I can remember when Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons first came out and how clever of a concept it seemed. Utilizing the left thumb stick to move the older brother and the right thumb stick to move the younger brother you get to control both protagonists at the same time. The two brothers will have to go on a grand adventure to save their father. Along the way they will encounter all sorts of puzzles, friends, and adversaries. Its crucial that they work together as to overcome all the obstacles in their path. This story driven adventure game has many shocking, emotional, and awe-inspiring moments that you need to experience to believe.
Recently stuck with the tragedy of losing their mother the boys know when their father gets sick that they don't want to lose him too. The town doctor gives the boys a drawing of a special tree with magical healing properties that they need to find. So the two brothers set out and almost immediately a town bully gets in their way. This is just one of many challenges you'll have to use your wits to get around. Thankfully, some folks actually wish to help such as a friendly giant that helps the boys through a mountain pass. As you get closer to your goal the environments seems to become quite bleak such as having to navigate a bloody battlefield.
The two brothers both control the same but offer a couple little differences. The older son is a little taller so often he'll help lift his little brother up to reach higher ledges. The younger son is a bit smaller letting him sneak through grates and fences. Also both brothers can interact with the people and creatures you come across and each will behave quite differently under each scenario. This is clearly a journey they couldn't have done alone as you will often need both of them to lift large objects and push heavy levers together. Controlling two characters may seem like it would be challenging but since all you need is the analog sticks and trigger buttons you'll adapt pretty quickly.
Everything about this journey from the gameplay, to the visuals, and the soundtrack are top notch. For being closer to eight years old these game is still a treat to look at. By stopping a benches along the you can really appreciate the incredibly varied environments and sweeping vistas. The orchestral score does a great job of really setting the mood. All the dialog in the game is in a made up language but you can still read the emotional states of the characters and understand their expressions. The studio behind Brothers is lead by a movie director and in many ways: including game length, plot twists, and dramatic set pieces, that is easy to believe.
I absolutely adore this game and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I had forgotten. More specifically I was astounded by how many dark and mature themes the games touches on considering the boys themselves are a little on the young side. This game delivers an incredibly emotional rollercoaster of excitement, fear, and sorrow that will stick with you well after completing your journey. All the wonderful story telling of course wouldn't work so well if it wasn't for the well crafted levels and are a real treat to find your way through. I highly encourage everyone to check out this superb game which has been ported onto all modern consoles.