Brothers – A Tale of Two Sons (2013): runs on Windows 11, Mac, Linux, Steam Deck?

Windows 11✓
Steam Deck✓ Playable
Mac✓ no Mac version, runs through CrossOver
Linux✓ Proton Platinum

Gamicality score 92 / 100

Playability today ★★★★★ 5

Runs today5 / 5
Design today5 / 5
See the checks

Steam user reviews Very Positive

40,995 reviews94% positive
Steam store page

Get it on Steam Get it on GOGDRM-free

Released: 2013
Developer: Starbreeze Studios AB
Genre: Action, Adventure, Indie
Time to beat: About 3 hours for the main story HowLongToBeat
Runs on: Windows, Linux, Steam Deck
Last checked: October 31, 2026

Does Brothers – A Tale of Two Sons run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11	✓Sold for Windows today, no problem on record. Source
Mac (Apple Silicon)	✓No Mac version is sold. Plays on a Mac through CrossOver (AppleGamingWiki).
Linux	✓Through Proton. ProtonDB: Platinum, runs perfectly out of the box. Source
Steam Deck	✓Playable, as rated by Valve. May need some setup. Source

Played it lately? Press Works for me or Doesn’t work on your platform, so the next player knows. One click, no account. How we check where it runs

Synopsis

A short fairy-tale adventure in which two brothers travel across a fantasy land in search of a cure for their dying father. The player steers both brothers at once, one with each side of the controller, and uses their different strengths to solve environmental puzzles together.

What people say

Critics in 2013 praised its one-player, two-character control scheme and how it ties the mechanics to the story's emotional payoff. Players still recommend it as a short, memorable experience that uses its controls in a way few games have copied. Criticisms center on its brevity and simplicity, with a few players finding long stretches of plain walking and puzzles that rarely challenge. Playing on keyboard is generally considered less comfortable than on a controller.

Playability today

The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works

Runs today

5 / 5

✓Sold or given away today by an official source
✓Runs on Windows 11 without fan patches
✓Single-player works without an internet connection
GOG sells a DRM-free version that plays offline (GOG).
✓All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
PCGamingWiki records no shut-down servers or lost content (PCGamingWiki).
✓Supports modern resolutions and widescreen
Native widescreen and modern resolutions (PCGamingWiki).
✓Full controller support or remappable controls
Controller support (PCGamingWiki).
✓Steam Deck Verified or Playable
✓No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
✓No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
✓No known game-breaking bugs in the current version
PCGamingWiki lists no unresolved issues (PCGamingWiki).

From the Steam store, Valve’s Steam Deck rating and the sources under each check. Checks not confirmed yet don’t count.

Design today

5 / 5

✓Controls feel natural on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
Each brother is moved by one thumbstick and acts with one trigger, which takes up to an hour to get used to, and a gamepad is needed on PC. Source: gamechronicles.com, nintendolife.com, destructoid.com.
✓Menus, text and interface are clear on today's screens
The game shows no HUD or objective markers during play, so the screen stays clear and the world itself shows what can be used. Source: destructoid.com, digitaltrends.com.
✓Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progress
Frequent checkpoints restart the player close by after a fall or death, so very little progress is lost. Source: nintendolife.com, pushsquare.com.
✓It teaches itself: no guide needed to make progress
Simple early tasks introduce the two-stick scheme without any text, and later puzzles have clear solutions, so no guide is needed. Source: digitaltrends.com, destructoid.com, gamechronicles.com.
✓Pacing holds up: little grind, filler or forced backtracking
The story runs about three to four hours with no grind or backtracking, and it moves at a relaxed pace. Source: destructoid.com, gamechronicles.com, worthplaying.com.
✓Camera and movement never fight the player
The automatic camera frames both brothers and the bumpers rotate it, though it occasionally swings around and can steer a brother into a wall. Source: gamechronicles.com, destructoid.com.