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
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  1. Moein7
    Dec 3, 2021
    9
    This game makes you cry at the end with its amazing story; characters are simply two brothers that you control them together.
    game play is really innovative and works pretty good.
    music works at its best and suits the story pretty good with its sad yet uprising atmosphere.
    definitely play it before you die!
  2. Yaav13
    May 9, 2022
    9
    My truthful honorable incorruptible conclusive rating of this considered game: 9.
  3. Kuzya_Zeleniy
    Apr 27, 2022
    9
    The game is very interesting and very emotional. About 80% of the game I passed myself, and the end has already passed with my brother. And when I started playing with my brother, I felt completely different emotions of the game.
    This game will be more interesting with my brother. You will play together and solve puzzles together. But this game can be easily passed alone. (Personally, I    The game is very interesting and very emotional. About 80% of the game I passed myself, and the end has already passed with my brother. And when I started playing with my brother, I felt completely different emotions of the game.
    This game will be more interesting with my brother. You will play together and solve puzzles together. But this game can be easily passed alone. (Personally, I felt the plot when playing one)
    This is the best game for two I've ever played!    … Expand
  4. martins0110
    Jun 15, 2023
    9
    O jogo é uma experiência envolvente de mais de 3 horas, e definitivamente vale a pena. Uma das características mais interessantes é a necessidade de controlar simultaneamente dois personagens, o que adiciona um elemento desafiador e cativante à jogabilidade.

    Além disso, o enredo é muito cativante e instigante, o que motiva o jogador a continuar avançando até o final. A história é bem    O jogo é uma experiência envolvente de mais de 3 horas, e definitivamente vale a pena. Uma das características mais interessantes é a necessidade de controlar simultaneamente dois personagens, o que adiciona um elemento desafiador e cativante à jogabilidade.

    Além disso, o enredo é muito cativante e instigante, o que motiva o jogador a continuar avançando até o final. A história é bem desenvolvida e capaz de prender a atenção, fazendo com que você queira descobrir o desfecho.

    No geral, o jogo proporciona uma experiência de jogo altamente satisfatória, com uma jogabilidade única e um enredo empolgante. Definitivamente, é um jogo que vale a pena ser jogado.

    It's a little over 3 hours of gameplay, but it's worth it because the game is really good. The fact that you have to control both characters at the same time makes the game interesting. The game's storyline is engaging, which makes you want to reach the end.

    The game offers an engaging experience of over 3 hours, and it is definitely worth it. One of the most interesting aspects is the need to control both characters simultaneously, which adds a challenging and captivating element to the gameplay.

    Furthermore, the storyline is very captivating and intriguing, which motivates the player to keep advancing towards the end. The story is well-developed and capable of holding your attention, making you want to discover the outcome.

    Overall, the game provides a highly satisfying gaming experience, with unique gameplay and an exciting storyline. It is definitely a game worth playing.    … Expand
  5. Ireland914
    Jan 21, 2014
    8
    Hands down one of the best indie titles I've played. Beautiful, engaging and emotional game with interesting puzzles a gameplay. It creates a unique and fascinating world, moves you, and keeps you entertained the whole way through.
  6. xZippy
    Oct 3, 2013
    8
    At first glance, this seemed like one of those "meh to okay" ranged games to me, but it's much more than that. The controls and puzzles are very clever, the atmosphere and story of the game holds up beautifully, especially when there's very limited dialogue not something that every game can pull off. I wouldn't say the game is mindblowing, but I'd still recommend every type of gamer to try it.
  7. dajhorn
    Sep 12, 2014
    8
    A Tale of Two Sons is a video game as art and music. The puzzles are easy and short, and the game starts out feeling like something intended for children, but the story gets some adult themes half way through.
  8. BasilZero
    Jan 29, 2017
    8
    Game: Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
    Genre: Adventure
    Developer: 505 Studios/Starbreeze Studios System: Steam (PC) Total Score: 78/100 Value Score: 7.8/10 • Story: 7/10 • Characters: 7/10 • GamePlay: 8/10 • Graphics: 10/10 • Sound: 8/10 • Music: 7/10 • Length: 7/10 • Replay Value: 6/10 • Player Value: 8/10 Pros +Amazing visuals and level design +Unique innovative control    Game: Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
    Genre: Adventure
    Developer: 505 Studios/Starbreeze Studios
    System: Steam (PC)
    Total Score: 78/100
    Value Score: 7.8/10

