Review Memberberry21 3/5 · Aug 19, 2022
Rip
Spidussy got the big bro acting unwise, we truly live a society 😔
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (2013)
Android · Nintendo Switch · PC (Microsoft Windows) · PlayStation 3 · PlayStation 4 · Windows Phone · Xbox 360 · Xbox One · iOS
3.89 from 2521 ratings
7668 members have it in their collection · 105 playing now · 2867 backlogged · 767 wish listed
How long? Main story 3h · with extras 3h · 100% 4h (from 92 logged playthroughs)
Brothers is presented from a third-person view overlooking the two brothers. The brothers are moved individually by two thumbsticks on the controller. The controller triggers also cause the respective brother to interact with the game world, such as talking to a non-player character or grabbing onto a ledge or object.
The older brother is the stronger of the two and …
Read more
Brothers is presented from a third-person view overlooking the two brothers. The brothers are moved individually by two thumbsticks on the controller. The controller triggers also cause the respective brother to interact with the game world, such as talking to a non-player character or grabbing onto a ledge or object.
The older brother is the stronger of the two and can pull levers or boost his younger brother to higher spaces, while the younger one can pass between narrow bars. The player progresses by manipulating the two brothers at the same time to complete various puzzles, often requiring the player to manipulate both brothers to perform differing functions (such as one distracting a hostile non-player character while the other makes their way around).
Should either brother fall from a great height or get injured, the game restarts at a recent checkpoint. All of the in-game dialogue is spoken in a fictional language, thus the story is conveyed through actions, gestures and expressions.
Read less
Details
- Developers
- Starbreeze Studios
- Publishers
- 505 Games
- Genres
- Adventure, Indie, Puzzle
- Themes
- Action, Drama, Fantasy, Stealth
- Steam
- View on Steam
Release dates
- Aug 07, 2013 (Worldwide) Xbox 360
- Sep 03, 2013 (Worldwide) PC (Microsoft Windows)
- Sep 03, 2013 (North_America) PlayStation 3
- Sep 04, 2013 (Europe) PlayStation 3
- Jan 28, 2014 (Japan) PlayStation 3
- Aug 12, 2015 (Worldwide) PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Oct 22, 2015 (Worldwide) iOS
- May 24, 2016 (Worldwide) Android
- May 26, 2016 (Worldwide) Windows Phone
- May 28, 2019 (Worldwide) Nintendo Switch
Related
Remakes
- Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake (Feb 2024) · PC, PS5, XSX
Featured in lists
Rating distribution
5 stars
742
4 stars
970
3 stars
627
2 stars
143
1 star
39
Community All Reviews Statuses
Review V1CGaming 4/5 · Feb 21, 2022 Completed
Beautiful game.
Awesome graphics and lighting with incredible attention to details. All along the game you will see benches on which you can sit an simply admire landscapes and the genius of artistic direction. These moments oozes of peaceful serenity. Scenario is emotional, touching and feels authentic even if it takes place in an imaginary world.
Characters are attractive and brilliantly developed. …
Awesome graphics and lighting with incredible attention to details. All along the game you will see benches on which you can sit an simply admire landscapes and the genius of artistic direction. These moments oozes of peaceful serenity. Scenario is emotional, touching and feels authentic even if it takes place in an imaginary world.
Characters are attractive and brilliantly developed. Each has his own personality and skills. The feeling of leaving family to face a perilous journey is omnipresent. Gameplay is truly innovative by including the possibility to play both brothers at the same time. The fact that they complete each other is and feels amazing. Controls were a bit confusing at first. The ending is truly breathtaking. Sound effects and atmosphere are gorgeous. Going from a certain ambiance to another is really cool and is perfectly made. It's short yet visually enchanting, interactively clever and emotionally heartbreaking.
Review jusaf 4/5 · Apr 1, 2021
Wonderful Journey
I loved this game, the presentation is excellent, the fantasy world that you explore feels like a true fairytale, the creatures that you encounter are wonderful, the gameplay is simple but enjoyable and rarely repetitive, the score is lovely and the ending is very impactful.
I hated the fictional language.
I have no problem with made-up languages, they have their …
I loved this game, the presentation is excellent, the fantasy world that you explore feels like a true fairytale, the creatures that you encounter are wonderful, the gameplay is simple but enjoyable and rarely repetitive, the score is lovely and the ending is very impactful.
