Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons

 PC
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1607 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,314 out of 1607
  2. Mixed: 191 out of 1607
  3. Negative: 102 out of 1607
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. eternalsnows
    Sep 27, 2013
    5
    I recently wrapped up a 2 hour playthrough of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. I give the developers full credit for creating some astonishingly beautiful art, which truly enables the fairy tale world of the game to come to life. I was swept away by breathtaking vistas of misty valleys and snow-capped mountains, as well as some of the most gorgeous water effects I've ever seen in a videoI recently wrapped up a 2 hour playthrough of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. I give the developers full credit for creating some astonishingly beautiful art, which truly enables the fairy tale world of the game to come to life. I was swept away by breathtaking vistas of misty valleys and snow-capped mountains, as well as some of the most gorgeous water effects I've ever seen in a video game.

    That being said, I didn't find any other aspect of this title to be particularly noteworthy or enjoyable. The puzzles are extremely simplistic and I was never, even for a moment, at loss as to how to proceed. This simplicity might lead one to think that this might be a good game for kids, but the grim tone and surprisingly gruesome middle section quickly put that idea to rest.

    I question the decision to implement a made up "language" for the characters to use to express themselves. I think it badly detracts from the seriousness of the story. I would have preferred either no dialog at all (pantomime would probably have been sufficient) or some concise dialog/narration in a real language. Perhaps something written in a fairy tale style would have fit the mood of the game perfectly.

    Finally, I have to take major issue with the ending. I think the developers were going for grand operatic tragedy, but because of the complete lack of characterization things fall completely flat. The shrill and melodramatic music that underscores "big" moments makes the lack of true drama all the more obvious and jarring.

    I'm sure many people will enjoy Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, but based on my own taste in games and art I don't find anything to recommend here.    … Expand
  2. Zodd
    Jan 31, 2014
    6
    Not difficult at all. You just roll through all the "puzzles" if you can even call them puzzles, its so linear you just keep going one direction til you reach a new point and press one button to do an action (Pull a lever, push your brother up a cliff so he can throw a rope down to the big one) which gets repeated so many times. The story was pretty good for how short it was, If the gameNot difficult at all. You just roll through all the "puzzles" if you can even call them puzzles, its so linear you just keep going one direction til you reach a new point and press one button to do an action (Pull a lever, push your brother up a cliff so he can throw a rope down to the big one) which gets repeated so many times. The story was pretty good for how short it was, If the game was more than move forward and press a button I'd enjoy it a lot more even the 'boss' fights that's pretty much all you did besides run around a little.… Expand
  3. CaptainFreud
    Dec 31, 2013
    6
    Brothers tries its hardest to be a dramatic story, but the characterization falls flat. The puzzles are incredibly simple and the mechanics rarely deliver the "brotherhood" experience. For must puzzles, you end up controlling each character separately: move Nanya here, move Nanyi there, activate, finish. An ice-climbers style platforming section is the highlight of the game by far, as itsBrothers tries its hardest to be a dramatic story, but the characterization falls flat. The puzzles are incredibly simple and the mechanics rarely deliver the "brotherhood" experience. For must puzzles, you end up controlling each character separately: move Nanya here, move Nanyi there, activate, finish. An ice-climbers style platforming section is the highlight of the game by far, as its the only moment where the game takes advantage of the unique gameplay style.

    Otherwise, the game treats the two characters with independently, which flies in the face of the supposed meaning of the game. Why create this odd control style and never deliver unique mechanics? The game plays like a million other puzzle platformers, which is a shame considering the potential.

    The ending has a great mechanics-as-metaphor moment, and it feels like the entire game was a setup for that one well-done moment. That said, it's incredibly predictable and intensely cloying. It's a short game as well: my playthrough clocked in at about two hours.

    Overall, it has a few memorable moments, but the whole experience feels amateur. It's as if the team saw the success of Journey and Bastion and decided, "Yeah, let's do a game like that."    … Expand
  4. jZero
    Jul 31, 2014
    6
    The game has a beautiful art style, some interesting side characters, decent music, inventive mechanics and some powerful emotional moments.
    But it feels like they missed an opportunity to make a game that could have been so much more. I wanted to know more about the world and its inhabitants, more puzzles with some challenge (all too easy), more mechanics, some actual dialogue (or some    The game has a beautiful art style, some interesting side characters, decent music, inventive mechanics and some powerful emotional moments.
    But it feels like they missed an opportunity to make a game that could have been so much more. I wanted to know more about the world and its inhabitants, more puzzles with some challenge (all too easy), more mechanics, some actual dialogue (or some written notes, books, history, etc.) , some more side quests. and just MORE of everything. The game is only 3 hours long and very linear. That's the real shame here: there are plenty of bad games that I want to stop or end but this feels like a good game that had only just begun...    … Expand
  5. Klewer
    Jul 23, 2014
    7
    It every sense of the word this is a piece of art. Great music, story and beautiful locations. While at times the puzzles and game play is either repetitive and tedious well worth it for the overall experience.
  6. GreenDread
    Jan 16, 2014
    7
    The game is fun, no question about that. I even bought an X-Box Controller just for this, as my old PS2 controller wouldnt work. But whatever, I'm not gonna rate the game on this.

