The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante

The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante — Chapter 1&2 Game Cover

About

The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante is a narrative-driven text-based RPG set in a ruthless medieval realm that comes to life on the pages of the protagonist's journal. Though every man's life is predetermined by the Lot they received at birth, it is you who decides whether your character will challenge fate and alter his destiny, rewriting the established laws of the universe. The free version o…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante — Chapter 1&2 screenshot

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 615 reviews

story158 positive mentions

monetization10 negative mentions

The game features a captivating and well-written story that immerses players in a rich world with meaningful choices.
The use of death as a mechanic adds depth to the gameplay, allowing for unique character development and consequences.
The art style and soundtrack enhance the overall atmosphere, making the experience engaging and enjoyable.

Some players found the writing to be overly verbose and repetitive, detracting from the overall experience.
The willpower system can feel limiting, preventing players from making certain choices and leading to frustration.
There are minor grammatical errors and typos that need to be addressed for a more polished final product.

story
330 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
51%
1%
The game's story is widely praised for its gripping and immersive narrative, which allows players to shape the protagonist's life through meaningful choices. Many reviewers highlight the well-crafted world, rich character development, and emotional depth, although some note minor grammatical issues and a few pacing concerns. Overall, the storytelling is considered a standout feature, leaving players eager for the full release to explore the intricate plot further.
- “Despite having very minimal gameplay, the story is very gripping and engaging as you steer a baby in life to become a man of your choosing.”
- “The story is gripping and captivating, very rich and well written, the language is clear and compelling.”
- “The story transports you into a grounded fantasy world with themes of destiny, spirituality, and finding yourself. I'm only at chapter 2 and I'm deeply invested in the story, which has already managed to create several truly emotional moments.”
- “The story failed to grip me; the characters weren't interesting and the setting was generic.”
- “What the game counts as 'story' is just mundane daily happenings in life.”
- “I was so attached to the story then left disappointed when the demo ended.”
graphics
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
47%
7%
The game's graphics are primarily text-based, with a unique art style that evokes a literary feel, though opinions on the visuals vary widely. Some players appreciate the beautiful and gritty artwork, which enhances the immersive storytelling, while others criticize the simplistic and unattractive black-and-white illustrations. Overall, the visuals are described as having a distinct aesthetic that complements the narrative, despite some technical limitations and a desire for more dynamic backgrounds.
- “The art style is absolutely stunning, beautiful and gritty.”
- “Excellent artwork and animation, dramatic audio, and a fantastic gothic ambiance throughout the game give gravity and weight to every decision, and I can't wait for the full release.”
- “The art style is unique and the music is great without being repetitive.”
- “It's text-based, so it doesn't have graphics or gameplay to depend on.”
- “The artwork is extremely ugly, and in black and white to boot.”
- “If you want to play a novel game with branches, I can so far recommend the gameplay, but do not expect a very polished artsy game, especially if you care for visuals and sound.”
music
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
36%
7%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its ability to enhance the overall atmosphere and storytelling, with many reviewers noting its fitting and immersive qualities. While some suggest a desire for more variety in the soundtrack, the majority agree that the sound effects and music effectively complement the narrative and art style, creating a captivating experience. Overall, the music is described as fantastic, atmospheric, and integral to the game's emotional impact.
- “Fantastic music and a dramatic story.”
- “The soundtrack fits so well with every moment.”
- “The atmospheric music and sounds really immersed me into an imaginative environment.”
- “My only recommendation would be to implement more music variety.”
- “Oh and since we're doing nitpicks, you might want to get your Spotify playlist going as the game's soundtrack leaves much to be desired.”
- “On the side note, the soundtrack is not the strong part of the game in my opinion.”
gameplay
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
70%
7%
The gameplay is primarily text-based and revolves around making choices that significantly impact the narrative, akin to a choose-your-own-adventure book. While some players appreciate the engaging story and unique mechanics like willpower and fate goals, others find the gameplay limited and occasionally frustrating due to arbitrary mechanics. Overall, the game excels in narrative depth and world-building, though it may not satisfy those seeking a more traditional gaming experience with polished visuals and complex mechanics.
- “The mechanic of 'willpower' needing to be recovered over choices removes always being able to take the obvious virtuous options, and I feel that the creators of Sir Brante created some genuinely challenging and ambiguous situations, often having to choose who to side with in family feuds, which impacts your own development as well as ongoing relationships.”
- “Every choice feels like it matters and the willpower mechanic reinforces this.”
- “Just finished it today and I gotta say, this unique style of gameplay allows for different opportunities throughout the story, making this different for each player in terms of experience.”
- “The mechanics often seemed arbitrary and were an annoying distraction.”
- “The gameplay itself has not much to offer, but that's not really the motive of this game.”
- “I completed all the way to the last chapter of the demo then rage quit because of issues with core mechanics I found incredibly annoying.”
replayability
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