I hated the fictional language.
I have no problem with made-up languages, they have their place, and to be fair i think this game might have been a good place for a fictional language, as long as the execution is done correctly.
I am aware that it is based on Lebanese Arabic and I'm aware of the budget constraints, but the entire language in the game is maybe 30 words, all of them made up of 1 or 2 syllables, with the rare exception of a few words of 3 syllables, and they all sound the same.
To me, as a person who happens to speak multiple languages, the whole thing sounded very very moronic, like tarzan speaking to jane, but worse, every time a human would open their mouth i would cringe.
That's my only gripe with the game, i definitely recommend it, 4.5 stars!
Review samurijv2 5/5 · Jan 25, 2021
9+/10
-
Moreseo than any other game in recent memory, Brothers explores its themes primarily through mechanical gameplay. My own development as a player as I came to grips with Brothers' clunky two-characters-at-once control scheme is elegantly mirrored by the brother's experience of learning to work together and trust one another. As my own coordination as a player improved, so too did …
-
Moreseo than any other game in recent memory, Brothers explores its themes primarily through mechanical gameplay. My own development as a player as I came to grips with Brothers' clunky two-characters-at-once control scheme is elegantly mirrored by the brother's experience of learning to work together and trust one another. As my own coordination as a player improved, so too did the brothers' relationship. Without spoiling it here, this effect reaches an amazing, poignant crescendo at the story's climax, a moment that's evocative in a way that only a video game could be.
-
Level design towards the end of the game is off-the-charts good. The battlefield of the giants is one of the coolest areas I've explored in years.
-
Only criticism is that the game feels a touch under-developed. Things hit their stride around the final third of the game when the pace of exploration really picks up, and it would have been nice to get a couple more hours of game to round out the experience. I would have appreciated a little more development between the brothers in things like their optional contextual interactions with various objects in the environment. Still though, after the first two thirds of the game were confined essentially one large area a piece, the rapid succession of new zones towards the end of game seem to imply a longer, more arduous journey for the brothers than playtime alone might suggest, which is neat.
Review gguridi 5/5 · Dec 31, 2020
Short, emotional story
It's a short story about two brothers that must cooperate to find a cure for their father's illness. The story is rich in characters, sometimes funny, advances quickly and finishes abruptly. This is one of the few games that literally stroke a nerve on me.
You play with both brothers at the same time, which is a weird mechanic with …
It's a short story about two brothers that must cooperate to find a cure for their father's illness. The story is rich in characters, sometimes funny, advances quickly and finishes abruptly. This is one of the few games that literally stroke a nerve on me.
You play with both brothers at the same time, which is a weird mechanic with a controller but at least is different. The novelty felt nice in that sense.
This is one of those games with the "sentimental" tag attached on it. I think if you evaluate it for graphics, gameplay, puzzle complexity or length you are going to be disappointed. The story has to catch up with your feelings.
Review DirtyMidnighter 4/5 · Nov 19, 2020
You're My Bro, Bro
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, like director Josef Fares's other games, is a short game with an overflowing heart centering around a bond of brotherhood. By utilizing a unique control scheme which places the player in control of both brothers simultaneously, that bond is reinforced as the game's central mechanic. It's not surprising that the player will become …
Read moreBrothers: A Tale of Two Sons, like director Josef Fares's other games, is a short game with an overflowing heart centering around a bond of brotherhood. By utilizing a unique control scheme which places the player in control of both brothers simultaneously, that bond is reinforced as the game's central mechanic. It's not surprising that the player will become endeared to these kids and the way that the game teases those emotions out of you is insidious yet compelling. This is one that is likely to make you cry... especially if you've ever had a sibling that you were obligated to protect. Fares is a game creator that delights in unconventional approaches to multiplayer in games, as is evidenced by the insane co-op premise of two people holding the same controller. I respect it though!
Read less
Review killerstar 4/5 · Mar 13, 2018
A really good game that combines perfectly history, meaning and gameplay. Controlling both brothers sound hard, but most of the time you can think of them as a single entity since when they are close together they both need to move in the same direction. Some interactions were clever and made me move them at the same time, but for …
Read moreA really good game that combines perfectly history, meaning and gameplay. Controlling both brothers sound hard, but most of the time you can think of them as a single entity since when they are close together they both need to move in the same direction. Some interactions were clever and made me move them at the same time, but for the most part, you do one thing with the one, and then another thing with the other. From a gameplay perspective it's the safest --and better-- way of doing, since the frustration of hard puzzles would've tainted the incredible atmosphere and the emotions of the game.
