Bramble: The Mountain King — Everything We Know

Between idyllic settings and bloody nightmares idles Bramble: The Mountain King, an entirely new third-person platformer that blends Nordic fables with a horrifying and ridiculously intriguing gameplay concept. Think Little Nightmares and Walt Disney's fostered brainchild, and you've got yourself a basic idea of the product, which is, in all honesty, a pretty creepy thing in itself.

Needless to say, we're bending over backwards to learn all there is to learn about the upcoming horror tale. Question is, what do you need to know about it before making the decision whether to pre-order it or not? Well, here's everything we've scraped together from Dimfrost Studio.

What Is Bramble: The Mountain King?

Bramble: The Mountain King is an upcoming third-person horror game by Dimfrost Studio, an independent developer that has spent the best part of the last few years pulling together what could potentially be a love letter to some of the best award-winning atmospheric games on the block, a la Little Nightmares. As such, it draws on all the right elements to make it a highly ambitious chapter with enough heart and vigor to satisfy the masses. Question is, what else do we know about it—the story, gameplay, and platforms? Here's everything you should know.

Story

Bramble: The Mountain King is set in the world of Bramble, a twisted locale that is populated by contorted versions of famous Nordic fables. You play as Olle, a brave and daring young boy who must explore the tainted land in search of his kidnapped sister. To reach her, Olle must traverse the frail and evidently forsaken world and tackle its ravenous beasts and hazardous biomes.

“Bramble: The Mountain King takes you on a gripping and unsettling journey through stunning environments,” the official blurb reads. “Take on the role of Olle, a young boy setting off to rescue his sister, kidnapped by a dreaded troll.”

“Call upon the Spark of Courage, an enchanted fragment granting the gifts you need to endure the pitfalls and trials in your path. Defeat the horrid creatures you encounter in different and unique ways. Be warned, courage without kindness can take you down a dark path.”

Gameplay

Gameplay-wise, players can expect a whole lot of lolloping about in twisted environments that are highly reminiscent of popular Nordic fables. It's best to picture it as a mashup of not only Little Nightmares, but a wide variety of atmospheric gothic underworlds, particularly ones that integrate several shades of immerse folklore and alternate realities.

To add, players can also expect plenty of thought-provoking puzzles, which will be integral to the flow of the overall narrative. And then, of course, there's plenty of stealth, chase sequences, and an all-round dread that looms from tiptoeing through the hellish landscapes of Bramble. In short, though, it's a story-driven game that will feature a linear format, but with its toes also dipped in several other pools, including but not limited to survival horror.

Development

Development on Bramble: The Mountain King first started in 2018, shortly after the release of Dimfrost Studios' first game, A Writer and His Daughter, a three-part story that casts its focus on a young girl who discovers a magical world and is spoonfed an ultimatum: to stay in the new world and unravel its mysteries, or return to the old one. The game was met with mixed to positive feedback, with Dimfrost Studio receiving plenty of recognition for its storytelling abilities and overall approach to VR gaming.

Since A Writer and His Daughter launched back in 2017, Bramble: The Mountain King has been in active development, with just found post-grad students piloting the vessel. As it stands, the game is expected to release on consoles and PC at some point in 2023.

Trailer

So, is there a trailer for this gloomy little gem? Yes, yes there is. In fact, there are actually four trailers to help whet your appetite for its 2023 release: the official announcement, the gameplay trailer, “Olle's Story,” and the official story trailer. You can check out the initial trailer for Bramble: The Mountain King just above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Bramble: The Mountain King is scheduled to release on an undisclosed date in 2023 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. As it stands, neither Xbox nor PlayStation have mentioned anything about the game coming to Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus. This is subject to change, of course, though it's a little too early to confirm. You can check up with Dimfrost Studio for more updates by following the official social handle here.

Unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot of details on the editions that will release next year. It's speculation at this point, but it's safe to say that we can probably expect a standard edition, and perhaps a pre-order digital deluxe edition. Until Dimfrost Studio sheds a little extra light on this, however, we'll have to stand idly by and wait for the ball to unravel.

There's another question, too, which pertains to the release of the game on Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, and Switch. At the time of writing, it's unclear whether it will launch on either of the consoles, but it's safe to assume that it will, given the fact that the next-gen consoles are entering their third year on the market. That said, we'll be sure to keep tabs on the game's progress in case anything states otherwise.

So, what's your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Bramble: The Mountain King next year? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.