Bramble: The Mountain King
A dark fantasy adventure rooted in Scandinavian folklore.
Bramble: The Mountain King is a 2023 action-adventure game from Swedish developer Dimfrost Studio and publisher Merge Games. Players guide a boy named Olle as he ventures to rescue his sister Lillemor from mythological creatures. The game is a third-person adventure rooted in Scandinavian folklore, with horror elements. Olle moves through fairy-tale locales on a mostly linear path, solving puzzles, jumping across platforms, and occasionally fighting bosses. In an old Nordic land, a young boy named Olle plays with his big sister Lillemor at night. A troll then captures Lillemor, taking her to a remote mountain kingdom. Armed with a mysterious stone of light, Olle searches for her through the woods. Olle escapes trolls and befriends the stone giant Lemus. He is lured to a pond by the hypnotic violin of the water spirit Näcken, who is killed when both plunge over a waterfall during his pursuit. Olle meets the young witch Tuva, who empowers his stone to defend against the Bramble infesting the land. In marshes filled with shadows of drowned children, Olle follows a witch who plans to sacrifice her baby in a Satanic ritual, overseen by the demon midwife Kärrhäxan. Olle fails to save the newborn, who is drowned; the witch then hangs herself. Olle buries the child to prevent it from becoming another shadow. In the library of the Lyktgubbe, an archivist creature, Olle learns the Mountain King’s tale: King Nihls’ son Ulrik was ill, so the king sought a cure. A kind witch gave him a magic flower, warning to use only a piece. Though healed, Ulrik was killed by royal servants vengeful against the king’s cruel campaign. In fury, the king used the whole flower, transforming into a mad giant and unleashing the Bramble. The witch built a mountain over him and his kingdom, binding him to the Bramble; trolls must now bring him prey. Olle encounters the shapeshifter Skogsrå, who lured men to their deaths as a beautiful woman, drawing power from their hearts. Olle kills her with the light. He continues to a village destroyed by Skogsrå’s upheaval, now plagued by the demon hag Pesta, which turns villagers into zombies. Crossing the sea by rowboat, Olle confronts Pesta and banishes her with the light.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Bramble: The Mountain King
- Developer
- Dimfrost Studio
- Publisher
- Merge Games
- Director
- Fredrik Selldén · Fredrik Präntare · Ellinor Morén · Mikael Lindhe
- Producer
- Fredrik Selldén · Josua Mannebäck · Fredrik Präntare
- Designer
- Jonas Petersson · Fredrik Selldén · Mikael Lindhe
- Programmer
- Jonathan Lundgren
- Artist
- Ellinor Morén
- Writer
- Fredrik Selldén · Mikael Lindhe · Josua Mannebäck
- Composer
- Martin Wave · Dan Wakefield
- Engine
- Unreal Engine
- Platforms
- Nintendo Switch / PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5 / Windows / Xbox One / Xbox Series X/S
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Bramble: The Mountain King is an adventure game based on Scandinavian folklore, played from a third-person perspective with horror elements. The player controls a young boy named Olle, who must rescue his kidnapped sister Lillemor from mythological creatures. Travel is linear, requiring puzzle-solving, platform jumping, and occasional boss fights. The story begins with Olle and Lillemor falling into a giant tree that shrinks them, leading to encounters with gnomes and fairies before a troll captures Lillemor. Olle embarks on a journey through fairy-tale locales, befriending the stone giant Lemus and receiving aid from the young witch Tuva, who empowers his stone of light to push back the Bramble infesting the land. The plot weaves through encounters with sinister beings such as Näcken, a water spirit; Skogsrå, a shapeshifter; and Pesta, a demon hag. The game's lore reveals the origin of the Mountain King: King Nihls, whose son Ulrik was healed by a magic flower but killed by royal servants, leading the king to transform into a mad giant and unleash the Bramble. A witch imprisoned him beneath a mountain, binding him to the Bramble, with trolls forced to bring him prey. Olle ultimately reaches the Mountain King's sanctum, but Lillemor is fed to the giant. Olle weakens the Bramble, allowing King Nihls to destroy its root, but Olle dies in the fall; Lillemor cuts her way out of the king's stomach, and the light revives Olle. They are saved by Lemus as the castle crumbles.
Reader's Guide
Bramble: The Mountain King received positive reviews on Metacritic. PC Gamer highly praised the game's atmosphere, calling it a potential 'instant classic,' but criticized what they felt was 'archaic puzzle design' for ruining the experience. Shacknews called it 'as gorgeous as it is horrifying' and recommended it to fans of horror games. Nintendo Life recommended against the Switch version due to performance problems during their review, though they reported an upcoming patch promised to address this, and recommended playing on more powerful systems. GamesRadar noted that the game has enough jump scares and gore to satisfy horror fans, but also 'a lot of wonder to be found.' The developer, Dimfrost, based in Sweden, initially considered a Viking theme but chose to focus on Swedish mythology instead. The story draws from cautionary fables for children, and monster design was inspired by John Bauer. The developers aimed to avoid being seen as just a horror game, stressing both the grim atmosphere and beautiful elements, as well as Olle's character growth.
Did You Know?
- The game's monster design was inspired by the work of John Bauer.
- The developer Dimfrost originally considered a Viking theme before choosing Swedish mythology.
- The story is based on cautionary fables for children.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bramble: The Mountain King?
It is a 2023 third-person action-adventure game with horror elements, created by Swedish studio Dimfrost Studio and released by Merge Games. The title is built around Scandinavian folklore and mythological creatures set in a dark, fairy-tale world.
Who is the main character in Bramble: The Mountain King?
The player follows Olle, a young boy who must travel through a sinister Nordic landscape to rescue his older sister Lillemor after a troll kidnaps her. The narrative is told from a third-person perspective throughout the adventure.
What platforms is Bramble: The Mountain King available on?
The game shipped on April 27, 2023, for Windows PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.
How does the gameplay in Bramble: The Mountain King work?
Players progress along a largely linear route through eerie, folklore-inspired locales, working through puzzles and platforming sections while facing off against mythological bosses. The structure blends exploration, light combat, and puzzle-solving in a single continuous journey.
What is the tone and setting of Bramble: The Mountain King?
The game takes place in an old Nordic land steeped in Scandinavian legend, presenting a grim, fairy-tale atmosphere with pronounced horror undertones. Mythical creatures and a foreboding landscape define the visual and narrative identity of the experience.
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