Look, let’s be real. If you were playing games back in 2013 or 2014, your attention was probably elsewhere. The Xbox One had just launched with a messy "all-in-one" entertainment pitch, and most people were busy arguing about Kinect or waiting for Titanfall. In the middle of that chaos, a little game called Max: The Curse of Brotherhood arrived. It was a sequel to a WiiWare title, developed by Press Play, and honestly? It deserved way more noise than it got.
It starts with a trope we've seen a thousand times. Max is annoyed by his little brother, Felix. He finds a "Gigantus" spell online to make him disappear. Suddenly, a giant claw reaches through a portal and drags Felix into a hostile, sandy dimension. Max immediately regrets his life choices and jumps in after him. It’s simple. It’s effective. It’s basically Labyrinth but with a magic marker instead of David Bowie’s leggings.
Why the Magic Marker is More Than a Gimmick
Most 2.5D platformers live or die by their physics. In Max: The Curse of Brotherhood, the core mechanic revolves around a giant orange magic marker. You aren't just jumping over pits; you are literally drawing the terrain to bridge them.
The game doesn't just give you all the power at once, which is a smart move. At first, you can only raise pillars of dirt. Later, you get the ability to grow branches, then vines, then water streams, and eventually fireballs. The genius is in how these elements interact. You might grow a branch, cut it off, and then use a water stream to push that branch across a lake so you can use it as a raft. It’s physics-based puzzle solving that feels tactile. It’s messy in a good way.
Unlike many modern platformers that hold your hand until your palm is sweaty, this game can be surprisingly brutal. You will die. A lot. The puzzles require precision, and because you are drawing with an analog stick (or touch screen on the Switch version), things can go sideways quickly. You might draw a vine just a little too short, or a branch at an awkward angle that doesn't catch the light. It’s frustrating sometimes, but it makes the "Aha!" moment when you finally clear a screen feel earned.
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The Visual Polish of a Studio That Knew Its Stuff
Press Play, the Danish studio behind the game, really leaned into a "playable Pixar" aesthetic. Even years later, the lighting in the desert levels holds up. The way the sun hits the orange dust or the glow of the marker against a dark cave wall is genuinely beautiful.
But there’s a weird tension in the art style. The characters look like they belong in a kid’s movie, but the world is terrifying. There are these giant, spindly-legged monsters and death traps that would make Indiana Jones sweat. It creates this sense of genuine stakes. You actually feel like a kid who is way out of his depth in a world that wants to eat him.
Breaking Down the Platforming Mechanics
Let's talk about the flow. In a lot of games, you have "combat sections" and "puzzle sections." Max: The Curse of Brotherhood tries to blend them, though it leans heavily toward the puzzles.
- Earth Manipulation: Raising pillars is your bread and butter. You use them to reach high ledges or block incoming projectiles.
- Water Streams: These are probably the most "physics-heavy" parts. You create paths of water that propel Max through the air. Getting the trajectory right is basically a mini-lesson in fluid dynamics.
- Vine Dynamics: You can attach vines to branches or pillars. It’s about creating a playground of ropes to swing across massive gaps.
What most people get wrong about this game is thinking it’s a sandbox. It isn't. While you "draw" the solutions, there is usually one specific "correct" way the developers intended for you to pass. It’s a puzzle game wearing the skin of an adventure game. If you go in expecting Scribblenauts levels of freedom, you’ll be disappointed. But if you want a tight, structured challenge, it hits the spot.
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The History of Press Play and Microsoft
The backstory of the game's development is a bit bittersweet. Microsoft acquired Press Play in 2012. Max: The Curse of Brotherhood was supposed to be a flagship digital title for the Xbox One launch era. It did well enough to get ported to PC, PS4, and eventually the Switch.
However, in 2016, Microsoft closed Press Play. It was part of a larger shuffle that saw several European studios shuttered. It’s a shame because the "Max" IP had so much room to grow. The marker mechanic could have been incredible with modern haptic triggers or VR integration. Instead, we have this standalone gem that sits in the "hidden classic" category of the mid-2010s.
Is It Still Worth Playing Today?
Absolutely. Honestly, it's one of those games that aged gracefully because it didn't rely on "cutting edge" photorealism. The stylized art keeps it looking fresh.
If you’re playing on the Nintendo Switch, you actually get a bit of an advantage. Using the touch screen to draw the branches and vines feels much more natural than using an analog stick. On Xbox or PC, there’s a slight "clunkiness" to the drawing—a deliberate slow-down of time that happens when you pull the trigger to start drawing. It breaks the flow just a tiny bit, whereas the touch controls feel like you’re actually Max with the pen in your hand.
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One thing to keep in mind: the story isn't going to change your life. It’s a rescue mission. There isn't a deep lore about the ancient civilization or a complex subtext about sibling rivalry. It’s just "Save the kid before the big bad guy eats him." And that’s fine. Not every game needs to be a 40-hour philosophical epic. Sometimes you just want to draw a vine and swing over a bottomless pit.
What to Do If You're Jumping in Now
If you are picking up Max: The Curse of Brotherhood for the first time, don't rush it. The game is relatively short—you can probably beat it in about six to eight hours. But the real fun is in finding the "Evil Eyes" scattered throughout the levels.
- Look for the glow: The Evil Eyes are the primary collectible. They are often hidden just off-screen or require a slightly more complex use of your marker powers to reach.
- Experiment with the physics: Don't just draw a straight line. Try drawing a curved branch to see how it affects Max’s momentum when he jumps off it.
- Use the "undo" button: You can quickly erase your last drawing. In the high-speed chase sequences, you’ll need to do this constantly to fix mistakes on the fly.
- Check the platforms: It’s available on Xbox Game Pass (usually), Steam, and the Nintendo eShop. It goes on sale for pennies these days, often under five bucks.
The game remains a testament to a specific era of "AA" gaming—games that had a decent budget and high production values but were willing to take a risk on a single, weird mechanic. It’s a reminder that simple ideas, executed with a bit of heart and a lot of orange ink, usually stand the test of time better than the over-hyped blockbusters.
Go find a copy. Watch Max fall off a cliff because you drew a branch upside down. Laugh at the goofy animation. It’s a good way to spend a weekend.
Next Steps for Players:
- Check your digital library; if you’ve had Xbox Gold or Game Pass for years, you likely already own this game without realizing it.
- Prioritize the Switch version if you prefer intuitive touch controls for the drawing mechanics.
- Keep an eye out for "Kalimba," another title by the same developers, if you find yourself enjoying the specific "tough-but-fair" puzzle logic used here.