Brave is a third-person action game based on the same-named animated film. It is set in Scotland, and the heroine is Merida, a redheaded adolescent. She is the daughter of King Fergus of Clan DunBroch and will be married to one of her father’s ally clans. To win her hand, highland games are held in which the first-born sons of many clans compete. Merida rushes into the woods, where she encounters a witch. She offers Merida a cake-shaped magic that turns her mother, Elinor, into a big bear. After a brief tutorial, the game begins at the point of metamorphosis and delivers a drawn, animated introduction to the plot. The rest of the tale leading up to the game’s start is told in small bursts throughout the missions. The goal is to find a means to break the enchantment, return her mother to normalcy, and heal the forest plague.
The game is played along a linear path with a dynamic, computer-controlled camera that frequently switches from a side view to a behind-the-scenes view. Merida has some freedom of movement, although she cannot go too far into the scenery. Levels are gradually opened from a center ring of stones that serves as a hub. Merida can run, (wall/double) jump, and battle with a sword. She has a bow at her disposal for ranged assaults. Finding charms and tapestries activates additional skills. The earth’s magnetism, for example, cures plants and affects organisms. This can be used to cultivate plants into platforms for progress. Fire, air, and ice are other treats that can be used to ignite objects. Shooting targets with the bow or activating stepping stones in the correct order are minor puzzle aspects. There are moments when her triplet brothers, who have also been transformed into bears, can be commanded to solve increasingly complex tasks. Elinor the Bear is controlled in various arena battle stages. She is far more potent than Merida and can swipe, pound the ground, and charge at many adversaries.
Objects in the environment can be damaged to acquire coins. Merchants can use them to buy different skills, including avoiding slam attacks, power attacks, and charged bullets. The latter two are divided into four types based on the four ingredients. Along the course, better bows are also discovered. Some skills can only be unlocked by finishing specific game areas, and others can be improved several times. The game can be played jointly in multiplayer mode, with a second player controlling the wisp. In addition to the Wii version’s motion controls, Kinect (Xbox 360) and Move (PS3) are supported to operate the bow in an archery range mode.
