Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons - Discussion Thread

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Ethan_Hunt

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Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons dev video shows off new gameplay


Starbreeze Studios has released a new developer video to demonstrate the gameplay mechanics of its new XBLA/PSN game, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons.

Game director Josef Fares grabs a controller to show how the brothers will work together to interact with townsfolk and get past an angry dog.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons was revealed in September last year, in development at Chronicles of Riddick and Syndicate developer Starbreeze Studios.

According to the official blurb on the plot: "A man, clinging to life. His two sons, desperate to cure their ailing father, are left with but one option.

"They must set out upon a journey to find and bring back the "Water of Life" as they come to rely on one another to survive. One must be strong where the other is weak, brave where the other is fearful, they must be... Brothers."

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is scheduled for release in Spring 2013.

Source: CVG

Gameplay video:

 
Started the title and played the initial bits. This looks like a winner to me already going by the story and the gameplay which involves the player controlling both the brothers simultaneously.

Ideally, we would expect a second co-op player to control the second character on the screen but in this title, a single player controls both the characters. And simultaneously! And this works without a fuss. Just that our brain needs to process this and send the signals to the fingers to press the right triggers! :P Initially, it went a bit haywire and when I had to instruct the younger brother to push the cart while the elder one had to pull it, the elder one remained stuck for a while until I realized both the analog sticks were pointing in opposite directions! In another instance, one of them had to climb up a small cliff with the help of his brother, then drop a piece of rope from above to help the other one climb up. When the one below climbed up the rope, the other one would descend the cliff. Just some initial bit of confusions. Otherwise I am sure this is going to be a great game.

Hopeful of completing it this weekend.
 
Guys, I am completely out of words to describe this game. It was THAT awesome! Extremely high on emotions and sentiments!

First off, the game has an excellent storyline to boot - two brothers, their mother passed away and an ailing father. The two should seek the Tree of Life and collect the water to save their ill father. And the adventure unfolds as they progress through various terrains, meeting several NPCs - some kind and helpful, some others hostile, reuniting a pair of trolls (The Witcher 2 déjà vu!), saving a man from committing suicide (this one is completely optional but after rescuing this man, the feeling was just out of the world!), helping an inventor (resembled Da Vinci) with his contraption, helping a giant sea-turtle find her babies scattered around, battling a giant spider (this was a major twist!) etc.

The game’s level designs were insane - something that resembles God of War III/Ascension. Recall when Kratos climbs Cronos, the camera would pan itself back to show the scale of the whole setup and Kratos would appear as a dirt? This was exactly the same. The scale is HUGE and from one point high above we could notice the way we had traced. Absolutely no flaws with the gameplay. With the X360 controller, it was only a matter of time to get used to the control scheme for the two brothers - left analog stick/trigger for the elder brother and the right analog stick/trigger for the younger one. At one stage, the two brothers tie a rope to each other and while one of them is stationary holding to a piece of rock or some protrusion, the other swings to access a place which was otherwise unreachable and then the next one climbs. This was one of the best gameplay techniques I haven’t come across in any other title before. The younger one doesn’t know swimming so he holds to his elder brother’s shoulders when they attempt to cross across the waters.

The game uses the ubiquitous UE 3 engine and as such, it maxes out on most current gen. hardware without breaking a sweat. There are not many options for tweaking the graphics. There were absolutely no bugs throughout the playthrough - no frame drops, no crashes, no texture popping issues. Good job from the devs.! We couldn’t have asked for a more polished game! Soundtracks were pretty good - reminded me of the tracks from the Trine series. The characters in the game speak some unknown incomprehensible language - adds a bit of flair to the game.

This is definitely *the best* contender for this year’s Best Indie Game. This has to be the Journey of 2013. I seriously hope it wins. Good job Starbreeze!

PS: I do not want to spoil it for you guys but please be prepared for the worst towards the end - that is the only piece of advice I can offer you.

PPS: Heads-up to @kvikram, @Rickyk, @Aman27deep, @Black_Hawk, @Spacescreamer, @krugur. Ofc Allwyn as well. Please do not miss out on this masterpiece!
 
First off, the game has an excellent storyline to boot - two brothers, their mother passed away and an ailing father. The two should seek the Tree of Life and collect the water to save their ill father. And the adventure unfolds as they progress through various terrains, meeting several NPCs - some kind and helpful, some others hostile, reuniting a pair of trolls (The Witcher 2 déjà vu!), saving a man from committing suicide (this one is completely optional but after rescuing this man, the feeling was just out of the world!), helping an inventor (resembled Da Vinci) with his contraption, helping a giant sea-turtle find her babies scattered around, battling a giant spider (this was a major twist!) etc.

