This game is an experiment of sorts. This is not to say the game is buggy or bad, for it is neither, but this is the first game I've encountered that tells its story without any dialogue whatsoever. "Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons" is the story of two brothers who must venture on a quest to find a cure for their sick father. In order to do so, both brothers must cooperate in order to solve a number of puzzles that will allow them to progress in their quest. The puzzles are not that difficult but the cooperate mechanic may not be easy to assimilate at first. This game was meant to be played with a controller, with each stick/trigger controlling the movements/actions of each brother. Therefore, it can be a bit confusing since it basically requires you to control two separate characters at the same time. Like I've said before, there is no dialogue to be found whatsoever. Characters communicate through gestures and a Sims-like language that surprisingly make the story easy to follow. And this is why I think this game is, or could very well be interpreted as, an experiment. It's an experiment on how a story can be told through action and music alone, and how it manages to convey powerful emotions without the need for dialogue. The appropriate dialogue could make it better, yes, but it is not at all required for you to enjoy this adventure. The game clocks in at around three hours, though it can be a bit longer if you complete all the achievements. If you are the sort of person who enjoys adventure games that take place in beautifully-designed settings and with a score to match, this game is certainly for you.
The best Borderlands game I've never played. What it lacks in gameplay and gun loot (basically 99% of a Borderlands game) it more than makes up with: dialogue that is actually witty; fairly fleshed-out characters you grow to care about; amazing intros that combine music (actually, the soundtrack is awesome throughout!) and humour to great effect; and an actual story that will get you invested in this world. For a Telltale game, this is about as perfect as perfect can get. Having said that, do remember Telltale dabbles with the "illusion of choice" rather than giving you actual choices. If Borderlands could be more like this and less gun-loot-extreme, I would definitely look forward to these games more eagerly. You owe it to yourself to play this game. It's a delightful experience from beginning to end.
I bought D:OS to play co-op with my brother. We both like RPGs so we thought we'd give it a go. When we first started, I won't lie to you, we had absolutely no idea what to do, where to go or who to talk to. The first few hours into the game we used the shovel to dig up some grave and were instantly vaporized by some hidden bomb/spell. It was the perfect moment to describe our experience so far. But eventually we adapted and so did our characters. D:OS is a game that encourages exploring and backtracking with little hand-holding or perhaps just the right amount. It did force us to shift our perception of how we usually engage role-playing games where you're told to go to A and do X. It's a game where cooperative gameplay is fused expertly with the always-exciting turn-based combat. I cannot emphasize enough how much more fun this game is to play with another player, whether it is simply sharing loot and tactics or micro-managing combat and exploration. If there is one thing we did not enjoy, that would have to be the rock-paper-scissors mini-game that ultimately decides the outcome of certain conversations, forcing us to either meta-game or simply kill the annoying party outright. It is also a pity that the global chat has been disabled what would otherwise allow us to share tips and strategies with other players. Ultimately, we're 40 hours into the game and haven't regretted our purchase. So, find a friend, sibling or spouse, and get playing. You won't regret it.
Since my review was a bit on the long side here's a link to it: gog.com/forum/dust_an_elysian_tail/review_a_tail_you_wont_forget
The Swapper is a puzzle platformer about an astronaut who explores a seemingly abandoned space station in orbit around Chori V. Soon, you'll find the game's prime mechanic, "the Swapper," a weapon that allows you to create clones of yourself and swap between these bodies. As you solve puzzles around the station with the Swapper, you'll soon realise there's something very wrong here and that you may not be as alone as you initially thought. This game is pretty damn good for a number of reasons. First, the aesthetics look truly alien and the soundtrack does its part too. Together with a most compelling and mysterious story, The Swapper keeps you engaged and encourages you to solve puzzle after puzzle after puzzle to find out what's going on aboard the Theseus space station. The game clocks in at around 10 hours but it most definitely requires a second playthrough to figure out the exact chronology of events. Trust me, I'm still dwelling on it myself. I recommend buying it from the Facepalm Games website since it comes with a Steam key, a DRM-free copy, and the soundtrack for the game.
