An upcoming game from Dimfrost Studio, Bramble: The Mountain King, is a visually beautiful grim adventure that features many creatures and characters from dark Nordic fables. The premise alone may be enough to sell some gamers, but Dimfrost Studio is still opening its arms to invite more people to get excited about the game. Recently, they released an 18-minute gameplay trailer with commentary from the lead artist at Dimfrost Studio, Ellinor. As she kinds us through the fables behind the game, the chunk of gameplay gives us a taste of what the adventure will be like.
You will play Olle as you look for your missing sister in a magical setting reminiscent of many fantasy forests, called Bramble. In this world, you are tiny and have to traverse the environment by walking through the grass and along paths. Sometimes large roots or rocks will have to be overcome by climbing or circumventing them. Sometimes you will be able to cross large gaps by balancing across a stick or hopping from one mushroom to another.
As you move through the world, you will meet many different creatures. Some are friendly and helpful, like the gnomes’ hedgehog that will take you across a river. The heavy sleeper will give you a boost over some steep rocks, and the gnomes are peaceful entities. Other creatures will be less friendly, and you will have to try to escape them. Olle isn’t much of a fighter, but he is so small that he can hide and evade bigger creatures pretty easily.
The new video introduced us to the very creepy dark fable of the bullied musician turned monster. Though he played beautifully, he was bullied so severely that one day he hypnotized his village with his music and made them dance to their deaths. However, his love was killed as well, and in mourning, he fled to the lake, where he now lures his victims with his music. Olle was lured to the lake and then had to try to evade being captured by hopping from lilypads and ducking behind rocks and roots.
The scenery can be so peaceful at times but very dark and creepy at others. At the beginning of the video, Olle walks through lush grass with small flowers and butterflies dotted throughout the scene. Even the lake looked idyllic in the sun as Olle waded through the shallows to save the baby gnome. However, after being put into a trance, Olle slid into an underground nightmare. You will have to navigate the darkness by hopping over gaps using crumbling scaffolding and hanging cages. The constant growling and groaning were unnerving as well. Based on the trailer below and other pictures of the game, it looks like the switch between light and dark will be common, which makes for a more interesting game.
This game looks perfect for fans of games like Limbo and Little Nightmares due to the similar gameplay, but it is unique with its focus on Nordic fable creatures and a bright, natural environment. Sometime in 2023, Bramble: The Mountain King will be available to play on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. If you liked the gameplay video above and want to support the grim adventure game, you can add it to your Steam wishlist today.