    It is, however, pretty much overhyped, I think. The ending was just awesome, but most of the game before that didn't feel that special. Just a plain adventure, not much better than other games. Had some    The game is fun, no question about that. I even bought an X-Box Controller just for this, as my old PS2 controller wouldnt work. But whatever, I'm not gonna rate the game on this.

    It is, however, pretty much overhyped, I think. The ending was just awesome, but most of the game before that didn't feel that special. Just a plain adventure, not much better than other games. Had some highlights, yes.

    I think, I never really got into it or I had to big expectations with everyone saying "Best Game 2013".

    Still enjoyable, but don't expect the best game ever.    … Expand
  7. caiowulf
    May 30, 2017
    7
    The game is OK at his best. The Gameplay is simplistic, controlling two characters with one controller, and using one button for doing everything. The story is linear and no so deep as it seems to be. The art is beautiful, the camera control is fine most of the time. There are some parts of the game that feels stupid or just very silly how are solved by the designers. And the end is notThe game is OK at his best. The Gameplay is simplistic, controlling two characters with one controller, and using one button for doing everything. The story is linear and no so deep as it seems to be. The art is beautiful, the camera control is fine most of the time. There are some parts of the game that feels stupid or just very silly how are solved by the designers. And the end is not the best part of the game. Brothers stars strong and is losing force during the whole gameplay trying to mimic a tragedy in the end.… Expand
  8. gamer4life1
    Dec 1, 2013
    6
    I finished the game today and I for one feel like it was a game that would be better adapted for the movies or films. There was drama that some didn't realize., but it was there. This is a game however and it needs to offer more. There is little to no replay value. The game was linear and wayyyy toooo short. If I hadn't got it for a few bucks I would of seriously wanted a return.

    The    I finished the game today and I for one feel like it was a game that would be better adapted for the movies or films. There was drama that some didn't realize., but it was there. This is a game however and it needs to offer more. There is little to no replay value. The game was linear and wayyyy toooo short. If I hadn't got it for a few bucks I would of seriously wanted a return.

    The graphics, the audio(save for voice overs), and the gameplay were decent if not great, but it just was never meant to be a game; a movie or film, YES!

    FYI parents...there is some extremely violent material in the middle; be forewarned.    … Expand
  9. gloriouspotato
    Feb 2, 2017
    7
    It took me about 3 hours to play through this, and left me feeling rather indifferent as the credits rolled. I liked the scenery, visuals and various locales but those are the only aspects of the game I felt were particularly strong. The biggest drawback for me was how heavy handed all the tragedy was, which I guess is why I couldn't really take the whole thing seriously with charactersIt took me about 3 hours to play through this, and left me feeling rather indifferent as the credits rolled. I liked the scenery, visuals and various locales but those are the only aspects of the game I felt were particularly strong. The biggest drawback for me was how heavy handed all the tragedy was, which I guess is why I couldn't really take the whole thing seriously with characters constantly dropping onto their knees and bursting into tears all the time. Mix this in with a melodramatic soundtrack and the result was me rolling my eyes at how hard the game was trying to make me sad. Now, I'm not heartless (mostly) since there are games that have put me on the verge of tears, but Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons wasn't one of them. Besides that little rant, all other aspects of the game are pretty functional and adequate.… Expand
  10. BIGTIMEMASTER
    Dec 8, 2018
    7
    This is what I want to see more of from games. Something unique, something new.

    A very simple, 3 hour gameplay experience that is enjoyable. Simple but nicely composed art, decent music, very casual game mechanics that provide no challenge but are just engaging enough and never frustrating. If the game lasted any longer than 3 hours, though, it would no doubt get dull. As to the    This is what I want to see more of from games. Something unique, something new.

    A very simple, 3 hour gameplay experience that is enjoyable. Simple but nicely composed art, decent music, very casual game mechanics that provide no challenge but are just engaging enough and never frustrating. If the game lasted any longer than 3 hours, though, it would no doubt get dull.

    As to the story -- it is very cliche. You can see the ending coming from about a mile out. I think the ending would have had more impact if the opening scene wasn't melodramatic. Why kill mom? What does that add? Writers, if you open the story with a heavy attempt to tug at the heartstrings before we know anybody or what is going on, that actually works against getting a strong emotional response later in the story. And the final impact will carry more weight if there isn't an overly-done air of melodrama leading up to it.

    It's not that any single scene was so melodramatic on its own (except one bizarre dream sequence with dead mom that had me rolling my eyes), but when you cram too many attempted tear jerkers into such a short time period, you lose grounding in the experience. This is why at the best restaurants, the chef brings out small portions of food at a carefully timed sequence. They don't try to cram seven courses down your throat in 30 minutes.

    Writers : take it easy, don't over-season, and have confidence that the big important scenes will work.

