Bramble: The Mountain King
About Bramble 🗻
Steam Tags: Horror, Cinematic, Adventure, Atmospheric, 3D
System: PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch
Developer | Publisher: Dimfrost Studio | Merge Games
Age Rating: US Teen | EU 16
Price: US $29.99
Release Date: April 27, 2023
Time to Play: 3-5 hours
Steam Description: Bramble The Mountain King is a grim adventure set in a world inspired by dark, Nordic fables. Explore the beautiful yet dangerous and twisted land of Bramble in your endeavour to rescue your sister. Traverse a wondrous landscape and survive deadly encounters with Bramble's many hideous creatures.
You may especially enjoy this if you like:
Little Nightmares, Limbo, Inside, and other atmospheric/horror puzzle platformers
Norse mythology and folktales
Are okay with some graphic violence and intense moments (content notes are all below!)
Why Bramble? ✨
The game itself has minimal reading (and some spoken narration), fitting the community suggestion of exploring a game with minimal/no text and storytelling.
October is spooky month, and we wanted to play something that fits the eerie, autumnal vibe.
We’re familiar with many of the wider Norse mythology from games like God of War and shows like Vikings, but this title dives into the weeds (the brambles?) pulling out some of the lesser known folklore that still has permeated our understanding of fantasy today!
The game also explores the themes of facing your fears and what does it mean to be brave. We’ll also take time to discuss and learn about the history of Norse mythology/folklore and its impact and evolution today, along the lessons related to each major area/tale the game introduces.
It’s a short-ish experience (between 3-5 hours depending on your playstyle) that you can finish in one sitting, if you’re really into it!
It’s available on Gamepass as well via Steam, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch.
Listen to our podcast episode or watch on YouTube as we go in more detail on why Bramble: The Mountain King was this month’s selection!
Content Warnings & Notes 🚦
The developers describe the content like this:
Throughout the game, you will meet and defeat monsters in the form of bosses. These scenes will be violent and bloody. Some of the monsters may have human traits, but all are monsters/creatures in Nordic folklore. In addition, you will be able to see dead creatures or animals in magical forests, these create storytelling around the trolls' everyday life. Some fantasy creatures have bodies that resemble the human shape, sometimes they appear semi-nude or wearing revealing clothing.
Additional heads-up based on my own experiencing playing the game:
Instances and mentions of child/infant death and harm.
One specific boss encounter (near the end of the game) has strong instances of flashing imagery and distortions/aberrations.
As with any game, if you have a particular concern or would like clarification, please don’t hesitate investigate it further or reach out to me at jenny@geeksandgrounds.com!
Timeline / Important Dates 📅
October 3-9, 2023 : Into the Woods (~ 1 hour)
Finish through Olle finding a light and being grabbed by troll. The narrator will say, “Olle was comforted by the morning sun” Stop there.
October 10-16, 2023: Light in the Darkness (~1.5 hours)
Finish through the Swamp confrontation. The narrative will say, “There was a light in the darkness.” Stop there.
October 17-23, 2023: One Last Gift (~1.5 hours)
Finish the game (if you want to be done in time to listen to the spoilercast)
October 24, 2023: Spoilercast Published
October 30, 2023: Community Game Discussion & Hangout
