Maroc - 3RD-STRIKE.COM - A La Une - Hier 01:46

Winter Burrow – Review

We may officially still be in fall, but it already feels like winter. With the weather getting colder and the days growing shorter, it’s the perfect time to stay inside and bundle up with a cosy game or two. There is perhaps not a more appropriate time to take a look at Noodlecake’s Winter Burrow, a cozy take on the survival genre. Can this small tale of survival provide the perfect counterweight for the harshness of the season? Story Opening with a heart-wrenching premise, Winter Burrow tells the story of a little mouse that tries to survive winter on his own for the first time. His parents have died, and our intrepid little orphan returns to the burrow that he grew up in. Upon arrival, he discovers that the burrow is in a terrible state and his aunty, who was supposed to take care of it, is nowhere to be seen. With winter slowly but surely creeping up on him, our tiny protagonist has little choice but to restore his old home to its former glory, so that he at least has a place to stay out of the cold. And then there’s the mystery of his missing aunty to solve… Graphics There is a quiet sense of restraint present in Winter Burrow’s visuals. The game’s hand-drawn world is brought to life through subtle, understated animations. The color palette contrasts the harsh whiteness of the snow-covered world with warm pastel browns, effectively using these colors to convey the coldness of the outside with the cosiness of the burrow itself. This isn’t a game that is about visual spectacle or cutting-edge graphics, but it does a lot with a little, and it deserves every bit of credit for that. Sound There is no voice acting in Winter Burrow -mice don’t talk after all- but that doesn’t mean that the game’s soundscape is devoid of life. Whether it’s the swirling of icy winds or the crackling fire inside the burrow, there is a noticeable texture to the game’s ambience. This is supplemented by a soft, subtle soundtrack that feels fitting for the peaceful yet desolate winter forest setting. Gameplay By combining its core gameplay with farming sim elements, Winter Burrow makes for a surprisingly cozy take on the survival game genre. The core loop is familiar from the get-go: you find yourself in a derelict version of your parents’ old burrow, and with the coldness of winter creeping up on you, you need to get into action. Your first order of business is to get a fire going, and next is a place to sleep. That means going outside to gather resources, with which you can repair the broken furnishings of your home, as well as make new ones. The core gameplay loop revolves around you venturing into the wilderness, seeking out materials and using these to craft things. There is a constant sense of progress, as you unlock new crafting recipes, including ones you can find hidden in the wild, with the game gently nudging you in the right direction but still giving you ample freedom when it comes to deciding how you fill in “surviving”. Despite Winter Burrow’s cosiness, that “surviving” element is still fairly prominent. You’ll need to keep an eye on your stats, making sure you eat and sleep enough. While you’re out in the wild, the edges of the screen slowly start to freeze up, visually indicating the effects that the cold has on your mouse. You’re not the only critter living in the woods either, and you’ll need to defend yourself from other animals like hostile bugs -or even hunt them for food. It’s worth mentioning that Winter Burrow does have the option to turn off spiders, just in case you happen to be arachnophobic. Playing through Winter Burrow’s story takes roughly six hours, although we found that it is very easy to get lost in the plethora of things to do. From knitting different pieces of clothing for your little mouse, many of which provide bonuses against the cold, to tending to the mushroom farm you eventually set up in the burrow’s cellar, this is a fantastic little game to cozy up with as real-life winter weather rages on outside your windows. If you’re the kind of person who doesn’t want their mouse to survive the season, but wants it to be comfortable and cozy while doing so, then Winter Burrow has you covered as well: we didn’t need that hammock, as our mouse had a perfectly fine and functional bed, but it just looks so darn cute. We understand that Winter Burrow isn’t going to be the kind of game that is going to appeal to everyone, and the €19.50 RRP is a tad high to give this one a go on a whim. However, the limited niche that Winter Burrow appeals to will absolutely adore this, so if you happen to be part of this niche, we urge you to give Winter Burrow a chance. Conclusion As cold as Winter Burrow’s setting may be, this is the kind of game that warms your heart as you play it. Compared to the drama and bombast of AAA titles, the stakes are surprisingly low, yet because everything hinges on the survival of a little mouse, they couldn’t be higher. We never felt pressured to progress the story and were able to tackle Winter Burrow at our own pace. This is the kind of game that happily accommodates that mindset, and although danger is never completely out of the picture, Winter Burrow feels cozy first and foremost. It’s the perfect game to cozy up with, under a blanket and with a cup of tea or hot cocoa by your side, and at this time of year, that’s all we could ask for.