    But overall, a nice game and I hope to see more developers try out new and interesting idea's like this. Well done.    … Expand
  11. likevin96
    May 14, 2018
    7
    Completion: Finished the game (co-op)

    Pros: - The actual physical experience of playing this game is innovative - with only one controller being used to control both characters. This creates either the opportunity to play co-op (as I did) or essentially control two separate characters at the same time. This was interesting and something I had never seen before. - Great, impactful    Completion: Finished the game (co-op)

    Pros:
    - The actual physical experience of playing this game is innovative - with only one controller being used to control both characters. This creates either the opportunity to play co-op (as I did) or essentially control two separate characters at the same time. This was interesting and something I had never seen before.
    - Great, impactful ending
    - Truly feels like you are going on an epic journey due to the scale of your adventure in contrast to the mundane nature of your characters

    Cons:
    - Everything was too easy. The puzzles and challenges can hardly be called that due to their almost insulting simplicity. The game is closer to a walking simulator than anything else, but the narrative and environments aren't strong enough to carry it on that front. It's possible that this style of game would have worked if it was a bit shorter, but that wasn't the case.
    - Insufficient characterization and world building considering the type of game Brothers aimed to be. Although there are pay-offs, most of the ride is spent with very static and uninteresting characters
    - Environments are hit or miss. Although there do exist a few areas that "wow", most of the locales you visit in this game are trite affairs.

    Final Word:
    Brothers is a game worth playing, if only for the uniqueness of its control scheme and concept. More robust challenges and world building would have elevated the great ideas already extant in this title, but sadly this was not the case and Brothers ends up falling slightly short of what it could have been.

    True Score:
    7.4    … Expand
  12. I_Am_Turok
    Nov 23, 2013
    7
    I would be happy to recommend this game, but with a couple of caveats. It is beautiful to look at, really nice use of the Unreal engine, the story line is nice (not perhaps operatic or deep, but nice with some emotional tug), and once you start, you will wish to see it end. Just keep in mind that the controls can be fiddly from time to time, and the puzzles are easy and obvious.

    I think    I would be happy to recommend this game, but with a couple of caveats. It is beautiful to look at, really nice use of the Unreal engine, the story line is nice (not perhaps operatic or deep, but nice with some emotional tug), and once you start, you will wish to see it end. Just keep in mind that the controls can be fiddly from time to time, and the puzzles are easy and obvious.

    I think what stops me from giving it the 8-10 mark is that we're introduced to some beautiful ideas and lands in at least three chapters, but we pass through them and they're gone, with no note or interest in telling us more about these lands. This game could have been a much much bigger one if they had to budget to expand on each land, and then progress to the next. Take a note out of The Walking Dead series, and maybe do it as chapters if there's a Brothers 2. For me, the end felt rushed to, I wanted to find out much more about the earlier levels to complete the world story. And the make-up language limited them in giving the sons (plus parents) any decent backstory, I'm not sure it was a great idea, but I compliment them in trying.

    All that aside, it is a very fine game, worth playing, short enough, and once you get the keyboard mapping good for your two hands, you'll have an enjoyable experience.    … Expand
  13. LadyNarayan
    Jan 29, 2014
    7
    "Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons" is a journey through fable-like world that focuses on inducing variety of emotions. The environment is very scenic, often having you traveling high up and admiring beautiful landscapes. It's inhabited with trolls, giants, griffins and other mythical creatures. Everywhere you go there's always something nice to look at. The camera's position often emphasizes"Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons" is a journey through fable-like world that focuses on inducing variety of emotions. The environment is very scenic, often having you traveling high up and admiring beautiful landscapes. It's inhabited with trolls, giants, griffins and other mythical creatures. Everywhere you go there's always something nice to look at. The camera's position often emphasizes the best fragments of a scene. It's not photo-real, but definitely eye pleasing and charming.

    You control both brothers at once - left hand for the older one, right hand for the younger. Many puzzles rely on syncing them well together. For me that was something new. Personally I had to keep them on the left&right sides of the screen in accordance with the control scheme. Whenever they switched positions due to my running around, my brain just went out of whack and chaos followed. I had to slow down and reposition them to be able to continue comfortably.

    The puzzles themselves are fairly easy. Some variants are recycled throughout the game. There is no greater planning involved and you solve many as you go. There is also no backtracking, so even if you're not sure how to tackle a specific problem, in most cases solution would present itself after simply going a little further. I feel that puzzles are just meant to be a way of reinforcing the bond between brothers and making player more attached through gameplay. Most of them require both protagonists working at the same time or in a longer alternating sequence.

    The reception of the story differs from person to person. Many people got their hopes up by other reviews/opinions and were disappointed. Others were ecstatic. For me the general experience is above average, that's for sure. Also the ending squeezed a tear out of me or two, so the narration trough gameplay mostly did it's job. But I didn't experience strong emotional response from the beginning to the end like some. Still I find the whole journey enjoyable and well worth my time.

    The game is pretty linear. No choices to be made, no events that can be prevented or played out differently. Apart from the main task that the boys are focused on, you can interact with many objects or NPCs and observe separate animations for each brother. Those do not affect anything, but make the world feel more alive and characters more fleshed out. All the inhabitants communicate in a made up gibberish sounding language, so the gestures and body language are especially important.

