Visiting Skogsrå's Grove was a major highlight during this preview, as Olle fights a Forest Nymph known for luring men to their demise. These moments keep the game exciting, illustrating Olle's struggle well, and Bramble is very much a David and Goliath story. Escaping Näcken means hiding behind whatever cover you can find while his music played at regular intervals. Another saw me encounter Näcken, a lake creature whose enchanting music draws people to their deaths. One incident involves running away from a giant at night, hiding in tall grass whenever it shines a light towards you. These depressing lands hide many terrifying beasts some encounters require a stealthier approach. Sadly, that fight never gets more interesting than dodging a cleaver and throwing rocks at this gargantuan foe.

Watching Olle walk through a disgusting pile of guts with flies surrounding the rotting flesh just feels wrong, and this sequence eventually leads into the game's first battle.

Seeing a giant severed animal head thrown to the floor upon entering a butcher's cave made me quickly realize the bleak realities of this world. However, it isn't long before Bramble's unpleasant elements counter these pleasing sceneries. Yet, the dark forests and beautiful meadows create a strong presentation that keeps this haunting world intriguing. I also can't shake the uncanny valley feeling when looking at Olle and Lillemor. What keeps Bramble interesting is its narrative, and Dimfrost strikes a delicate tone with its environmental storytelling that never truly leaves you at ease. One occasion involved turning a matchbox upside down to release a hidden key, but aside from the game's opening, I didn't find any similar interactions across three hours of playtime.Įxploration feels basic and simplistic events that break up these moments, like playing hide and seek with gnomes, feel more distracting than meaningful. You can look over a few highlighted objects on your journey, like pinecones and storybooks, and that's about it. Going forward is often your only option with no backtracking, sometimes breaking this up through climbing or light platforming segments. While many games incentivize going beyond the beaten path, Bramble keeps exploration strictly linear from A to B.

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