Brothers, A Tale of Two Sons - A Commentary

Controllers are the nexus of the the game experience, they stand at the intersection of gamer and game. Countless innovations on the controller’s design and implementation have been applied to gaming over the years. One of the most common questions game developers are confronted with is, “How do we map our controller?” In a small Danish game studio a new improvisation has emerged, providing a new paradigm for the conventional controller. In “Brothers, A Tale of Two Sons,” the controller is used in ways that exceed the standard user/avatar UI of typical role playing games. The controller functions as an inherently deep gameplay element and a powerful story metaphor for an experience of cinemagraphic emphasis.
The narrative itself is simplistic, but effective, it’s minimalist approach is reminiscent of Danish 30s cinema. Ironically the game was made by the Danish Starbreeze Studios. Nothing is used unintentionally within the game’s design, this is true for all the elements from props to plot devices. The logical progression behind behind the game is clear cut, the desires, ambitions and fears of it’s characters all have causes, achieving a flawless parallel between plot and theme. One of the unique strengths of a minimalist narrative with no intelligible dialogue is that it takes away the premonition that the player can control the dialogue. This let’s an aspect of the narrative that cannot be influenced fade into the background.
In “Brothers a Tale of Two Sons” by Starbreeze studios the controller is not only used for its typical interface between player and avatar, it is a story metaphor. The story itself clearly illustrates the dynamic features behind the relationship of the brother. It reinforces the story’s base narrative and operates seamlessly within the metaphors of the story. It demonstrates the reliance of the two brothers on each other during navigation and puzzles, the player being a single essence provides the uniting features of these notions, this is hammered in through the steep learning curve of controlling both characters simultaneously. The artifacts of this design choice are seen in simple plot devices where the player must give up control of the younger brother so the older can carry him through the water, and in the more sophisticated puzzles where communication between the brothers is paramount.
It is always difficult to quantify emotional impact. In this case however most of the story’s weight branches from its basic narrative and the functional weight of the gameplay system. This may seem obvious, but within interactive media the term “basic narrative” is rarely seen. This particular game thoroughly engages the player through all the senses it has at it’s disposal. Visually it bares a system that places an emphasis on story elements and lets all else fade into the background. It’s soundtrack is both compelling and beautiful. The controller provides excellent tactile feedback. The metaphorical system on the controller is not only symbolically correct it provides a brilliant area where the affection of the characters can be betrayed. The controller splits vertically down it’s middle, the left side corresponds to the older brother the right side corresponds to the younger. This creates a geographic expression for the two brothers’ relationship which is not only fantastically metaphorical, the player comes to love being the means to the brother’s relationship. We see the organism of the game as an extension of ourselves.
This is all an elaborate setup for the butchery of this organism, when the older brother dies the player's connection to the story is cut off. The player feels the loss and seeks comfort with the only individual that can relate to her/his plight, the younger brother. This leaves the player as an engraved element in the story’s structure when it ends, the end of the narrative leaves the player unfulfilled. The death of the older brother brings out some of our darkest fears as humans, it reminds us that even in an interactive game, just as in life, we have no control over death. The player realizes that in spite of his/her governing power over the brother’s relationship, they can only implement the choices the characters made for themselves. When the voice of the older brother returns at the resolution of the story, the player watches as their control disperses further as death, an element totally out of their control as humans, once again takes the wheel.
In Brothers, A Tale of Two Sons, a fixed narrative is presented, using emergence strictly as an utility for enhancing the experience of the game. The most unique element of the game is it’s use of the controller as a story metaphor and tactile plot device, reaching beyond the utilitarian design scheme of the conventional game. This mechanic fits flawlessly into it’s minimalist visuals and compelling soundtrack taking the gaming community on an emotional rollercoaster they won’t soon forget.