Jie nori traumuoti dar vieną kartą su Buka: norvegai kuria žaidimą pagal Muminukus
Martyna Engeset-Pograniczna
14.06.2025 09:00
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Norvegijos žaidimų kūrėjai iš Hyper Games jau turi tam tikros patirties su Muminukais.
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Vyksta neįtikėtinas dalykas. Pirmą kartą istorijoje Muminukas pabunda anksčiau iš žiemos miego. Jūra vis dar miega po ledu. Sniegu užklotas Muminukų namas atrodo labai vienišas. Mama nepabunda, ji sapnuoja susirangiusi į abejingą kamuoliuką. Kaip vargšas Muminukas susitvarkys? Šią istoriją žinome iš Tove Jansson knygos „Muminukų žiema“. Netrukus norvegai išleis kompiuterinį žaidimą pagal šią istoriją.
Knyginėje versijoje Muminukuose daug melancholijos ir liūdesio. Pasaulis, toks gražus džiugiomis vasaros dienomis, kartais atrodo toks trapus. Ypač kai ateina žiema... Išsigandęs Muminukas, pirmą kartą pamatęs kaimynystę sniego apdaru, reaguoja į šį nepažįstamą vaizdą su didžiule baime: „Jis pažvelgė į jazminų krūmą, kuris buvo chaotiškas plikų šakų raizginys, ir siaubingai pagalvojo: Jis mirė, visas pasaulis mirė, kol aš miegojau. Šis pasaulis priklauso kažkam kitam, ko aš nepažįstu. Gal Bukai. Ir jis nebuvo sukurtas tam, kad jame gyventų Muminukai.“
In Tove Jansson's books – equally suitable for children and for childlike souls in adult bodies – we sometimes find a more or less distant echo of the grim circumstances in which this series began. The author recalled the birth of the Moomin stories: "It was the winter of 1939, wartime. Work stood still; one felt that any attempt to create an image of reality was completely unnecessary."
The abyss and evening gloom
Subsequent pop-cultural adaptations, such as the 1990s series or Moomin mugs and other overly sweet gadgets, blur the memory of the darker, more serious, and deeper tone present in this universe. Will it be similar with the game currently produced by the Norwegian company Hyper Games? We'll find out after its release next year. Now let's compare the recently published trailer for Moomintroll: Winter's Warmth with another fragment from Moominland Midwinter. Indeed, the game's world is dark, but the sky is illuminated by the beautiful northern lights (also present in the book), and the atmosphere is set by calming music. And besides, that hopeful title... Winter's Warmth...
In Jansson's version, however:
"The whole world is sleeping its winter sleep," thought Moomintroll. "Only I woke up and can't fall asleep again. Only I will wander and wander through all the days and weeks until I become a snowdrift that no one will know about." The forest opened up before him, and below, Moomintroll saw a new valley. On its other side stretched the Lonely Mountains. They wandered wave after wave to the south and had never looked so lonely. Only now did Moomintroll begin to feel truly cold. Evening gloom crept out of the abyss and slowly climbed the frozen mountain ridges, where snow glistened on black rocks like exposed teeth, where there was only white and black and emptiness as far as the eye could see."
It might seem that in the game, darkness and underlying despair fade away. Nevertheless, the head of Hyper Games declares to NRK: "The book is not afraid to address topics such as loneliness, death, and isolation, and the game will not shy away from them either." He adds that games should evoke emotions and that he is not afraid that players might feel sad or scared. He jokes that the Groke has already traumatized several generations of Scandinavians and that Hyper Games aims to give this trauma further life.
Norwegian game developers from this company already have some experience with the Moomins. Last year, they released a game titled Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley. It involves exploring a narrative-driven world, solving puzzles, and searching for items—missing pieces of a puzzle. Next year's game based on Moominland Midwinter is supposed to be similar.
Winter is coming, one might say. The Norwegian creation should appeal to those who share a Moomin sentiment!
Sources: Book "Moominland Midwinter", NRK, PC Gamer, YouTube
