Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake preview (PC)

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, a charming and emotional journey that first graced our screens in 2013, is about to returns in a highly polished remake, retaining the storytelling with modernized graphics and enhanced gameplay. Developed by Avantgarden SRL and published by 505 Games, it promises a nostalgic yet revitalized experience for both returning fans and newcomers. Join us as we delve into what we know, what we saw, and what we thought about this beloved classic’s reimagined rendition.

What we know

In Brothers, you embark on a fairy tale-like story where you guide two brothers on a quest to find the “Water of Life” needed to save their ailing father. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake faithfully preserves the acclaimed 2013 gameplay and touching narrative, presenting visually rebuilt characters and landscapes with the latest generation of graphics, performance, and gameplay. The remade soundtrack, recorded with a live orchestra, promises to support an emotionally charged adventure. Players can tackle puzzles, uncover hidden stories, navigate perilous locations, and confront deadly bosses in single-player mode, controlling both brothers at once, or opt for local co-op with a friend.

What we saw

Our hands-on experience with the Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake was facilitated through a preview build on Steam, granting us a glimpse into what’s to come about a month before the game’s official release on February 28th.

What we thought

First released in 2013, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons captured gamers’ hearts with its unique blend of emotive storytelling and innovative controls – and that part is as timeless as you’d expect. The Remake, therefor, clearly isn’t looking to change any part of that – it rather wants to enhance the original by upgrading it to modern audiovisual standards. The gameplay, originally designed to be a single-player experience, seamlessly integrates the two brothers’ abilities, requiring coordination to solve puzzles and overcome challenges. The developers have refined the controls a little for the remake, also making it a co-op game now – in line with what the original developers went on to do later on when they designed It Takes Two.

The AI systems have undergone subtle improvements, which we noticed in more lifelike behaviors when running into enemies. Visually, we also noticed that the remake makes great use of the Unreal 5 engine, where advanced lighting and camera work are used to great effect. This attention to detail ensures that the remade characters and buildings, which all look far more details this time around, are presented in an impactful manner – bringing cutscenes in particular to life more than before.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake reintroduces a classic that too many people will have missed the first time around. Whether you’re revisiting it or embarking on it for the first time, the Remake promises a memorable experience with its improved graphics and music, and we can’t wait to undergo the whole journey again in a few weeks.