Dimfrost Studio, a small game development studio in Sweden, might have a small team, but they have gigantic dreams. Their only previous release being ‘A Writer And His Daughter’ in 2017, a VR adventure game that can be a little jarring with how much detail went into it. They went back to the shadows to create a masterpiece that’s overflowing with Nordic and Scandinavian folklore, and only released small teasers to get the excitement growing. After a long wait, we finally got to see Bramble: The Mountain King release on 27 April 2023, while most folk stories can be charming, Dimfrost Studio added a darker twist to it that can be quite unnerving.

The main reason behind calling Bramble: The Mountain King unnerving is that there is such a clear duality between the fairytale side of the folklore and the much darker truth that’s typically left out when the stories are retold. You’ll need to keep on your toes when you’re making your way through the lands, because death is a very real thing in this game, and it doesn’t show mercy or play nice. It’s a harsh truth that most can’t accept, but it’s beautifully highlighted in Bramble: The Mountain King.

Your adventure starts with a woman narrating and Olle, a young boy and our protagonist, waking up from a nightmare. His mother told him a frightening bedtime story. You’re given a brief tour of his room and some time to get a feel for the controls at this time, though you also get to experience the biggest appeal to Bramble: The Mountain King. It might just be the start of this epic adventure, but you’re also introduced to the most amazing aspect of this game, the storyteller, she’s also the narrator, but with the warmth in her voice, it feels like you’re being told a bedtime story.

While the story might seem a bit vague at first, you’ll soon come to realize that you’re working your way through multiple stories. The first story is more aimed at Olle’s sister, Lillimor, who didn’t listen to her mother and instead went into the forest at night. This is made apparent when you find the storybook in Olle’s room, and you’ll find many more of these as you progress. Even though Olle woke up because of a nightmare, he’d usually turn to his sister for comfort, but she wasn’t there.

This is where Olle follows his sister’s trail out the window and into the forest to find her. Initially, Bramble: The Mountain King will have a very charming and relaxed atmosphere that almost seems whimsical, as if it was built on old fairytales. You’ll have to guide Olle through the dark forest where he’ll find a glowing stone, the stone is somewhat a metaphor though to signify hope, strength and, most importantly, a light in the dark. However, along your path, you’ll also find the most peculiar pinecones with twigs for arms and legs. These will play a part quite soon.

Sooner, rather than later, Olle will find his missing sister singing to the mountains. As odd as this sounds, it also forms part of Nordic Lore. As mentioned, Bramble: The Mountain King has Nordic and Scandinavian lore coming out of every orifice but in all the best ways. Though this is also where you’ll discover that the glowing stone is useful for more than just lighting the way forward, as Lillimore helps Olle with some simple target practice. The stone won’t go far if you accidentally miss your mark, but you’ll need to pick it up. The target practice might look a bit odd and out of place in this regard, but it’s also the slightest bit of preparation for what’s to come.

So where the previously mentioned duality of Bramble: The Mountain King comes in is when Lillimor and Olle fall off the edge of a cliff in the tower, gotta love it when the cliff decides to crumble under you. Luckily, they safely slid down the cliff face. From the slide alone, it went from night to day and things became a lot more whimsical and giant-sized. You’ll get your first taste of the wonderous creatures that will be all over your path, gnomes. Just like the original folklore states, they are incredibly playful and curious things but also extremely shy at first. Though they are easily befriended if you play with or even help them.

The duality of Bramble: The Mountain King is just further highlighted when you meet the Frog King, who becomes Olle’s friend. However, all good things must come to an end. Day turns to night in the blink of an eye as Olle and his sister playfully explore, and this is where the horror of those same folk stories come out to feast and hunt. Lillimor get’s taken by a troll and Olle has no choice but to run and save himself in the hope of saving his sister when he can.

Aside from the horror aspects of Bramble: The Mountain King, you’ll also be greeted by simple but interesting puzzles. From moving objects to reach higher footholds, to brewing mysterious potions to open a door. Things will only take a much darker and bloodier turn as you survive the night, Olle might only be roughly 10 years old, but a bear trap can still crush him like a small insect. Not to mention the goblin you’ll have to face off against.

