Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley News

[h3]The festival of tunes, sounds, melodies… and all things music🎼[/h3]
This time Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is participating in the Save & Sound music festival, bringing you joyous melodies, intricate sound designs and heart-warming tracks. Listen in on how the music for the game was composed and how the collaboration with the icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós came to be. If you haven’t done so yet, have a look through our previous post to find out more about the Snufkin’s musical journey🌿



[h3]Wonderful surprises we’ve prepared for you on this melodic adventure🎁[/h3]
Mark your calendar for 9pm CEST on the 11th of September as the day when you step into the world of wonder as we make an appearance on the festival's official stream! Choose your preferred platform and tune into this unique opportunity to delve into the inner workings of the game's intricate sound design, where the Hyper Games' meticulous craftsmanship brings every sound (and croak!) within the game to life. Join the developers as they reveal the art behind their creations and share their deepest insights and inspirations. In addition, you get to hear from Kjartan Sveinsson, from Sigur Rós, explaining how the band intertwine their music with the game's very essence as well as shed light on the inspirations that fuel their artistry. Prepare to embark on an enchanting adventure into the realms of sound and imagination, where magic and music unite for an unforgettable experience✨

We hope to see you there!



And Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley’s journey continues on🍃 Make sure you tag along on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Discord.

“As fellow wanderers ourselves, we are journeying through thick forests, raging seas and snowy valleys all the way from the Nordics to Japan, bringing you a brand new look on our game - Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley. We’re excited to world premiere a demo for our fans and community at Tokyo Game Show – sharing the happiness and enchanting world of Moomin with visitors of the event…”



We’re happy to announce that Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley is coming to Tokyo Game Show, Hall 9 Booth E89, with a brand new demo! If you happen to adventure around the event, don’t miss out on this magical opportunity to play it - as it’s filled with wonderful and mischievous characters of Moomin. You’ll have a unique chance to feel first-hand what it’s like to be playing as the vagabond wanderer and philosopher Snufkin, experience the beauty of the Wild Country, go on soulful quests and explore areas never seen before!✨

So, get into your comfy clothes, pack your soft backpack and come find us at the Tokyo Game Show running from Thursday, September 21, to Sunday, September 24. It would warm our hearts to see you there 🌞


And while you’re preparing for the adventure, don’t forget to visit our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Discord – we have blankets, cookies and wholesome stories☕

[h3]Let’s tune in to wonderful melodies🎼[/h3]
Save & Sound is a music festival taking place online. It sets up a beautiful celebration of inspiring soundtracks as well as one-of-a-kind audio and music design in games. On top of that, the festival offers wonderful deals and demos on Steam.



[h3]Snufkin’s adventures are music adventures🍃[/h3]
Snufkin is a famous vagabond and adventurer, but only few know that he never ventures anywhere without his harmonica. His friends enjoy listening to the Snufkin’s melodies greatly and find comfort and fascination in the way the vagabond plays. Music is said to bring people together, and this is precisely the case for Snufkin - especially when he uses his harmonica to brighten up someone’s mood, make new friends or find help on his challenging journey.

What contributed to the immersion into the Snufkin’s musical journey is not just his masterful skill in playing harmonica but also the magnificent soundtrack created in collaboration with the Icelandic band Sigur Rós. Inspired by Iceland’s harsh weathers and unique stunning views of nature and wilderness, the melodies born in the hands and hearts of Sigur Rós contribute to the Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley’s magical appeal and atmosphere that touch the soul itself and wrap into a warm blanket, full of love and tenderness.



[h3]Join us in this beautiful celebration of tunes and melodies✨[/h3]
Camp at our social channels to always be part of our musical adventure - Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Discord💚

“Walking had been easy, because his knapsack was nearly empty and he had no worries on his mind. He felt happy about the wood and the weather, and himself. Tomorrow and yesterday were both at a distance, and just at present the sun was shining brightly red between the birches, and the air was cool and soft.

It’s the right evening for a tune, Snufkin thought. A new tune, one part expectation, two parts spring sadness, and for the rest, just the great delight of walking alone and liking it.” - The Spring Tune, Tales from Moominvalley



In the heart of a beautiful realm, you find Snufkin wandering old paths through the thick canopy of ancient trees where rays of sun cast a mesmerising dance of shadow and light. The air is alive with a symphony of harmony and a welcoming, serene feeling that Snufkin is familiar with. We have entered the outskirts of Moominvalley, the Wild Country.



