The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante

About

In "The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante," players navigate a ruthless world in a narrative-driven RPG format, following a man who challenges the existing social order. The game is presented as a journal, with life-altering decisions and the struggle for freedom at its core.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante screenshot

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 5,737 reviews

story1.4k positive mentions

grinding34 negative mentions

Great story with engaging world-building and complex characters.
Choices genuinely matter, leading to different outcomes and endings.
Well-written narrative that evokes strong emotions and encourages replayability.

Stat requirements can lock players out of desired choices, leading to frustration.
Some choices feel arbitrary and can lead to unsatisfying endings despite careful planning.
Limited options in the final chapters can make the game feel railroaded.

story
3,351 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
58%
1%
The story of "The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante" is widely praised for its depth, intricate world-building, and the significant impact of player choices on the narrative. Many players find the storytelling engaging and immersive, with a compelling mix of personal and societal themes, though some criticize the game for its reliance on stats that can limit narrative freedom and lead to frustrating outcomes. Overall, it is considered a standout example of interactive storytelling in gaming, offering multiple branching paths and a rich, emotional experience.
- “Despite being produced by a small studio, I think this game easily surpasses AAA titles in a heartbeat with its storytelling and great world-building.”
- “The story is deep and thought-provoking - everything about this game is immaculate.”
- “The life and suffering of sir brante is an incredible story that puts you right into the shoes of a young man in a country wrestling with its outdated social and political systems and lets you live out his life (and suffering) while deciding what, if anything, to do about the issues that plague his world, as best as one man can help in affecting such massive systemic change.”
- “The story starts proceeding in ways that ignore things that have occurred, and on several occasions you cannot do things that definitely should be possible with the choices made (like: I can't contact a person because he's 'in hiding', even though I've hidden him myself at my workplace precisely to keep him safe and available).”
- “The story is filled with characters with inconsistent personalities and motivations which is detrimental for any story game.”
- “After that, the story slowly but surely becomes a convoluted mess, your choices mean less and less in a story, and most of the events seem to happen just because writers need them to happen, not because of your choices.”
gameplay
620 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
73%
7%
The gameplay of "The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante" is primarily choice-driven, resembling a visual novel with RPG mechanics that influence character development and narrative outcomes. While the intricate mechanics and branching paths offer depth, many players find the reliance on stats and the willpower system frustrating, often leading to a feeling of being railroaded rather than genuinely role-playing. Overall, the game is praised for its compelling story and world-building, but its gameplay mechanics can detract from the immersive experience, making it a mixed bag for players seeking a balance between narrative and interactive elements.
- “Unique choose-your-own-adventure game with exciting and smooth mechanics implementation.”
- “The storytelling is utterly captivating, managing to immerse you in your own version of 'Brante', while also providing some very worthwhile and seemingly deep gameplay mechanics; allowing you to choose not only your path in the story, but also honing stats/skills and forming relationships.”
- “Incredible world-building and setting, fantastic choices, just the right level of mechanics depth and choices that genuinely do matter.”
- “But the choice mechanics are fatally flawed.”
- “The problem I had is that the narrative incentives are decoupled from the mechanical incentives.”
- “In the end, by the time you are an adult, your freedom of choice is entirely gone and you are instead railroaded into a linear mechanic of min-maxing certain stats and giving up on any sensibility in favor of more singular, sometimes extreme loyalties.”
music
372 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
39%
1%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and emotional depth of the narrative. While some tracks are described as beautiful and fitting, others are noted for being repetitive or less engaging, particularly during longer reading segments. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing significantly to the immersive experience despite some criticisms of monotony.
- “The soundtrack is excellent, drawing the player into the game, its world and the life of Sir Brante.”
- “The music is moving and sticks with you.”
- “The art style and the music are phenomenal; it is a very beautiful game.”
- “But some music was rather annoying, like the music whenever you start a new chapter or when you became older and it's describing what's happening in the kingdom or the province as a whole... it just got old after a while... which is a shame because those are often the longest bits of reading.”
