Everyone that plays casual games has probably played a hidden object title from Artifex Mundi. They have multiple series on PC, console, and even mobile. With mysterious or magical storylines, they are an entertaining and relaxing break from more intense gaming. The company has veered from their normal formula with their newest release – My Brother Rabbit.
My Brother Rabbit is the emotional story of a young girl that gets sick and how her brother comes to grip with her illness, and not knowing what the future holds. The story is shown through gentle cut scenes and the game is a series of puzzles in which you must search out the components to complete the games. You play as Rabbit, trying to make his way through the world to help his sister get better.
Game play is fairly simple – you are given a task to complete, then you must find the items to finish it. For example, you have to repair the ladder leading out of Rabbits hole. To do this you have to find 4 different items that can be used as rungs. Most tasks end with a puzzle that will test your problem-solving skills. There are 5 different areas that you must progress through and as you travel between them you are treated to cut scenes of the girl, her family and their journey with the illness.
The graphics in the game are exceptional. The cut scenes flow like pencil sketches and portray the story in a pure emotional state. Game screens are bright and fanciful, but still convey a sense that something just isn’t right. The soundtrack is both beautiful and haunting. I have purposely left the game idling on the main screen just to hear the title song play. When a song can make you well up, you know you are in for an emotional trip. The combination of story, design, and music makes for a game that packs a major punch.
My Brother Rabbit is out now on XB1, PS4 and Steam. The puzzles can be intriguing, but the story telling is the true draw. With no help system, it gives you a feeling of trying to navigate the unknown without a map – just as the family is doing with the illness. Few games tug at your heartstrings and test your skills like this. Whether you are a casual gamer or looking for a powerful story, this is a title for you.
