13 Points on Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons - Starbreeze Studios - 2013 [PC]

1. This is a walking sim but you get to control two players at once so it is kind of two games in one. What a bargain!

2. The single player "co-op" is a gimmick and adds little to experience. There are times when it makes sense to control both characters at once and there are times when it makes sense to control them one at a time. Forcing you to control both always is an annoying mechanic at best, adding no challenge and occasionally some frustration. Sorry you had to hear it from me.

3. (If you want to see this mechanic done in such a way it actually adds to gameplay, check out Goats on a Bridge by Cabygon Software. That is some mind bending business right there.)

4. People will say this game has puzzle elements but the puzzles are along the lines of: "There is crank right there. Bet you can't guess what you have to do next!"

5. This is not really about gameplay but atmosphere and storytelling so 2 and 3 are kind of immaterial in a sense but still worth mentioning.

6. This is set in sort of a high fantasy setting with tutor houses and trolls and things like that. Good times. It's not a super technically intense game graphically but it is still very pretty.

7. Sound works well enough. Soundtrack is mostly atmospheric and I felt like it could use something a bit more punchy from time to time. That is just me though. Thing is, I'm right.

8. The characters speak in either gibberish or Norwegian or something. It is all the same to me, not gonna lie.

9. Despite what you may have heard, there is not much of a story here. A father falls ill. His sons go off to get him medicine. Adventure ensues. Characters become more mature. Not exactly Pulitzer material. Again, sorry you had to hear it from me.

10. Going back to controls, there are parts where you've got to hold down the shoulder buttons for way too long and it makes my tiny, baby hands cramp up. Maybe I just need to gym more often... Or maybe they should have made it so you don't need to hold down the shoulder buttons the entire time you are clinging to a ledge.

11. There are two things I'd consider boss battles in this and only one of them was remotely challenging. The other one was more dramatic from a storytelling perspective. I feel like we could have had both elements twice but maybe I ask too much.

12. For the duration of the game, I could not help but to thinking: I hope my sons are smart enough not to go risking their dumb butts to save my old, decaying self.

13. But you know what? Despite all my complaining, I like Brothers. I thought it was a good game and I enjoyed myself while I was playing it. It is easy to analyze things until you stop enjoying them and that is also kinda fun too. So this game works for me on multiple levels.