- “The illustrations add a lot, but like the sound design (both effects and music) they're reused and tend to get repetitive.”
- “However, there are minor shortcomings like an absolutely unremarkable soundtrack.”
graphics
327 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
51%
2%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique blend of minimalist black-and-white illustrations, often likened to woodcut art, which effectively complements the narrative's dark themes. While some players appreciate the artistic style for its immersive quality and atmospheric depth, others find it crude or unappealing, leading to mixed opinions on its overall visual appeal. Despite the simplicity, the visuals are generally praised for enhancing the storytelling experience, making it a noteworthy aspect of this text-based adventure.
- “The graphics and sound design emphasize the atmosphere of the game, creating a dark and exciting environment.”
- “The artwork accompanying each chapter was drawn by a highly skilled artist who perfectly captured the bleak settings.”
- “Quite simply the most immersive, touching and thought-provoking video game story I have ever played paired with utterly gorgeous visuals and soundtrack.”
- “The illustrations are black-and-white, rather crude comic book art style ink drawings.”
- “The game requires a lot of reading and very little graphic appeal.”
- “The presentation and graphics are rough, as you can see, but once you get taken away by the story and the relationships, it hardly matters.”
replayability
314 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
52%
1%
The game boasts high replayability due to its branching storylines, multiple endings, and significant player choices that impact the narrative. Many players appreciate the depth and variety of paths available, encouraging multiple playthroughs to explore different outcomes. However, some reviewers noted that after several runs, the experience can become repetitive, and the game's length may limit its replay value for casual players.
- “Very well written game, the branching and many endings make this a very replayable experience!”
- “The game has great replay value as there are many different branches of how the story proceeds.”
- “The replay value is immense thanks to the variety of choices, outcomes, and paths you have to follow.”
- “I loved it at first, but now I see this as an okay game, because unfortunately the replayability is very low and the whole game is short and unintuitive at times.”
- “Finally, there is basically no replay value.”
- “In my opinion, the replayability is low, even though there are plenty of alternate routes to try and different choices to make.”
emotional
146 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional impact of the game is profound, with many players reporting experiences of deep attachment to characters and intense feelings of sadness, regret, and moral conflict. The narrative is described as both heartwarming and heartbreaking, often leaving players feeling emotionally drained yet enriched after their playthroughs. While some critiques mention inconsistencies in writing and mechanics, the overall consensus highlights the game's ability to create an immersive and emotionally resonant experience that lingers long after the game is finished.
- “I've never had a game be able to put me through such an emotional roller coaster.”
- “The hurt it has made me experience is unforgettably real, and it has made me feel for the characters in the game as if I had known them personally.”
- “This game hits you like a ton of bricks, emotionally.”
atmosphere
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
45%
3%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and engaging qualities, enhanced by compelling writing, atmospheric music, and striking illustrations. Reviewers note the dark and gritty tone, which effectively draws players into the narrative, despite some criticisms regarding repetitive music and gameplay mechanics that may detract from the experience. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to its emotional impact and replay value.
- “The graphics and sound design emphasize the atmosphere of the game, creating a dark and exciting environment.”
- “The atmosphere ties the entire game together and made me play through this game 5 times already.”
- “Incredible writing, atmosphere, music, and art style.”
- “I wish I liked it more, because I really dig the style, setting, and atmosphere, but the game just seems so hellbent on forcing the player into bad positions to really enjoy this thing.”
- “Apart from its nostalgic atmosphere, I found it mostly mediocre.”
- “The rest of the game has no voice acting at all (apart from background noises, like cheers or grunts, that work really well at setting the atmosphere), and the cutscenes are extremely short, providing basically no information that isn't conveyed in the text.”
grinding
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
16%
77%
The grinding aspect of the game is frequently criticized for being excessively tedious and time-consuming, with players noting the need to replay early chapters to optimize stats for later parts. Many reviewers express frustration over the inability to save progress effectively, leading to repetitive gameplay that detracts from overall enjoyment. While some appreciate the depth of the story and the potential for replayability, the grind often becomes a barrier to fully engaging with the game.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The game has a decent enough story, but the constant repeating of the early game to maximize stats for the later parts gets tedious fast.”
