Bramble: The Mountain King

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.

If you're not put off by heavy themes, I couldn't suggest this title more; Bramble: The Mountain King is one of the few titles of this genre I wish I had played sooner.

Beautiful and brutal, this adventured pack with grim Nordic fairy tales won't let you go.

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.

Bramble: The Mountain King takes players through a realm of twisted folklore based on horrific Nordic tales. An adventure of wondrous fables and intimidating creatures awaits as young Olle chases after his sister into the forest after dark. Despite drawing some early and unfavourable comparisons to titles like Little Nightmares, Bramble quickly finds its stride as the grim fairytales and affecting imagery continue to build in impact over the course of the ~6-hour experience.

Bramble: The Mountain King is a beautiful, charming and disturbing interactive dark fairy tale that is undone slightly by some dated gameplay moments.

Bramble: The Mountain King is a dark and brooding slice of Nordic folklore that's well worth digging into, despite some notable technical shortcomings. There's an inherent jankiness to the gameplay here that permeates its platforming, boss battles and exploration. However, if you can make peace with these rough edges, you'll find a tale that's still dripping in atmosphere, packed full of wonderful details and a menagerie of foul fairy-tale beasties that draw you in and keep the short campaign well and truly interesting.

Live out your childhood nightmares.

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.

Bramble: The Mountain King isn’t without its flaws. The gameplay is straightforward and borrows elements from popular indies in the horror genre, and with the plot swimming in folklore and a fantastic narrator, it’s easy to invest into the linear story. However, the game is quite short and the character models don’t instill fear as the devs intended — essentially removing a core element of the game.