Skábma: Snowfall

77%
Game Brain Score Based on 154 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Skábma: Snowfall Game Cover
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"Skábma: Snowfall" is a narrative-driven puzzle adventure game set in the Arctic. Players will explore a breathtaking world inspired by Sámi culture and folklore, uncovering secrets and solving puzzles to reveal the truth behind the endless winter. Through its immersive atmosphere and captivating story, "Skábma: Snowfall" offers a unique and enriching gaming experience.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

77%
Audience ScoreBased on 154 reviews
story50 positive mentions
optimization6 negative mentions
  • The game features a beautiful setting and rich storytelling that immerses players in Sámi culture and mythology.
  • Visually stunning graphics and a captivating soundtrack enhance the overall experience, making exploration enjoyable.
  • The developers have shown a commitment to improving the game based on player feedback, creating a heartfelt and unique gaming experience.
  • The controls are often clunky and unresponsive, leading to frustrating gameplay, especially during platforming sections.
  • The game suffers from performance issues, including frame rate drops and camera control problems, which detract from the experience.
  • Many players found the lack of clear direction and guidance in the game confusing, making it easy to get lost and hindering progress.
  • story132 mentions

    The story of the game is praised for its deep exploration of Sámi culture and mythology, offering a unique and engaging narrative experience. While some players found the main plot to be somewhat conventional and the pacing of side quests frustrating, many appreciated the beautiful visuals and the incorporation of Sámi language and music, which enhanced the storytelling. Overall, the narrative is seen as a significant strength, despite some critiques regarding its execution and depth.

    • “It was really fun to play, with beautiful environments, a rich story, fun mechanics, and a warm introduction to Sámi culture - I loved finding all of the yoik locations in the game because the vocals were really moving.”
    • “The story is where the game truly shines, as it dives deep into Sámi culture and mythology to deliver compelling storytelling in an educational manner.”
    • “Music and visuals swept me away, and the story is deep and moving.”
    • “Finally, skábma: snowfall is written to set up a larger series of games, and there's awkwardness with the plot obviously related to it.”
    • “The story is odd; it goes from being decent to going downhill like an avalanche.”
    • “I can't really recommend a game that doesn't really explain the depth of the story which it obviously had at some point in time but for some reason left out.”
  • gameplay66 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with players appreciating the beautiful environments, rich story, and unique mechanics, particularly the drumming element. However, many have noted issues such as control difficulties, poorly explained mechanics, and a lack of engaging content in the latter half of the game, leading to frustration. Overall, while the gameplay offers fun and exploration, it suffers from some rough edges and inconsistencies that detract from the experience.

    • “It was really fun to play, with beautiful environments, a rich story, fun mechanics, and a warm introduction to Sámi culture - I loved finding all of the yoik locations in the game because the vocals were really moving.”
    • “The gameplay is really fun in and of itself, but more so it's a really creative format to (virtually) explore Sápmi territory, introduce yourself to Sámi mythology and spirituality, and get a feel for the material culture.”
    • “Gameplay is fun and engaging with intriguing game mechanics.”
    • “That being said, my biggest disappointment is found within the gameplay, as the second half of the game is a slog to go through.”
    • “The only downside I would say is the gameplay; it's boring and annoying at times.”
    • “Unfinished game :(, lack of guidance and interaction, and proper rewards makes gameplay very boring.”
  • graphics56 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty and atmospheric quality, with many reviewers noting the stunning environments and intricate lighting effects. While some found the semi-realistic backgrounds jarring alongside cartoonish characters, the overall aesthetic is considered unique and enchanting, even on lower settings. Despite minor glitches and readability issues, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's immersive experience, making it a highlight for players.

    • “The visuals are beautiful, especially the atmospheric shifts throughout the game left me in awe.”
    • “The environment visuals, ambience, music, is all just magical.”
    • “The developers managed to bring the mythology to life with the graphics, the landscapes, the audio and the story.”
    • “I wish they had gone with a more stylized aesthetic, because the semi-realistic backgrounds with cartoonish characters is a little jarring.”
    • “The difference in the quality of visuals from high to low was barely noticeable.”
    • “The game's lighting is pretty intricate, but the graphics and level of detail aren't meant to be lifelike.”
  • music36 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and immersive qualities, with many reviewers highlighting the effective integration of traditional sámi singing and drumming that enhances the overall atmosphere. While some noted that the music loops too quickly, the overall design is considered fantastic, contributing significantly to the game's enchanting visuals and storytelling. Players appreciate the unique experience of interacting with the music while exploring the game world.

