Innovation is, in itself magic. It is the ability to take what is normal or expected and then change it in such a way that it scarcely resembles what it was. Innovation in video games can come in many, many forms but as time’s progressed we have become so assimilated with the trends that nothing surprises us anymore. Attempting anything new or different has become dangerous in the gaming industry, where the bottom line is what matters. Developer Brain&Brain attempted to make something different, a unique branching but repetitive narrative experience that is minimalist, whimsical but most of all gives you a feeling of wanderlust.
To unravel Burly Men at Sea it should be stated that this title is aimed at a very niche crowd. Matter of fact I had to think for quite a while at whom this particular game was aiming to capture, the answer came to me recently when I did a bit of research on the developer.
I quote from the website “Burly Men at Sea is the second game from husband-and-wife team Brain&Brain, developed during their own adventures as nomads and erstwhile farmhands.”
This game is made for them and anyone who cares to adventure with them. The journey of our three heroes, while fantastical and magical, is inspired by the travels of the developer themselves. If you can hitch your wagon as it were, there is plenty to be enjoyed in this title, but keep in mind this is a unique experience.
The way Burly Men at Sea works is rather simplistic, but this is a common theme in its gameplay, art, and design. Upon loading up the game we find our titular heroes in a quaint little village after finding a map of sorts at sea. After some investigating the brothers Hasty, Steady, and Brave find out that this is a map of adventures yet to be had. Apparently this map has been put out to sea by a peculiar looking old man whom once had similar adventures.(My theory is that this man is their dad, but it is never confirmed) The old man tells them that the map will lead them to adventures/challenges they have never seen before. Being burly and of the adventurous type our brothers set off for glory on their ship. 
As I said earlier, the game is a branching repetitive narrative experience. What that basically means is that certain scenarios play out in order but the outcomes can be different; which lead to other preset scenarios and then more different outcomes depending on your actions. The writing adapts to previously made decisions, as the brothers are fully aware that the adventures they are having are happening over and over again.
As example every time you start the adventure you’re swallowed by a giant whale. Upon awakening you find three spirit nymphs who promise the whale is safely guiding them. This is the point where things split up, you can stay in the whale, try to escape, etc.
After staying with the nymphs you awaken supposedly deceived as they let you sleep far too long. Upon wrapping up that adventure and returning, the Brothers make comment to the Nymphs that last time they let them sleep far too long and they would not be tricked again. (They are)
This is a very small example of how things work in the game. From a writing stand point, I can say that this deserves some mad respect for keeping aware of branches, the outcomes, and new events all playing cohesively and seamlessly is no small feat.
This is the main highlight and absolute joy of Burly Men At Sea, this game wants you to experience it over and over but see different things each time. It accomplishes this to a degree, the first four or five play-throughs of the game are spectacular, with the game’s simple aesthetic, scenes such as the one below were simply adorable. One minute you are facing a mighty Kraken and the next racing against Death himself.
Burly Men at Sea as an experience is very well done but the sad truth is that experiences fades over time. Eating your favorite food every day is going to take the shine/excitement away and playing this game over and over is the same.
That doesn’t take away from the illustrations, music, and tone overall but you begin to rush through those wonderful elements in search of a new experience. You have to get eaten by a Whale, Fight a Kraken and decide to win or lose to see something different. There are times that those branching paths are very rewarding with wonderful art and breath taking moments but there are some that are not as exciting sadly. One particular scene that plays out at the end many times is you floating downwards in the sea where you can’t interact with anything or do anything basically until the story starts over.
If you chase every event in the game, you are going to end up skipping some dialogue and just trying to get to that new thing, as you have more then likely seen what comes before a few or more times. This is the games strength, but at the same time its weakness.
Despite that, the game is generally pleasant. The control method is very mobile friendly(Even on PC) you swipe, tap for all interactions in the game. The controls are slightly jarring but never an issue, as most scenes are changing rapidly.
As mentioned earlier, the story is on point and very well written and endearing. You really get to know the brothers and I found them even humorous at times. Each telling of the story usually takes fifteen to twenty minutes or so depending how fast you read. I saw everything the game had to offer at about three hours in.
The music and sound effects of this game do deserve a mention as well. They do a fantastic job of elevating the games tone in a jaunty way. The sound effects borderline on hilarious and at times are very clever. You can clearly tell that when the Blacksmith makes a strike that is somebody making the sound effect with their mouth. Which is cute, but weird and then you realize the genius behind certain sound effects and laugh. At least I did.
I don’t wanna spoil the end of the game for you but there is one thing that kinda threw me off at the end of the game. I have to comment about it.
Each time you wrap up a journey you complete a “book” that comes with a code, once you collect all the books the game refers you to the website. The code can be put into the website and reveals some sort of book that you can actually physically purchase.
Now I have played a lot of indie games but have never seen one that ends in an ad for a product. It almost comes off that this is your reward. Mind you I think this is mostly because the code once entered doesn’t really explain all that much of what it is your purchasing. I don’t know if its a story book or illustrations exactly, it doesn’t come off clear. Further elaboration would’ve been helpful.
Of course, if you are supportive of Indie Developers, I highly recommend supporting them. If you get swag in exchange even better. Who am I to judge how a developer funds their next project after all?
Finally, the game is extremely child friendly, it reads like a story book and to be honest, I would highly recommend this on a mobile device over PC as I think the experience would be much more heightened with an atmosphere to match. Cozy up on a hammock with hot chocolate and you will have a great time.(Plus its cheaper)
For $9.99 I would recommend researching this game first but I recommend it if you have small children or are a child at heart. Like I said at the beginning this is for a niche group. It’s not everyone’s cup o’ tea but it may speak to you.
Innovation isn’t easy, it requires risk, trying new things, and there are always going to be strengths and drawbacks. Nonetheless these developers give us a gift of inviting us into their world and imaginations and dreams. Burly Men at Sea is innovative.
