I recently played Bramble: The Mountain King and was blown away by how atmospheric it is and how much it impacts the player. It's hard to put into words the full range of emotions, but I'll try to break down why I think everyone should play this game (especially those who love reimagining fairy tales, platformers, and heartwarming stories), and what you should be aware of (in some cases, the game can be emotionally challenging and leave a bad taste).

"Basic" info about Bramble: The Mountain King.

The game came out in 2023, developed by Dimfrost Studio and published by Merge Games.

It's inspired by Scandinavian folklore, and also has horror elements, which I'll touch on as I share my thoughts.

The story is straightforward, almost fairy tale-like: one morning, a boy named Olle wakes up to find his older sister Lilliemor missing. He sets out to find her in the forest, where they initially play and meet fantastical creatures – gnomes and fairies. It all seems carefree and charming until Lilliemor gets kidnapped by a troll. Then Olle has to rescue her on his own. Without giving too much away, I'll just say the game masterfully makes you feel for the kid, rejoice when he's safe, and keeps you on edge – you won't be bored.

In the gnomes' village

Another fantastical creatureThe game is all about contrasts. Why I played Bramble from start to finish.

As I mentioned, the beginning is seemingly carefree. The world feels like a living fairy tale: lush, vibrant fields, a cozy gnome village, giant mushrooms (like in Alice in Wonderland), babbling brooks, and more – it's hard not to be charmed. Honestly, I wanted to feel like I was in the game, it's so realistically and beautifully rendered.

Enchanting

But what really gets me is that there are horror elements here. It's not just mindless jump scares – it's a full-on atmosphere shift: the lights go out, and you're hit with some pretty intense scenes that you don't see coming, especially after the cute stuff you've seen so far. Reminds me of the Brothers Grimm stories – it's like that level of unflinching brutality. When you see a troll cooking up something in the kitchen and you think, 'Hey, maybe I'll be the main course,' it's not just your imagination running wild – the game can actually make that happen. Like, you know, getting caught in a trap or stepping on a spike. Or, you know, poor Olle getting eaten alive.

That's when things started to get real scary.

The sense of safety just gets blown to smithereens. And I especially love how vulnerable our protagonist is in this world. If it weren't for the game's mechanics, he'd be toast – no way he could outrun those giant creatures, no way he could keep going without a break, no way he could climb or crawl or jump his way out of trouble.

But there are some sweet, heartwarming moments too.

The further you go, the more intense it gets, and poor Olle's got to deal with some serious destruction, brutality, and the consequences of the plague. He's trying to do the right thing, and it's pretty clear that one person, even with a magic stone, just isn't enough. There are things that are just beyond our control. The magic starts to run out, and it's all about showing you the harsh reality – like in our own history books.

I loved the music at this point.

Enemies are hot on Olle's heelsOn bosses and battles with them.

I'm not afraid to say that every boss in this game has stuck with me (even if I can barely remember their names). Given the size difference, Olle has to rely on quick reflexes, stealth, and cunning to take them down.

The battle with Nekken was intense – I'm not even sure if you can call it a battle. The game does an amazing job of ratcheting up the tension: one wrong move and you're back to square one, and even if you're moving at lightning speed, the boss can still catch up to you. The animations are top-notch, and I've got to give credit to the devs for their attention to detail when it comes to Norse mythology.

Each boss has a book with their backstory

Old Hag Pest is the personification of disease and death – she's armed with a rake and a broom. The fight against her is utterly bonkers, seared into my memory, and has a touch of surrealism to it.

Of course, she's not the only boss in the game. But let's just say they're a surprise for those who haven't played or watched a walkthrough (although, in my opinion, it's better to play through it yourself to experience the full range of emotions).

Puppet-like charactersThe positive characters – Olle, Lillimor, and Tova – have big eyes, small noses, and pursed lips, making them look like 'pups.' Ironically, some of my friends found this unsettling. I think it was done to make the player more attached to them, but I'm indifferent to the decision. It didn't really make me go 'awww,' nor did it repel me.

Who might not enjoy this game?

People who are sensitive to violence and gore. There's a lot of it, and I'm not trying to sugarcoat it - the scenes are intense, and the story is pretty dark too. I'm a pretty empathetic person, and even I found myself getting a little uncomfortable at times. Who's likely to love this game?

Fans of dark, twisted stories and fairy tales; Fans of platformers. The jumping, grabbing, timing, and strategy required to get through levels is all here; Fans of straightforward puzzles; Fans of Norse mythology and beyond; People who prefer games that don't require a huge time commitment.

To be honest, the final boss and the ending didn't quite live up to my expectations. That being said, the game has made it into my top favorites, and I'd be happy to buy a sequel or something similar from the same developer.

Thanks for reading!