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Max: The Curse of Brotherhood

PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch • 2014

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Quick resume

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a cinematic adventure filled with action-packed platforming and creative puzzle-solving. Armed with only a Magic Marker, Max must confront evil at every turn in a hostile and fantastical world in order to save his kid brother, Felix. Join Max on his great adventure!

Global score

95/100

Genres

Adventure, Platform, Puzzle

Similar games

    Pros

    • Creative and unique marker drawing mechanic
    • Engaging puzzles and platforming
    • Beautiful, colorful graphics and animation
    • Family friendly and accessible difficulty
    • Good pacing and level design

    Cons

    • Short game length
    • Some control imprecision especially with drawing
    • Limited replay value beyond collectibles
    • Occasional frustrating timed sequences
    • Lack of multiplayer or social features

    Analysis

    Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Fellowship, Cooperation, Leadership, Violence. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Violence, Competition, Continuation.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      3

      "Players have freedom to draw various elements to solve puzzles and navigate, though drawing is limited to specific points."

    • Competence
      3

      "The game offers a moderate challenge with puzzles and platforming requiring skill and timing, especially in later levels."

    • Competition
      -5

      "No evidence of competitive or ranked modes; focus is on individual puzzle solving and platforming."

    • Continuation
      2

      "Players tend to engage for a few hours with some replayability via collectibles and achievements."

    • Cooperation
      -5

      "Single player experience with no cooperative or multiplayer elements."

    • Creativity
      4

      "Core mechanic involves creative use of a magic marker to draw and manipulate environment elements."

    • Domination
      -5

      "No player-versus-player or dominance interactions; cooperative and equal participation is the norm."

    • Escapism
      4

      "The fantasy setting and engaging puzzles provide a pleasant escape from real life."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily for fun and personal interest without obligation or pressure."

    • Experimenting
      3

      "Players experiment with drawing different shapes and combinations to solve puzzles."

    • Exploration
      2

      "Some exploration encouraged to find collectibles and secrets, though levels are mostly linear."

    • Expression
      3

      "Players express creativity through drawing and shaping environmental elements."

    • Fantasy
      5

      "Strong fantasy theme with magical powers, otherworldly settings, and imaginative story."

    • Fellowship
      -5

      "No social or community features; strictly single player."

    • Growth
      3

      "Players learn new marker abilities and improve skills as game progresses."

    • Health
      -5

      "Typical sedentary gameplay with no physical activity or health-related features."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires focused attention and active puzzle solving; not a casual or idle experience."

    • Intimacy
      -5

      "No evidence of forming close relationships or emotional social interactions."

    • Leadership
      -5

      "No leadership or group management roles; single player experience."

    • Progression
      3

      "Progression through unlocking new marker powers and collecting items."

    • Relaxation
      2

      "Generally relaxing with some moments of tension during timed platforming sections."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Colorful visuals and sound design provide enjoyable sensory stimulation."

    • Status
      -5

      "No social recognition or status systems present."

    • Story
      3

      "Simple but engaging narrative about brotherly rescue in a fantasy world."

    • Strategy
      3

      "Puzzles require logical thinking and planning to solve."

    • Thrill
      2

      "Some suspenseful chase sequences and timed challenges add excitement."

    • Value
      4

      "Players find good value especially at sale prices for the engaging gameplay and replayability."

    • Violence
      -3

      "Minimal violence; focus is on puzzle solving and platforming rather than combat."

    • Survival
      2

      "Some avoidance of hazards and timing challenges, but overall low threat environment."

    Where to buy

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    Last update: 29/04/2026