Pilot Brothers 2
Developer: 1C Wireless
Publisher: G5 Entertainment AB
Platforms: iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad) – Reviewed on iPod Touch
Release Date: 19th June 2013
Price: $1.99 – Available Here
Overview
In the sequel to Pilot Brothers, Chief and Colleague are back for another adventure. Following the same puzzle style as the first game, it’s up to you to search for the solutions and move forward in this cartoony quest.
Story
The Pilot Brothers are on a quest of great importance: rescuing their pet cat, Arsenic. Stolen by Experimental Chef Sumo, Brother Chief and Brother Colleague must race against time to save their cat before he’s served up for dinner.
Gameplay
Pilot Brothers 2 follows the classic structure of a point and click puzzle game. Hidden throughout every room are a series of objects and it is up to the player to solve the puzzle of the area and escape. Not every object is relevant to the puzzle though, some red herrings are scattered throughout, wasting time and energy figuring out if they matter.
Each brother possesses a…different kind of intelligence. Chief has a more analytical style, following the logical path of inquiry to solve problems, implementing intelligent solutions to simple problems. Colleague on the other hand is a different case. His general sense of stupidity and childishness comes in to play in unexpected ways. With a penchant for exploration and touching things, Colleague tends to help with some of the less obvious solutions. As time in a level passes, a video log is unlocked, providing a real time view of how the level is completed. A hint gaugeis also available from the start, showing which object should be examined next.
Some puzzles in the game border on frustrating. Whilst some use intelligent puzzles, such as one involving measuring four litres of liquid using only a three litre and five litre container, others require more convoluted solutions. With both brothers being required to solve puzzles, it can become annoying alternating between the two and trying one idea twice over. It is also necessary to watch each brother complete his animation, whether he is actually using an object or simply explaining that he doesn’t know what to do. This slows the game down considerably and becomes annoying, especially if one accidentally clicks the wrong object. One particular puzzle involves clicking an object at the right moment, otherwise beginning a cycle again. This can become frustrating due to a lack of direction, especially on the smaller screen of the iPod.
Visuals and Audio
The game follows a very unique visual style. The brothers themselves are oddly proportioned, essentially being all torso. Other character are also styled strangely, long necks, noses that comprise a majority of their face and body sizes that vary greatly. This style adds to the unusual charm that the game brings. The world around the brothers follows the same cartoonesque vibe, though not to the same degree. The backgrounds themselves are simple and just large enough to contain the puzzles within.
The characters all possess a comedic nonsense language, comprised of mumbling and odd sounds that represent the idea of talking. The game also implements traditional cartoon sound effects. Chirps, whistles and glugs are all used to bring life to the actions of the Pilot Brothers. A backtrack, comprised of keyboard and other instruments are used to add to the comedic style of the visuals.
Overall
Pilot Brothers 2 is an alright game. The puzzles themselves aren’t too bad, however some require scouring every object onscreen, rather than intelligent observation. The animation, whilst good, feels a bit clunky and slow when combined with the puzzle element, breaking the pace of the game. All in all, not a bad puzzle game, not great, but not bad. Come for the quirky art style, give the puzzles a whirl, but don’t expect too much.
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