Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake Honors Legacy While Embracing Innovation

Avantgarden studio has embarked on a remarkable journey to breathe new life into the cherished indie gem "Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons" with a remake. In this interview with the development team, we explore the inception of this ambitious project, the hurdles encountered along the way, and the innovative approaches taken to rejuvenate a timeless classic while preserving its intrinsic charm. Through the perspectives of key team members, this interview provides invaluable insights into the creative process and the meticulous attention to detail required to honor a game celebrated for its emotional resonance and distinctive gameplay mechanics.

Could you share the backstory of how the idea to remake Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons originated? What factors or inspirations led the development team to revisit and recreate this particular title? Were there any specific goals or aspirations that fueled the decision to undertake the remake?

F. Dini: First of all, I would like to share that working on a remake of this charm has been an honor and also a great responsibility for the Avantgarden team.

The decision started from the desire to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Josef Fares' Bafta award-winning masterpiece and preserve the original experience by developing a distinct updated version. Despite years passing since the original game's launch, the experience is still unique: a single-player cooperative adventure focusing on narrative and intense emotions. Our main goal was to exceed the limitations imposed by the technology of the time that had restricted the expressiveness of the original game, aiming to make the original ideas shine as vividly as possible. It was also important to us to bring this industry gem back to life for new generations of players, offering a complete overhaul of graphics, characters, animations, facial expressions, environments, and effects, along with a comprehensive reworking of cutscenes and a soundtrack recorded by a live orchestra.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is considered a classic with a strong emotional impact. How does it feel for the development team to undertake the responsibility of remaking such a beloved game?

F. Dini: We were deeply honored to develop a remake for a game that has made history. It was a delicate task that needed respect, creativity, and a deep engagement with the original creators' vision. We constantly challenged the meaning behind each scene and what emotion it aimed to carry on. Our goal was to emphasize and amplify every emotion the authors wished to communicate, ensuring that the game kept its magic and impact even in its new incarnation.

Can you share insights into the creative direction and vision behind the remake?

G. Macellari: The goal of our remake is to overcome the expressive limits of the original game with the use of the most recent technologies. We aim to make it worth (re)playing Brothers, to experience that world as it was meant to be. When talking about remakes, a recurring criticism is that they are often "the same game, with updated looks" and nothing more. Instead, we want to provide that very extra something that's missing in usual remakes. The aesthetics will not be simply renewed: they will be made as faithful as possible to the original concepts - an unthinkable feat with the technical means of the time. Josef Fares himself stated that Brothers is not a puzzle game: it's a journey. An experience. We will do justice to that experience. The remake will have a double purpose: attract a new generation of gamers, lured in by the more contemporary art direction; and entice fans of the original with the promise of a new experience: one that stands faithful to the "Brothers" they know, but richer and closer to the original vision of its author.

How does your team plan to honor the original game's unique charm while bringing new elements to enhance the overall experience? How does your team balance introducing new elements while maintaining the core identity of the game?

F. Dini: To honor the original game's unique charm while introducing new elements to enhance the overall experience, our team meticulously analyzes what made the original game special. We focus on preserving its core, such as its cooperative single-player adventure, narrative depth, and intense emotions.

When introducing new elements, we ensure they complement the original experience rather than overshadow it. This balance is achieved through careful consideration of how each addition contributes to the overall atmosphere and gameplay. We set as a priority on enhancing the original ideas and themes while using modern technology to bring them to life in a more vivid and immersive way.

Maintaining the core identity of the game is primary in our development process. We constantly refer to the original vision and consult with the original creators, ensuring that any changes or additions align with the essence of the game. Our goal is to evolve the experience while staying true to what made the original game beloved by fans.

Beyond preserving the original experience, can you highlight any innovative features or new additions that players can look forward to in the remake?

F. Dini: We rebuilt every phase of the brothers' journey from scratch, utilizing the full capabilities of Unreal Engine 5, with the aim of delivering an even more engaging and immersive story while maintaining a strong fidelity to the original game.

The original experience has thus evolved distinctly, thanks to modern technology, which has allowed us an expressiveness previously impossible to achieve.

While retaining the distinctive "single-player cooperative" controls that characterize the original game, we added the possibility for friends to take control of the two brothers separately, although the mindset remains that of a single person interacting with the story. This has made the gameplay even more engaging, offering an enriched and more fulfilling gaming experience for players.

In what ways does the remake leverage advancements in technology and design to enhance the gameplay, graphics, or overall player experience compared to the original release?

E. Russo: This remake tries to be as state of the art as possible in terms of technology, without exceeding in realism, to maintain the original fairytale feel. At the same time, with current hardware, we can provide a richer environment with tons of lively details, and realistic facial expressions that convey all the emotions that this game is made of.

The game is being built on Unreal Engine 5. What specific technical enhancements and features from Unreal Engine 5 are being leveraged to bring improvements to the game's graphics, mechanics, or overall performance? How has the engine contributed to achieving the vision for the remake?

E. Russo: Unreal Engine 5 has been vital for us to achieve this quality and this performance. Thanks to its flexible scalability system, we can have solid framerate from a Steam Deck to an XBOX Series S up to the cutting-edge PC rig. We leveraged Lumen, Nanite and Virtual Shadows to reach this full and high-resolution vivid environment, together with fully rewritten particle systems made with Niagara. Finally, the new water shading model helped a lot to improve all the rivers and seas that appear in many maps.

Recreating a beloved title comes with its own set of challenges. What were some of the key challenges your team faced in remaking Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons?

F. Dini: One of the main challenges we had to face was understanding what, according to the original author's intentions, was already good as it was, and what would have been done differently given the current available Technologies.

Josef Fares played a significant role in the original Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. How is he incorporated into the development of the remake? Does he provide input, guidance, or collaborate with the team to ensure the remake aligns with his creative vision?

F. Dini: Avantgarden studio is leading the Remake. Josef Fares had the opportunity to see the game at various stages of development, and our position was to understand if we were respecting his vision for the title.

Since the original game launched in 2013, there is a huge amount of player feedback. Have you considered incorporating player feedback or suggestions?

G. Macellari: Some feedback received from players has been taken into consideration, especially those that could enhance the gaming experience. However, the introduction of completely new features has been set aside to avoid overhauling the gameplay, as doing so would have impacted the preservation of the original title.

Since the original release in 2013, the gaming industry has witnessed significant changes in player preferences, technology, and storytelling. How has the development team adapted to these changes while remaking the game?

F. Dini: When it comes to discussing remakes or preserving a work, we need to reflect on what can be changed while still preserving the original experience. In the case of Brothers, the gameplay is still unique: a solo cooperative adventure. This continues to surprise audiences, who have found nothing quite like it in the gaming landscape. We've enhanced the narrative, utilizing new technologies to bring emotions to life through the expressiveness of the characters and their animations. We've also made the environment itself a character with narrative strength; the details allowed us to tell the story of each environment's past.