A Good Snowman Is Hard To Build
- February 25, 2015
- Benjamin Davis
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Epic Games Store"A Good Snowman is Hard to Build" is a charming puzzle game where you play as a monster, tasked with building snowmen by solving puzzles. With adorable graphics, an enchanting soundtrack, and carefully designed puzzles, this game is sure to delight. The game has received numerous accolades, including being named one of TIME magazine's top 10 apps of 2016 and winning Best Character Design at Intel Level Up 2014.
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Reviews
- Charming and relaxing gameplay with a soothing atmosphere and cute visuals.
- Puzzles are engaging and progressively challenging, providing a satisfying experience.
- The ability to hug snowmen and interact with the environment adds a delightful touch.
- The game is relatively short, with some players feeling it lacks content for the price.
- The mechanics in the 'dream world' can be confusing and frustrating, requiring external guides.
- Controls can be unresponsive at times, leading to accidental movements and frustration.
- gameplay137 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "A Good Snowman is Hard to Build" is centered around simple mechanics where players roll snowballs to create snowmen, offering a blend of intuitive and challenging puzzles. While the game effectively explores its core mechanic without unnecessary complexity, some players found the dream world puzzles to be frustrating due to the need to redo previous challenges. Overall, the game is praised for its charming visuals, soothing music, and engaging yet accessible puzzle design, making it a delightful experience for casual gamers.
“The puzzles are short but challenging, and the game lasts just long enough to explore all the possibilities of the mechanics without overstaying its welcome.”
“Progression is natural, introducing new puzzle mechanics by doing, instead of giving an explicit tutorial.”
“Quick, adorable, and fully explores one well-defined mechanic.”
“I like the pretty art and the puzzle mechanic, but the controls are absolutely awful for no reason.”
“Not a big issue, but with such a small amount of mechanics in play you would expect it to be more refined.”
“It has a wonderful aesthetic and makes an interesting new use of the classic box-pushing puzzle mechanic, but it is tragically short; I finished it in under 3 hours.”
- graphics89 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and cute aesthetic, featuring simple yet effective designs that enhance the overall relaxing atmosphere. Players appreciate the smooth character animations, soothing music, and the delightful visuals that contribute to a calming puzzle-solving experience. While some note that the graphics may not be as polished as newer titles, the endearing art style and engaging animations create a captivating environment that resonates well with players.
“The peaceful music, tiled map graphics, and smooth character animations are well done.”
“Like the snowy setting, the graphics and character animation are beautiful in their minimalist design and add a cuteness that makes the game enjoyable even when a puzzle seems impossible.”
“The presentation is perfect for a reflective puzzle game - soothing soundtrack, subtle sound effects, crisp and simple (yet utterly charming) visuals, and while solving a puzzle could be its own reward...well, there's an undeniable sense of contentment that comes from hugging a snowman.”
“The aesthetics are also a bit less polished than the newer Draknek games, but that's just a natural part of a game being old.”
“The visuals are simple, but I appreciated them having played a monster's expedition.”
“Graphics, basic but adorable; similar feeling to 'Thomas Was Alone', less focus on the images than the bonds.”
- music71 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its soothing, ambient quality, enhancing the relaxing atmosphere and complementing the cute visuals. Many players appreciate the minimalist piano soundtrack and dynamic music that adapts to gameplay, creating a meditative experience. While some express a desire for more variety, the overall consensus is that the music effectively contributes to the game's charm and enjoyment.
“It's short, sweet, gorgeously painterly and with an awesome, minimalist piano soundtrack, which really helps to soothe you during some of the game's more difficult sections.”
“A good snowman is hard to build is a unique puzzle game with a beautiful atmosphere and music that can make you close your eyes and feel as if you are on an island.”
“The presentation is perfect for a reflective puzzle game - soothing soundtrack, subtle sound effects, crisp and simple (yet utterly charming) visuals, and while solving a puzzle could be its own reward...well, there's an undeniable sense of contentment that comes from hugging a snowman.”
“Cute cartoon graphics, simple controls, a relaxing ambience and soothing atmosphere, but I didn’t like the music.”
“The music is mainly ambient.”
“You need some time to focus on a puzzle without being distracted by the avatar's gestures or the music?”
