Review: Brothers – A Tale of Two Sons Remake

It’s hard to believe that Brothers – A Tale of Two Sons was originally released in August 2013 as part of the Xbox Summer of Arcade promotion. Just to take you back in time for a moment, the other games that were also available included: Charlie Murder, Flashback, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows. Brothers cost 1200 Microsoft Points (remember them?) which equates to £10.20. It’s fair to say that Brothers was the standout title in that list, but has it stood the test of time, and is it worthy of a remake?

I haven’t played Brothers in over 10 years and my abiding memories are the quirky controls and the heartfelt story. The controls were inventive for the time, but more on that later. Game director Josef Fares has made something of a career by specialising in two-player co-op games with the likes of A Way Out, and the fantastic It Takes Two, which were the follow-up titles to Brothers.

The story takes place in a fairy tale land where two brothers must go on a quest to find medicine for their sick father. Conversations take place in an unknown language meaning you are never quite sure what is being said. Although you may think this could potentially confuse, it helps to draw you more into the story, as you become invested in the actions and expression of each brother.

One of the things I enjoyed about the original game, and still brought a smile to my face when playing the remake, was seeing how each brother reacts to their world. The younger brother is mischievous and impetuous, whereas the older brother is more responsible and sees the seriousness of their situation. As you play the game there are numerous ways you can interact with the people and environment, and it becomes a fun game of seeing how each brother tackles certain situations.

As I mentioned above, the controls are a bit different and can take some getting used to. In a nutshell, you use one controller to control both brothers, with the left control stick moving one brother and the right stick moving the other brother. The left and right triggers let them interact with people and objects. This control system could fall flat on its face, but it helps you to develop a bond with the characters during the course of the game. In the remake, there is an option to play the game in co-op with another player. This is how I decided to play the game as I played with my 7-year-old daughter. If you are planning to play with a young child, be mindful that there are moments of darkness in the story which could take some explaining.

The story, tone, and atmosphere take centre stage with the gameplay being almost secondary. Most of the gameplay tends to be interacting with people and figuring out how each brother can use their strengths to overcome basic puzzles. For instance, the younger brother is smaller and can squeeze into tight spaces, whereas the older brother is taller and can grab things that are out of reach.

Graphically the remake looks absolutely stunning! Unreal Engine 5 brings the environment to life with lush backgrounds and gorgeous detail. The facial expressions are also improved on the original and provide even more emotional impact to the story. The music has also been updated and sounds incredible!

I was intrigued to play Brothers – A Tale of Two Sons Remake because it had been years since I’d originally played it. Part of the interest in the remake was to see if it still delivered the emotional impact it did all those years ago. Having already experienced the story, would it still deliver in the same way it did when I first played it in 2013?

The answer to that question is a resounding yes! To say I was in floods of tears at the end of the game is an understatement, and the emotional power is as strong as ever. The beauty of the game is in the storytelling and how you feel like you’ve been on an epic journey, experiencing highs and lows along the way. Playing with my daughter also added to the experience as we laughed and cried together, and it feels like something we’ll both remember for a very long time.

Although it will take you about 3 hours to complete, I’d much rather play something like this than a 50-hour game bloated with side quests that completely lack any kind of emotional connection to the characters. I would easily recommend Brothers – A Tale of Two Sons Remake whether you have played it or not. The story is well worth revisiting and the visuals and audio provide good value for your money.

Brothers – A Tale of Two Sons Remake is available now.

Review by Chris.