I came into Moomintroll: Winter’s Warmth with a bit of apprehension, which probably sounds weird to say about a game based on a beloved series of children’s books that bills itself as a cozy puzzle game. I discovered the Moomins at my wife’s recommendation a couple of years ago, specifically the anime adaptation from the 90s, and became immediately smitten. From its adorable character designs to surprisingly dark themes and offbeat tone, it felt particularly made for my tastes. Just go watch some episodes on the official Moomins YouTube channel and try and tell me you aren’t immediately swooning over how Moomin’s voice actor overannunciates every single syllable of “Snorkmaiden”; you cannot.
No, I was genuinely excited about the prospect of reviewing something Moomins-related. My apprehension came from the fact that slower-paced, cozy puzzle adventures generally don’t do a lot for me, and I was worried that not even the charms of Moominvalley would get me over that hump. And while the game isn’t doing anything earth-shattering from a game design standpoint, I ended up falling in love with the simple joys of walking around and exploring this world and characters.
It’s important to note that, despite my nigh-incomprehensible word blender of Moomin terms in those opening paragraphs, you absolutely do not need to know your Hemulens from your Fillyjonks to fully enjoy Winter’s Warmth. While the Moomin heads among us will find plenty of moments and references to delight in, I actually think Winter’s Warmth is a perfect jumping-off point to all things Moomins (if you want it to be). Truly, it’s hard for me to imagine a person that spends 8 or so hours with this game and doesn’t want to find out more about this world and its characters, thanks to how authentic its love for the source material is coupled with top-notch presentation and writing.
The story setup is simple enough—the Moomins (Moominpapa, Moominmama, and their son, Moomintroll) go into hibernation every winter, waking up only once spring has blossomed. This winter, however, Moomintroll is suddenly woken up in the middle of a harsh snowstorm when multiple windows are opened up in the Moomin household, which causes him to have to muster up the courage to search his unfamiliarly cold and dark house for the cause while his parents are still asleep. This sets off a chain of events that leads to Moomintroll deciding to help put on a winter bonfire party for the winter beings, shadowy bird-like creatures that have a distinct way of speaking, after being told by the wise Too-Ticky that this bonfire usually ushers in the start of spring. Essentially, this means exploring the various areas of Moominvalley and completing requests for its many residents in the hopes of making the winter bonfire a success.
Moomintroll also ends up finding an array of tools, ranging from matches to a wood-cutting axe, that help you solve environmental puzzles and navigate the world. None of these are too exciting in terms of function, but it was the little touches, such as lit matches creating shadows in the environment around Moomintroll, or the way his round and impossibly cute little body bends down to roll up snowballs, that ended up delighting more than the actual utility of the tools.
I find that to be a perfect summation of my thoughts on Winter’s Warmth as a whole—there’s not much of anything in the way of surprise or subversion here, but its choice to double down on the currency it already has plenty to spend in (its writing and vibes) was a smart one. Sure, my critic brain could’ve used a bit more meat on the bone, but it’s hard (and pointless!) to dwell on that too much when this looks so much like an interactive storybook brought to life; how could I feel anything besides delighted and even downright warm when exploring this depiction of Moominvalley? Besides, I suppose, the rare instances of snowball fights against that jerk Little My, at which point I was out for blood, seeking vengeance for all the trouble she stirs up in the anime.
If there’s one thing I really want to emphasize with Winter’s Warmth, aside from the general Moomin-ness of it all, it’s the quality of the writing. While the Moomins are children’s storybooks, the tone of them is different than anything I’ve ever encountered in that space before, managing to be some kind of heady fairy tale concerned with talking about the balance between the lives of humans and animals and their collective place within nature. It’s a tone and message that could easily feel quaint or too preachy in the wrong hands, but Winter’s Warmth captures it perfectly while also wrapping it all up in a coming of age story for Moomintroll himself. Watching him be forced to confront his own fears and rise to the occasion to help the people around him despite not feeling capable himself was genuinely emotional for me, without it ever straying down a saccharine path. Maybe the fact that a game starring these impossibly cute, fluffy hippo-looking Moomins elicited these emotions out of me was the real surprise Winter’s Warmth had on offer all along.
