Two Brothers – Coming Soon in Full Monocolour
The hyper-retro, monochromatic style of Nintendo’s Game Boy has been adopted by a number of recent indie titles. Some games, like Fez and Super Meat Boy, have included small Game Boy-style sections that act as little appreciative nods to the console, whereas other ‘demakes’, such as Tower of Heaven, 8-Bit Halloween and Slick, have adopted the graphical style completely. It’s interesting how, twenty years on, the Game Boy’s spectral limitations became an adored and sought-after aesthetic.
AckkStudios’ debut project, Two Brothers, doesn’t just make use of a monochromatic palette; it actually makes colour the central focus of the game and its story. You play as Roy Guarder, an inventor who has a near-death experience and discovers an afterlife saturated with shades and colours not perceived in the land of the living.
Screenshots and gameplay footage portray explicit influences from The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening and Two Brothers even goes as far as to use sound effects directly from the game. Brian Allanson has also cited Lufia 2, Chrono Trigger and Wild Arms as inspiring the game’s development. The game’s devlog states that Two Brothers will feature an emoticon system – a rudimentary version of Mass Effect’s dialogue wheel – to allow for more choice and character interaction.
With final takings of $16,000, the Kickstarter project almost tripled its original target of just $6k. Originally planned for release on PC, Mac and Xbox 360, the New Jersey-based dev recently announced that the game will also be heading to the Wii U eShop.
AckkStudios has been engaging with fans extensively via its devlog and Facebook page, which is frequently updated with videos and sound clips. The game will be presented at PAX East this March and we can expect a release soon after.
About the Author
Simon Booth | Indie Writer Hi, I'm Simon and I'll be writing reviews, news and features for the site with an emphasis on indie gaming. When I'm not jumping on Goombas, whipping Medusa Heads and taking out crowds of zombies with pipe bombs, you can catch me playing video games. Aside from that, I love wildlife, Prince, Fox Mulder and the colour pink.