Said goblin might be much bigger than Olle, but you don’t need to fight him, you just need to escape him and his meat cleaver by any means necessary. The goblin butcher does technically count as your first of many boss fights, but not every boss encounter is the same. Some, like the goblin butcher will require you to learn his attack pattern to throw entrails at him to disorient him, others need a completely different approach that involves killing.

Though each boss fight you go through, whether it’s a chase scene or a fight, seems to signify the end of a certain story based on the folklore. Though some warning is necessary after this goblin butcher, Bramble: The Mountain King is a brilliant game, but so much can and will go wrong. These events can be quite unsettling to some, but that’s what makes this game so appealing. With you playing as Olle, your actions are his and in turn, you affect each other. It is a third-person game, but the immersion is unlike any other you’ll have ever seen.

That same immersion comes into play when Olle has to hide from the things that go bump in the night. Not every battle can be won, and sometimes Olle has no choice but to run and hide. Careful timing is key in this case, as it will keep him alive for longer and allow you to move forward. However, the light can reveal more than meets the eye, like bear traps between Olle and his next hiding spot in murky water.

In Bramble: The Mountain King, it might seem like everything that lives in the dark would be out to eat or kill Olle, but you can still find a friendly soul in the strangest places. Lemus is a stone giant who was being bullied by the pinecone people, he might look a bit terrifying but he’s got an incredibly soft heart. All he ever wanted was a friend, and Olle became his friend when nobody else would. Once again relying heavily on metaphors and folklore, Bramble: The Mountain King has so much to teach players while keeping them on the edge of their seats.

Though don’t get too comfortable, just as the nighttime can have a friendly face or two in the sea of nightmares, the daytime also hides the odd unspeakable horror that would still want to end Olle just for the sake of doing it. This is where you’ll meet Nacken, another famous character from Scandinavian folklore. He might seem whimsical with his melodies, but he’s far from friendly, and his only interests are malicious.

Bramble: The Mountain King has such an amazing art style and visual design, it’s hard not to stop and admire it, even if you do have to run from the creatures hunting you. With its use of forest greens, makes the daytime side of the game look very alive, but nighttime colors are much darker and shadow, adding to the horror atmosphere. As we all know, most of the Scandinavian lore doesn’t have much in terms of detailed images, and at most, you’re lucky if you can get a good description. However, from the smallest creatures like the gnomes to the much more terrifying beings like Neckan, everything is incredibly detailed and it can look like these creatures actually exist outside the game. Though even the friendly creatures you meet are also remarkably detailed and their features also show that they mean Olle no harm. Bramble: The Mountain King's visual aspects build such a captivating atmosphere; you’ll feel like you’re actually living through Olle.

Seeing is believing, but hearing is just as important, and what you hear in Bramble: The Mountain King is just as valuable. While Olle and Lillimor aren’t voiced where they have conversations, their sounds are quite fitting to their ages and actions. The creatures, both good and evil, while once again not voiced for conversation, all have their own unique sounds that tie really well into their roles and lore. The music you’ll hear will mostly be instrumental and great for immersion along with atmosphere, you’ll also occasionally experience an awe-inspiring vocal song too.

To save the best for last. The most appealing aspect of Bramble: The Mountain King is the narrator, or more aptly named, the storyteller. Sound effects for the various creatures and beings built most of the game, but the storyteller just puts this strange adventure right at the top. With a voice that sounds like it was made for storytelling, you might get lost in her voice and the way she tells the story or occasionally intercedes to give context as to what’s going on. The storyteller’s voice is definitely one that will keep you coming for more, even if the horror side of this game isn’t for you.

Overall, Bramble: The Mountain King has so much to offer. It’s almost a miracle that everything fits into just one game, with its incredibly rich story, diverse world, and the many twists you’ll encounter. This game has proven to be a masterpiece that isn’t just played, it is experienced and can appeal to anybody who wants a great story… And possibly a look at some of the more bizarre creatures from Nordic and Scandinavian folklore.

Jay Claassen
Editor, NoobFeed