    The whole world might look like it's fable-like, but in reality it's quite harsh. Brutal and cruel at times even. Good things happen, then bad things happen. You save someone, someone will die as a direct result of helping you (or even a worse scenario). One has the impression that no good deed goes unpunished. Sometimes you won't be able to help - you'll just witness the effects of a tragedy that already took place. You meet both friendly NPCs, and mean or outright ill willed & hostile ones. Although there are very few moments in the whole game that actually pose any danger (story wise, not from manually letting go a ledge or other mechanics associated deaths).

    Completing the game takes about 3-4 hours, even when interacting with every possible object/person. So it's quite short. There is no need to replay it, other than experiencing the exact same story again if you really were swept away by it. If you have a chance to grab it on a sale - I wouldn't hesitate, fully recommended. At full price, I would say it's not for everyone. Definitely for people that can appreciate the emotional content and enjoy the journey aspect without making fuss about easy difficulty, length or minor issues - basically, recommended for informed customers :)

    Subjective Assessment - 7.5 (more than nice, not yet great)
    [utilizing full 1-10 scale, where 5 means average]    … Expand
  14. riley794
    Mar 27, 2014
    6
    OMG the game is not that good. It is very sort and the puzzles are pretty simple to solve. The story is a basic tragedy that does not make it great.

    Pro: Fun controlling two characters with one controller, beautiful and interesting landscape. Cons: You lose even if you win (AKA chick flick story line) puzzles are easy to solve (makes Lego games' puzzles feel complex), very short    OMG the game is not that good. It is very sort and the puzzles are pretty simple to solve. The story is a basic tragedy that does not make it great.

    Pro: Fun controlling two characters with one controller, beautiful and interesting landscape.

    Cons: You lose even if you win (AKA chick flick story line) puzzles are easy to solve (makes Lego games' puzzles feel complex), very short game with very limited replay-ability.

    What the game is worth to feel good about the purchase $3. Wait for the steam 75% off sale.    … Expand
  15. iseeall
    Nov 2, 2013
    6
    The game is interesting, sure. The concept of controlling 2 characters at once has come up in a handful of games on Kongregate already and hasn't become boring yet. The story is great as well. I especially liked that everything is told without a single word the animators have done a great job. The locations are filled with details and small objects. Music is great. The whole theme of theThe game is interesting, sure. The concept of controlling 2 characters at once has come up in a handful of games on Kongregate already and hasn't become boring yet. The story is great as well. I especially liked that everything is told without a single word the animators have done a great job. The locations are filled with details and small objects. Music is great. The whole theme of the game is very positive, even educational. The negative sides are: 1) you can't customize the keys! This is just plain carelessness of the developers and is unforgivable. On my laptop the arrow keys are small, so my Up key is actually on the same level as the right Ctrl and I had to keep the right hand awkwardly positioned, with the elbow shifted left, touching my belly. Playing the game was physically uncomfortable. I'd remap the keys to use the keypad for controlling the small brother. 2) there is not much actually gameplay since the only thing you can do is to press "action" keys in some places. There are no actual puzzle to solve, there is not much to do. It's more of an interactive cartoon than a game since you can't do much except running and watching animations. 3) the graphics are pretty dated and low poly, somewhere on the level of 2003 games. I give this game a 6 for the interesting concept but frankly I dropped this game after 20 mins due to boredom and painful controls.… Expand
  16. Dziver
    Aug 18, 2014
    7
    Can't say I enjoyed the game gameplay wise. Too repetitive and automated. The story is Ghibli-grade but the lack of voice acting and dull environments(great ideas, just not enough color and detail) killed it for me.
  17. FatNinja
    Jan 8, 2014
    7
    Seriously? Gameplay is the only unique property of games, so when you wright a review you should consider it. And gameplay in Brothers is primitive and repetitive. It doesn't give player a challenge in any way other than if you want to sneeze when characters hanging on cliff you must resist the urge to cover mouth with your hand. How this game get so many 10/10 is beyond me.
  18. winj3r
    Oct 22, 2013
    5
    I had read reviews saying that this game had a great emotional story. And although the end tries to be very emotional it fails to deliver thanks to some plot holes and a somewhat forced drama.
    But the great problem with this game is the controls. Not only is using two tumbsticks to control tow different characters, doing two different things, somewhat awkward but the use of the triggers    I had read reviews saying that this game had a great emotional story. And although the end tries to be very emotional it fails to deliver thanks to some plot holes and a somewhat forced drama.
    But the great problem with this game is the controls. Not only is using two tumbsticks to control tow different characters, doing two different things, somewhat awkward but the use of the triggers for action makes it very tiring and painful to play for more than an hour.
    The game has a couple of interesting puzzles, but nothing really inspiring. They are just there and end up being more of a chore, than a challenge.
    By the time I was finishing the game, I could only think about the awkward controls, the pain on my fingers and the plot holes, to even care about the drama.    … Expand
  19. Overturn
    Sep 29, 2013
    6
    Just finished this hauntingly beautiful game. I only have one major problem with it; the female characters. There are three female characters you interact with throughout the game. One is dead, and the other two you have to rescue. And it gets worse by the end. Read a book about basic feminism or watch Anita Sarkeesian's videos on how women are portrayed in games for your next game.Just finished this hauntingly beautiful game. I only have one major problem with it; the female characters. There are three female characters you interact with throughout the game. One is dead, and the other two you have to rescue. And it gets worse by the end. Read a book about basic feminism or watch Anita Sarkeesian's videos on how women are portrayed in games for your next game. Otherwise it was a great game.… Expand
  20. Uzumakitony
    Oct 8, 2013
    6
    I've seen better graphics but the game still manages to be okay. It reminds me of full metal alchemist and was very interesting at the beginning, though got boring later on. Still a good game though.
  21. sourmiloko
    Dec 30, 2013
    7
    The game's mechanics and puzzles are pretty fun, its sometimes hard to keep the brothers from parting, especially when they switch sides. This in and of itself could be argued as part of the experience. What I didn't like about the game was its story. I had read that it was profound and moving, this said by Adam Sessler and other review sites, what I found was a game that took a very easyThe game's mechanics and puzzles are pretty fun, its sometimes hard to keep the brothers from parting, especially when they switch sides. This in and of itself could be argued as part of the experience. What I didn't like about the game was its story. I had read that it was profound and moving, this said by Adam Sessler and other review sites, what I found was a game that took a very easy rout in making you sad, I won't spoil it, but it felt so easy and uninspired in the end, a game like this should be ripe with metaphor and symbolism, for society, history ext ext, what was instead a mish mash of somberness for unexplained reasons and odd unexplained scenery and visuals, which I should also mention are amazingly gorgeous, the graphics, level design and color alone a a reason to play this game.

