Jason Savio

Well, this is awkward.

Have you ever come across one of those games that seemingly doesn’t want you to play it? You know the type: They seem simple and welcoming at first, but once you click “start,” you soon find out that it’s a lion in sheep’s clothing. My Brother Rabbit, a point-and-click affair, falls into that category.

As you’ve probably guessed, in My Brother Rabbit, you play as a stuffed rabbit come to life in a whimsical fairy tale land. But this make-believe world is anchored by a very real one. The rabbit is alive, thanks to the power of a young boy’s imagination in an effort to help his kid sister, who is sick in the hospital. The goal of the rabbit in the make-believe world is to save his friend, a sick flower. It’s no coincidence that the brother in reality is trying to do something similar with his ailing sister.

My Brother Rabbit relies heavily on puzzles and patience-testing problems, and therein lies the problem for yours truly. A good game can’t be easy – it can’t be a dumbed-down button masher – but it also can’t give you an undeniable urge to turn off the TV because you feel like you’ve exhausted all options when it comes to trying to advance. What’s the fun in that?

Perhaps My Brother Rabbit, with its endearing character and cartoon presentation, caught this gamer off guard, and, if that’s the case, then kudos to Artifex Mundi for putting out a title that is more challenging than it seems. But it’s a tease, and one that makes you wonder what you’re missing out on.

There is something to be said, however, for the world that My Brother Rabbit inhabits. It’s dream-like atmosphere and cartoon characters evoke pleasant feelings of youth and innocence, two things that many other indie titles seem to be leaning toward recently instead of flat-out violence and grim apocalypses. 

So, is My Brother Rabbit worth the trip down the rabbit hole? If you’re not in a rush and you like puzzles that are a lot harder than they appear to be, then yes, jump on in.

For more information, visit mybrotherrabbit.com.