Bramblefort Demo Hands-On: A Clever Mix Of Soulslike & Survival Horror

The demo of Bramblefort, a VR survival horror game with soulslike design elements, is now accessible via Steam Next Fest, offering players a tense, gruesome experience that blends intricate level design with visceral combat.

The Bramblefort demo is free and available on Steam during the ongoing Steam Next Fest, running until June 22nd. Developed and published by False Member, it features a dark, atmospheric world with detailed environments such as Victorian castles, marshlands, and bathhouses, emphasizing exploration and multiple pathways for progression.

The game begins with a macabre narrative involving a covert operation on a mysterious island in the Atlantic, with players taking on the role of a field operative investigating strange occurrences. The demo showcases a mixture of horror elements—gruesome visuals, jump scares, and tense encounters—paired with challenging combat that, while still rough around the edges, captures the spirit of soulslike games like Bloodborne and Dark Souls. Players can wield a variety of weapons, including knives, shotguns, and explosives, with combat feeling impactful yet somewhat unrefined, reflecting its early development stage.

Level design is a standout feature, with verticality and multiple routes encouraging exploration. The environments are interconnected, allowing players to climb, jump, and find keys or shoot their way through obstacles. The demo lasts over two hours, providing a substantial taste of the game’s potential, though some combat mechanics and controls could be refined further.

Potential for a Unique VR Soulslike Horror Experience

If fully realized, Bramblefort could carve out a niche as a challenging, atmospheric VR game that successfully merges the intense horror of survival experiences with the intricate, punishing level design of soulslike titles. Its current demo demonstrates promising mechanics and design choices, indicating a game that could appeal to fans of both genres seeking immersive, tense gameplay in VR.

Moreover, the game’s approach to level design and horror atmosphere suggests it could set a new standard for VR horror-soulslike hybrids, provided its combat mechanics are polished and gameplay refined. The blend of gruesome visuals, exploration, and combat could make it a standout title if it reaches full release.

Evolution of VR Horror and Soulslike Games

Adapting traditional horror and soulslike genres to VR has been an ongoing effort, with varying degrees of success. Horror titles like Resident Evil 4 VR and others have demonstrated the appeal of immersive scares, while soulslike games like Bloodborne and Dark Souls have influenced many developers with their challenging gameplay and intricate level design.

Bramblefort’s demo marks a notable attempt to combine these elements into a single experience, building on recent trends of genre blending in VR. Its release during Steam Next Fest aligns with a period of experimentation and innovation in immersive gaming, highlighting the industry’s interest in expanding the boundaries of VR experiences.

“Bramblefort’s level design feels reminiscent of FromSoftware titles, but adapted for VR, which is quite an achievement given the challenges of implementing impactful combat in this format.”

— an anonymous researcher

Unconfirmed Aspects of Full Game Development

It is not yet clear when Bramblefort will be officially released or how much of the demo’s content will be retained in the final version. The full scope of gameplay mechanics, combat refinement, and story elements remains unconfirmed, as the demo provides only a partial glimpse of the final experience.

Next Steps for Bramblefort’s Development and Release

Developers are expected to gather player feedback during the Steam Next Fest period to refine combat mechanics, controls, and level design. A full release date has not been announced, but further updates and a potential launch are likely to follow based on demo reception and development progress.

Key Questions

Will Bramblefort be available on other platforms besides Steam?

Currently, there has been no official announcement regarding releases on platforms other than Steam. The demo is exclusive to Steam during Next Fest.

How long is the demo supposed to last?

The demo offers over two hours of gameplay, providing a substantial preview of the game’s environments and mechanics.

What are the main challenges in developing a VR soulslike horror game?

Implementing impactful combat mechanics, ensuring player comfort, and designing intricate, interconnected environments are key challenges in this genre blend.

Is the combat system in the demo polished or still rough?

The combat feels somewhat unrefined but captures the essence of challenging, visceral encounters typical of soulslike games. Developers are likely to improve this in future updates.

Will the full game feature multiplayer or online elements?

There has been no official information about multiplayer components; the focus appears to be on single-player exploration and combat.

Source: UploadVR