Winter Burrow: A Survival Game With a Cute Vibe – Weekly Indie Spotlight
In Winter Burrow, you are a young mouse coming home again after the death of your parents. It is the dead of winter, but you must rebuild your life as best as you possibly can. It sounds grim, but Winter Burrow features a charming presentation that feels more like a cozy game than a survival game. It’s the perfect game to play when the temperatures drop.
Winter Burrow Mixes Survival and Cuteness
Developed by Pine Creek Games and published by Noodlecake, Winter Burrow features a pretty, hand-drawn art style that invites the player to immerse themselves in the simple but engaging gameplay. In addition, the music and sound effects work to capture the feeling of exploring out in the snow. Sometimes there are even snowstorms that cover the screen with large flakes and effectively make you feel a little chilly.
When I wrote my Indie Spotlight of Total Reload, I had only played the demo, and this is another game I don’t yet own, but the demo gives you a good taste of what Winter Burrow has to offer. You have to maintain four status bars: health, hunger, warmth, and stamina. If you’re outside, your warmth automatically depletes. If you’re hungry, your health depletes. Chopping plants or fighting enemies depletes your stamina. Juggling all these bars sounds like a hassle, but in execution, you get used to it quickly.
It’s Still a Cozy Game
Even with the biting cold and depleting status bars, this is still a cozy game at heart. You can cook, knit, and build, giving you freedom to create items and decorate your little burrow however you want. Your little hideout feels like a sanctuary from the harsh winter outside, which might just make you feel like sitting in front of a fire and wrapping yourself up in a blanket while you play the game.
I’ll admit that it got a little tedious to have to keep returning to the burrow because my warmth meter kept going down, but there are foods you can cook and clothes you can make that help you build cold resistance and stay outside longer. Remember that anything you find out in the wilderness might be useful, such as wood, plants, mushrooms, and even enemy carcasses.
I’m Wishlisting Winter Burrow!
While I’ve only played the demo, it was enough to get me interested in Winter Burrow. I’m putting it on my Steam wishlist for sure. If you enjoy cozy games with some survival elements thrown in, or you like atmospheric games that get you in a wintery mood, give Winter Burrow a try. It can be purchased on Steam for $19.99.
