This is one of the strangest trailers to come out of E3 so far, having been revealed during the IGN Expo. Bramble: The Mountain King is described as an “adventure/horror game centered on evocative locations, high-end visuals, dramatic moments, and relaxed gameplay” by creator Dimfrost Studio. The teaser, which is a combination of cutscenes and side-scrolling platforming a la Playdead, builds the tone well, with some weird folk horror visuals.
I’m not sure what to anticipate from Bramble. It appears to be a true adventure. “Throughout the game, you’ll go on a trip into the dark realm of Bramble, encountering David vs. Goliath adversaries and exploring and traversing gorgeous Nordic scenery,” Dimfrost explains. I enjoy how most of the game appears to take place in daylight, as opposed to the customary gloomy, eerie woodlands. If you’ve watched The Wicker Man, you’ll know that folk horror works even better on a sunny day.
The main character is a “shy boy” who slips out of his house at night with his daring older sister and travels into a neighboring forest. That is a terrible concept. They investigate an old ruin and fall into a pit into Bramble, a “lost and mysterious land.” I really like the ambiance here. There is no release date other than 2022, but if you’re interested, you may wishlist it on Steam right now.