    • Story: 7/10
    • Characters: 7/10
    • GamePlay: 8/10
    • Graphics: 10/10
    • Sound: 8/10
    • Music: 7/10
    • Length: 7/10
    • Replay Value: 6/10
    • Player Value: 8/10

    Pros
    +Amazing visuals and level design
    +Unique innovative control scheme and decent puzzle solving
    +A lot of potential for exploration which leads to side quest like events
    +Game can be replayed through chapters

    Cons
    -Controls can be somewhat annoying at times
    -Very short unless you explore
    -A lot of the side quest events (which lead to achievements) can easily be skipped or looked over
    -Narration is done by a imaginative language however the lack of subtitles can make some confused at what is going on    … Expand
  9. meediocre
    Jan 2, 2014
    8
    Delightful game, undoubtedly could be enjoyed by anyone with a heart and some basic grasp of simple puzzles and a controller. It's (dare I say) beautiful and touching, and definitely worth your time (even if it is just a few hours). It's the kind of game that I will store in my Steam account, categorized as "classic".
  10. Budget_Security
    Jul 21, 2015
    8
    A lovely relaxing platformer, with great art direction and high production values. Even though some textures and animations are a bit basic, this game looks absolutely amazing - a real triumph of the Unreal Engine 3. I like how it felt innocent and uncluttered compared to mainstream titles. It does get a bit darker towards the end though, which I felt a bit mixed about. Still, this is aA lovely relaxing platformer, with great art direction and high production values. Even though some textures and animations are a bit basic, this game looks absolutely amazing - a real triumph of the Unreal Engine 3. I like how it felt innocent and uncluttered compared to mainstream titles. It does get a bit darker towards the end though, which I felt a bit mixed about. Still, this is a nice break after playing lots of FPS games. The puzzles are easy, but they are still nice and not too repetitive. If you want intense gameplay, you wont find it here.
    While a controller is ideal, I played on a keyboard without much trouble (minus a small problem with a lift mechanism at the start). Do not avoid this game because some people say keyboard controls are bad, you would be missing out on so much. Yes, it is a bit short, and you can see it was made on a budget, but it is a masterpiece all the same. Even if you usually only play mainstream shooter games, you should take a break and play this.    … Expand
  11. iycgtptyarvg
    Sep 22, 2013
    8
    First the 2 negatives:
    1.
    I have to warn potential buyers that this is more of a story/movie than a game. In fact, the game elements were by far the least interesting. It requires the player to do somewhat confusing controller magic which took me out of the great involved story line. Because you control both thumbsticks and both left and right trigger at the same time (yes, sometimes all    First the 2 negatives:
    1.
    I have to warn potential buyers that this is more of a story/movie than a game. In fact, the game elements were by far the least interesting. It requires the player to do somewhat confusing controller magic which took me out of the great involved story line. Because you control both thumbsticks and both left and right trigger at the same time (yes, sometimes all together at once) I had some failures with the platforming part because I forgot which buttons and sticks to use. But, it never got to the point where I would fail more than 3 times or so.

    2.
    The game is extremely short. I finished it in under 2 hours. This might be too short for the price for some people.

    Now for the good part:
    This game is utterly beautiful (I played on 2560x1440). It looks like one of the most lovingly created games I've ever played. All the environments and creatures are just amazing. The game uses very vibrant colours in day time, and really bleak colours at night which really portray the mood you are experiencing. The music is also something very special. One of the better musical scores in any game I know of. There is not much of it, but what is there is of 'Lord of the rings' ilk and quality.
    The game starts positive with a lot of tiny details like petting cute animals and having fun with the villagers. Gradually it turns ever darker.
    If you want to have an experience that has the power to move you psychologically, this is the game for you. See it as sort of an interactive drama movie.

