


This never-ending stream of tiny rewards gives any action, regardless of significance, a veneer of achievement. Brave's working title was The Bear and the Bow, which fits the game perfectly because it's built around Merida's skill with the bow – which here resembles a wooden machine gun.Įverything from defeating enemies to destroying background objects unleashes jingling currency, which tumbles out before homing in and hitting you with a little tinkle. The game's story is a companion piece to the movie rather than following it, with the teenage Merida out to defeat a big bad bear with a little help from her family. Their influence on Brave is heavy, most obvious in the coins forever flowing into flame-haired protagonist Merida, whose grunts and squeals are voiced with considerable vigour by Kelly MacDonald. Since 2005's Lego Star Wars, these games (developed by Traveller's Tales) have enjoyed such popular success they're seen as a template for family-friendly gaming – in other words, great for playing with the kids.

The remit is clear: expand on the film's universe, and try to recreate some of the ever-popular Lego series' magic. Brave: The Video Game is a return to more straightforward territory, a third-person platformer-stroke-shooter developed by Behaviour Interactive (formerly Artificial Mind and Movement).
