Max: The Curse of Brotherhood Reviews

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is ranked in the 40th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
5 / 5.0
Jan 16, 2014

Overall, I feel like Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is the fresh, simple platformer that the industry has missed since the days of the genre's prominence. While it's too small to ever win a Game of the Year award, the game is more than worth your time, especially when only for $15.

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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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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.

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8.5 / 10.0
Jan 1, 2014

Simply put, Max is a fantastic indie game and a far better purchase than many of the others currently available for download. In Curse of Brotherhood, Xbox One has a fun, good-looking platformer at a budget price. Highly recommended.

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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.

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8.5 / 10.0
Dec 15, 2017

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a great indie platformer which I'm glad had the chance to come to other platformers. It may not be the best looking game out there but it does shine with its artistic style, complex and thought-provoking puzzles and constantly-changing Magic Marker.

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8.3 / 10.0
Jan 24, 2018

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood's presentation and creative use of puzzle-platforming are really well done. It has a difficulty curve that is accessible for all ages and remains fun. It looks beautiful despite running at a lower resolution and its appeal can be good for both parents and children to play together.

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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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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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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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8 / 10
Dec 27, 2017

Max: Curse of the Brotherhood uses a wonderfully implemented drawing mechanic to solve puzzles that can often feel familiar, but are usually just about different enough to remain fun and fresh. The platforming, chase sequences, and even the final boss won't put up too much of a fight against you in the seven-or-so hour campaign, but you may find yourself occasionally stumped by the odd puzzle that strays from the norm.It isn't quite perfect, and there are several small areas where we feel the game could be improved, but ultimately we had a great time playing through the adventure and enjoyed the core mechanic. It can't quite compete with the true elites of its genres but it is definitely a welcome addition to the eShop - if you love the puzzle-platform genre and want to add another game to your collection, this wouldn't be a bad place to start.

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8 / 10
Feb 11, 2014

It will not be the most compelling thing you play all year, but it does what it set out to do very well. It is a clever game, with a simple idea at it's core, that consistently brings enough clever ideas to the table as it goes to remain captivating throughout.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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