    Overall I would say that if your looking for the next Journey, this isn't it, there's nothing existential or deep about it. Its a fun and beautiful game with a melodramatic story. Its worth playing, or Buying on Sale right now on Steam, but don't expect too much from it.    … Expand
  22. SupaChigga
    Nov 19, 2013
    5
    Single Player/Multi Player (1/2)

    (If the single player is better than the multiplayer, review this section as if it had no multplayer) (If the multiplayer is better than the multiplayer, review this section as if it had no single player) Gameplay (2/2) Visuals/Story (1/2) (If the visuals are better than the story, review this section as if it had no story) (If the story is    Single Player/Multi Player (1/2)

    (If the single player is better than the multiplayer, review this section as if it had no multplayer) (If the multiplayer is better than the multiplayer, review this section as if it had no single player)

    Gameplay (2/2)

    Visuals/Story (1/2)

    (If the visuals are better than the story, review this section as if it had no story) (If the story is better than the visuals, review this section as if the visuals didn’t matter)

    Accessibility/Longevity (0/2)

    (Review this section only on Accessibility if the game has no longevity) (Review this section only on longevity if the game isn’t accessible)

    Pricing (1/2)

    Wildcard (0)

    This is a guideline for how to properly review games. Many reviewers like to get a “feel” for a game, and arbitrarily give a game a score that they believe it deserves. This results in wildly different scores between different reviewers, and vastly different scores between similar games. This guideline addresses these problems and scores games fairly and consistently. This guideline also gives scores that are usually similar to the metacritic score.

    The review score is based out of 10 points. There are no “half” or 0.5 increments. It is impossible to have a score above 10 or below 0. The review score will change as the game gets new dlc, drops in price, or if more secrets are found through the game increasing its appeal.

    The scoring is split into 6 sections. The first five sections can add a possible 2 points to the final score. The first 5 sections are Single Player/Multi Player, Gameplay, Visuals/Story, Accessibility/Longevity, and Pricing.

    Notice that 3 of these sections have two parts. These particular sections will be scored based on the stronger part of the game of the two. For example, if a game has a lousy single player campaign, but an excellent multiplayer component, that section will be based solely on the multiplayer as if the single player did not exist. This allows games to be based on their own merits, as many unnecessary features are shoehorned into video games by publishers to reach a “feature quota”. Games that excel in both areas of a section don’t receive should be noted in the written review, but cannot increase the score past 2 in that section. However, it can be taken into account in the final section

    The final section can add 1, add 0, or subtract 1 to the final score. This final section is the “wildcard” section. This section is for how the reviewer “feels” about the game, but limits this only to this section, rather than the entire 10 point review. This section can include any positive or negative point that was not covered in the previous 5 sections.    … Expand
  23. JimCorbett
    Dec 23, 2014
    6
    I've heard great things about the story in this game. Being a huge fan of stories in games, i had to give it a go. Unfortunately, I wasn't impressed. The story was above average but I found it hard to care for the two main characters and their quest since the game doesn't use dialogue. The shortness of the game (3 hours long) doesn't help, either. The worst part however was the controlI've heard great things about the story in this game. Being a huge fan of stories in games, i had to give it a go. Unfortunately, I wasn't impressed. The story was above average but I found it hard to care for the two main characters and their quest since the game doesn't use dialogue. The shortness of the game (3 hours long) doesn't help, either. The worst part however was the control scheme. You have to use a controller since you control both brothers simultaneously. It soon becomes a chore to play and the only real reason to continue is for the story.… Expand
  24. psylife
    Apr 7, 2016
    6
    A charming little puzzle-platforming experience that is easily recommendable to anyone. The dual stick/character control scheme is both fun, daring and precise. The melancholic atmosphere paired with the competent audio-visual presentation make for a soothing few hours of entertainment. Play it, there is really no reason not to.
  25. Gamer2014
    May 1, 2016
    7
    Me and my friend played it till the end . we felt like we're bonding it's a really great game with lots of great