    Story 10
    Visuals 10
    Music 10
    Gameplay 6
    Length 6
    Replayability 3

    Total: 8    … Expand
  12. StaticSpine
    Jan 4, 2014
    8
    A rather memorable experience. Stunning visuals, pretty simplistic gameplay and puzzles, yet fun. The story is okay, though I do not consider it awesome. One thing I must mention very comfortable controls (if you use gamepad). Overall, this game is a small work of art. Try not to miss it, it takes only 3 hours to complete, but you'll get unforgettable impressions.
  13. crazywaffle124
    Nov 3, 2013
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. After watching total biscuit's immense hype for this game, I decided to try it for myself, all in one sitting. The graphics are beautiful. The controls are odd at first, but then work well. But the emotional moment where many people shed tears, I was only slightly moved. After the crazy adventures they had gone through, having the older brother die to such a silly, out of nowhere event left me a little disappointed. But overall it is still a beautiful story, and a must play… Expand
  14. joshxdr
    Nov 13, 2014
    8
    Brothers is an isometric quasi-platform game with a lot of storytelling. The emphasis of the game is the storytelling and the visual art, which is stunning even on a low-end PC. The sounds are very interesting, although some of the songs get repetitive by the end. There are some puzzles which take a little thought, but nothing too difficult. Overall the game is quite easy, althoughBrothers is an isometric quasi-platform game with a lot of storytelling. The emphasis of the game is the storytelling and the visual art, which is stunning even on a low-end PC. The sounds are very interesting, although some of the songs get repetitive by the end. There are some puzzles which take a little thought, but nothing too difficult. Overall the game is quite easy, although engaging for the most part.

    As a kind of interactive storybook, this game is a great success. Even though there is no dialogue (the characters speak in gibberish) there is a lot of drama in the story. The scenery is extremely well done, and there are a lot of extra touches to give the brothers personality.

    As a game there are hits and misses. The dual-character-control idea is quite clever, and there are some cool things that you can do with this scheme. The potential of this concept is not fully realized, some of the same kinds of puzzles appear multiple times. There are a lot of puzzles, but most only take a minute or so of contemplation to see the answer. This is good for keeping the story moving, but it made the game somewhat easy and short.

