into the genre called Visual Novel. The worlds you travel through are gorgeous, but rarely can you even pan the camera much, never mind actually wander far afield as in an open-world game like Journey. Enjoy each setting. Walk along the set path (with a very few side paths). Chuckle as, once again, the path behind you gets blocked by a closing gate, a steep hillside you've tumbled down, or your mountain goat abandoning you. Mostly, enjoy the story told by the setting, by the other characters you interact with (i.e., push one button at), and by the brothers' subtle poses and gestures. Yes, this is closer to a self-paced movie with well-cast actors than Sid Meier's ancient definition of a game: a sequence of meaningful choices. However, at several key points, the game controller becomes a crucial part of how the tale is told. Even a video capture of the game would be incomplete. To say how and why would be a spoiler, but suffice it to say that its storytelling thereby transcends that of a mere movie, or visual novel, or paper novel.

GODDAMMIT THIS GAME. Before you proceed to my whining, a disclaimer: I LOVED it. The story was amazing, ended on a high note, there were many breathtaking visuals despite the dated graphics. If you haven't played it, do yourself a favour - it won't take a lot of your time. HOWEVER. It really put some sweet effort to infuriate me. I began playing on a keyboard (which is possible AND much less painful than people on the Internet claim it is). Quickly enough, I discovered I was too optimistic. You see, my laptop is fairly small. It doesn't have right Ctrl. And you bet your bum the game DEMANDS you to have it. You cannot Esc to menu from the tutorial section, you have to restart the game. No problem! You may only change the controls in the launch menu and not in-game. Okay! You need to sit through the first cutscene again because there's no option of skipping it... FINE! Finally! You can play... Or not. Despite changing the controls, and that the boys are doing their job, the tutotial is still programmed to demand you to press right Ctrl. It won't go away, you can't progress. Son of a biscuit. But that was also okay! Shockingly, I actually have friends who could lend me a controller - and the magic began. It was a beautiful experience, the controls intuitive, I could finally sit back and enjoy... Up until chapter 2, that is, where the glitches started showing. And the game, sadly, is riddled with them. Puzzles not working, the characters jetting out of the map if they're hanging for too long - all of this, while not gamebreaking, requires that you restart the checkpoint or even the whole chapter. Part 4 should've been the peak of awesomeness with all of its adventure (gliding, goat riding, rope swinging) but was for me a way through hell. Sure, the chapters aren't long - but it isn't a thing that should be happening in a game this good. All in all - I still encourage you to buy it. Honestly. Enrich your life with this story. ...just be prepared to get annoyed.