Max: The Curse of Brotherhood Reviews

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is ranked in the 40th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
7 / 10
Jan 12, 2014

But there is no denying the sense of accomplishment when you solve a puzzle, arranging the branches, vines and spouts of water in the correct way and then successfully manoeuvring Max across them and safely into the next screen. It's a game that makes you feel smart and, unlike Limbo, never surprises you with unforeseeable traps: there is always an opportunity to stand back, assess and, finally, execute. It's a somewhat short, enjoyable and inoffensive game that delivers on the potential of its mechanical promise, if not its narrative premise.

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IGN
Top Critic
6 / 10.0
Dec 22, 2013

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a beautiful platformer, but its lush graphics only mask the frustrating controls.

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Dec 23, 2013

With gorgeous visuals, inventive puzzles, and a fresh creative take on the platformer genre, Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a welcome addition to the Xbox arsenal.

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6 / 10
Dec 23, 2013

A solid idea but the implementation, especially on a standard controller, doesn't really work – leaving with you increasingly little incentive to save Max or his brother.

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6 / 10.0
Dec 20, 2013

Puzzles require a level of precision that the controls and physics just aren't up to. An inspired last act is buried in a frustrating slog of a game

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6 / 10
Dec 29, 2013

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is pretty, and pretty decent.

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6 / 10.0
Dec 30, 2013

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood has good elements but inconsistent quality

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8 / 10.0
Dec 28, 2013

In the end I couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised with Max: The Curse of Brotherhood. It's a game full of wonder and magical moments, that while light on actual narrative, still delivers a world that is hard to forget. The visuals are Pixar-esque charming and the combination of cerebral puzzles with thrilling action offers up a bite-sized experience that is a welcome addition to the Xbox One's library. If you're looking for a change a pace, I couldn't think of a more fitting way to finish off this gaming year.

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6 / 10.0
Jan 5, 2014

So many moments in The Curse of Brotherhood are hampered by a sense that a square peg is being shoved into a round hole. All of its great ideas are dwarfed by the fact that it doesn't feel good to play. The game tries to make invoke a sense of creation, but it's more akin to fumbling in the dark.

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8 / 10.0
Jan 2, 2014

The difficulty curve is forgiving, although it does ramp up a little more toward the climax, but it never gets close to the levels of irritation that platform games of old managed. The control input method may be difficult for some, but once you get used to it, it becomes second nature and even the fastest sections won't be too demanding. Max may have been sneaked out earlier than we expected, but it's a little gem that could easily be over-looked, but will reward gamers who invest their time in it.

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7.5 / 10.0
Nov 13, 2017

It's a nice platformer to play if you're looking for a bit of light relief from the countless open world and heavy-themed games of 2017.

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6 / 10.0
Jan 12, 2014

Sequel to Max & the Magic Marker is filled with clever conundrums, suffers from trial-and-error action sequences

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80 / 100
Dec 31, 2013

For a forgiving and approachable puzzle-platformer, Max lands on his feet and brings us a fantastic gaming experience. Even at a price of $15 it is easy to recommend. Great for all ages, the plot is light and the puzzles are fun from an otherwise innocuous re-imagining of a touchscreen game. Well done, Press Play – we want more!

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72 / 100
Jan 10, 2018

a pleasantly challenging platformer with adorable charm and an entertaining story.

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7 / 10
Nov 11, 2017

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood may be a few years old now, but though its visuals don't always hold up, its gameplay certainly does. The ingenuity of the physics and puzzles in the game allow for some truly mind-boggling moments at times, while the exhilarating chase set-pieces will set your heart racing. Its price tag is a little steep, but de-pen-ding on your passion for puzzle platformers, it's a good buy.

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Dec 29, 2013

Much like the sibling rivalry at its core, Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a game of extremes. The game can get so frustrating you'll wish it would just go away, but then on the next puzzle everything works as it should and it becomes difficult not to fall for its charms.

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6.5 / 10.0
Jan 20, 2014

Max: Curse of the Brotherhood is a decent platformer with fun gameplay and a variety of puzzles for you to solve. It's just a shame that the rest of the game couldn't have been as good. It's not a bad game at all – in fact, I had a lot of fun playing it. The problem is that outside the gameplay, everything about it is forgettable. This is both a good and bad thing. Thankfully the game provides fun platforming with clever puzzles for you to solve, but there is a good chance you won't care about anything else. It's like going to a steak house where the steak itself is delicious but the sauce and all of the sides that came with it tarnish the meal, making it bland and forgettable.

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Ken McKown
Top Critic
7.5 / 10.0
Dec 23, 2013

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a solid puzzle/platformer that was just what I needed right now. It was definitely a nice palette cleanser from some of the holiday shooting and action, plus it is only $15, which is a fantastic price for what you get. If you have an Xbox One and are looking for a novel title to tie you over, I definitely recommend giving Max a shot.

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Dec 22, 2013

It's gorgeous in motion, and can be a satisfying little puzzle-platformer, but prepare yourself for some trial-and-error, garnished with repetition.

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Dec 28, 2013

As a result of its occasionally frustrating gameplay, Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a game that sounds better than it truly is. However, those who are willing to look past its shortcomings will find a decent and somewhat charming experience underneath.

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