Bro-op: Starbreeze Reveals Fantasy Romp 'Brothers'
Starbreeze likes dark things. Once upon a time, it put out the pitch black Chronicles of Riddick and, er, The Darkness - among others. (It also helmed the recent Syndicate reboot, but we don't talk about that.) Its next big project, then, comes as quite the change of pace. To my knowledge, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is almost entirely bereft of hyper-violent space prison shankings or entrail-devouring demon tentacles. Instead, it's a fantasy to-do about... well, pretty much everything's in the title. Brothers (who are also sons) set out to cure their deathly ill father (who is presumably also someone's son, and maybe someone else's brother). Also, Swedish filmmaker Josef Fares is involved. Catch a quick peek after the break.
So yes, it looks jumpy, climby, and a bit whimsical - but not too much so. The vibe seems fairly somber, all told - maybe kind of Ico-ish, in its own way. That strikes me as kind of at odds with Fares' history as a comedy director, but we'll see. Here's Starbreeze's elevator pitch:
"A man, clinging to life. His two sons, desperate to cure their ailing father, are left with but one option. They must set out upon a journey to find and bring back the 'Water of Life' as they come to rely on one another to survive. One must be strong where the other is weak, brave where the other is fearful, they must be... Brothers."
Anyway. They're also evidently friends with some kind of jolly green giant, which seems to bode pretty well for their chances. It all looks semi-intriguing, though. I can definitely get behind the idea of a childhood fantasy land tinged with a hint of grimdark. Plus, when Starbreeze is really on, it's been known to spin some of the best-told yarns in gaming. (Seriously, the first Darkness is worth owning an Xbox/PS3 for.) So I'm hoping for another strong performance here.