    and awesome adventures . my advise play it with your girlfriend PLEASE JUST DO THIS and let her play with the younger brother . we just made a lot of jokes till we got hit awesomely with the awesome story line . yeah a great **** game overall . BUT the ONLY problem for    Me and my friend played it till the end . we felt like we're bonding it's a really great game with lots of great

    and awesome adventures . my advise play it with your girlfriend PLEASE JUST DO THIS and let her play

    with the younger brother . we just made a lot of jokes till we got hit awesomely with the awesome

    story line . yeah a great **** game overall . BUT the ONLY problem for me is that the game was TOO

    SHORT . feels like a long movie .    … Expand
  26. Hack
    Jul 26, 2016
    7
    Price paid: £1.09
    Time to finish: 3 hours 18 minutes
    Score: 7/10 Recommended?: Yes, when on sale I have been playing shooter after shooter lately so I thought I'd play something completely different, this isn't a genre I've ever really played before but I have to say I enjoyed it a lot. Overall it has to be one of the most beautiful games I've played, the design is spot on in so    Price paid: £1.09
    Time to finish: 3 hours 18 minutes
    Score: 7/10
    Recommended?: Yes, when on sale

    I have been playing shooter after shooter lately so I thought I'd play something completely different, this isn't a genre I've ever really played before but I have to say I enjoyed it a lot.

    Overall it has to be one of the most beautiful games I've played, the design is spot on in so many different ways but especially the landscapes which are gorgeous and varied throughout. The puzzles are fun but not too challenging, the little mechanics that are added as the game goes on keep it fresh and the pacing feels just right, the game doesn't overstay its welcome like most games tend to do these days. I would highly recommend you play this in one sitting like I did, it's really best experienced like that. Next time it's on sale I'd highly recommend grabbing it, it's well worth and if you go into it blind to the story you'll enjoy it so much more (which is why I've avoided talking about it at all).    … Expand
  27. Melbourne
    Jan 10, 2015
    6
    Pros:
    +Beautiful, varied artwork and atmosphere
    +Some interesting puzzles/action, especially the "boss fights" +Innovative gameplay: you control 2 characters at once +Good Celtic-style music +Dark undertones in an otherwise visually beautiful, bright world that were handled well Cons: -Most puzzles were far too simple and easy -Little re-playability -Lack of dialogue and    Pros:
    +Beautiful, varied artwork and atmosphere
    +Some interesting puzzles/action, especially the "boss fights"
    +Innovative gameplay: you control 2 characters at once
    +Good Celtic-style music
    +Dark undertones in an otherwise visually beautiful, bright world that were handled well

    Cons:
    -Most puzzles were far too simple and easy
    -Little re-playability
    -Lack of dialogue and character background ultimately worked against the story, esp. in the end
    -Clunky controls
    -Very little exploration
    -Short game that lasts under 6 hours

    I received this as a gift, so I knew next-to-nothing about this game. I wasn't terribly disappointed, but I wasn't terribly surprised that I rated it lower than the overwhelmingly positive critic and user scores.

    The Brothers Grimm-like environments and the seamless transitions akin to Miyazaki's Spirited Away impressed me, but the bad controls and the simplistic, repetitive puzzles didn't. The good idea of controlling two characters at once was marred by the mechanic of often holding down keys to save them from certain death, which struck me as lazy and unnecessarily frustrating difficulty. I would've much preferred cutting down that in half or to none in exchange for intellectually difficult puzzles that required at least *some* ambidexterity.

    The untranslated gibberish for dialogue was odd, and it did work at times to enhance the atmosphere and story, but it backfired in the end. There wasn't enough characterization and back-story and too many immersion-breaking deus ex machinas to make me feel more empathetic to the younger brother's losses at the conclusion, and frankly they--the characters and story--aren't memorable. I expected to have multiple endings based on how you interacted with the world, which was wasted opportunity. I did like the part where the younger brother had to overcome obstacles that he couldn't before on his own, but that sadly didn't reach the depth and impact it could've been.

    I may replay in brief sessions for the atmosphere or as a brief reminder of how to improve stories for games.    … Expand
  28. Leda21
    Feb 19, 2016
    7
    -Overview:

    Brothers - A tale of two sons tells the story about two brothers (captain obvious here) which enter a journey to find a medicinal water to save their sick father's life. The universe in question begins normal, and shows up more fantasy-like as the game proceeds. One must use the independent control of each brother to go further the beautiful scenarios and amazing ambiance.    -Overview:

    Brothers - A tale of two sons tells the story about two brothers (captain obvious here) which enter a journey to find a medicinal water to save their sick father's life. The universe in question begins normal, and shows up more fantasy-like as the game proceeds. One must use the independent control of each brother to go further the beautiful scenarios and amazing ambiance.

    -Concept Art

    Done amazingly, the concept art captivates and really immerses the player in the word of the two sons. The gameplay all the time enriches the landscape, giving to the player an amazing view of the surrounding word.

