Max: Curse of the Brotherhood XBLA

Copenhagen-based development studio Press Play has announced that Max: The Curse of Brotherhood will keep it in the family by extending the adventure to the Xbox 360’s younger sibling, the Xbox One. Initially targeted at Xbox Live Arcade, the news calls into question whether or not Max will still fly the orange flag of Arcade, or be distributed as a mid-core digital title once the XBLA brand is retired.

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a “cinematic puzzle-platformer”, a term coined by Press Play to describe not only the gameplay elements, but the narrative look and feel of the adventure. When Max recites a rhyming incantation he pulled from the internet to make his little brother disappear (a la Labyrinth), he hurries after him and embarks on a rescue mission in a vivid, magical land.

We took a good long look at Max: The Curse of Brotherhood earlier this year at PAX East, and dabbled with the magic marker mechanic that allows Max to manipulate the environment. Using the marker you’ll help Max overcome seemingly impossible obstacles by drawing elements into the world. We found the game bursting with charm, which you can read about in our official preview.