- atmosphere34 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its warmth and coziness, enhanced by charming graphics, soothing music, and engaging sound design. Players appreciate the cute and calming elements, such as hugging snowmen and the meditative gameplay, which contribute to a relaxing experience. However, some reviewers noted that while the atmosphere is delightful, the game's short content may limit its overall appeal.
“A good snowman is hard to build is a unique puzzle game with a beautiful atmosphere and music that can make you close your eyes and feel as if you are on an island.”
“I love the quiet atmosphere, I love hugging the snowmen after I've found a way to stack them, and even the music is pleasant and still listenable after 5+ hours.”
“The simplistic graphics and the game’s sound design very much complement its comforting atmosphere.”
“The game might last someone that isn't very good at puzzles longer and be a more satisfying experience, but all this has going for it is the cute atmosphere and one challenging puzzle at the very end.”
“Cute cartoon graphics, simple controls, a relaxing ambience and soothing atmosphere, but I didn’t like the music.”
“The simplistic graphics (shoutout to the design of the monster you’re playing as) and the game’s sound design also very much complement its comforting atmosphere.”
- emotional24 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its wholesome and heartwarming elements, such as the ability to hug snowmen and personalize them with names and outfits, creating a deep connection with the characters. Players appreciate the peaceful atmosphere and the emotional growth that comes from engaging with the puzzles, making the experience feel more meaningful and touching. Overall, the game evokes strong feelings of warmth and nostalgia, resonating deeply with players.
“After building the perfect snowman, it gets a name, an adorable outfit, and the heartwarming option to give it a hug.”
“I love that it adds an emotional element to the characters and objects in the game, so it really grows on you as opposed to just solving puzzles and moving on.”
“I became much more emotionally connected to what was happening on the screen while proceeding through the second part.”
- grinding8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to the need to redo levels multiple times due to poor choices or lack of guidance. The lack of a map and the repetitive nature of solving puzzles contribute to a sense of unfulfillment, overshadowing the interesting challenges the game presents. Overall, while the intent behind the mechanics is appreciated, the execution leaves much to be desired.
“Also to redo a level the 5th time, just because you did certain levels in the wrong order and locked yourself out, or connected the wrong snowmen together is just tedious.”
“After I understood how tedious and unrewarding playing it would be, I regretted even taking the time.”
“Towards the end of the game it becomes extremely tedious to find the remaining unsolved puzzles because all the puzzles are in one big connected area, but there's no map or overview.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its charming and funny main character, along with amusing situations, such as a player inadvertently blocking their progress by building a snowman. The combination of cute animations and engaging mechanics contributes to a lighthearted and enjoyable experience. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with its puzzle elements, making it a delightful play.
“Funny puzzle game!”
“The most enjoyable things in the beginning of a game for me were charming, cute, and funny main character, nice animation and art, beautiful atmospheric music and sound effects, and quite interesting developed mechanics of classical sokoban.”
“A funny thing though, I built the last snowman right in front of the gate that you need to walk through to finish the game, so I didn't get the achievement.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a decent level of replayability, particularly when played with friends and family, thanks to its engaging puzzles and convenient features. However, some players feel that the limited number of snowman puzzles and the potential for getting stuck detract from its long-term replay value.
“It controls well, has a lot of convenient features built intrinsically, and holds a lot of replay value—especially with friends and family.”
“A pretty short game, but the snowman puzzles are interesting and the second half of the game adds replayability to all the puzzles that you have already solved before.”
“[not many snowmen to build, virtually no replay value, it's easy to get stuck]”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players report a stable experience with no bugs or glitches, contributing to an enjoyable and charming aesthetic throughout the game.
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight a strong appreciation for the game's character design, with some users finding it humorous and enjoyable, suggesting that while the design may be entertaining, it may not necessarily reflect deep character development. Overall, the focus seems to be more on visual appeal rather than intricate character growth or storytelling.
- story2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story revolves around the protagonist's quest to build snowmen as a means to combat feelings of loneliness and emptiness in a beautiful yet desolate garden, emphasizing themes of friendship and emotional fulfillment.
“Your mission is to build snowmen for a battalion of friendship to fill the void you feel while trapped inside your beautiful, but hopelessly empty garden.”
“Your mission is building snowmen for a battalion of friendship to fill the void you feel while trapped inside your beautiful, but hopelessly empty garden.”