- “The biggest downsides might only be the inability to save and the game getting a bit too grindy in terms of action points towards the end.”
- “Biggest con: a bit grindy in that there's no easy way to skip already read dialogue or jump into the middle of a chapter; you have to restart at the beginning of chapters.”
humor
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highly inconsistent, with many players noting a lack of intentional comedic elements and a serious tone that often overshadows any potential for levity. While some moments of unintentional humor arise from poor writing and gameplay frustrations, the overall experience is described as more tragic than funny, leaving players wishing for a stronger comedic touch. However, a few reviewers found moments of genuine humor amidst the chaos, highlighting the game's potential for storytelling.
- “It's funny having everything completely backfire on you, and you spend hours of gameplay just to end up in front of a firing squad, or losing your life savings.”
- “Brought me to tears often, and made me laugh with elation.”
- “A thrilling, sometimes ruthless, often funny example of video games' great potential for storytelling.”
optimization
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
72%
17%
The game's optimization has been criticized for forcing players into a stat-driven decision-making process that detracts from immersion and the narrative experience. Many reviewers feel that the reliance on optimization mechanics can turn the gameplay into a puzzle, especially after the initial playthrough, which may frustrate those who prefer a more organic storytelling approach. Overall, the RPG elements are seen as overly dependent on optimization, potentially alienating players who dislike extensive strategizing or guide usage.
- “My biggest nitpick of the game is that due to the core mechanics, it's almost impossible to play with the consequences of your actions hidden, so the game can turn into a bit of an optimization puzzle (especially after the first playthrough) and lose some of the immersion that the wonderful worldbuilding and writing offers.”
- “It completely ruins immersion, and very often you are sort of forced to make decisions purely for the purpose of stat optimization so that you can get the ending you're actually going for.”
- “Story is great, but the RPG part relies too much on stats optimization, so I would say if spending a lot of time on it or reading guides is annoying to you, better to avoid it.”
character development
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
39%
17%
Character development in the game is praised for its depth and emotional impact, with players appreciating the storytelling and the clever inclusion of a character development journal. However, some critiques highlight that certain gameplay decisions can undermine the character growth players have invested in, leading to a perception of oversimplification and a lack of realism in character arcs. Overall, while the game offers engaging character development, it struggles with consistency in how choices affect that growth.
- “The choices are interesting and the storytelling and character development are great.”
- “There is some stellar character development here and extremely effective tear-jerking moments.”
- “The game also features an interesting character development journal, which tracks everything from family, estate, status, titles, etc. which seems like a no-brainer, but it’s actually very clever and features well in the game.”
- “The premise is good, the worldbuilding is good, but unfortunately the game imposes decisions that time and time again counter the character development you've been pretending to build.”
- “That is an oversimplification of character development.”
- “Short and overly simplified character development (not realistic enough).”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
80%
The game's stability is a mixed bag; while some players report significant crashes and freezing issues that detract from the experience, others find it runs smoothly, particularly on platforms like the Steam Deck. Overall, the presence of glitches and bugs seems to vary, with some users feeling it adds charm, while others strongly recommend against it due to its instability in crucial story moments.
- “Runs great on Steam Deck too, providing a fantastic experience of just laying down on the couch and enjoying this beautiful game.”
- “Do not recommend, it's buggy as hell in the most crucial parts of the story.”
- “Nice story and setting, it's unique but apparently still crashes on my end and sometimes the story just freezes.”
- “Much like the numerous glitches and unfinished state of the Stalker games, it adds charm to its world facing an existential threat from anomalies alien to traditional nature. However, it is a game that never goes the way you want despite giving you the keys.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users feel that the game's monetization strategy, particularly its advertisements, does not accurately reflect the quality of the game itself, suggesting that the ads may undermine its brilliance rather than enhance it.
- “The hokey ads for this game belie the brilliance of what it actually is.”
- “It's not a case of ads making me think it was better; it's the reverse.”

85%Critics’ scoreBased on 9 critic reviews

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11h Median play time

12h Average play time

7-15h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 42 analyzed playthroughs

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