Let your inner child be immersed in the wondrous world of Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley.
A lone wanderer who appreciates freedom more than anything gives joy to others by simply existing and utters philosophical phrases—difficult descriptions to find of a character in a children’s book. And yet, Snufkin, prominently featured in the fairytale Moomin series and first appearing in 1946, is exactly that.
An endlessly endearing world spawning books, films, and two theme parks, this legacy by brilliant author Tove Jansson was ripe for a video game adaptation, and so, here it is with Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley.
Developed by Hyper Games and Raw Fury, as soon as you start Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley, it is almost impossible to draw a smile on your face. Its Nordic inspiration worn on its sleeve, we see Snufkin, a green-clothed and pointy-hatted nomad staring at a lush landscape, and presumably the town of Moominvalley, with a curious soundtrack in the background by the inimitable Icelandic band Sigur Ros.
As the story goes, Snufkin precisely arrives at Moominvalley to spend every Spring and Summer with his best friend and usual protagonist, Moomintroll, or Moomin, and leaves for warmer climates during the Fall and Winter seasons while they hibernate.
After a solemn farewell between the two inseparable friends, Snufkin begins his arduous cyclical trek. He eventually finds himself back in the spring season, ready to meet his hippopotamus-like troll friend once again. This is where Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley begins.
Controlling Snufkin, you move in a top-down perspective. Graphically inspired by the charming illustrations of its original author, every character, meadow, and valley is beautifully brought to life. It is possible to run, jump, and climb with a stamina bar to measure your sprinting to a modicum. Once you wander around enough in the map straight out of the original drawings, you find a peculiar small animal hiding out of a bush.
After a few light puzzles, you find critters running away from Moominvalley. To move forward, Snufkin must play his harmonica to interact with fellow creatures of the woods and help him solve the puzzles he is facing.
With the press of a button, he can play it in a circle and influence those around him. Of course, this being a video game, there are certain obstacles, like crossing a river and items such as “inspiration” needed to progress.
For Snufkin’s harmonica to play at its finest, he needs inspiration, which is not found straightforwardly in real life. In this case, inspiration can be collected by running across bushes, helping a mother duck find her ducklings and other nature-friendly actions.
Certain gameplay elements start to rear their head in this part, as it is clear what you will be spending in Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley at times will be to solve puzzles to keep going.
Pushing large tree trunks, hypnotizing blackbirds to move spiders out of your way, or stacking whimsical beasts to use as ladders, while not complex by any means, are among the small challenges you will need to surpass. Everything works rather smoothly, and in tandem with the storybook-style graphics, melancholic harmonies, and poignant dialogue, these forks in the road seem like a walk in the park.
Every bit of dialogue between the characters feels perfectly balanced, with silly musings and lingering and thoughtful phrases that keep you coming back to it. It is no surprise that such great writing is found here, as it makes full use of the source material, with no expense spared.
Longtime followers of the series will pick up on certain unique quirks of certain characters, while more general players will also find enjoyment in the context of where things are said.
Eventually, you arrive at Moominvalley, only to encounter an unexpected surprise. Where once was a free valley designed to escape from the real world, it is now being policed by an authoritarian ruler focused on keeping the land under strict control.
Naturally, it is up to Snufkin to fight against this tyranny, as he knows in his heart something went wrong in this place. Tearing down rule signs will now inspire him to play his harmonica more vigorously than ever.
It turns out that this new law-abiding troll is setting up parks where it previously was a peaceful place, which affected the normal growth of the environment. Snufkin, as the misfit he is, takes it upon himself to single-handedly dismantle each of these newfound parks and restore the natural order of things. By removing the signs and avoiding the police officers roaming the area, you can give the land back to those it belongs to one by one.
While a mostly relaxing adventure in all its aspects, there are stealth sections when trying to dismantle the status quo of the parks. In its hilarious way, police officers will not enforce the law as long as there are no rule signs.
For Snufkin to remove each of them, he must sneakily make his way across the line of sight of the officers guarding the area and patiently time his movements between their searches to successfully tear down tyranny.
Each of these hideous parks is ingeniously designed to move freely when progressing and moving an obstacle in the way. If you are caught, the checkpoint is not punishing by any means either, as it just restarts you from a brief moment ago and does not go back to the start of the level, as some stealth-based games usually do. Ultimately, it is not an overly demanding sequence, but it is a nice change of pace as you stroll through the crisp breeze of the valley.
Things open up once you get close to meeting your dear friend Moomintroll. To keep track of everything Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley throws at you, there is a quest option in the menu to see what you are tasked with and a map to not get lost in the wilderness.
It is quite bigger than what it initially appears to be, and the more you explore it, the more you realize there is a secret at every corner. A new character, a hidden mushroom that will come into play later on, or simply more inspiration for your harmonica skills, you will be rewarded for journeying into each corner of the world.
Facing each challenge up to this point, Snufkin realizes there is a bigger mystery to unfold that, to his eyes, he cannot comprehend. The land is dry, his best friend is missing, and nobody seems to know what is happening.
Firmly established as a musical adventure, in your playthrough, you will find other instruments that will help you solve the problems of the ailing Moominvalley, which, without your help, seems to be approaching its perilous end.
All gameplay elements serve their peaceful purpose, which is to be a vehicle for this long-lasting series to tell us a beautifully crafted narrative. To spark that joy through a game that wears its heart on its sleeve is not a common occurrence.
An inspiring and heartfelt tale for children and adults alike, Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley serves as a much-needed reminder to let go of the baggage we carry, reconnect with nature, and try to learn to be a little bit more like Snufkin.