    If you are into a game that is a kind of work of art, and is cleverly designed, this is the game for you. If you are looking for a hard-core challenge, this game may disappoint you.    … Expand
  15. Underpants158
    Jan 29, 2014
    8
    The game is very linear. There is one path and it's abundantly obvious where it is. This may turn people off but I liked it. This is one of those 'it's more about the experience than the game" type of game. And it is an enjoyable experience in a fantastical world. You control two brothers on a journey to get medicine to save their father. There are no puzzles and the platforming is veryThe game is very linear. There is one path and it's abundantly obvious where it is. This may turn people off but I liked it. This is one of those 'it's more about the experience than the game" type of game. And it is an enjoyable experience in a fantastical world. You control two brothers on a journey to get medicine to save their father. There are no puzzles and the platforming is very simple. You can't fall of ledges, which given the nature of the controls (each joystick controls one brother) is a blessing. There isn't really any challenge so if you are the type of person who plays a game for that then this wouldn't be for you. It's an easy straightforward game and it seems the sole purpose of it may be to have you look at the beautiful art design. But that's not a bad thing. The game puts all it's eggs in the charm basket and succeeds. I would recommend the game to you if you weren't already turned off by the lack of challenge and the linear aspect. If you like the walking dead game or the Stanley Parable then likely you will like this game.… Expand
  16. xDigs
    Jul 2, 2014
    8
    The game is incredibly beautiful and the story is also really fascinating and really sucks you in.
    Unfortunately the game-play isn't terribly exciting or varying. Also it's a bit short with no real reason to play it all over again. Through this I have to say that the two hours this play through took was emotional and really great hours spent gaming.
  17. itkirk
    Feb 11, 2014
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a fantastic game. The gameplay is pretty simple, just use the control sticks and trigger buttons to control the characters, but that's not the draw of the game. The art direction is beautiful, the story is simplistic but powerful. The title of the game carries throughout the game, except ******SPOILERS******* at the end when you *******SPOILERS******** have to bury your own brother. My lord, the game has you go through the actions of burying your own brother, the one character that you rely on to get you through the game. Very Powerful. Another powerful moment is when you get to the end and actually have to use your brothers controls to get you through certain obstacles you normally wouldn't get through. For those emotional elements this game gets a pretty high score. I did enjoy playing through it, although the controls did get kind of annoying sometimes by coordinating between the two characters. One thing I wish the developer did was create subtitles in the game. I understand they're trying to immerse you in a whole new fascinating world and may not speak english, but gestures do not fully communicate the characters interaction. Overall great game for the emotional impact, but not fully enjoyable because of the controls. Worth playing if it's discounted.… Expand
  18. everin
    Oct 1, 2015
    8
    Tier 2
    + Perfectly intertwined story, theme, and gameplay
    + Unique hook with engaging ramifications
    + Amazing levels with inspired and gripping set and action pieces
    ? Somewhat random story that mostly works in spite of no actual dialog
    - A reverse deus ex machina ending that feels cheap after the adventure ends
  19. itsamonster
    Dec 1, 2013
    8
    A wonderfully surprising game. At first I almost wrote it off as childish and shallow, but after a slightly slow start it really becomes a great game. Good gameplay, and an emotional story too. It threw a lot of curveballs at me in terms of the content I expected.
    Some weaknesses were maybe the look of the characters themselves, and that I was not overly enamoured with the soundtrack.    A wonderfully surprising game. At first I almost wrote it off as childish and shallow, but after a slightly slow start it really becomes a great game. Good gameplay, and an emotional story too. It threw a lot of curveballs at me in terms of the content I expected.
    Some weaknesses were maybe the look of the characters themselves, and that I was not overly enamoured with the soundtrack.
    Definitely worth a few quid.    … Expand
  20. hochas
    Dec 3, 2013
    8
    This game is heartwarming, beautiful and quite addictive. Controlling two characters at the same time takes some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, it works really well. Since I could write about all that I liked about this game for some time, I'll get down to brass tacks about the negatives.

    At first I thought the game was directed towards kids, but after playing it I    This game is heartwarming, beautiful and quite addictive. Controlling two characters at the same time takes some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, it works really well. Since I could write about all that I liked about this game for some time, I'll get down to brass tacks about the negatives.

    At first I thought the game was directed towards kids, but after playing it I wouldn't recommend it to a young audience. It sets a serious tone from the beginning and is at times dark, but this is a bit undermined by the made up language, at least for me.

    The game doesn't really contain any challenges and you rarely have to stop and think about how to solve a problem. Judging by the age rating for this game, they could have set the bar a bit higher.

    Finally, it is short. Even though exploring and getting all achievements it only took me two and a half hours. The finale also falls short compared to the rest of the storyline. If you want to immerse yourself in a sweet fairytale with beautiful environments for a couple of hours, this is definitely for you.    … Expand
  21. Clowerweb
    Dec 23, 2013
    8
    Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons takes an amazing story concept and makes it into something of an interactive movie I hesitate to use that term because there's (a little bit) more to it than simply being an interactive movie, but there is also a lack of depth in the gameplay. This game is a story more than a game, not that that's necessarily a bad thing at all, I just want to point out thatBrothers: A Tale of Two Sons takes an amazing story concept and makes it into something of an interactive movie I hesitate to use that term because there's (a little bit) more to it than simply being an interactive movie, but there is also a lack of depth in the gameplay. This game is a story more than a game, not that that's necessarily a bad thing at all, I just want to point out that that's what it is. A few of the points will get higher weight in this review (+/-2 rather than +/-1) based on what the game is intended to be, and what the developers were going for, rather than how it compares to other games. Some points could get a neutral score I felt that they weren't particularly good, but not particularly lacking either.

    The graphics are gorgeous for a game that was designed for last-gen consoles, and the art style is unique and interesting, with beautiful environments that do well to set the tone, charming characters and a lot of small details that demonstrate how much love was put into the design of this game. +2.

    The sound is also very good, and the ambiance does a lot to help the mood. I wouldn't call it a masterpiece of sound design, but it did its job very well and I have no complaints at all. +1.

