Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley review – a fleeting tour of Tove Jansson’s beguiling world

Nintendo Switch, PC (version played); Hyper Games/Raw Fury
Eerie and uplifting, the first Moomins video game for over a decade sends anti-authoritarian Snufkin on a mission to restore the nature of Moominvalley

I have a dreadful cold, but Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley has made me feel better. It's the gaming equivalent of honey and lemon and a hot-water bottle, full of goodness and warmth. But it's also strange and melancholic, that signature mark of the Moomins, and part of the reason for the enduring popularity of Tove Jansson's creations. It's weird, sad, eerie, wholesome and delightful.

The plot sees the philosophical wanderer Snufkin making his way back to Moominvalley in the spring, ready to meet his best friend, Moomintroll, after the Moomins have woken from their winter hibernation. But he finds his way is blocked by a park patrolled by policemen. The Hemulen park keeper has decided to extend his remit, building gardens across Moominvalley that are governed by strict rules nailed to signposts. Incensed at this unwarranted enclosure of nature, Snufkin begins tearing up the signs; and in a charming piece of logic, the policemen simply wander off once all the signposts are gone, since they no longer have any rules to enforce. This leaves Snufkin free to rewild the area, ripping up paving slabs and dismantling fences.