41%
18%
Overall, the game boasts high replayability due to its beautifully written story, immersive themes, and branching choices that encourage multiple playthroughs. Players appreciate the depth and strategic elements that enhance the experience, even in the demo version, suggesting that the full game will offer significant replay value. However, some users noted that predictability in choices may limit replayability for certain players.
- “Beautifully written story that is super immersive with gut-wrenching themes and concepts, and the replayability factor is off the charts, even for just the first two chapters.”
- “There's a lot of depth here, and it makes the replayability factor pretty high.”
- “With the many branching choices, I can see how this game will provide hours upon hours of play time and replayability.”
- “Currently, the replayability is low for me, since I find the choice and consequence seemingly predictable.”
- “While there are many branching choices, I feel that the overall replayability is limited due to the lack of significant variation in outcomes.”
- “Despite the initial appeal, the game quickly loses its replay value as the choices become repetitive and the consequences feel less impactful.”
atmosphere
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
24%
18%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive quality, effectively enhancing the weight of player decisions and bringing characters to life. Reviewers commend the excellent writing, atmospheric music, and sound effects that create a vivid and engaging environment, reminiscent of historical settings. Overall, the combination of strong narrative and audio elements contributes to a captivating and memorable experience.
- “I enjoy the way the game builds the atmosphere and setting, which in turn helps to bring the characters to life!”
- “The atmospheric music and sounds really immersed me into an imaginative environment.”
- “The story is written awesomely, the characters feel like they really exist, and the atmosphere of the world is well constructed, feeling like some 1800s French state where the nobility and church control everything.”
- “The story is written awesomely, the characters feel like they really existed, and the atmosphere of the world is well constructed, feeling like some 1800s French state where the nobility and church control everything.”
- “The soundtrack also contributes to the atmosphere of the game, although some of the sound effects, like the noise of carriages or crowds, are a bit too loud.”
- “Even the minor characters who come and go through the story are people who blend in well with the atmosphere of the game.”
monetization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of "The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante" is criticized for being misleading, as it presents itself as a game while primarily functioning as an advertisement for a paid e-book. This approach is seen as detrimental to the gaming community, as it occupies space that could be better utilized by actual game developers, and raises concerns about the integrity of how demos and advertisements are marketed on platforms like Steam. Overall, the monetization strategy is viewed as exploitative and not worth the time or effort for gamers.
- “The objective of this advertisement is to encourage gamers to spend a whopping twenty United States dollars on the full e-book.”
- “While it might seem like an innocuous mistake, publishing demos and advertisements as if they are full games is misleading and in some ways harmful.”
- “Often developers may choose to incorrectly publish demo/advertisements as separate games as a cheap way to bypass paying Valve for marketing presence on the Steam front page, which may seem clever to them, but it's harmful behavior and it's not good for gamers.”
emotional
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight a mixed emotional experience in the game; while some players feel detached from the narrative and its events, others find deep emotional investment through character growth and impactful storytelling. The game successfully evokes strong feelings, addressing complex themes and creating memorable moments, though some elements, like intrusive sound effects, can detract from the emotional immersion. Overall, it offers a range of emotional responses, from discomfort to profound connection.
- “Seeing your character grow from a helpless child to a teenager to an adult was very satisfying and emotional.”
- “Looks like one of those games where you don’t play to win in a certain way, but rather to be disturbed and to build an emotional response towards the uncomfortable questions it presents.”
- “The story transports you into a grounded fantasy world with themes of destiny, spirituality, and finding yourself. I'm only at chapter 2, and I'm deeply invested in the story. It has already managed to create several truly emotional moments, and the narrative flows naturally without a dull moment.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Character development is praised for its quality, with players appreciating the complexity of choices that challenge their decision-making. There is a desire for more interactive storytelling and guidance from experienced writers to enhance the narrative further.
- “+Good character development so far.”
- “I'd love to see more interactive stories using this UI, perhaps with some veteran writers to guide the narrative and character development.”
- “Character development is done well, and I had a pretty hard time (rare in these story games) deciding what the 'right' choice actually was.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users report a high level of stability, noting that the game runs smoothly without crashes, bugs, or glitches.
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players express a desire for reduced grinding related to skill point progression, favoring a greater emphasis on story and role-playing elements instead.
- “I'd prefer less grinding towards skill point goals and a bigger focus on pure story roleplay.”
- “The grinding feels excessive and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
- “I find the grinding mechanics tedious and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users praising its smooth performance and efficient resource management, while others report occasional frame rate drops and stuttering, particularly on lower-end hardware. Overall, the game's optimization appears to be a work in progress, with potential for improvement in future updates.