    The gameplay itself is lacking; the puzzles are way too easy, they get repetitive and tedious, and there isn't a whole lot of opportunity to fail or die, aside from a few places where it's possible to fall, and a couple of quick time event-like sequences scattered about. The gameplay wasn't BAD, it just wasn't really there much at all, and I felt like I was just along for the ride, holding down the thumb sticks and pressing RT/LT every now and then with little-to-no worry about concentration, precision or consequences. +/-0 (neutral).

    The story in this game is spectacular, although there's very little backstory on the characters, and almost no character development, at least not in a traditional sense (the character development is mostly through your own gameplay experiences with the two brothers and other minor characters). Being that there's no dialog, this may have hurt the opportunity for better character development, although the made up Sims-style language was however an interesting choice from an artistic standpoint. Brothers still manages to tell a very deep, surprisingly dark and all-too-real story about the struggles of everyone living in this fantasy universe. +2.

    The controls were one of the biggest things I didn't like about this title. They felt awkward from beginning to end, and 3 hours in when I finally reached the end, I still hadn't gotten very well adjusted to the way it was set up. Although I can't think of a better way to accomplish what they were trying to do here with controlling two characters, I still think it could have somehow been better thought out, and overall it felt a bit clunky. -1.

    The level design was exceptionally good, but I took off a point for its overwhelming linearity. There was always only one path to be taken to get around anywhere, and getting through the game was simply finding the one path around a set of obstacles. -1.

    Some of the game mechanics were awesomely creative (I particularly enjoyed the part where the brothers are connected by a rope and there was a swinging mechanic added). Some of the puzzles were creative and cleverly done as well, despite being extremely easy. +2.

    The length of the game was a bit short. I clocked in at about 3 hours because I was taking in a lot of the scenery throughout the game, but some people have done it in 1.5 2 hours. That's over $5 per hour, which is a bit steep, making this game rather expensive compared to most other indie titles. -1.

    Overall a solid 8/10.    … Expand
  22. immrama87
    Jan 13, 2014
    8
    Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is, at its core, a simple adventure-platforming game with a unique mechanical twist. Players control the movement of both of the main characters, the titular brothers, with the controller's two analog sticks, while the triggers allow for numerous interactions in the world. The control scheme can sometimes be confusing - every now and then I found myselfBrothers: A Tale of Two Sons is, at its core, a simple adventure-platforming game with a unique mechanical twist. Players control the movement of both of the main characters, the titular brothers, with the controller's two analog sticks, while the triggers allow for numerous interactions in the world. The control scheme can sometimes be confusing - every now and then I found myself controlling the characters with the wrong sticks - but as the game is extremely light on twitchy sequences, this never actually impeded the gameplay and, in most cases, made the game feel a little more charming. This is probably because of how well each of the game's puzzle-based set pieces are designed. Each of the times I found myself controlling the wrong character it was because I had let that character get on the side of the screen opposite the stick controlling him. The game's puzzles are designed in such a way that they typically remove the ability to do this, allowing the player to focus on the puzzle without being bogged down by control problems.

    Graphically, Brothers is a downright beautiful game. The character models are less detailed than most recent big budget games, but the total package is leaps and bounds above the majority of the pack, rivaling games like Journey in its ability to get everything right. At times players will find themselves wandering through a forest, probably forgetting the massive size of the game's world, until they step out onto a clifftop with its bench (there are a lot of benches in the game) and suddenly recognize an area that they had previously played through, down in a valley seemingly miles and miles away. It's pretty incredible. Scope isn't the only thing the game provides, though. In the 3 or so hours that it took me to complete Brothers, I never once felt bored with the environment design. The story takes players through dozens of locations, from underground cities to desert battlegrounds and everywhere in between. Each of these environments feels fresh and (more importantly) fits very snugly into the world of Brothers, which can only be described as a satisfying mix of elements from both high and low fantasy. The greatest achievement of the world's design, though, is the constant feeling that there is some unseen story behind each of the different areas and that they aren't, as in many games, just dioramas filled with puzzles for players to solve.

