Max: The Curse of Brotherhood Reviews

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is ranked in the 40th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
4 / 10.0
Feb 2, 2014

Good-looking with a nice idea at the forefront, Max: The Curse of Brotherhood's execution leaves a lot to be desired. Clumsy controls, questionable physics and collision detection all ruin an otherwise decent effort.

Read full review

Cubed3
Top Critic
4 / 10
Dec 11, 2017

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood has great level design that squanders its puzzles, beautiful artwork that wastes its characters, and gameplay that ranges from boring to being a bit broken. Truth be told, though, it does manage to pull you back in just as you were getting ready to leave. Sadly, it's unlikely anyone will have the patience to see it all the way through, as so much of the game is spent fighting the bad puzzle design and the atrocious platforming.

Read full review

4.5 / 10.0
Nov 29, 2017

While Max: The Curse Of Brotherhood does have a good story, it has too many downfalls to forgive. The platforming just isn't up to par, and the checkpoints will have you throwing your controller at a wall in no time.

Read full review

80%
Dec 21, 2017

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a great looking and fun puzzle/platformer you should definitely check out on Nintendo Switch. The game features a good challenge for players, and the hidden amulet pieces will require you to use all of your skills to reach them since they're usually hidden in out of reach spots or areas hidden by the camera until you're close enough to uncover the path that leads to them. I'd been looking forward to playing the game since the moment a port to Nintendo's hybrid console was announced, and I'm happy to report that the wait was worth it.

Read full review

9 / 10
Jan 3, 2018

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a fun puzzle platformer that is worth a download. The graphics are very pretty, polished and colorful, and the game looks great when played docked on the TV or on the go in Tabletop or Portable mode. This is a quality Switch port of an entertaining release that is worth your time and money.

Read full review

8 / 10.0
Dec 26, 2017

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a very enjoyable puzzle platformer. The game often surprises you with the solutions to different puzzles and overall is a very rewarding experience. Those seeking out an interesting twist on the platforming genre will find a lot to love in Max's latest adventure.

Read full review

Adam Riley
Top Critic
8 / 10
Jan 19, 2018

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a triumph in design, both in terms of how stages are crafted and the way the smart puzzles contained within each world are put together. Held back by its control scheme in the past, the shackles have now been removed, making this the superlative edition thanks to the excellent touch screen system now employed on Nintendo Switch, leaving Cubed3 now hungry for an upgraded version of Max & the Magic Marker in the future.

Read full review

8 / 10.0
Jan 18, 2018

While PlayStation players had to wait several years for it Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is definitely worth playing.

Read full review

6.5 / 10.0
Jan 26, 2018

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a solid puzzle game with some platforming elements, even if it isn't a particularly great platformer on its own. If you can look past the occasionally clunky controls and its inherent frustrations, you're in for a treat with the great level design.

Read full review

B+
May 31, 2018

Overall, Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a great game that feels like it's really found a home on Switch.

Read full review

Digitally Downloaded
Nick H
Top Critic
Jan 14, 2014

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood has a handful of funny moments, plenty of fairly easy but entertaining puzzles and platforming/chase scenes all wrapped up in lovely visuals. The adventure doesn't have great replay value, but the first time through it's long enough, and the price of admission is absolutely worth it.

Read full review

8 / 10.0
Feb 25, 2014

In the end, Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a fine game for puzzle platforming fans. The length is just about right, the presentation is great, and the amount of hidden collectibles gives the title some considerable replayability. Though the freedom to construct your own solutions is sorely missed, the puzzles are well thought-out and certainly make up for the few puzzles that are ruined due to misbehaving camera angles and other issues. Fans of the genre will thoroughly enjoy The Curse of Brotherhood.

Read full review

Dec 27, 2013

Press Play squeezed more than its fair share out of the simple yet powerful drawing mechanic originating from 'Max and the Magic Marker.' Expanding that idea in 'The Curse of Brotherhood,' with narrative focus and tighter puzzle creation, a wonderful Xbox One title emerged, fresh and new. For anyone with the new console and desperate for something that doesn't involve pointing a gun or a car, Press Play's latest is absolutely worth the time. Without more surrounding polish, however, and leaning on traditional dressings in most areas other than strict puzzle design, this is no classic. Here's hoping Press Play keeps on going with this apparently endlessly fruitful idea and finds something more to say with it in further iteration; there's still fertile ground here.

Read full review

9 / 10.0
Dec 20, 2013

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a great side-scrolling puzzle platformer. Max's marker has come a long way since the original game and you'll have a blast exploring the game's world and using all the different abilities. There are a few bugs in terms of gameplay and the visuals don't scream next-gen, but it's still a great investment.

Read full review

Jan 7, 2014

Max: The Curse Of Brotherhood is a handsome and surprisingly sharp platform puzzler. Though stronger characters, storyline and controls could have made it truly special, it's still well worth exploring if you're looking for something fresh to play on your Xbox One.

Read full review

7.8 / 10.0
Nov 26, 2017

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a colorful and excellently animated puzzle-platformer.

Read full review

Unscored
Nov 2, 2014

It's probably an understatement to say I was rather taken aback by how much I ended up enjoying The Curse of Brotherhood.

Read full review

8 / 10.0
Dec 21, 2017

Overall I found that Max’s mix of play styles and moderate level of challenge made for an enjoyable romp. Puzzle-solving generally is of the kind that makes you feel pretty smart when you work out what you need to do and there generally seems to be a little room for variation on how you may approach things at times. Overall if you’re looking for a solid adventure with a blend of things to do it is easy to recommend.

Read full review

SwitchWatch
lachlan bruce
60%
Dec 26, 2017

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a game that has a lot of potential. The story is intriguing and rather well told, it has a beautiful art style, and the sound design is excellent. It has an interesting mechanic in the use of the magic marker, and the level and puzzle design is rather masterful. Unfortunately, the whole thing falls apart due to floaty, finicky and imprecise controls, and the performance issues are an immense hurdle. The game comes close to greatness, but its problems are too overwhelming for it to reach those heights and as a result you are left with a game that shines at times but offers poor overall value.

Read full review

Jan 3, 2018

Platforming fun for all the family, Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is one of the Switch's better takes on the genre. Its storytelling feels like a Disney Pixar movie, so if your youngster has had a Switch for Christmas, it shouldn't take much to get them on board.

Read full review