Game: Snowman Story
Genre: Adventure, Action
System: Steam (Windows, macOS, & Linux)
Developers | Publishers: Odencat
Controller Support: Yes
Price: US $4.99 | UK £TBC | EU € 4,99
Release Date: December 15th, 2023
Review code used, with many thanks to Odencat.
At LadiesGamers, we have reviewed a few of Odencat’s pixel art games with a storytelling focus, like Bears Restaurant and Megs Monster. So, this new game, Snowman Story, is also story-focused, with a few puzzles thrown in for good measure and released just in time for the holidays; it is a cute game with a heartwarming story and two hours of playtime. Let’s see what Chris the Snowman gets up to in Snowman Story.
Snowman Story
This Snowman Story begins with a young boy and his Dad talking about an old story about what happens to snowmen when Spring arrives and they melt. The Dad tells the boy that it’s said there is a place where snowmen can survive even when Spring arrives.
Later the next morning, the young boy awakens to find that it has snowed overnight. In need of a playmate, as he is lonely, the boy builds himself a snowman, adds a carrot for a nose and small stones for his eyes, and names the snowman Chris. During the day, the lonely boy plays with the snowman. Come nighttime, Chris stands outside and awaits the boy’s return each morning.
Happy Snowman
Chris the snowman is pretty happy with his simple existence standing outside the boys’ home in the cold. However, things change quickly when, one night, a squawking crow reveals to Chris that he’ll melt away as soon as the weather warms and Spring arrives.
So fearful of melting, the snowman decides to embark on a long journey to a paradise far to the North, even though the boy will wonder where his snowman has gone as the snow is still thick on the ground so that the snowman won’t have melted. Poor kid will be puzzled.
Runaway Snowman
As the snowman travels, he encounters a fox, rabbit, other animals, and snowmen who have tried but failed to take the same journey. He meets a friendly older man who informs the snowman that a mysterious ring the snowman picked up will give him a special power. It’s the power to read memories stored in precious lost possessions.
From then on, when Chris finds a lost possession lying on the linear path, you are shown a dream-like thought that Chris has. These thoughts are always about other snowmen and the people who made them. Each snowman has their own tragic tale of trying and failing to make the same pilgrimage. By reading memories from their possessions and hearing their cautionary tales, Chris might be able to avoid the same fate. The snowman’s journey to the North is interwoven with the thoughts from the possessions he finds, and it’s a great way to get the story across to the player.
Solve Puzzles
Furthermore, as well as meeting animals and seeing other snowmen’s stories, there is some puzzle-solving to do. Every so often, Chris comes across puzzles with slippery floors, and you must navigate Chris to the other side for him to continue. None of the puzzles are difficult, but if you get stuck, you can retry the puzzle or skip it entirely.
Snowman Story has cute wintertime pixel art, and I love how the snowman bounces as he moves. The music is relaxing, though I did not like the beeping noise everyone makes when they talk. The game can be played with a keyboard and mouse or using a controller. I tried both options, and they work well.
While the game is suitable for children, parents should know that there is some bad language in the story that would not be suitable for very young ears.
Conclusion for Snowman Story
Snowman Story, with its tale of kindness, regret and the warmth of friendship mixed with a few puzzles, will melt your heart and is a great game to curl up with by the fire any winter holiday season.
Final Verdict: Two Thumbs Up 