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Bramble: The Mountain King is a story-focused adventure game inspired by Nordic folklore and Grimm fairytales. Players must navigate the various treacherous levels as Olle, a small boy in search of his missing sister. Throughout the game there are many different puzzles and dilemmas players must face in a manner not too dissimilar to the Little Nightmares series.
In addition to evading brutal deaths and interacting with the various mystical creatures throughout Bramble's very impressive and creative setting, there are also several collectibles players can gather in order to achieve 100% completion. The Storybooks each tell a story relevant to the rest of the game, and help to expand the world's lore even further. Players who manage to collect all storybooks will be rewarded with the achievement "Book Worm."
Children's Room
The first storybook is relatively easy to find, and it will be essential for progressing the game's main story. Following the opening cutscene, Olle awakens to find his sister missing. Throughout the Children's bedroom, there are multiple points of interactivity including the painting, the toy soldiers, and the door. In addition to these, at the lower side of the room, there is a storybook on the table players can read.
This book tells the story of a young girl who ran away from home, not heeding her parents' bedtime stories, and who disappeared into the forest, never to return. Having read this book, players will then be able to exit through the bedroom window and progress into the forest.
Nacken's Pond
With Lillemor captured by a troll, Olle must progress through Nacken's Pond alone. Before encountering the menacing musical monster, players will be led through a cave system in which there is a fallen skeleton. The second storybook can be found by interacting with the skeleton.
This book explains the history of the monster, Nacken, and how he came to be such a malevolent spirit. Having been bullied by the townsfolk for years, he began to play forbidden melodies that cursed the town and killed everyone in it, including his lover. Mourning this decision, he retreated to the lake where he continues to dwell and lure children with deadly music from his violin.
The Swamp
The third book is found later, during the Swamp level, right before one of the most disturbing scenes in the game, in which a baby is sacrificed by a witch/mother. Players can find this book on the lower floor where the baby can be heard screaming upstairs, and is located on top of a chest on the right-hand side of the room.
Perhaps the most bizarre of the collection, this book does not tell a story so much as reveal the workings of an occult ritual. A demonic voice can be heard reciting the incantations within the book, while images of Baphomet and an alchemy-inspired human sacrifice can be seen within the cursed pages. Having read this book, players will then see that a lever is hidden beneath it. This can be used to then hoist up to the second floor.
The Library
Having navigated through the traumatic Swamp level, players will then get a small degree of respite within the Library, which is occupied by a friendly troll-like creature. This one is again quite hard to miss since it will be perched upon a parapet in the middle of the room, and players will be required to read it to advance the story.
This book tells of the chilling story of King Nils and his family. A young heir is born, bearing a striking resemblance to Olle, but soon falls ill. In a desperate attempt to find a remedy, the King goes on a gruesome witch hunt and brutally kills many innocent women, as is evidenced by the graphic illustrations in this volume. This book also provides a clue as to how to defeat the boss, mentioning that her power is drawn from the corpses nailed to the surrounding trees - players will need to destroy these when facing Skogsra to defeat her.
Plague Village
The first of two books to be found in the Plague Village is located in what appears to be a ruined schoolhouse. This dark room has several interactive items, but the storybook is hidden in the back-left corner atop a small wooden desk.
This story explains the history of Skogsra, one of the most difficult bosses in the game, and how she lured away the men of this humble settlement to their deaths. In response, all the women in the village were once again killed, yet the evil and supernatural spirit still remains despite this purge.
Plague Village (2)
The second book in the Plague Village can be found in the dead woman's house, on a small bookshelf, which her hooded corpse is propped up against. Another unique book, this one does not follow the typical fairytale-style formula of the majority and is instead a personal diary of the lady.
She tells of her close relationship with a lover, and how they managed to endure the witch hunts, expecting better times ahead. Instead, a rabid plague descends upon the village along with a hooded woman with a rake. This is an introduction to Pesta, who appears once during the village and then later must be defeated in battle as Olle rows his boat to the Mountain.
The Halls Of The Mountain King
The final book is to be located in the game's final mission, The Halls Of The Mountain King and is a part of a rather psychedelic sequence in which Olle finds himself back in the Library once more. The book can be found once again atop the small parapet where the previous book was located before.
This story tells more of King Nils, and how his son was eventually murdered in his bed. Driven into a fit of rage, King Nils unleashed the Bramble across the Kingdom before being shackled to the mountain by the witch who had granted him such power.
Bramble: The Mountain King is available on PC, PS4/5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.