Brave

Overview

Brave is an action-adventure video game based on the 2012 Pixar film of the same name. It was developed by Behaviour Interactive and published by Disney Interactive Studios. Kelly Macdonald, who voiced Merida in the film, reprised her role for the game. It was the final Pixar-related title from Disney Interactive Studios before the studio closed in 2016.

The story follows the film up to the point where Queen Elinor turns into a bear and escapes the castle, which is where the game begins. Merida chases her mother to the Ring of Stones and is guided to the witch who made the spell. The witch explains that the cursed bear Mor'du has been corrupting waystones across the land, and she sends Merida, the best archer in the kingdom, to cleanse them. Along the way Merida meets her triplet brothers, who have also been turned into bears.

You can play alone or with a friend in local co-op. The first player controls Merida, and in co-op a second player controls a will-o'-the-wisp. There are puzzles to solve with help from the triplets, and Queen Elinor is playable in her bear form in arena fights. Levels are reached from the Ring of Stones. Charms for fire, earth, air and ice add elemental effects to Merida's arrows and sword attacks, and some enemies are vulnerable to a certain element.

The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions work with PlayStation Move and Kinect, in the form of an archery range mode.

THQ was first reported to be the publisher, as the last title in its 2004 agreement with Pixar, but it was published by Disney Interactive Studios after THQ announced in January 2012 that it was leaving the licensed kids game business. The game was released in North America on June 19, 2012, with Australia on June 21 and Europe on July 27. Reviews were mixed, with praise for the gameplay and style and criticism of the Kinect mode on Xbox 360.

Screenshots

Game details

Genres

Action-adventure

Developer

Behaviour Interactive

Publisher

Disney Interactive Studios

Composers

Philippe Charron

Modes

Single player

Yes

Local multiplayer

2 (co-op)

Online multiplayer

No

Release dates

Achievements

Achievements44 (1,000G)

Total

44

Gamerscore

1000

• Digging in the dirt Find the earth charm. 5G 92.45% of players
• Toasty Find the fire charm. 10G 76.87% of players
• Ice to see you Find the ice charm. 15G 53.18% of players
• Everyone knows it's windy Find the wind charm. 20G 58.95% of players
• Ante up Purchase an upgrade. 10G 77.78% of players
• Full of power Purchase 15 upgrades. 25G 46.4% of players
• Gotta snag 'em all Purchase all upgrades. 40G 20.72% of players
• Carpet runner Collect a tapestry piece. 5G 87.08% of players
• Throw rug Complete a tapestry. 20G 36.78% of players
• Wall to wall carpeting Complete all tapestries. 40G 31.66% of players
• Bowsome Collect a bow. 5G 98.4% of players
• Bowlicious Collect all bows. 25G 35.99% of players
• Swordful Collect a sword. 5G 99.94% of players
• Swordtacular Collect all swords. 25G 35.33% of players
• My fair lassie Collect an outfit. 10G 47.21% of players
• Clothes horse Collect all outfits. 25G 35.35% of players
• Impressive As Merida, defeat 15 enemies in a row without taking damage. 20G 64.08% of players
• Untouchable As Merida, defeat 30 enemies in a row without taking damage. 40G 36.25% of players
• Heating up Defeat 100 enemies using the fire charm. 15G 50.3% of players
• On Fire Defeat 250 enemies using the fire charm. 25G 42.72% of players
• Cooling off Defeat 100 enemies using the ice charm. 15G 35.82% of players
• Ice cold Defeat 250 enemies using the ice charm. 25G 25.18% of players
• Breezy Defeat 100 enemies using the wind charm. 15G 43.68% of players
• Hurricane Defeat 250 enemies using the wind charm. 25G 26.94% of players
• Tremble Defeat 100 enemies using the earth charm. 15G 50.76% of players
• Earthquake Defeat 250 enemies using the earth charm. 25G 39.21% of players
• Power hungry Defeat 100 enemies using power attack. 15G 25.88% of players
• Domination Defeat 250 enemies using power attack. 25G 21.09% of players
• Charge it up Defeat 100 enemies using charged shot. 15G 29.57% of players
• Super bow Defeat 250 enemies using charged shot. 25G 24.89% of players
• All bunched up As Merida, defeat 5 enemies with a single charged shot. 25G 33.03% of players
• Mum's the word Defeat 100 enemies as Queen Elinor. 15G 42.22% of players
• Get out of my way As Elinor, charge 5 enemies with a single charge attack. 25G 30.76% of players
• Ranged only Complete a level without using your sword. 25G 32.25% of players
• Triple H's Solve a triplet puzzle. 10G 83.46% of players
• Brilliant Solve all triplet puzzles. 25G 40.27% of players
• Minimum wage Accumulate a total of 1000 currency. 15G 78.55% of players
• Affluent Accumulate a total of 5000 currency. 25G 52.65% of players
• Wealthy Accumulate a total of 15000 currency. 40G 41.63% of players
• Dirty work Cleanse the ring of stones. 5G 90.73% of players
• Taking out the trash Defeat the rock golem guardian. 20G 45.44% of players
• Mopping up Defeat the harpy guardian. 35G 41.27% of players
• Great scot Defeat Mor'du. 50G 39.14% of players
• Gaelic hero Defeat the game on Brave difficulty, without changing it. 100G 17.36% of players

Playable today

Playable offline todayYes

Single-player only, with no online features.

Online

Plays offlineYes

Brave has no online mode. Co-op is local, for two players.

Reception

Critics

Outlet	Score	Scale
Game Informer	7.75	10

Staff and cast

Staff

Role	Name
Composer	Philippe Charron

Cast

Character	Actor
Merida	Kelly Macdonald

Notes for collectors

• The Xbox 360 list is 44 achievements for 1,000 gamerscore. The last one, Gaelic hero, is worth 100 and needs the game finished on Brave difficulty without changing it.
• Kelly Macdonald, the film's Merida, voices her again in the game.
• The Xbox 360 version supports Kinect for an archery range mode.
• It was the last Pixar game published by Disney Interactive Studios.
• A second player in co-op controls a will-o'-the-wisp rather than a second character.

Credits

Region

US

Time to beat

about 5.5 hours