    -Graphics

    The graphics lives up to the concept art. Having animation movies characteristics, it is perfectly balanced with the characters trait.

    -Soundtrack

    The soundtrack is present and features well the moments of comedy and drama of the game.

    -Gameplay

    The gameplay is interesting: one shall control both brothers, with independent controls. This makes the game challenging (of course if you play some skilled based game like Dota or Counter Strike, this will be a piece of cake), and add lots of POSSIBLE features to the gameplay. The "possible" was capitalized because this characteristic was not seized as it was supposed to. It is obvious that the game was not supposed to be a puzzle, but the difficulty of this game is little, to non. The most difficult parts are the ones you have to hold the controls of the two brothers, as they act together (in this aspect the gameplay is amazing), but some more difficult on the puzzles, more challenging bosses, and more options (the game is EXTREMELY linear) would have made this game MUCH more fun.
    Talking about linearity: the linearity of this game is INSANE; you literally just walk straight. There are almost no enemies, and the puzzles, as said, are extremely easy. You have no collectibles, no items, no upgrades... nothing. The simply fact that you control two characters at the same time is where all the "gameplay fun" is located, master this (hello Meepo players) and the game will be, gameplay wise, boring.

    -Plot

    The plot is what makes this game special. The story is simple, and becomes more and more interesting as the game proceeds. The player has to imply the story, that is because there is no language in the game. They speak their own language, which is basically noise for us (like The Sims language). The player understands what is going on by the expressions, the tone of the conversations, and the gestures of the characters. Impressively, besides having no language, the characters are extremely charismatics: you fell happy and sad with them, as the game proceeds.
    The history is well told, immersive and charismatic, using these methods.

    -Conclusion

    The art aspects of the game, as well as the story, are really creative, beautiful and captivating. You have a really good time playing if you like these aspects. However, besides the gameplay being interesting, it is extremely linear and easy, as well as short (I did it in 4 hours or something), making it a must play game, IF the price is not high.    … Expand
  29. KinlexXx
    May 18, 2016
    7
    Este juego no está mal en un principio, pues tiene escenas bastante bonitas y un gamepllay pasable en buena medida. Pero tanto la historia como la línea de diversión en mi caso podía tener bajones a lo largo del jego, lo critico porque no me gustó su estilo de tristeza. Pero a lo corto que es y todas las faltas de calidad del juego, la idéa de jugar con 2 personajes a la vez me haceEste juego no está mal en un principio, pues tiene escenas bastante bonitas y un gamepllay pasable en buena medida. Pero tanto la historia como la línea de diversión en mi caso podía tener bajones a lo largo del jego, lo critico porque no me gustó su estilo de tristeza. Pero a lo corto que es y todas las faltas de calidad del juego, la idéa de jugar con 2 personajes a la vez me hace aplaudir el juego pues no conozco más juegos que hagan algo parecido. Por eso sube a 7, tirando a 7,5 como mucho, pero no llega al 8 pues no es un juego notable: notablemente bueno, deja cosas que desear, pero en sí está bastante interesante para probarlo. Yo si lo recomiendo es por rebajas. ^^… Expand
  30. Pohch
    Feb 21, 2022
    6
    Классная игра для кооперативного прохождения, при наличии друга - неплохой проект для того чтобы провести пару вечеров. Но слабая стилистика и однотипный геймплей.
  31. CanadianBear
    Jun 6, 2020
    6
    Very slow game for an adult. Maybe it'd be fun for a child. Some pretty landscapes. Some fun moments in the gameplay. You're basically just lead through the whole game. Requires almost zero skill.
  32. edxtan
    Apr 14, 2023
    6
    Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons' mediocre plot and gameplay is elevated through its use of its controls as a representation of the relationship between its two protagonists.
  33. Bloodnes
    Sep 26, 2020
    7
    Игра не зацепила, не знаю откуда столько довольных людей. Игра не представляет перед собой ничего интересного, сюжет никакой и примитивный, графика посредственная, загадки на любителя, лучше поиграть в игру A way out, которая куда интересней захватывающей. 7/10Игра не зацепила, не знаю откуда столько довольных людей. Игра не представляет перед собой ничего интересного, сюжет никакой и примитивный, графика посредственная, загадки на любителя, лучше поиграть в игру A way out, которая куда интересней захватывающей. 7/10
  34. Alexb1096
    Aug 27, 2020
    7
    BREVE RECENSIONE (ITALIAN):
    Gioco piuttosto breve ed originale nel gameplay, che però non risulta abbastanza memorabile.
    Il gioco si basa sulla missione di due fratelli che devono raccogliere una sostanza "magica" per curare il loro padre. Con un sistema che secondo me dà il meglio di sè con il controller, dovremo comandare entrambi i fratelli contemporaneamente grazie ai due    BREVE RECENSIONE (ITALIAN):
    Gioco piuttosto breve ed originale nel gameplay, che però non risulta abbastanza memorabile.

    Il gioco si basa sulla missione di due fratelli che devono raccogliere una sostanza "magica" per curare il loro padre.