    • “The soundtrack is very fitting and pleasant to listen to - big thumbs up for having traditional sámi singing throughout the game.”
    • “Music and visuals swept me away and the story is deep and moving.”
    • “Drumming to the beat of the music is a lovely touch and felt super unique!”
    • “The music did tend to loop a tad quickly for my taste, but overall, great musical design.”
    • “Where is the soundtrack, huh???”
    • “The music did tend to loop a tad quickly for my taste, but overall, great musical design.”
  • atmosphere14 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is described as cozy and dreamlike, featuring beautiful visuals and a unique art aesthetic that enhances its magical yet slightly creepy tone. While many players appreciate the atmospheric shifts and the overall charm, some note that low visibility can detract from the experience, making certain levels feel repetitive. Overall, the combination of story, atmosphere, and music contributes significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “The visuals are beautiful, especially the atmospheric shifts throughout the game left me in awe.”
    • “Charming, atmospheric, sometimes spooky platformer!”
    • “This is notwithstanding how most of these levels have very low visibility: I get that we're trying to build a dark and heavy atmosphere, but in this case, it amplifies how the whole thing's a repetitive chore.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game is very dreamlike and magical with a little twist of creepiness involved.”
    • “I think the game especially shines on the story, atmosphere, and music.”
  • optimization10 mentions

    The game suffers from significant optimization issues, with players reporting severe stuttering and frame rate drops even on the lowest settings. This lack of performance polish detracts from the overall experience, making controls feel frustrating and unresponsive.

    • “Unfortunately, it's entirely let down by its lack of optimization and nightmarish controls.”
    • “Yet, the second I started playing this game, the opening cut scene was stuttering like I was trying to run it on a potato.”
    • “Definitely some major performance issues causing FPS drops.”
  • stability6 mentions

    The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay and make progress difficult. While some aspects like the story and graphics are appreciated, the overall experience is marred by unfinished elements and frustrating controls.

    • “I really wanted to love this game, but the controls are super buggy, making progress all but impossible.”
    • “Unfortunately, it's an unfinished game with annoying playability and various glitches.”
    • “The graphics were good, but there were some glitches with the characters, and sometimes the levels were hard to read because of the details.”
  • emotional6 mentions

    The game offers a unique emotional experience by allowing players to forge deep connections with family members, drawing on the rich cultural heritage of the Sami people. While some players appreciate its heartfelt narrative and educational value, others find it lacking in engagement and direction, describing it as a tedious walking simulator. Overall, the emotional impact is highlighted as a significant strength, despite technical issues and mixed gameplay experiences.

    • “Interesting and unique educational game from the cultural perspective of the Sami people (indigenous people of Nordic/Northern Europe) and their mythology. Despite being laggy at times and having some bugs, I'd still recommend this warm-hearted and unique game experience.”
    • “It feels like an RPG in the early days of video gaming where every NPC has two or three lines of dialogue just to add flavor. In this game, it's your family who you're supposed to develop strong emotional connections to, not a forgettable stranger.”
    • “Just a boring walking simulator, where you don't know where to go and the story is uninteresting.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly in the latter half, where the challenges primarily involve running and can feel repetitive. While there is a sense of urgency, the lack of significant threat makes it easy to bypass obstacles, contributing to the overall feeling of monotony. Despite these issues, the game's unique qualities and positive message may still appeal to some players.

    • “They manage to give a bit of a sense of urgency, but they're also surprisingly not very harmful (very easy to fool and evade), which makes the underlying challenges (running places mostly) a tad tedious.”
    • “There are a few important elements that almost made me not recommend the game (the tedious length of the later half of the game most of all), but it's unique enough and sends a globally positive message.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is well-received, with players noting that it resonates with the protagonist's own comedic perspective, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “Funny enough, even the protagonist agrees.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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