Brukel

About

Brukel is a single player simulation game with a horror theme. It was developed by lifelonggames and was released on November 3, 2019. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"Brukel" is a single-player horror simulation game with an intriguing and emotional story. As the player, you explore your grandmother's abandoned childhood home, taking pictures with a camera phone to illustrate her authentic stories of growing up during World War II. The game's dense atmosphere and primary mechanic of photography create an immersive experience as you uncover the traumatic events of her past.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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95%

Audience ScoreBased on 122 reviews

story26 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

Brukel offers a deeply emotional and personal narrative, allowing players to experience the real-life stories of a WWII survivor through the voice of the developer's grandmother.
The game effectively combines historical education with interactive storytelling, providing a unique perspective on the impact of war on ordinary lives.
The use of photographs to trigger audio memories creates an immersive experience that connects players to the past in a meaningful way.

The game is quite short, lasting around 60-90 minutes, which may leave some players wanting more content.
Some players found the supernatural elements and jump scares to be distracting and unnecessary, detracting from the overall emotional impact of the story.
Technical issues such as dark visuals and clunky movement controls can hinder the gameplay experience, making it less accessible for some players.

story
83 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
65%
4%
The story of "Brukel" is a deeply personal and immersive narrative that recounts the experiences of the creator's grandmother during WWII, blending elements of horror with poignant memories of her life in a haunted farmhouse. Players explore the past through audio recordings and visual storytelling, creating a unique atmosphere that captures the emotional weight of historical events. While some found the horror elements distracting, the overall reception highlights the game's ability to convey a powerful, authentic story that resonates with players seeking meaningful narratives.
- “The story begins with Bie's recollections of growing up in the Brukel farmhouse with her large family and evolves into her experiences during WWII as a teenage girl when the war came through her small village and right to her doorstep.”
- “It's a heartbreaking, familiar story, and hearing it from the mouth of a survivor adds so much weight.”
- “Brukel has a striking true story, which is told from a very personal perspective.”
- “Starts off as a game about taking photos to piece together the grandmother's story, but abruptly turns into a very different sort of narrative game, with more literal recreations of wartime events that perhaps exceed the devs' limited resources, and an ill-advised detour into the supernatural.”
- “My biggest complaint was the spacing between getting more of the story to progress seemed to have arbitrary time limits rather than once I had explored a certain area or turned the camera away from a specific point.”
- “I'm not 100% sure what purpose the trope-y horror gameplay segments serve to the overall feel of the game - they were flattened by the grandmother's wonderful delivery, and I was far more engaged with just hearing her tell the story than by being jump scared every five minutes.”
emotional
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its emotionally powerful narrative, blending heartwarming moments with themes of war and hardship that evoke deep feelings. Players report being profoundly affected by the storytelling, particularly in the latter chapters, which shift from a wholesome atmosphere to a poignant exploration of survival and memory. The developer's personal reflections further enhance the emotional impact, leaving players with a lasting sense of empathy and connection to historical events.
- “An emotionally strong and beautiful game.”
- “The stories of war, hardships, close encounters with fatalities, and the aftermath that follow really were heartbreaking to hear.”
- “It's a heartbreaking, familiar story, and hearing it from the mouth of a survivor adds so much weight.”
gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
The gameplay is intentionally slow-paced, focusing on exploration and photography rather than traditional action, which some players found refreshing while others deemed it lacking. While the mechanics are smooth and the graphics appealing, the experience shifts from taking pictures to triggering scenes, leading to mixed feelings about the overall engagement and depth of gameplay. Overall, the game offers a unique concept but may feel minimal and short for those seeking more dynamic interactions.
- “The graphics were nice, the mechanics were smooth. I liked the idea of using your phone and taking pictures in order to progress; that's a concept you don't see often in games, if at all.”
- “Gameplay-wise, you are mostly walking around the house and taking pictures of stuff, then the grandma will tell you something about it.”
- “Not a long game, the gameplay is fairly simple, but that is Brukel's charm.”
- “The gameplay is really slow, but that's how it's meant to be.”
- “Gameplay in the action sequences part of the game is a little unpolished.”
- “Also, the game offers minimal gameplay elements and is way too short.”
atmosphere
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
82%
9%
9%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its ability to evoke a deep, immersive experience, blending a creepy tone with historical storytelling, particularly through the use of a grandmother's voice that enhances the narrative. Players appreciate the intense and atmospheric setting, which shifts dramatically from cheerful to haunting, creating a compelling backdrop for the story. Despite some minor visual bugs and unnecessary jump scares, the overall ambiance is described as captivating and well-crafted, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of story-driven games.
- “Surprisingly, it managed to deliver this creepy good atmosphere using mainly the granny's voice from an interview setting that syncs perfectly with the background, history, and reality of war.”
- “A very atmospheric war story, with so many deep interpretations and meanings.”
- “Her soothing voice creates a cozy atmosphere, and it makes you feel like you’re sitting near the stove on a cold winter day, listening to stories of old times.”
- “It was a complete 180 from the cheerful and wholesome atmosphere that was in the first half of the game.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with users noting that while they may not be as polished as AAA titles, they effectively support the immersive storytelling experience. The unique mechanic of using a phone to take pictures adds a fresh element, and although there are minor graphical issues, such as overly bright visuals in certain areas, the overall aesthetic complements the autobiographical narrative.
- “The graphics were nice, the mechanics were smooth. I liked the idea of using your phone and taking pictures in order to progress; that's a concept you don't see often in games, if at all.”
- “The graphics of the game are nothing hugely fancy, but they are good enough that they rarely break immersion.”
- “You could view this game as somewhat of an interactive interview with accompanying visuals.”
- “The graphics of the game are nothing hugely fancy, but they are good enough that it rarely breaks immersion.”
- “The only noticeable major graphical issue was the river outside the house appearing very bright when seen through the window.”
- “The graphics aren't as nice as the AAA games we know set in WWII, but you have to keep in mind that what everything looks like and sounds like comes from the subjective memory of a scared teenage girl.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is widely praised for its great soundtrack, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
- “The soundtrack is absolutely fantastic!”
- “I love the variety of music tracks included in the game.”
- “The music really enhances the overall gaming experience.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be overly tedious and nitpicky, leading to frustration during gameplay.
- “Some portions feel so nitpicky and tedious.”
- “The grinding is repetitive and feels like a chore rather than fun.”
- “It takes too long to progress, making the game feel more like a job than a hobby.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised for maintaining good performance without noticeable frame drops. However, some players have criticized the excessive focus on storytelling at the expense of gameplay, and noted that certain scenes are too dark, hindering visibility.
- “Performance seems pretty good; I didn't see any frame drops or anything.”
- “The performance of storytelling is prioritized too much, leaving less focus on gameplay, and the scenes are always too dark to see.”
- “The game suffers from poor optimization, resulting in frequent frame drops and long loading times.”
- “I often experience lag and stuttering, which detracts from the overall gaming experience.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers appreciate the humor in the game, particularly noting the relatable and amusing portrayal of grandparents, highlighting their universal traits and quirks.
- “On a more superficial level, I found it funny just how similar all grandparents can be.”