    Con un sistema che secondo me dà il meglio di sè con il controller, dovremo comandare entrambi i fratelli contemporaneamente grazie ai due analogici e ai due trigger posteriori. Questo rende il gioco estremamente originale, anche se un po' caotico all'inizio. Le situazioni che si vengono a creare sono piuttosto varie e ben pensate, ma non c'è mai nulla di particolarmente difficile da pensare o realizzare, si perde quasi solo sbagliando un salto.

    Il comparto audio e video è abbastanza semplice, ma tutt'ora piacevole (il gioco ha 7 anni). Carina l'idea di doppiare i personaggi in una lingua inventata, che permette di trasmettere ugualmente il messaggio (non sono presenti neanche i sottotitoli) senza curarsi della localizzazione del gioco.

    A questo si unisce un level design forse troppo semplice perchè abbastanza dettagliato ma che finisce di solito per essere un corridoio, salvo alcune volte dove invece non è chiara la direzione da prendere.

    In conclusione, essendo un gioco breve e con un gameplay originale ne consiglio la prova, ma non aspettatevi niente di particolare.

    VOTO: 7/10    … Expand
  35. dhforhd
    Dec 11, 2022
    6
    the adventures of two sons who are devoted to their father
    Even though the play time is short, it is touching and fun
  36. Onlyclassicvg1
    Mar 21, 2023
    7
    The brothers' commitment to their goal and to each other is so strong, the various parts of this game so superbly crafted and woven together, that it's hard not to feel deeply touched when you finally reach the end of the road and see how deftly this game marries its gameplay to its themes in a way few have bef
  37. ErayTellezi
    Mar 28, 2023
    5
    İki kardeşin hikayesi denince daha duygu yoğunluklu bir şey bekliyordum. Son dakikaları hariç bir platform oyunundan fazlası değil. Platform da keskin değil, eskimiş. Hiç diyalog yok.

    Ama daha önce hiç görmediğim bir şey yapıyor oyun. Aynı anda iki karakteri yönetiyoruz. Kontrolcünün sol tarafıyla abiyi, sağıyla küçük kardeşi. Bulmacaları ve platformları iki karakteri birbirinden ayrı    İki kardeşin hikayesi denince daha duygu yoğunluklu bir şey bekliyordum. Son dakikaları hariç bir platform oyunundan fazlası değil. Platform da keskin değil, eskimiş. Hiç diyalog yok.

    Ama daha önce hiç görmediğim bir şey yapıyor oyun. Aynı anda iki karakteri yönetiyoruz. Kontrolcünün sol tarafıyla abiyi, sağıyla küçük kardeşi. Bulmacaları ve platformları iki karakteri birbirinden ayrı ama koordineli bir şekilde yöneterek hallediyoruz.

    Bazı konseptler gerek fikir gerek de çizim açısından hoşuma gitti. Dev cesetlerin içinden yürüdüğümüz bölüm örneğin.

    A Way Out ve It Takes Two'nun yönetmeninin ilk oyunu.

    Neticede küçük bir stüdyo tarafından 10 yıl önce yapılmış bir işe göre fena değil. Kısa bir oyun zaten, 2,5 saat.    … Expand
  38. FRIST_008
    Jun 14, 2021
    7
    Неплохая игра для кооперативного прохождения, и проходняк для соло игры. Играйте каждый на своей воловине джойстика
  39. JustinForgueims
    Feb 21, 2022
    7
    Beautiful game with a cute and sad story.
    The way you control both brothers at the same time is super clever but sometimes a little bit confusing. That's the point of the game, your brain needs to adapt to simultaneous movement.
    The camera needs an improvement. Is not always oriented to the best place and you can and need to move it manually. So you need to stop playing, reorient and    Beautiful game with a cute and sad story.
    The way you control both brothers at the same time is super clever but sometimes a little bit confusing. That's the point of the game, your brain needs to adapt to simultaneous movement.

    The camera needs an improvement. Is not always oriented to the best place and you can and need to move it manually. So you need to stop playing, reorient and move again. Not the best mechanic in a game.

    There's also a super annoying bug with the elevators slow speed that needs to be fixed.    … Expand
  40. B00tador
    Dec 5, 2021
    6
    Yes, it has that moment, but otherwise, I think it's a pretty dull game personally.
  41. Christian_TV
    May 27, 2022
    6
    It's a nice game. The storyline too.
    The mechanics of the game are nice, the game is a bit short and not very long, which is why I can't assign 8 but it's a game to try. I advise
  42. co3676
    Mar 24, 2023
    7
    yedi .

Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best PC Game of 2013
31
#31 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
11
#11 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. Riot Pixels
    Oct 31, 2013
    83
    Brothers, unlike many recent indie hits, is very down to earth. It is not rife with intellectual puzzles like Braid, it is not as open to interpretations as Journey. It just makes you think about simple human values.
    Read full review
  2. PC Gamer
    Oct 24, 2013
    85
    A gorgeous world, bursting with personality. Great storytelling makes up for the short length and unchallenging puzzles.
    Read full review
  3. DarkZero
    Oct 11, 2013
    90
    Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is a true marriage of gameplay and narrative, and it is frankly a complete triumph.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »