While the results definitely have religious overtones, this bond of brotherhood could move a person of any belief.

User Rating: 10 | Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons PS3

It's an odd feeling, controlling two characters at the same time. One of the titular brothers moves faster than the other, but the struggle isn't merely a locomotive one. In Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, the struggle is an internal one of freedom versus companionship and companionship versus mere following. The result is a tale of spirituality but, even as a person who is not religious, it is hard not to embrace its message of community.

Like I said, the player controls both brothers at once, which is accomplished by assigning the movement of each character to a joystick. The temptation, and perhaps even cliché, would have been to simply make this a co-op game. What better way to communicate companionship than to allow a companion? The intention here seems less direct. Even in a co-op game, controlling a single character naturally makes the player biased. Controlling both at once makes the player invested in the characters as a pair. It is perhaps more accurate to say that the player controls the relationship between the two brothers.

While the relationship is the primary focus, each character does have his own personality. The older brother is controlled by the left stick. On top of being stronger, he tends to get along better with the various non-player characters the pair meets. When the wildness of the right brother turns people away, the left brother usually offers a solution. However, the game also makes it clear that it is possible to be too trusting, elevating itself above a lazy "Why can't we all just get along?" message.

The younger brother on the right is less of a communicator. He certainly has no problems with people as it is obvious that he loves his family. However, he also loves freedom and he may act rashly (these types of actions may be exactly what is needed to grab somebody's attention). Although even here, the game offers counterpoint to enrich the experience. While he so often embodies youthful freedom, the right brother is paralyzed by a fear of water after being part of a boating accident that resulted in his mother's death.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. The reason these two must venture out at all is because their father is gravely ill and the local doctor's prescription involves a distant tree. These instructions seem vague because the characters speak in a fictional language and the game sees no need for subtitles. This puts the focus purely on the actions of the characters. For all the overtones of afterlife he earnestly wove into this game, creative director Josef Fares seems like a practical person as he also acknowledges room for complexity in social situations. A late scene involves a young woman about to be sacrificed. The decision to rescue her seems obvious at first but, without spoiling anything, quickly becomes more complicated.

This rapidly accelerating pace is a big part of what gives Brothers its power. The two siblings start in the outskirts of a sleepy town and their escalating surroundings are what communicate progress to the player. While this is definitely a beautiful game, perhaps an even more admirable quality is the economy with which it gives information to the player. It feels like every sequence is some varying combination of developing the relationship theme, developing one of the characters, or highlighting a bold transition. One sequence involves the brothers stopping a man who lost his family from killing himself and the next is a breezy ride up a mountain on billy goats. The pace is exhilarating.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is simply a great game. The brilliant level design and pacing make up its framework while endearing characters push it forward. The simple act of controlling these two brothers is the heart of this adventure. While the results definitely have religious overtones, this bond of brotherhood could move a person of any belief. It's not about a close blood relationship but rather a broader brotherhood.