Bramble: The Mountain King is a gorgeous game that introduced me to the dark world of Nordic fables

PLAY IT OR SKIP IT?

Play it! Bramble: The Mountain King is by far one of the best titles I’ve played this year. It uses beautiful visuals to bring Nordic folklore’s magical and sinister elements to life. Admittedly, I don’t know much about Nordic fables, but hopping into Bramble felt like jumping into a very dark story written by the Brothers Grimm. Whether I was befriending gnomes, dodging zombies, or chasing a child-murdering witch, the narrative made me feel like a child being read to and constantly wondering at what might happen next.

TIME PLAYED

I clocked in around six hours on Bramble: The Mountain King over the weekend on my PlayStation 4. This was enough to complete the main story at a slower pace. My only regret is that when it was over, I wanted more! Bramble does a great job of packaging a fantastic story into something consumable in a single sitting. It’s the perfect game for someone looking for a strong narrative but not looking to invest all the time and energy a larger game might require.

WHAT’S AWESOME

• Visuals. Bramble: The Mountain King made me feel like I was in a storybook world. I loved how the beautiful environments took me from calm scenarios like wandering through a garden to something as terrifying as sneaking through a witch’s cabin. The game consistently delivered interesting backgrounds and environments that all immersed me in this world.

​​• Characters. As you might expect from a game inspired by Nordic folklore, Bramble does a great job introducing a variety of characters into its story. Characters like frog kings, giants, witches, trolls, and gnomes all appear. And beyond even those, there are creatures that I can't even begin to describe!

• Narrative. The narrative here drives Bramble—and not just the main plot, which involves protagonist Olle trying to save his sister. Throughout the game, I found books that told stories about the area I was currently in, or provided details about some of the creatures that inhabited the region and how they came to be. These often tragic tales are narrated by a mysterious woman and expanded on the lore in a way that was as fun and intriguing as the main plot.

• Gameplay. Bramble: The Mountain King’s gameplay mostly involves platforming, with a puzzle thrown in occasionally. Some might complain that it’s too simplistic, but that’s what I like about it. The puzzles are challenging enough that I needed to take a moment to think, but not so hard that I felt like I had to run to Google every five minutes. Additionally, the platforming and stealth made this game enjoyable without putting in too much effort.

WHAT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

• Pacing. As much as I loved Bramble: The Mountain King, the game doesn’t really take off until after your sister is kidnapped. The opening portions could have been shortened to get to the action faster.

💬 Will you play Bramble: The Mountain King or skip it? Let me know in the comments section, and we’ll chat more!