In the depths of a cold, cold winter, on a night blanketed in snow, a Moomintroll who should be deep in hibernation suddenly wakes up.
Whether it’s the biting winter air that chills the tip of his nose even while lying down, or a draft sneaking in through a poorly closed window, the Moomin—who should have stayed asleep until the warm spring—wakes up to embark on an adventure that feels both fleeting and long.
Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is a game that adapts the novel 'Moominland Midwinter' by weaving in adventure elements. As a title from an indie developer, it isn't flashy or massive in scale. However, it delivers a truly healing experience, like reading a fairy tale or a well-crafted book.
It beautifully depicts the journey of a Moomin who wakes up to an unexpected winter—a Moomin experiencing winter for the first time—as he moves from feelings of unfamiliarity to eventually finding warmth. Through the medium of gaming, it vividly presents the idea that winter is not just a cold season, but a time to find warmth in the hearts of friends.
A game that makes you happy just by playing it
Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is a game that lets you feel what it means to be happy just by playing, what it means to take a step back and rest, and what it means to finish a session feeling completely relaxed and stress-free.
Throughout the entire game, you never feel a hint of stress. There is no need to worry about finding your way, no need to dodge or attack pursuing enemies, no need to check HP or skill resources, and no need to memorize new skills or action keys.
You simply follow the Moomin who woke up alone in midwinter, lighting matches to brighten a dark house, making snowballs to safely break icicles, cutting wood for firewood with Moominpappa’s axe, and clearing away deep snow with Moominmamma’s shovel to clear the path.
In the process, you feel many things through sight and sound. After walking through deep snow, a long path exactly the width of Moomin’s body naturally forms. Following that path makes moving much faster next time. Just as it is easier to walk on a path packed down by others, the game naturally allows you to experience the elements of winter.
Immersive gameplay blending story and controls
What sets this game apart from typical 'healing' games is that it has a clear, central story. Most healing games allow you to enjoy the experience naturally without a specific flow or goal. However, Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is designed to follow the story of a Moomin experiencing an adventure after waking up in winter.
We follow the bewildered Moomin through many events. We follow a squirrel scratched by the Winter Queen and meet many friends who haven't gone to sleep, such as Too-ticky and Little My.
In the process, various maps naturally open up, and you acquire new skills. You can use these skills to follow the main story, or wander through the opened maps to find collectibles or hidden quests. Ultimately, however, all paths in the game are connected to lead you to the end of the story.
This is why I said the game is like a fairy tale book. It’s not just because it’s pretty and cute. It’s because the entire journey of Moomin’s winter adventure, from beginning to end, is depicted through the game.
At the same time, it is completely different from visual novels that simply list a story. To progress, we must go on adventures, learn new skills, and engage in actual gameplay. These controls aren't just thrown in; while they are never difficult, they provide the genuine satisfaction of 'playing'—moving Moomin yourself and overcoming obstacles.
However, the game is a bit slow-paced. You won't find any fast-travel elements. Starting from Moomin’s house, which acts as a checkpoint, you must walk to every map step by step. That said, the game does provide elements for faster movement, such as ropes placed throughout the maps, trees you can knock down to create shortcuts, or icicles you can drop to fill gaps.
Personally, I think these aspects contribute to the game's fairy-tale quality and help maintain immersion. While it sacrifices some convenience, that leisurely pace and slight inconvenience seem to capture the essence of 'Moomin' perfectly.
Beautiful, hand-drawn style graphics
The beautiful, delicate graphics and warm cutscenes play a huge role in the overall atmosphere. The in-game graphics, which look hand-drawn, are truly stunning. In particular, the sight of the snow-covered valley you encounter after leaving the house for the first time is so 'fairy-tale' beautiful that it’s breathtaking.
From Moomin’s house to the various backgrounds, everything is charming and perfectly suited to the Moomin series, yet detailed enough that it never hinders gameplay. You can even see the detail of a match burning down and going out just before it touches Moomin’s hand.
The cutscenes and illustrations in the text boxes are 'Moomin-esque' in a different way. If the in-game graphics provide a sense of compressed beauty, these cutscenes fully capture the feel of the familiar Moomin illustrations we know.
These two types of graphics blend appropriately with the gameplay, creating a strong sense of a book that you are drawing and creating yourself. If you were to experience a fairy tale book as a game, this is exactly what it would feel like.
A fairy tale told by a game
Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is a very warm game. It is also a game that the whole family can enjoy comfortably during the month of May, the month of family. Whoever in the family plays, everyone else can watch and join in on Moomin’s adventure. In a way, it’s like sitting together and listening to a fairy tale book being read by the game.
The story the game covers is not difficult at all. It is content that anyone can follow, understand, and finish happily. For some, that story becomes as warm as a fireplace lit in a corner of their heart.
During a part of the winter season, Moomin sees, hears, experiences, and feels many things. While diligently helping his friends, he sometimes gets angry or frustrated with the situation. Even after storming out because he suspects a friend lied to him, he gives his all to save that friend when they are in danger.
The sight of Moomin, who was lonely in a house where his parents were asleep, surrounded by friends who fill the space, and then parting ways with the promise of meeting again, allows the player to fully feel the theme of 'growth'.
Although it is warm spring now, not winter, that spring requires a long, long winter to arrive. Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is a game where you can comfortably feel that warmth with the people you love. And if you want to fully experience this game, I recommend reading the novel 'Moominland Midwinter' alongside it.
- Interactive elements without repetition
- A story with a clear beginning, middle, and end
- Comfortable enough for the whole family to enjoy together
- Beautiful, hand-drawn style graphics
- A pace of progression that some might find slow
- Almost non-existent map travel convenience
Review Platform: PC (Release Version)
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