Skabma: Snowfall

Skabma: Snowfall is a 3D adventure game with action elements, inspired by the mythology and culture of the indigenous inhabitants of Northern Europe - the Saami. It is produced by Red Stage Entertainment, an independent Finnish studio, and published by PID Games, a Plug in Digital division specializing in indie games.

Plot

The main character of the game is Áilu - a peaceful dreamer, who would like to get his own reindeer in the future. The boy is an orphan and was taken in by his uncle's family, living in a small village Siida. This place is situated by a fjord, far to the north, and the inhabitants' lives are closely connected with reindeer. Despite this distant location, more and more outsiders have started visiting the area in recent years. The inhabitants of Siida are not happy about this situation, but they try to get over it.

To make matters worse, their peaceful life is disrupted after an accident at a nearby tar kiln. A strange disease starts spreading in the area, affecting both the people and the environment. One day the protagonist leaves the village in search of a doe that has separated from the village's herd of reindeer. On his way he finds an old, enchanted Goavddis drum, which hides the long forgotten knowledge of his people's healers, called Noaidi. With the help of the object, the boy learns more and more about the mysterious illness that threatens his land.

Mechanics

The game is played from the third person perspective. Its main goal is to explore the vast world, collecting collectibles and notes and solving environmental puzzles, thanks to which the player can advance to higher levels and gain access to secret locations.

The gameplay is connected with the system of beliefs, professed by the Saami. In the past, their shamans used Goavddis drums to communicate with the spirits, ask them for advice, harness the elements or travel through the spirit worlds. Healers were sometimes guided by auxiliary animal spirits, called Sáiva Ealli. In Skabma: Snowfall, each animal spirit represents the power of one of the four elements: owl, the element of wind; bear, the element of earth; trout, the element of water; fox, the element of fire. However, in order to become a Noaidi of the new era and benefit from their help, the protagonist must first find them.

The powers of helpful spirits affect the protagonist's movements, making it easier for him to move on more difficult sections of the route. With their help, the protagonist also gains additional abilities, e.g. he can disable enemy units or infiltrate the spirit world. In addition, during his journey the player sometimes comes into contact with mystical beings - the spirits of people and trees. Talking with one of the spirits allows him to gain interesting information, helpful in solving environmental puzzles or overcoming various obstacles.

Technical aspects

Skabma: Snowfall features colorful, 3D graphics. The soundtrack uses, includes songs in joik style (a kind of Saami folk singing), performed by an award-winning Finnish singer - Hilda Länsman. To give the gameplay additional charm and bring the world of the Saami even closer to the players, the voice actors speak their lines in their native language.