Just when i thought nothing could draw me away from a documentary spree, this kinda game comes up.
Thanks for the recommendation Ganesh. This indeed seems like something worthwhile.

Worth a second/multiple attempts?
 
Worth a second/multiple attempts?

Actually, that seems to be the lone sore point of the game. The replayability factor is lost because the twists in the storyline is already known to the player and you know what is in store towards the end. Moreover, you wouldn't bother exploring because you already know the way ahead.

But that first attempt will be one hell of a ride - I can assure you that much.
 
After giving GOW Ascension and Sly 4 a miss, was only looking fwd to Rayman and re runs of UC2+LA Noire.
Now this game is the front runner. Will check this one out fs. Thx.
 
Rayman Legends is a VERY lengthy title - lengthier than Origins, so give this one a shot first. It hardly took 5 hours for completion. Can be done in a sitting or two.
 
Oh I'm definitely trying this out. It was the sole reason I created this thread. I was about to play this when it released on the 360, but then of course PC version was an option so wanted to wait for it. If it's short in length, then I'd probably start it right after I'm done with GTA V.

the control scheme for the two brothers - left analog stick/trigger for the elder brother and the right analog stick/trigger for the younger one.

Interesting control scheme. Never seen this one before.
 
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Finished the game. It was a total masterpiece of a game to say the least. Everything is done really well, from the emotional connection between the two brothers, the grand sense of scale and the unique control concept all ties in very well to create a one-of-a-kind experience. Despite the absence of English (in place of which there is some fictional language), this is one of the most emotional games I've ever played. You can clearly discern the names of the two brothers though, the elder brother being 'Maya' and the younger brother being 'Mayi'.

Thumbs up from me. It has become one of most favorite games! :)
 
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Just finished the game and not only is this game the best Downloadable/Independent game for this year, but it's also headed straight on top of my personal best list. I didn't think it would best 'Max: The Curse of the Brotherhood' at the start of the game, but after a few levels, it just elevated to a point that I couldn't stop playing the game. When I did stop playing the game, it was when the game ended and I was awe-struck with it's depth. This is one of the most heart-warming & gut-wrenching tale of Two Brothers on a journey to save their ailing father.

The moment the game begins, you are greeted with a gorgeous menu screen and soundtrack which will be imprinted in your mind for the rest of the game. We are then presented with a brief sequence of a young child paying his respects to his mother's tombstone, which promptly flashes back to a scene which shows his mother drowning in a boat accident. He is later called to aid by his elder brother to assist him in carting their father to the local doctor, as he seems to be extremely ill. The doctor informs them that the only way to save his life is to obtain the water from 'The Tree of Life', which is found in a distant land. The doctor hands over the map to the elder brother and this is where the adventure begins.

All of the above narration is conveyed in a completely unfamiliar language. There are no subtitles either. But guess what, you don't need any of this to understand what's going on. Everything is purely narrated with the gestures and emotions of the characters; one of the most creative ideas of story telling. All through the game, you'll hear nothing but random words, expressions of amazement, screams of terror and the tears of sorrow. The gameplay is quite unique as you control the elder brother with the left analog stick (for movement) + left trigger (for interaction) & right analog stick + right trigger for the younger brother. The game is essentially a platformer and a fabulous one at that. It gives team work a whole new meaning. Bear in mind, even though it appears to look like a co-op oriented title, it isn't. This is purely a single player game, where you control two separate characters simultaneously.

The platforming is mainly based on co-ordination between the brothers where you have to do the usual climbing, shimming, puzzle solving and traversing. One of the distinguishing factor I noticed about this game is that it tends to poise the characters way of dealing with the different tasks in the game. For instance, the younger brother won't be able to perform certain activities which are physically demanding, while the elder brother won't be able to squeeze through smaller areas due to his size and the younger one can. By working together, they offset this physical barrier and over-come the obstacles. This is implemented in a bunch of artistically split chapters which spawn across different areas. Each of these locations have their own beauty and perils. The entire game is relatively simple and you won't be stuck anywhere, and I mean anywhere. The control scheme will take sometime to get adjusted and playing it with a controller is highly advisable. Theoretically, you can share the game on a keyboard with 2 players, but from a story perspective, it's more fruitful for a single person to play the game.

