Let it snow

Water gets all the credit. When gaming companies want to show off new graphics technology, things tend to get wet; splashing waves that are only possible with the latest physics engine, or puddles that can reflect the world around them thanks to ray tracing. But there’s something special about snow. It might not be as technically impressive as water, but when it comes to creating a mood in a game, snow can be very powerful. And two recent releases — Moomintroll: Winter’s Warmth and Froggy Hates Snow — really capture just what snow is capable of.

Let’s start with the Moomins. Winter’s Warmth is the second game based on the iconic Finnish fairy tale creatures, but, as the title suggests, this one is set during the frigid Scandinavian winter. You play as Moomintroll, the only child in a family of rotund trolls that more closely resemble upright hippos. Usually at this time of the year, the family are all asleep, hibernating through the bleak winter. But something has woken him up early, and the game follows his adventures as he learns just what the world is like during this time when he’s normally asleep.

As a game, Winter’s Warmth is fairly straightforward. In order to bring back spring, and keep busy while his parents slumber, Moomintroll basically becomes an errand boy for everyone in the valley. That means you’ll explore in search of anyone in need of a hand, whether it’s a pup that found itself stranded in the mountains, or mysterious creatures that need a hand with a bonfire. You’ll gather wood, chase down birds, and even rescue an adorable talking dog. The game is extremely easy to pick up, making it work well for all ages; my 10-year-old daughter and I have been playing it together, passing the controller back and forth as if we were sharing a storybook.

What makes Winter’s Warmth really stand out is the vibe. It has a hand-drawn look to it, like one of the Moomins books come to life, but a lot of the mood comes down to the weather. This game feels cold. It’s sunny spring where I am in southern Ontario, and yet when I play Winter’s Warmth I feel the need to bundle up with a blanket and a mug of something hot because of its snow.

The snow factors into the game in many ways. You’ll need to shovel out pathways, dig up missing objects (and, in one case, a bunch of kids), roll giant balls to create bridges, and even get into actual snowball fights. During one of the more intense sequences, you have to carry the aforementioned dog to safety while avoiding the winds of a blistering snowstorm. Snow even serves as a navigation tool; your footsteps are persistent, making it easy to see where you’re already been and where you still need to explore. All of the combined gives the game its distinctly wintery feel.

Froggy Hates Snow, on the other hand, isn’t quite as relaxed. This is a roguelike where you play as a frog who perhaps hates snow because he is completely surrounded by it. At the beginning of each run you find yourself in a warm bubble, which serves as an oasis in an otherwise frigid landscape. The goal is to get out and explore and to survive long enough to find a hidden door that opens up the next area. Exploring means dealing with the perils of snow. You have to dig your way through the huge walls of the stuff that surround Froggy, and periodically return to your base to warm up, or else die of exposure.

As you explore, you’ll find gold that you can use to upgrade your skills, as well as new gear to help you progress further. While you start out digging with your little frog hands, eventually you can get a shovel, as well as a scarf to keep you warmer longer and skis to help you move faster. Everything is randomized, but there’s a surprisingly large skill tree that can really allow you to tailor the frog to your needs. Soon enough you’ll have a devastating flamethrower and a comforting mug of tea.

Froggy Hates Snow has two main modes. The first is a more traditional roguelike structure, where enemies show up in waves and you have to use various weapons like the shovel and, uh, your tongue to fight them off. But I’ve mostly been spending my time in the more adventure-focused mode that has no combat whatsoever. That doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous. It’s easy to lose yourself digging through the endless fields of snow, so that you can’t make it back to warm up on time. But even without combat, there’s a real satisfaction to successfully braving the elements and seeing your frog steadily level up so that you can explore more freely and see more of the strange, hidden world beneath the snow. The game also has plenty of unlockable characters and levels as you progress, so that it doesn’t feel too repetitive each time you start a run.

These two games are very different, but they each manage to capture the duality of snow: it can be fun and playful, or deadly and terrifying. It’s a combination very particular to the winter months, and Froggy Hates Snow and Winter’s Warmth give you a taste of it without fear of frostbite.

_{Froggy Hates Snow is available now on PC, PS5, Xbox, and Switch; Moomintroll: Winter’s Warmth is available now on PC and the Switch.}