I keep getting lost on my way home from trading wood to trolls and giving crystals to chickens in this strange but cosy survival game

economy. It starts out pretty straightforward: buy an axe, chop down a tree, collect the wood. But then what do you do with that wood? You find a troll and give it to him, of course, in exchange for a crystal shard.

The same trees, rocks, and other features that you smash for materials can also block your path, and each gathering tool only has a certain number of uses. Choose the wrong route back through the forest without sufficient axes in your fairly small inventory, and it's easy to hit dead ends, forcing you to waste lantern light doubling back on yourself. It becomes almost puzzle-like, reminiscent of a board game.

It's never stressful or scary, but it does get surprisingly tense as the game forces you to push your luck more and more, and it's very good at evoking that slightly queasy feeling of realising you've strayed a little too far off the beaten path and aren't quite sure of your way back to town. Like, another game that's surprisingly strategic but also designed to zone out to, merrily pottering away as you soak in the vibes.

Formerly the editor of PC Gamer magazine , Robin combines years of experience in games journalism with a lifelong love of PC gaming. First hypnotised by the light of the monitor as he muddled through Simon the Sorcerer on his uncle’s machine, he’s been a devotee ever since, devouring any RPG or strategy game to stumble into his path. Now he's channelling that devotion into filling this lovely website with features, news, reviews, and all of his hottest takes.

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