Burly Men at Sea
A fairy-tale journey through Scandinavian folklore waters.
Burly Men at Sea is a 2016 indie video game in which players guide round, bearded heroes into treacherous waters inhabited by creatures drawn from Scandinavian folklore. The game was designed by Brooke Condolora and developed by Arkansas-based studio Brain&Brain, and was published by Brain&Brain and Plug In Digital for Steam, iOS, Android, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Nintendo Switch.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Burly Men at Sea
- Developer
- Brain&Brain
- Publisher
- Brain&Brain, Plug In Digital
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo Switch
- Released
- Steam, iOS, Android · September 29, 2016 · Nintendo Switch · April 12, 2018
- Genre
- Indie game
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The plot of Burly Men at Sea begins at the same point at which it ends, with the player acting as both storyteller and wayfinder. The game's round, bearded heroes are guided by the player into treacherous waters where creatures drawn from Scandinavian folklore are hiding in the depths. The narrative structure allows players to control the path the story takes, with surprising outcomes emerging from different choices.
Reader's Guide
Burly Men at Sea was noted by critics for its storytelling, humor, charm, and soundtrack. Olivia White from The Daily Telegraph called it 'the closest thing I've played to an interactive fairy-tale.' The Harvard Crimson described it as a 'charming journey,' praising its minimalistic art style and playful music. Kill Screen observed that what makes the game different from illustrated books is the player's ability to control the story's path. Katharine Castle from Rock Paper Shotgun praised the game's story-telling, humor, charm, and soundtrack. Time magazine's Matt Peckham enjoyed its plot, animations, and sound effects. Riley MacLeod of Kotaku considered the surprising outcomes from taking different paths 'a large part of the game's appeal' while praising its 'basic but creative soundtrack.'
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