Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley - Keeping Cozy Games Fresh

As an enthusiast of cozy games, let’s face it, it’s been a while since we’ve had anything innovative come out. Sure, there’s a new farming sim coming out basically every month, but there’s only so many times you can abandon your corporate job for the life of a farmer. This is why Hyper Games’ Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is bringing something new to the table.

Based on Tove Jansson’s series, The Moomins, Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley takes place in the very same world. You play as the titular character, Snufkin, who’s returned to Moominvalley after his travels. To his shock, he finds that the beautiful landscape of Moominvalley has been riddled with industrious parks. Even worse, his best friend Moomintroll has gone missing.

While this is indeed a cozy game, Snufkin is quite the unhinged individual, and it’s a wonderful thing. Once he enters the park, he’s already working on tearing it apart. He’s throwing away park signs, dodging park officers, and tearing up fences with his bare hands to get rid of those ugly establishments. This man means business.

Ok, so the gameplay isn’t as hardcore as I made it sound. In fact, it’s a lot more laid-back than that. Yes, you’re still trying to avoid park officers as you weave your way through parks, but it’s more so in a puzzle-stealth mission type way. It’s fairly simple to solve them, and the game doesn’t really punish you much if you do get caught by one of the officers. You’ll just get sent back to the last safe hiding spot. 

Where the gameplay really shines though is through its exploration. The world of Moominvalley is beautiful, and it’s like you’re traveling through a watercolor picture book. What makes the experience even more magical is the instruments that Snufkin carries with him. You initially just have Snufkin’s signature harmonica that those familiar with The Moomins know him so well for, but on your travels, you’ll acquire more instruments.

By playing your instruments you send an angry bee back to its home, open up a new path on the map, or even have a sea creature help you cross the river. Some of these activities can even grant you inspiration, points that help you level up your musician skills and appease more of the valley’s nature. Also, more games need to bring back protagonists with musical instruments as a focal point. I’m looking at you, Legend of Zelda.

For fans of The Moomins, you’ll run into all the classic characters from the series, from Little My to Too-Ticky. Some of them might assist you in your travels, while others might ask you for a favor. The game isn’t very dialogue heavy, but not a single character interaction I had was dull. The humor is the kind that both kids and adults can appreciate. 

In the search for Moomintroll, you’ll go through several environments to find your friend, ranging from sandy beaches to eerie swamps, and they’re all crafted with much care. There are a lot of breathtaking views in Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley, and the game even encourages you to stop and admire them. You’ll sometimes stumble across a viewing point where Snufkin can just lie down and gaze at the sky, and they’re one of my favorite things about the game.

Towards the end of the game, I was trying to get through the parks as fast as I could just so I could explore more of Moominvalley. After eventually finding Moomintroll, while I was happy for the two best friends to be reunited, I was a bit disappointed to find that the game didn’t let me roam around the valley after it had been restored. I wanted to find more quirky characters with a side quest for me to accomplish, more birds to bother with my harmonica, and more hidden places to gain inspiration from.

Alas, all good things have to come to an end, and Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is no different. While my time with the game felt short, I had the coziest weekend playing it. It’s a much-needed change from the slew of farming sims and Animal Crossing-likes that we’ve been getting. You definitely want to be in your comfiest pajamas, light a scented candle or two, and just settle into bed with this game.

Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley was reviewed on PC with a copy provided by the developer over the course of 7.5 hours of gameplay - all screenshots were taken during the process of review.