Brothers is a single-player cooperative game where the player controls two brothers independently and simultaneously. The game starts in a village where the two young brothers live. Their mother drowned in the sea and their father is ailing. The two set out to find the Water of Life , which is said to hold the power to cure their father. Both brothers are controlled separately for movement and actions.
The game focuses on exploration and especially environment-based puzzle-solving to progress. The player must use both brothers in creative ways, such as pulling levers together or using one brother to distract enemies while the other sneaks past. There is also climbing, hanging from ledges, and sliding down. The level design is linear with a single path to progress.
The game features a fantasy-like atmosphere with different locales such as villages, mountains, and a frozen landscape. Sequences not related to the main quest showcase the brothers' fun times together, establishing the game's atmosphere.