Bramble: The Mountain King Reviews
A triumph of sinister mood let down by archaic puzzle design.
Bramble: The Mountain King is as gorgeous as it is horrifying, with surprises lurking around every corner. The game excels at building tension and suspense while maintaining visual splendor throughout. Although the game isn’t particularly long–I rolled credits around 7 hours–it is an experience that horror game enthusiasts will not want to miss.
At its core, Bramble: The Mountain King is a storybook brought to life in the best way possible. Olle's search for his sister is a wonderful journey inspired by Nordic folklore that is aided by magnificent landscapes, unsettling mythological creatures and an intriguing narrative that culminates in a touching tale of bravery in the face of darkness.
Bramble: The Mountain King is a fascinating adventure. Each character you meet on your Nordic expedition is wonderfully designed and will instantly capture your imagination. Even though the movement is a little rigid and the game is extremely linear, it manages to deliver a unique experience that will fester in your psyche.
It's a shame Bramble: The Mountain King has such frustrating level design drawbacks because it undercuts a beautifully dark and disturbing fable. It's not doing a whole lot as a game that helps it stick out either, but the narrative structure behind it rescues it from the clutches of true disappointment.
There's a lot to like about Bramble: The Mountain King. Through its narration and fantastical environments, Dimfrost Studio does a great job at making you feel like you're taking part in an unsettling, if a little too long, fable laden with mythological creatures. The game's puzzle-platforming segments do nothing extraordinary, yet strike a nice balance between simplicity and challenge, and though the set camera and cumbersome movement can often get in the way, frequent checkpoints alleviate much of the frustration. However, depending on how much performance issues annoy you – stuttering, pop-in, frame rate drops – this is an adventure that might be best played elsewhere.
The horror adventure game, Bramble: The Mountain King, effectively contrasts terrifying imagery with the pastoral scenery of its Nordic setting. Horror isn't generally my thing, but the compelling story and captivating music were more than enough to carry me through this dark tale.
Bramble: The Mountain King is worth a single playthrough, but the lack of any real depth to its gameplay makes it a difficult recommendation to those that might not be drawn in by its gorgeous visuals and atmosphere.
Bramble: The Mountain King is a superb story driven adventure with solid gameplay and astonishing atmosphere that switches its tempo continually, emphasizing on the fact that even through the darkest of times, there is still hope for light at the end, although it may come with a price.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Bramble: The Mountain King combines elements of an under-explored culture in games to create a great fantasy and horror experience. It's a game that's definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of the genre.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Bramble: The Mountain King is an adventure title that takes place in a world based on Nordic fables, where we will play as Olle, a little boy who must rescue his sister Lillemor, who will be kidnapped by evil creatures.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Bramble: The Mountain King offers an adventure that’s beautiful and horrifying in equal measure, so expect to be kept on the edge of your seat when playing. Don’t get me wrong, it can be guilty of keeping things simple and there’s not much here you wouldn’t have seen before from a gameplay perspective, but the way that it keeps players hooked in with its luscious world and terrifying encounters with enemies is simply enthralling. It’s rare that a game manages to shock me time and time again when playing, but man, Bramble: The Mountain King maintained that unnerving sense of fear right until the very end.
'Bramble: The Mountain King' is a puzzle platformer with a necessary dose of horror elements. This well-known concept comes with some unique additions so that the game can distinguish itself from the rest. It is very linear and has very little replay value. Nevertheless, the beautiful images, through the strong use of light, provide an experience that will leave your eyes open. A top of an indie game.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Bramble: The Mountain King is a horror adventure that knows what it's doing. Its world-building based on Nordic culture is impeccable, presenting mythological stories and characters to an audience that most likely did not know or had so much contact with them. Balancing mediocre platforming with simple puzzles, limited exploration, creative battles and an atmosphere that successfully manages to be scary and beautiful at the same time, this short little game doesn't prolong its stay, knowing how to stop while it is still on top.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
An anthology of Nordic myths that is easy for anyone to understand, but while the gruesome production increases immersion, the volume of the stories feels somewhat short, and the monotonous boss battles and quiz composition lack the fun of conquest
Review in Korean | Read full review
Bramble: The Mountain King is a dark fairy tale done right. It pulls you in with all the whimsy and charm of an enchanted forest, before it disturbs you with the horrors of a wronged soul.
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.
Bramble: The Mountain King is one of the best story games I’ve played in a while. If the uniquely tragic subject matter is something you can deal with, you’re in for a uniquely heart-wrenching, tension filled horror story you just won’t find anywhere else.