“The Wild Country“ (or Ödemarken in Swedish) is what Tove Jansson called the wild and nameless area across Moominvalley’s surrounding mountains. While we don’t know exactly what Snufkin is doing all winter, the short story “The Spring Tune” gives a few clues, as it follows Snufkin on a walk through the wilderness, in search of inspiration for a new melody.

This is where Snufkin’s story in our game begins. When he arrives in spring, you find a soft cover of snow, like a blanket covering parts of the landscape, with trees and flowers slowly awakening.



[h3]Bringing the characteristics of the landscape to life[/h3]
Your travels as Snufkin will take you from breathtaking vistas to dark caves. The landscape with its rocky faces, rugged slopes, and paths… and even the sun itself feels alive, as if you can reach out and touch it, and then it will suddenly smile back at you, or give another meaningful response. Tove Jansson was a wonderful artist and seemed to enjoy painting large natural landscapes and vistas with her distinct visual style. While we don’t try to mimic the style directly, it’s important to us that the game has a similar vibe - and that everything feels like it was Jansson’s hands where the ideas were born.



[h3]Nordic harmony[/h3]
What’s guiding and inspiring us to create and realise these amazing stories and places is the place from which Tove Jansson also drew inspiration - the beauty of the Nordic landscape. The Finnish archipelago was one of her favourite destinations, and together with her partner Tuulikki Pietilä they spent nearly 30 summers on the island of Klovharu. The island life was inspirational for the artists and the way of living in Moominvalley is a lot influenced by the harsh Finnish nature and the life the couple lived close to the sea.



/Are CEO of Hyper Games

Inspiration sources:

• https://www.moomin.com/en/blog/tove-jansson-and-finland/#077e4276
• https://www.moomin.com/en/blog/nature-eyes-moomins-always-respecting-wilderness/#f1910852
• https://www.moomin.com/en/blog/nature-and-moomin-stories/#077e4276

"He thought about how much he loved everything, the forest, the sea, the rain and the wind, the sunshine, the grass and the moss, and how impossible it would be to live without them all..." - Comet in Moominland

Step into Moominvalley and close your eyes. You might hear a river running between the sea and the mountain. You might hear the leaves in the trees, the birds chirp in the distance, or maybe a noise from a creature or two making their way through the forests. Whatever it is you hear, this is the symphony of nature, the Melody of Moominvalley.

It is a sense of harmony and contentment that creates peace and balance. This place is home for many inhabitants, almost all of whom possess a deep love and respect for nature. From the towering peaks of the Lonely Mountains to the lush green slopes and clear waters of the bordering sea, the valley offers a dramatic vista that feels both familiar and mysterious.



When shaping the world for the beloved characters, Tove Jansson drew inspiration from her Nordic roots and experiences, spending over 30 summers on the island of Klovharu in the Finnish Archipelago with her partner Tuulikki Pietilä. While not all parts of nature are conventionally pretty, Jansson recognised that there is beauty to be found in it nonetheless if you simply look closely enough.

The environment in Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley

To have Tove Janssons’ world come to life, it was important for us to go into the details of every element when we were creating the environment for the players to explore– from the trees, to the flowers, and the grass itself. Jansson’s colourful and storybook style is cherished by people around the world who have come to love the Moomins, drawn by the distinct and whimsical art. When designing for the game, our artists at Hyper Games have spent a great deal of time making sure we honour and stay true to the vision of Moomin’s beautiful respect for nature.



The process starts with looking at much of the original work, then moving to concept art, figuring out how each aspect will look in the game whilst honouring and recreating the inspirations of the comics and books. This means that we have created very many concepts, then handdrawn and crafted them into place in the environments in the game. We wanted to create a world that players would want to get lost in.



Our vision and goal for you as a player is to truly feel like you’re stepping into Moominvalley. We want you to explore everything, from the different landmarks to the different trees, flowers, and inhabitants in a never-before-done way. When Snufkin returns to Moominvalley in the spring, he notes that some of the noises, the river’s waters, and even the leaves on the trees are…different. The melody has been disturbed. As Snufkin, you’ll have to find out what has happened to the valley, and how Moomintroll is involved – if you can find him!



One more thing before we wrap up: As a Nordic tradition, we will be off on vacation throughout July and we wish you all a happy summer. You’ll still see Snufkin online, but we’ll see you back in August!

/Are CEO of Hyper Games