Read less
Review lephistos 3/5 · Jan 22, 2018
Brothers, a nice game to quickly finish.
The game was good. Puzzles a little too easy though and even at the end I wasn't great with the controls. Music and visuals were awesome. I 'll probably be listening to the soundtrack later on, since it was really good. Story was very predictable, and bland. However the great ending and the impact it had on the gameplay and …
The game was good. Puzzles a little too easy though and even at the end I wasn't great with the controls. Music and visuals were awesome. I 'll probably be listening to the soundtrack later on, since it was really good. Story was very predictable, and bland. However the great ending and the impact it had on the gameplay and vice versa were amazing.
I will recommend the game, since it was a fast short game, which was good since it didn't overstay it's welcome.
Review agurczuk 4/5 · Apr 20, 2016
A fairytale experience
A short, but very interesting game with a unique gameplay and a lovely setting.
Brothers tell a tale of two brothers in quest to find cure for their ill-struck father. They will have to travel through a wonderful, fairy tale land. On their way they'll meet a bunch of fantastic creatures and will visit really well designed places.
Gamplay focuses …
A short, but very interesting game with a unique gameplay and a lovely setting.
Brothers tell a tale of two brothers in quest to find cure for their ill-struck father. They will have to travel through a wonderful, fairy tale land. On their way they'll meet a bunch of fantastic creatures and will visit really well designed places.
Gamplay focuses on using twin sticks so it's preferable to use controller to play it. You control both brothers at the same time to progress in your journey. The puzzles are well designed and simply make sense. Using both characters at the same time makes the game experience unique and fun. Really enjoyed this.
The location design is top notch. I used to stop for a while to just enjoy the visuals. The scale is well presented. There are sights that just leave you in awe.
The story is well put together as well. Really emotional and heart-warming.
The game might be a bit short but feels complete and it's a well spent couple of hours. Really worth picking up.
Review ThePrettySavage 4/5 · Feb 28, 2016
A beautiful stab in the heart
Visually and emotionally this game was stunning. I felt like I didn't have as much control to go where I would like to at times, but over all this was a good game with some very heart-wrenching stuff.
Status specialbrewis Jun 18, 2015
Loaded someone's save file to get past Chapter 2. Chapter 4 glitch, unable to pass at bridge, unable to use goat to get past mountain. Too frustrating to continue playing...
Status specialbrewis Jun 17, 2015
Chapter 2 glitch, unable to continue - 1st gate won't open despite Little Brother turning the crank.
Tried: chapter restart, checkpoint restart, playing from 1st chapter, changing camera POV
Review Jasyla 4/5 · Apr 24, 2014
At first, the controls and nonsense language in this game drove me crazy. However, I appreciated it more as I played further. It was a beautiful game, with great atmosphere.
At the end, after (spoilers) happened, I wasn't as affected as I could have been. I think reading about how sad this game was pretty much gave away what was …
At first, the controls and nonsense language in this game drove me crazy. However, I appreciated it more as I played further. It was a beautiful game, with great atmosphere.
At the end, after (spoilers) happened, I wasn't as affected as I could have been. I think reading about how sad this game was pretty much gave away what was going to happen. Though the actual event didn't get to me, the change in the control scheme afterward was quite ingenious.
Review SuperFieroStatus 3/5 · Oct 16, 2013
Heard some glaring reviews from someone, and having the name Starbreeze attached, it was an easy sell for me. Unfortunately, the game didn't live up to my expectations. I never found the controls intuitive or interesting, I never found the puzzles interesting or challenging (they were barely puzzles) and while I liked the general setting (some Scandinavian folklore) the story …
Read moreHeard some glaring reviews from someone, and having the name Starbreeze attached, it was an easy sell for me. Unfortunately, the game didn't live up to my expectations. I never found the controls intuitive or interesting, I never found the puzzles interesting or challenging (they were barely puzzles) and while I liked the general setting (some Scandinavian folklore) the story didn't grab me. At the end some kind of sad thing happens. I really didn't care. The game is competent, and has some charm, but aside from its setting and nice music, I didn't love it.
Read less