We here at GF will always champion local co-op. Recently we’ve been treated with awesome titles such as Heave Ho 2, Wobbly Life, Basureroes: Invasion (which I’ve just played through for the second time – adore that game!) and others – and Brave Escape is most certainly closest to Heave Ho in that list, leaning as it does on absolute cohesion between the two players. Playable both online and in local co-op modes, Brave Escape will have you gazing at your partner with violent death in your eyes, and love in your heart.
Our story begins with Colin, an intrepid adventurer that find himself irresistibly drawn towards a large crack (careful now… – ed) or rather crevasse in the ground near his home (fewf – ed) into which he soon falls, and find his player two – Floyd, a robot with a skill set that neatly dovetails with his own, and they shortly decide to work together as they make their escape towards the surface.A side-scrolling 2D puzzle-platformer, Brave Escape features smooth pixel graphics and gameplay as you and a friend make your way through the various biomes and staggering 240 levels before you. Each area is separated by an especially saucy ‘boss’ stage, which is a lot longer and tougher than the usual briefer stages that you’ll be making your way through. Beginning by introducing each character’s ability (initially Colin can use a rope, whilst Floyd can use a metal panel to give Colin a boost), both individuals must work together in perfect tandem in order to proceed through the game. Initially easy enough, it soon becomes clear that Brave Escape will quickly escalate into some seriously challenging moments, and you’ll soon be rolling your eyes as the insta-death count rises – each player has their own death count, so you know who is really to blame when you keep failing a stage! -and you restart the stage over, and over, and over…I’m not joking, some stages can take dozens of attempts, and the lack of hand-holding, scarcity of checkpoints and overall level of difficulty can be enraging – but all in a fun way.
Mostly.There are a lot of strengths here in how the game looks, the smoothness and pace of play, as well as the minimalist tone and focus on rhythm and co-operation – but there is room for improvement in the audio, as the constantly looping music could definitely do with some variation, especially as each biome can take a fair old while to get through.
That said, the starkness of the game and absolute focus on the challenge before you is admirable and well-designed, meaning that there’s a huge sense of relief and satisfaction as you make your way through Brave Escape, which is really all that needs to drive a game in this genre. If you like a challenge, Colin and Floyd definitely need your help; just be prepared to grit your teeth every once in a while!
8.5/10
🆒COOL🆒
(also available on PS5, PC)
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