Every time a game wins the coveted Game of the Year award, the limelight gradually shines on the winning studio’s previous works. Elden Ring, for example, caused a resurgence for FromSoftware’s classic Dark Souls series when it won in 2022. Today, let’s take it back a year further to 2021’s winner It Takes Two’s progenitor — Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons.
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons was the first game from Josef Fares. The game director is responsible for the critically acclaimed co-op games, A Way Out and It Takes Two. Of course, that doesn’t mean that the first game didn’t hold its ground, though. Even back in 2013, Brothers was an indie darling. Now, more than a decade since coming out, the popular title is back with an official remake.
It’s the same story
If you’re familiar with Fares’s work, you’ll know that he’s known for tugging at your heartstrings at just the right moments. Brothers is no different.
Faced with an ailing father, Naia and Naiee must journey outside their cozy village to find the Tree of Life. At this point into the illness, their father will die if they don’t collect water from the Tree. Throughout their journey, both brothers face challenging puzzles and fantastical creatures.
The remake does not introduce new story elements to the game. It’s the same old story, but that’s enough. It’s the same story that got the game a lot of praise back in the day.
A unique take on two protagonists
A Way Out and It Takes Two has two players control a character at the same time. While Brothers also allows co-op gameplay, the classic way to play is for one player to control both characters using the left and right joysticks. Meanwhile, both triggers correspond to action buttons for each character.
Admittedly, it’s a weird way to play, especially if you haven’t played the original 2013 game before. Coordination will likely take some time to sink in. Thankfully, the game doesn’t harry players immediately into the system. It’s a gradual and comfortable pace.
Plus, Brothers doesn’t need players to control both players all the time. There are a good number of puzzles that only need one brother to solve, giving players a chance to breathe in between tense sequences.
Greater graphics, sonorous soundtrack
Personally, remakes and remasters always fill me with a decent helping of cynicism. I always ask, “Why does this game need a remake?” Graphics are often a weak excuse, but that’s not the case here.
Even back in 2013, Brothers looked dated. Because it’s an indie game, the title doesn’t have the best graphics. The original looks like it belongs as a mobile game. (In fact, the original did come out on Android and iOS.)
The remake is a drastic upgrade. From the get-go, the game stuns with more realistic graphics. Though both brothers still look like dolls, their facial texture look so much better. The environments, likewise, look like a 2024 game, compared to the dated visuals of 2013. If you’ve played the original back in the day, the remake breathes new life into an old classic.
Besides the updated visuals, the remake has also recruited a full orchestra for the soundtrack. The game’s music has been re-recorded. As a result, it sounds more cinematic. Together with the updated visuals, Brothers feels like a newer game — one that belongs in 2024, rather than stuck in 2013.
Should you play Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake?
The remake should appeal to two different markets: those who absolutely enjoyed the original and those who haven’t played the game at all yet. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is still a game worthy of your attention. Though it might be a struggle to market the remake outside of dedicated fans and newbies, it breathes some fresh air into a series of games pioneered and dominated by Josef Fares.
The trifecta is complete. Almost a year after announcing their new hardware, Valve has finally unveiled the price tag of the Steam Frame, complementing the Steam Machine and Steam Controller revealed a few months ago.
Whereas the Steam Machine is a console of its own, the Steam Frame is a traditional VR headset with a pair of controllers for both hands. Unfortunately, despite being in a different segment, the headset is not immune to the rising prices of technology. The Steam Frame will start at US$ 1,059 for a 256GB model and can go up to US$ 1,299 for the 1TB model. On the plus side, each box will come Half-Life: Alyx packaged along with the headset.
Here’s a more detailed rundown of what you’re getting. The Steam Frame will ship with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, paired with 16GB of RAM. Each eye comes with a 2160 x 2160 LCD screen, putting out images at up t0 a 144Hz experimental refresh rate. As mentioned above, the headset will start with 256GB of storage but can go up to 2TB. It will come packaged with SteamOS 3 and a rechargeable 21.6Wh battery.
This might be a hard buy for some. The industry currently has more affordable options, for one. Also, virtual reality isn’t the most thriving segment of gaming today.
If you’re still decided on buying one, however, Valve is using its lottery system. Interested customers can sign up from now until September 17. The company will then randomize the purchasing order. Those who draw the first ones in the lottery can get a purchase email as soon as September 18. Meanwhile, anyone who registers after September 17 will automatically be put at the back of the queue.
SEE ALSO: Valve announces its own console called the Steam Machine
Gaming
BlizzCon 2026 announces World of Warcraft: Forever and Diablo V
StarCraft, Overwatch, Hearthstone, and more also get news
Blizzard Entertainment kicked off BlizzCon 2026 with a packed Opening Ceremony featuring new games, major expansions, updates, and other announcements across its biggest franchises.