    The narrative in Brothers, which will undoubtedly be the draw for most players, is what would happen if Tolkien and Hans Christian Anderson co-wrote a fairy tale and Disney made the movie with the original ending intact. It doesn't feature a single word in English - or any other spoken language - but instead relies on body language and other visual cues to convey contextual meaning while the characters speak in a language that is vaguely reminiscent of Simlish. This is much less alienating than I had believed it would be when I first started playing, due in large part to the slightly exaggerated, but not overbearing, emphasis on body language and gestures in conversations. Ultimately, though, the self-imposed language barrier does still create a sense of alienation, taking away from some of the more emotionally charged moments as the player feels like little more than a passive observer of the game's events. Where Telltale's The Walking Dead series is so successful in allowing the player to feel a connection to the game's characters, in turn making the pivotal plot moments bite that much deeper, some of the events in Brothers fall short. The game's lack of player agency, coupled with the inability to fully understand the characters, keeps the same kind of meaningful connections from being formed. The final rise to the climax does overcome this, though, introducing a shift in the game's mechanics in a simple, yet powerful way, without any of the accompanying fanfare that would normally be expected. These are, in all honesty, some of the most powerful moments in any video game.

    Brothers' gorgeous vistas and compelling narrative are tied together beautifully by the game's audio. The sounds and effects in each of the varied environments simply feel like they fit. There was no moment where, upon crossing the threshold to Area A to Area B, the audio effects suddenly snapped into "Area B mode", resulting in a noticeable shift in the spatial quality of the sounds. The soundtrack, heard in some form for the majority of the game, is equally impressive and fits perfectly with the narrative. At times the music is subtle to the point of being almost unnoticed, providing ambiance to an environment, while at other times it is used to great effect to accentuate the tension of pivotal plot points.

    Despite its inability to fully capitalize on some of the more charged moments in the narrative and a few minor bugs, Brothers is still one of the most well-crafted and focused games, indie or otherwise, that's been released in quite a while.    … Expand
  23. ketchupboi
    Feb 21, 2014
    8
    This game is fantastic. If you see it on sale, buy it. In all my time of playing video games, this is hands down one of my favorites (after "To the Moon" of course.) The story is very well written with awesome interactions to be made within the game, it makes it worth playing. The game was quite short 3-4 hours but I believe could be replayed a few times for the achievements. I rated thisThis game is fantastic. If you see it on sale, buy it. In all my time of playing video games, this is hands down one of my favorites (after "To the Moon" of course.) The story is very well written with awesome interactions to be made within the game, it makes it worth playing. The game was quite short 3-4 hours but I believe could be replayed a few times for the achievements. I rated this an 8/10 due to the length of the game, and honestly how easy it is. Besides that, lots of fun.

    p.s. PLEASE GIVE ME A SEQUEL.    … Expand
  24. cashgrab
    Jul 19, 2014
    8
    It's a beautiful game with excellent soundtrack and a decent story, although somewhat cliché, it's still interesting on its own merits. There isn't too much action in the game except a few puzzles that aren't that hard to figure out and a few encounters where you have to "defeat" certain enemies.

    That being said, it's a great game to play if you are in the mood of playing storytelling    It's a beautiful game with excellent soundtrack and a decent story, although somewhat cliché, it's still interesting on its own merits. There isn't too much action in the game except a few puzzles that aren't that hard to figure out and a few encounters where you have to "defeat" certain enemies.

    That being said, it's a great game to play if you are in the mood of playing storytelling games where you basically have to imagine all the dialogue by yourself, which doesn't take away from the game at all. The game is very linear, which kinda cuts exploration down a notch with the exception of a few sections of the game where you can perform a few actions to get steam achievements. It's not a long game, it can be beat in about 3 hours and probably has no point to be played after you beat it unless you are a completionist.

    It's a $10-$15 dollar game, but I got it on sale for about $5 I'd guess. It was well worth it, still better than a lot of crap you watch on TV or cinema nowadays.

