We played Brothers as a family over the past few evenings. I don’t think I’ve ever been moved by a video game like this.
It’s quite brilliant. You play two characters simultaneously during the game. Two brothers on a journey to find a way to heal their sick father.
The controls take a little getting used to. The left stick and shoulder button control the older brother and the right stick and button control the younger. You have to control both brothers at the same time to navigate puzzles.
The older brother can use his strength and height to perform tasks the younger cannot. The younger brother cannot swim and you have to hold on to the older with the right button as you swim with the left stick.
There’s a tragic point in the game where everything changes.
My muscle memory with the controls took over and the result was nothing short of heartbreaking.
Hours later and I can’t stop thinking about how the game designers were nothing short of brilliant.
I spent the night talking to my young boys about how the game made them feel.
There were tears.
But more importantly, I know they have a deeper appreciation for how much I love them and how much they can love each other.
Video games, man.