‘Bramble: The Mountain King’ Exemplifies The Cinematic Gaming Genre
by Frank Martin
There’s a certain genre of video game that doesn’t get talked about enough. As graphics become more advanced, games have become fond of creating a spectacle of landscapes. This is true of all action adventure games, but there’s a particular subset of games that focus on creating a roller coaster for the player to ride and be absorbed into the setting. This is in contrast to allowing the player free reign to absorb the setting on their own. The camera in these “cinematic” games is used as a storyteller of sorts, manipulating the player’s point of view to curate a particular experience. These are games that place the actual gameplay itself, such as jumping and fighting, as secondary to the cinematic journey. A great example of this is Bramble: The Mountain King.
Created by Dimfrost Studio, Bramble is designed to be a dark fairy tale. The story follows a shy and nervous brother who is coaxed by his sister into going on an adventure. The two quickly fall into trouble as the sister is kidnapped by a giant troll. Seeking to rescue his sister, the boy goes on an incredible journey full of danger, interesting creatures, and lush forest environments that stretch the imagination and push the boy to limits he never knew possible.
The dark fantasy setting provides many opportunities for the game to show off incredible cinematics. But unlike other fantasy and science fiction blockbusters — such as Gears Of War, The Witcher, and Halo — Bramble isn’t as concerned with the challenges of gameplay. There are some fun platforming areas and boss fights, but they fail to rival the true cinematic moments of the game, such as when a giant lake monster suddenly appears and forces the boy to leap from lily pads to safety. The camera is fixed, so the developers have control over what the player is seeing on the screen and how it is experienced. This gives off a dramatic cinematic feel to everything the player has to go through, similar to a film. Another great example of this is Ico and its spiritual successor, Shadow of the Colossus. Although fun platformers like Bramble, these games also want to convey a sense of scope, especially when it comes to scaling large monsters. The gameplay is secondary to giving the player a cinematic experience, and these games should be credited for fitting into a niche genre that otherwise slips under the radar.
Bramble: The Mountain King is now available on Xbox Cloud Gaming.
