The demo of Moomintroll: Winter's Warmth is only a bite-size piece of what's to come, but I'm already in love with its world

Everyone grows up with those characters they just love. For me, Moomins were among that lot, so anything to do with those beloved white creatures has a special place in my heart. When Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley released, I was practically first in line to play, and with the announcement of Moomintroll: Winter's Warmth, I look forward to feeling that excitement all over again whenever it releases. And, after playing an albeit too brief demo, it definitely reminded me why I love these creatures so much.

There isn't much of an introduction to the demo, let alone the characters. So, if you're not super familiar with the world of Moomins you might feel a little bit out of your depth, as you're immediately introduced to Moomintroll and the gaggle of Fillyjonks' children. However, you don't really need to know the ins and outs of each character, which is one of the reasons these games are so enjoyable.

You also get a feel of the characters through the dialogue alone. As Moomintroll is approached by Fillyjonks' children in the snow, they seem incredibly panicked and are quick to ask for your help. According to them, they'd found a lost dog running about in the snow, but before they could catch it, it disappeared. So, it becomes our job to venture out into the arctic conditions and try to track it down.

Luckily, it's only a short walk away from where the demo begins, so you won't have to search far and wide for the poor, shivering creature tucked under a pile of snow. Again, you don't get a thorough introduction to the character you've just saved from a near death experience, but you don't really need one. As you carry him through the snow, woods, and against the gale force wind that seems to sneak around the mountain, he quite happily chats away to Moomintroll to explain why he's ended up there.

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Even though you only spend a short amount of time with your new dog companion, it does feel like you develop a strong bond with him. Every time I placed him down in the snow, and he started howling, I felt genuinely bad. So much so, sections of the demo, like having to chop up a log or dash through a hedge to clear a path, made me feel genuinely guilty, and I took a minute or two to see if there was another way I could do it without popping my poor dog on the floor.

Aside from these moral dilemmas, the demo of Moomintroll: Winter's Warmth implies it's by no means a challenging game. But, this gives you a well needed opportunity to appreciate just how beautiful it is. While you are pausing now and then to avoid being blown away by the wind, you get to admire the gorgeous, hand-painted world of Moomintroll: Winter's Warmth. Or, a portion of it at least. Much like Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley, it looks taken straight from a storybook, which makes my inner child sing.

Before you know it, you've reached a safe point, your doggy best friend leaves your company, and you're taken back to the "wishlist on Steam" screen. I could've quite happily kept trekking through the virtual snow, but I suppose all good things must come to an end eventually. If anything, this is a sign that the adventure waiting in Moomintroll: Winter's Warmth is definitely shaping up to be yet another Moomin game I'll sink hours into, but I'm ready to welcome that with open arms. It's just a shame we don't have any sort of release date yet.