Blizzard Entertainment President Johanna Faries opened the event at the Anaheim Convention Center, celebrating the community behind the company’s games and the teams that bring its worlds to life.
World of Warcraft: Forever and Diablo V
The biggest announcement was World of Warcraft: Forever, a new World of Warcraft experience launching November 5 AEDT, with its beta beginning September 18 AEST. The new experience will feature three zones, more than 1,000 quests, nine dungeons, two raids, and a new Skyborne race.
Blizzard also officially announced Diablo V, marking the next era of the franchise. The game is set to launch in North America in Spring 2029, with Sanctuary having fallen and Diablo having won.
StarCraft is also returning with a new story-driven, open-world shooter. The game is currently planned for a Spring 2030 release in North America.
Beyond games, Blizzard revealed that an animated series set in the Diablo universe is in development with Netflix. The company says this is only the beginning of its plans to expand its universes beyond gaming.
For Warcraft III Reforged, the new Forsaken Kingdom campaign is available today. It marks the Warcraft RTS series’ first new storyline in more than 23 years and explores the fall of Lordaeron and the origins of the Undercity. The accompanying 3.0 update also brings graphical improvements and a revamped World Editor.
Heroes of the Storm is adding Xal’atath as its newest Hero. She arrives in the Nexus on September 29 AEST, with her PTR release scheduled for September 15 AEST.
Existing games updates
Meanwhile, Diablo IV is preparing for its next major content drop. Season of Hell’s Legacy begins September 16 AEST and celebrates the franchise’s 30-year history with the return of the Prime Evils and Deckard Cain, alongside themed rewards and gear.
The legendary Amazon class will also arrive in the first half of 2027 as part of Diablo IV’s first class pack. The Diablo IV: Age of Hatred Collection is additionally coming to Nintendo Switch 2 on September 16 AEST with cross-platform play and cross-progression.
For World of Warcraft, Blizzard teased the next major update for Midnight. Eclipse (12.2) will see Xal’atath move closer to her goal of claiming Azeroth’s Worldsoul. Blizzard also offered another look at The Last Titan, the next expansion in the Worldsoul Saga and a major culmination of more than two decades of Warcraft storytelling. More information is coming early next year.
Overwatch is getting a major update with Season 5. The season introduces new Support Hero Doctrine, reworks for Sombra and Roadhog, and the new Watchpoint: Grimsvötn map. It will also conclude The Reign of Talon, Overwatch’s first year-long narrative arc.
LE SSERAFIM & YOASABI
BlizzCon also featured performances from YOASOBI and LE SSERAFIM. YOASOBI will perform during the first-ever esports halftime show at BlizzCon, while LE SSERAFIM will return to the Main Stage to close the weekend. A new LE SSERAFIM in-game collaboration is available now, with another Overwatch Spotlight scheduled for February 2027.
Finally, Hearthstone is getting its first new class in more than six years. The Monk arrives in 2027, while the upcoming Reign of the Black Empire expansion takes players back to the earliest age of Azeroth. It introduces the Assemble keyword, which combines two cards into a new one. Battlegrounds is also adding Aberrations as a new minion type.
BlizzCon 2026 is now underway, with Blizzard promising more announcements and details throughout the weekend.
Gaming
Xbox saves Kojima’s PHYSINT after PlayStation drops support
PlayStation says the separation was mutual, but Kojima hints otherwise.
Things aren’t going well in the PlayStation camp. After two months of frankly questionable decisions, the company adds another to the pile by dropping support for Hideo Kojima’s PHYSINT.
For a while now, Kojima and PlayStation were in a very productive relationship with the Death Stranding duology, a critically acclaimed collection of titles for the platform. When things looked like they were going well, Kojima announced PHYSINT, an espionage-themed game which reminded fans way too much of Metal Gear Solid.
If you were investing in a PlayStation 5 to play Kojima’s latest thriller, you might want to move your chips elsewhere now. PlayStation has just dropped support for the espionage game, meaning PHYSINT will no longer be a first-party title for the platform.
Though PlayStation claims that the decision came after “careful consideration,” Kojima himself has said that the move was “unexpected,” going against PlayStation’s assurance of a mutual separation.
Very quickly, Xbox has announced that their platform will support PHYSINT instead. It’s a big get for the competing brand because Xbox Game Studios is already supporting OD, Kojima’s other upcoming horror project starring Sophia Lillis.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to say more. As is tradition, Kojima will not explain much more about his upcoming titles. In fact, OD’s trailer barely says anything. One thing’s for sure, though: we’re all in for quite a ride.
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