Brukel
Release date: Nov 3, 2019
Developers: Bob De Schutter
Publishers: Lifelong Games
Genres: Indie
Categories: Single-player, Steam Achievements, Full controller support, Captions available, Adjustable Text Size, Color Alternatives, Custom Volume Controls, Stereo Sound, Subtitle Options, Surround Sound, Family Sharing
Supported languages: English, Dutch, Spanish - Spain, German, Russian, French, Italian, Turkish

You are trespassing in the abandoned childhood home of your 92-year-old grandmother. You have been fascinated by the stories about her youth years for most of your life, but last summer you finally decided to record her reminiscing so that you can share these stories with the online world. Now all you need are some pictures of the house and maybe some of the objects that are still in there. If only the owners would have replied to your phone calls... Brukel is a first-person exploration game that is centered around the memories of Bie Verlinden, the grandmother of Belgian game designer Bob De Schutter. Players visit the abandoned Brukel farmhouse and use their smartphone camera to illustrate Bie's authentic stories. As time passes, the house takes players on an emotional journey through some of the traumatic events that Bie lived through. The game’s primary mechanic is using a camera phone to take pictures of various items in the house. When you correctly identify and take a shot of an item, you hear Bie tell a story related to the object. However, as the night goes on, the ghosts of Bie’s past emerge as her stories take a darker turn. Are you ready to experience the hardship that Bie lived through as a teenage girl? Key features An intense and emotional journey that accurately portrays the memories of a 92-year-old grandmother in her own voice (spoken in a Flemish dialect with English subtitles). No combat, light puzzles and a smartphone camera that features digital zoom, exposure and focus range. A short game that you can experience in about an hour. For fans of Gone Home , Silent Hill and This War Of Mine . 

Press reviews: “Whilst, in reality, the building has been renovated and changed, the game recreates the environment based entirely on Bie’s subjective memories to create a poignant, historical experience.” Indie Hive “[Brukel] is so richly documented, melding micro and macro history in such a skillful manner, that it is an almost unprecedented way of transmitting history through video games.” The Pixel Post (FR) “Bie’s haunting narration gives Brukel a raw humanity, reminding you that this is far more than just a spooky story to give you some jumpscares. It’s poignant not because of AAA graphics, but because it’s a story that matters.” Dread XP 

Notes: The game contains adult themes and some instances of strong language that may not be appropriate for all ages.