    Also, make sure you have a 2 joystick controller like xbox 360 ones because playing it on a keyboard is probably not recommended since the way the game was developed (you control both characters at the same time) kinda demands it.    … Expand
  25. Tomle1202
    Mar 26, 2022
    8
    Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is an excellent example of intertwining gameplay and story to great effect.
  26. Gohenko
    Jun 19, 2016
    8
    Short but worth it. This game will make you feel the feels and is also mechanically unique, a prime example of how to make a video game narrative work. Controller required.
  27. skogsgurka
    Nov 1, 2014
    8
    Visually stunning with a unique game mechanic that has you flowing through a norse fairytale while giving your coordinative skills a sweaty workout.

    To me, the story was quite meh. But I have friends who almost shed tears on their playthrough, so the quality of the story seems to be a case of who you are and what mood you're in. However, this games real trait is being a quick,    Visually stunning with a unique game mechanic that has you flowing through a norse fairytale while giving your coordinative skills a sweaty workout.

    To me, the story was quite meh. But I have friends who almost shed tears on their playthrough, so the quality of the story seems to be a case of who you are and what mood you're in. However, this games real trait is being a quick, coordinative, beautiful adventure, and I couldn't demand for it to have a much more fleshed out storytelling in the short time it takes to play it through. Just great!    … Expand
  28. Ydun79
    Feb 11, 2019
    8
    It's a nice and short game. If you can pick this up on a sale, definitely worth the money
  29. jelikey
    Nov 21, 2019
    8
    If you don't like 'Brothers', then you simply don't like video games at all. Well, okay, maybe that's not entirely true and I may be a bit melodramatic when saying that, but I really can't figure out a reason why someone would dislike this game, other than the fact that it's pretty short. Although making this game longer would most likely deter from it's beauty. Simply put, this is one ofIf you don't like 'Brothers', then you simply don't like video games at all. Well, okay, maybe that's not entirely true and I may be a bit melodramatic when saying that, but I really can't figure out a reason why someone would dislike this game, other than the fact that it's pretty short. Although making this game longer would most likely deter from it's beauty. Simply put, this is one of the best and most original puzzle games that I have played in a while, and although it's not exactly the most difficult, the reward is in the storytelling. It's not easy to portray emotion in a video game without saying a word, but this game pulls it off in style.… Expand
  30. Sandweech
    Mar 16, 2015
    8
    If you don't like 'Brothers', then you simply don't like video games at all. Well, okay, maybe that's not entirely true and I may be a bit melodramatic when saying that, but I really can't figure out a reason why someone would dislike this game, other than the fact that it's pretty short. Although making this game longer would most likely deter from it's beauty. Simply put, this is one ofIf you don't like 'Brothers', then you simply don't like video games at all. Well, okay, maybe that's not entirely true and I may be a bit melodramatic when saying that, but I really can't figure out a reason why someone would dislike this game, other than the fact that it's pretty short. Although making this game longer would most likely deter from it's beauty. Simply put, this is one of the best and most original puzzle games that I have played in a while, and although it's not exactly the most difficult, the reward is in the storytelling. It's not easy to portray emotion in a video game without saying a word, but this game pulls it off in style.

    While I agree that all video games, no matter how bad or good they are, are a form of art, this game is a shining example of it. Emotional storytelling combined with controls that make sense not only to the gameplay, but say even more on a narrative level, 'A Tale of Two Sons' shines the most when it comes to how we interact with the characters. By giving players the opportunity to control both brothers at once by utilizing the dual sticks on your gamepad, 'Brothers' takes storytelling through gameplay to a new level. This may sound difficult to control at first, but after a few minutes you'll get the hang of it and will often forget that you're controlling two people at the same time without much thought.

    This game more than deserves the amount of praise that it has been given and I hope to see more video games that utilize this control concept. The art style here is fantastic, the variety in gameplay will keep you entertained the whole way through, and the puzzle elements although simplistic are incredibly fun when combined with the controls. The asking price may be a bit high for such a short game, but the next time this one is on sale, I would recommend picking it up to pretty much anyone.    … Expand
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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

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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.
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  2. PC Gamer
    Oct 24, 2013
    85
    A gorgeous world, bursting with personality. Great storytelling makes up for the short length and unchallenging puzzles.
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  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.
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