These days , keeping up with games can be a full - time job . So how do you separate the sign from the noise , the wheat from the chaff , the Temple Runs from the Temple Jumps ? Allow us to help by regularly take a game You Should Play .

classical point - and - sink in adventure game have evolved over the days and recently saw a revival with Telltale ’s successful occasional series . Based on licensed properties vagabond fromThe Walking DeadtoMinecraftandGame of Thrones , the game take the form of an interactive translation of the definitive pick out - your - own - escapade Word of God , letting you make decisions that gradually lead to different conclusions . No matter the fib , however , you’re able to expect something bluff and exciting , and filled with action .

Burly Men at Seatakes a much serene approach path . It ’s a optic and story - drive affair still , but as the introduction screens intimate , it ’s “ a tranquil adventure ” from developer Brain&Brain . That whole step shines through in the storybook - like presentation , the beautiful tunes , and the clever written talks from the bulky fishermen and the various hoi polloi and creatures they come across along the way .

ysp burlymen town

Every history starts and terminate here , but what ’s in between can shift .

While Burly Men at Sea may indeed be a quieter escapade than most , do n’t misidentify that for simplicity . Some will debate whether it ’s even a game , give way the lightweight interactivity , but this narrative seeking has some surprises along the elbow room . After your first abbreviated play - through comes to a close , you ’re nudged to go back in and see what other adventure await — and sure as shooting enough , the Brothers Beard can take other paths and find further awing things .

And you could , too — wherever you are — thanks to this incredibly - pleasant iPhone and iPad game . Ready to enter on a voyage ? Here ’s why Burly Men at Sea is such a treat .

ysp burlymen grim

It ’s like a storybook : Burly Men at Sea almost feels like a children ’s storybook , albeit one that you’re able to explore , poke , and jab to see what occur . Most of the prison term , the brothers are huddled into a small circle at the eye of the screen , and you may pull to expand that band go forth or right to see what else is nearby . As the look-alike expands , so too does the plot line , as you chat with a local coffee shop proprietor , mystical nymph … or the downhearted Grim Reaper sailing by on a boat .

One of the many interesting characters you ’ll encounter .

Designed as a folktale and set up in Scandinavia in the early 20th century , there ’s a distinguished sense of adventure to the tale despite its comparatively compact size — and , of course , its existence on your hand-held equipment . The delicious dialogue is consistently cagy and funny throughout , and really encourages you to assay more from the game ’s world … if only to learn more of it . However , it ’s not the only part of the game that ’ll have you singing its praises .

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It feels handcrafted : While the game was coded using computers , it feels positively shaped by human hands . Brain&Brain , a hubby - and - married woman duo who previously made the darlingDoggins , intelligibly poured a lot of love life and tending into have Burly Men at Sea feel not only original , but also instill with passion and enchantment .

Whoops .

The minimum graphical style still packs in a lot of detail within its childlike anatomy , as seen with the fly birds and ripples on the pee , and showcases a lot of personality too . It ’s paired well with the sound here , with sound effects — like the “ chink ” of a blacksmith ’s hammer — provided by human vox , and the snappy backing euphony similarly perk up up by cornet , accordions , and well - placed chants . It ’s a real joyousness .

ysp burlymen dialogue

And there ’s no one path : You might polish off Burly Men at Sea in about 30 minutes and mean , “ That ’s it ? ” It ’s a just question . But really , that’snotit . You ’ll pop another secret plan and find that the first couple tone are mostly identical , but from there you ’ll detect extra options — another choice once you ’re stuck in the belly of a whale , or multiple possibilities once you undergo a sure transformation beneath the sea .

I find this assertion incredibly fascinating .

It ’s not that you get a dozen completely unlike games in one here , but each new interpretation of the story unearth new wrinkles and hire the brothers in a unfermented counseling . pass on the immense atmosphere of the game and the brilliant writing , these deviance render incentive to stick around and explore , and regain out just how many amazing adventures the Burly Men at Sea can get themselves into .

Developer : Brain&BrainPlatform : iOS ( Universal)Price:$5