Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons

Giant Bomb ( )

Brothers isn't necessarily an uplifting game; to compare it to a fairytale is to evoke the original meaning of that term, the one designed to scare small children. Some grim things occur in the course of the brothers' quest. But 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 before. If you're the sort of person who thinks video games are capable of not just entertaining us but also making us think and feel, you owe it to yourself to play Brothers.

Game Over Online (94 out of 100)

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is an outstanding game that should be played by anyone who loved Journey, or has a thirst for storytelling in gaming that lets the player fill in some blanks and interpret things as they so desire. Like that game, this isn’t very long – it probably won’t take you more than three hours to beat, but it’s quite replayable. A lot of little scenarios can unfold in alternate playthroughs that you could easily miss the first time through if you’re rushing. The lack of filler makes it fun to go through the first time, while the visuals will amaze you and the music move you. It’s an incredible game well-worth its $15 asking price on any platform you desire – although the symmetrical sticks of the PS3 may be a bit easier to get used to than the 360′s design.

PlayStation Official Magazine - UK (9 out of 10)

It isn’t perfect. The controls are sometimes a little clumsy, there’s the odd framerate hiccup, and rotating the camera with R1 and L1 is somewhat restrictive. But this is an ambitious interactive tale that crams in intuitive climbing, enjoyable sneaking, grin-inducing vehicle sections and a whole bunch of lateral thinking. It very rarely repeats itself, and each moment feels all the more vivid for being a one-off. I only wish there was a button to make these siblings high-five. They deserve it. Charming, engaging and affecting, this is a unique experience that any indie fan should take in. Finally, a positive use for the term ‘bro-op’.

Meristation (9 out of 10)

Un cielo carente de su azul característico es la pequeña declaración de intenciones inicial con la que Starbreeze Studios –autores del conseguido Chronicles of Riddick: Butcher Bay- abre su fábula fraternal. Un plano panorámico que nos revela a un niño arrodillado ante la tumba de un ser querido que perdió. La ensoñación la interrumpe el hermano mayor, que lo llama para que vuelva a la igual de triste realidad, y le ayude a través de un primer escenario que supone la toma de contacto con la mecánica ICO de puzles e interactuación entre ambos personajes. Lidiar con la muerte es el tema inicial de la historia, pues nuestro padre se muere, y solo una planta que crece en lo alto de la montaña lejana servirá para remediarlo.

D+PAD Magazine ( )

It feels like another example of smaller games stepping out into unique and interesting directions and telling smaller, more personal stories in ways only possible through the medium. It’s easy to overlook a lot of what makes Brothers unique from first glance, its unassuming style belies a title with a lot more on its mind. But stick with it and you’ll be rewarded with something really quite special.

IGN Italia (8.5 out of 10)

Ho ricevuto un codice per il download su Xbox 360 dal distributore italiano e ho affrontato l'avventura in una botta unica, da circa tre ore, gustandomela tantissimo. Nel farlo, ho sbloccato un terzo degli Obiettivi disponibili, ma, ad essere onesti, non ho sentito l'esigenza di ripetere il viaggio per cercare gli altri. Magari prima o poi lo farò, fra qualche tempo, rimettendomi davanti a Brothers come ogni tanto ci si rimette davanti a un buon film.

PlayStation Universe (8.5 out of 10)

I highly recommend Brothers to anyone seeking an adventure game with more maturity in its storytelling. It’s a game that focuses on cooperation and how we deal with death--a stark contrast to killing wave after wave of enemies. Unfortunately, I can’t say I found anything, other than the ending gameplay portion, to be close to a revelation. Brothers is certainly reliable and solid for the most part, yet only time will tell if this tale becomes a legend.

PS-NOW.de (8 out of 10)

So wenig Worte, so wenig konkret gezeigte Ereignisse, und doch so viel Story. Wunderschön gestaltete Umgebungen, die ihre eigenen Geschichten erzählen und zum Nachdenken anregen. Leider reißt die vertrackte Steuerung einen immer wieder aus der Faszination und auch die meisten Rätsel haben ihren Namen kaum verdient. Dennoch wird man immer wieder an Momente im Spiel zurückdenken, sei es mit einem Lächeln, mit Gänsehaut oder mit feuchten Augen.

Gamer.nl (8 out of 10)

Toch willen we daar niet te zwaar aan tillen. Brothers is misschien geen onmiddellijke klassieker, maar het is wel degelijk een prachtige en rustgevende reisgame. Het zou niet de eerste keer zijn dat de reis belangrijker is dan het einddoel en met deze game lijkt dat zeker het geval.

Games TM (8 out of 10)

Brother’s story-telling strength is not only in giving death reverence, but also getting us to truly care about the characters in the game. The younger brother’s traumatic experience with his mother is dealt with in a fairly mature way over the course of the story that really helps us connect to the overarching narrative. As a game, it also succeeds in its task of delivering a single-player co-op experience, and while it may not be “this year’s Journey”, as ridiculous a concept as that is, it’s an emotional tale you don’t want to miss.

Push Square (8 out of 10)

While it may not have the innovative gameplay of Fez or the striking art style of Limbo, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is certainly worth its salt and manages to pack an emotional punch despite lacking intelligible dialogue or AAA graphics. Marred only by occasionally obtuse controls and a slight lack of difficulty, if this is the kind of content we can expect from Sony’s army of indie developers, the future is very bright indeed.

God is a Geek (8 out of 10)

From a hopeful beginning to a heart-wrenching conclusion, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is an endearing and emotional adventure that will resonate strongly with anyone who has a younger or older sibling. It may not be the most exciting or challenging game, and it is certainly over too quickly, but it’s also a refreshing, beautifully-realised attempt to do something new.

LaPS4 (70 out of 100)

Brothers es uno de esos juegos que no te decepcionará si estás buscando algo diferente. Sin embargo, hay que tener en cuenta que es un juego corto, pese a que es un gran juego, no es muy largo y no te ofrecerá nada nuevo al rejugarlo.

Edge (7 out of 10)

Another entrant in that quietly, confidently expanding genre of games that, rather than build complex challenges around novel mechanics, simply use the existence of interactivity to more deeply immerse you in another world, Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons’ quest doesn’t quite scale the definition-busting heights of Journey or Dear Esther. Still, this is a puzzle-platform game pared down to its base essentials, with a sweet, simple tale and an artfully imagined world wrapped around that core.