Visually, this game is absolutely stunning. Unreal Engine 3 just won't die, EVER. This engine has proved to be a front runner for one of the most leading AAA titles down to the most flamboyantly designed independent titles. Brothers, is one of the best examples of such title. The lavish vistas presented in this game is mesmerizing. The camera also pans out on occasions to provide a more larger scope of the area. There are benches on which you can relax for a moment to get a panoramic view of the location. There are some jaw-dropping level designs which I never really expected to see in this game. Believe me, you'll know when you see it. All of this is achieved with nothing in the graphic options, except for resolution and V-Sync.

Soundtracks varies depending on the situation and usually it's ambient. However, the switch between the tunes is perfectly balanced and will never feel out of place. One of the most imperative aspects of a good OST is to deliver it at a precise moment, thus nailing the atmosphere, which is what this game does. It is so authentic to the setting. The cello tunes blend in perfectly in moments of grief.

To wrap it up, this is an exquisite game which gives you a sense of how strong a family is bound by love. The essence is to stick together and protect each other, no matter what may come. This game also shows that language is not essential to understand human emotions, as they can be expressed in various other ways. It will move you and emotionally attach you to itself. Be prepared for the end, though it may be predictable, the impact is quite strong. Starbreeze gets a well deserved applaud for their efforts. With only 3 1/2 hours long, no one should miss this game.

A quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson which sort of symbolizes this game:- “Life is a journey, not a destination.”
 
Just started this game this evening after getting back from work. Completed 3 chapters thus far and it's extremely riveting. To begin it was a tad confusing to get used to controls, controlling the two brother's with the two joystick on the controller (I'm using the Xbox 360 controller for this one) but once I got accustomed within a few minutes this game has been a joy to play-through. The settings are so nicely done and traversing through the maps which are strewn with different thought provoking puzzles and the level design has been spot on. Most importantly the puzzles have not felt hackneyed at all, which I love. Interdependent gameplay between both the brother's is the key element here and it's amazing how this game makes and holds that interdependency flow smooth and precise, not making it an arduously frustrating venture.

Will continue with the game... :)
 
Completed the game a few minutes back...

I'm spellbound as to how beautiful this game turned out to be. It fills my heart to have played this one! When it started it looked very promising with the smooth flowing game-play but as the levels progressed it gripped me to an extent where it became downright impossible for me to let go off the controller, even to sip my hot cup of evening coffee. Trust me, it takes a lot to keep me away from my cup of black coffee in on a wintry evening!

More than the graphics, which I must mention here are extremely sweet on the eyes, this is a beautifully carved journey that got better with each step and with each level the true amount of thought and profound level design that have gone into this game shows very flamboyantly. It is this very intricate level design and puzzle's that make this game a riveter of a title! Limbo was definitely one of my favorite Indie game but I think this has managed to topple it to take the number one spot.

I would strongly, extremely strongly recommend it to gamers, gamers who seek to drench themselves in the enchanting world of masterful storytelling and solid game-play... please do pick it up and give it a shot. Trust me, you won't regret it! More than a mere game, this is a beautifully designed vignette.

P.S. Thank so much @Gannu for recommending this one!! :)

Ending (Do not read if you have not finished the game, MASSIVE SPOILER!):

Perhaps the most heart-breaking moment and ending to a game. Especially when at the last moment the elder brother got stung by the Femme-Spidey! Suddenly I was not using the left joystick any longer to control the elder brother and it felt so hollow in my heart of hearts. Amazing to see that well designed games with solid story-telling can go strike our emotional chords so strongly, in a good way. Beautifully melancholic.
 
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After so many recommendations, i just had to play this one. Took it up and finished just now. 2 sittings. And gotta say ... Spellbound.
Thanks @Gannu for recommending and @Ethan_Hunt for bringing this up.

Hopefully they will do a sequel with the Father and Son *fingers crossed*.
 
Looks like a beautiful & intelligently made game. But unfortunately i have so many incomplete titles to finish dont know if i will get the time to try it.
 
Hopefully they will do a sequel with the Father and Son *fingers crossed*.

Nah Krugs. It was a perfect wrap up. No sequel needed.

Looks like a beautiful & intelligently made game. But unfortunately i have so many incomplete titles to finish dont know if i will get the time to try it.

It's very short. You can complete it in one sitting.
So can I play this without a game controller?

You can play it without a controller too, but the control scheme would be a bit awkward.
 
This game has a terrible problem. It recognizes the 360 controller. Also shows the option buttons accordingly but they dont work i mean it says "press start to continue" but whenever i press start nothing happens.:( Many people are facing this issue any one here faced this problem?
 
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