Brave

Brave: The Video Game is an exercise in mediocrity. It has the now-standard Pixar charm and does some things well, but for every high point, there's a low one not too far away. The Kinect mode is all but unusable, and brings the game down another point.

90%Game Brain Score

gameplay, graphics

story, stability

90% User Score Based on 93 reviews

Critic Score 53%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $4.99

Buy NowGet on Steam$19.99

About

"Brave: The Video Game" is a third-person action-adventure game based on the Disney/Pixar movie of the same name. Players can run, jump, and battle their way through mythical Scotland as Merida, the first female lead character in a Pixar movie. Using a sword and bow and arrow, players must defeat enemies and break a magical curse to save the kingdom. The game features agile movement, puzzle play, and both single-player and local multi-player modes.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 93 reviews

gameplay5 positive mentions

stability1 negative mentions

The game offers a fun and engaging experience, especially for fans of the movie, with enjoyable gameplay mechanics and cooperative play options.
Graphics and sound design are decent for a game of its release time, capturing the whimsical spirit of the film and featuring a charming Scottish soundtrack.
The game is accessible for younger players, with adjustable difficulty levels and straightforward controls, making it a great choice for family gaming.

The game suffers from some technical issues, including camera angle problems and a lack of detailed graphics, which can detract from the overall experience.
Gameplay can feel repetitive and easy, with puzzles being overly simplistic and lacking depth, which may not satisfy more experienced gamers.
The controls can be frustrating, especially for keyboard users, and the game lacks robust customization options for button mapping.

gameplay
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
69%
12%
The gameplay is generally praised for its engaging mechanics, smooth combat, and variety, including elemental interactions and puzzle segments. While some players noted a lack of story depth and occasional repetitiveness, the overall experience is described as enjoyable and easy to pick up, with solid performance and clever design elements. The visuals received mixed feedback, but the gameplay itself remains a strong point of the game.
- “With its engaging gameplay, beautiful visuals, and lovable characters, it's a game that captures the magic of the film in every way.”
- “The different mechanics behind each elemental charm are neat, and the combat is fun enough to be entertaining.”
- “There's quite a lot of variety in movement, combat, and weapons, and some really fast and fluid gameplay.”
- “A bit repetitive gameplay, cutscenes and assets.”
- “If you squint a bit, you would think you were playing a non-Disney licensed game, based on the gameplay mechanics.”
- “The game takes some liberties from the film for gameplay purposes, so we get to explore a little more of a stylized Scottish/Gaelic nature, outside the films.”
graphics
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
52%
12%
The graphics of the game are generally described as simple and somewhat dated, reminiscent of older console styles, which allows it to run smoothly on lower-end hardware. While some players find the visuals vibrant and fitting for a family-friendly title, others note issues like haziness and graphical glitches. Overall, the graphics are considered decent for a low-budget game, with a charming art style that captures the whimsical spirit of its source material.
- “The art style is vibrant and colorful, perfectly capturing the whimsical spirit of the movie.”
- “With its engaging gameplay, beautiful visuals, and lovable characters, it's a game that captures the magic of the film in every way.”
- “Graphics are pretty nice for a low budget PS3/Xbox 360 era game.”
- “The graphics reminded me of a loosely bad version of Super Mario (not the newer ones but the older style) and the graphics were hazy at times that it took a while for the picture to stop distorting and come more into focus.”
- “Yeah, the graphics are a bit of an eyesore (especially the cut scenes), but the gameplay is solid enough.”
- “The graphics are probably PlayStation 2 era style so they're a little dated if you find that sort of thing important (I don't).”
story
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
57%
21%
The game's story is described as rich and meaningful, focusing on a quest to reverse a polymorphic curse, though it is criticized for being short and lacking depth in the middle sections. While some players appreciate the narrative, others find it boring or poorly integrated with the gameplay, leading to mixed feelings about its overall execution. Additionally, the reliance on visual storytelling is seen as a cheap substitute for a more engaging narrative experience.
- “A story rich, both fierce and tender.”
- “But I love the story and the gameplay style.”
- “The story is good and meaningful.”
- “That said, this is not that story-based; it's mostly gameplay with cutscenes at the beginning and towards the end, not so much in the middle.”
- “Has a story, but it’s boring.”
- “Not enough story - which is told with pictures, which is okay, but feels cheap.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players find it repetitive, noting that it mainly features one song, others praise the beautiful Scottish-inspired soundtrack, highlighting its lively Celtic tunes and orchestral arrangements that enhance the overall experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point, with many players appreciating its cinematic quality and cultural authenticity.
- “Brave features a wonderful soundtrack that captures the essence of Scotland with its lively Celtic tunes and sweeping orchestral arrangements.”
- “This game is great fun with a lovely Scottish soundtrack.”
- “No real complaints on sound design; I enjoy the cinematic orchestral Celtic music, which is soaring and adventurous.”
- “The soundtrack is mainly just one song, so you may turn it off after a bit.”
- “The bagpipes music and simple bow and arrow design was acceptable.”
- “And let's not forget about the music.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by lively and endearing characters, such as the fiery Merida and her playful brothers, which creates an engaging and heartwarming experience that draws players into their adventure.
- “From the fiery Merida to the mischievous little brothers, each character is brought to life with humor and heart, making you feel like you're part of their adventure.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
100%
The game offers strong replayability, similar to Lego games, as players can revisit levels to unlock hidden areas by acquiring new items in later stages.
- “Just like the LEGO games, it has replayable levels that allow you to access hidden areas once you acquire new items in later levels.”
- “The game offers multiple paths and choices, making each playthrough feel unique and encouraging you to explore different strategies.”
- “With various character abilities and unlockable content, you'll find yourself coming back to discover everything the game has to offer.”
- “Just like the LEGO games, it has replayable levels to gain access to hidden areas once you attain new items in later levels.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game exhibits some graphical glitches and lacks clear control instructions, but overall, it performs better than anticipated for a Disney title aimed at family audiences.
- “Even though this game has some graphical glitches and a major flaw in explaining controls (press the orange key??), it's actually much better than I would have expected from a Disney game that's tagged as family-friendly.”