Artificial intelligence was not used in the new Moomin video game: “It would take the fun and soulfulness out of work”

This is what the founder and director of the Norwegian game studio Hyper Games declares Are Sundnes.

And the idea of ​​Tove Jansson as a game designer does not seem far-fetched at all. He was so versatile and curious. Besides being a writer, Jansson was a painter, caricaturist and cartoonist. A board game and maps for books were also born, on the basis of which flows the playfulness that is pleasing to video games.

Sundnes says in a video call that his team’s adventure game Moomintroll: Winter’s Warmthwho arrived in Finland under the name Moomin: The Magic of Winterhonors Jansson’s beloved legacy – but from his own angle.

Released on April 27 for PC, Switch and Switch 2 consoles The magic of winter to celebrate Moomins 80 years of heaven.

At the same time, it brings a spiritual continuation of Hyper Games Moomin– for the debut game Snuffbox: The Moomin Valley Melody (Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley2024). It was a special case. Moomin-games have been made over the years, but only Snuff’s adventure was the first to truly understand Moomins the magical joy and melancholy of the world.

“Previously Moomin-games were made in small teams and mainly for children. But we had the resources and we didn’t tie experience to age, but we invited adults too,” says Are Sundnes.

Sundnes got the idea when he was reading Jansson’s book to his child as a bedtime story A dangerous midsummer (1954). Especially Moomins the dark side was alluring.

“From that place, I sent a message to the team that it would be crazy to do the right thing Moomingame and specifically in Jansson’s watercolor style,” says Sundnes.

“I immediately answered that absolutely not at all,” says the person who joined the video call Marcus Kjeldsen. He is lead artistgraphic designer responsible for the artistic look of Hyper Games.

The magic of winter begins when autumn ends. Snuffbox travels far and the Moomins go on hibernation. However, Moomin can’t catch up on sleep, but drifts off on an adventure – and sees snow for the first time.

Marcus Kjeldsen says that almost all the art was redone for the game when Moomin Valley had to be covered in snow.

“The main themes are spiritual growth and the presence of nature. And how the little things in life are easily taken for granted.”

“We Nordics are familiar with snow and icy winter, but it’s not like this for everyone,” says Kjeldsen.

In Hange, you explore the environment and solve puzzles with the needy Moomin doll. In some places we meet friends from Hemuli to Vilijonkka and from Esiisa to Tuu-tikki. Then we talk and do favors. It’s like playing non-violent The Legend of Zeldaa.

“Funny you mentioned that Zeldanas that is our starting point. Nuiskamuikkunen already reminded the previous part Zelda-series’ Link main character in his green bun. We are now refining the idea, says the third and last guest of the video call, the director Kristoffer Jetmundsen.

In Jetmundsen’s opinion, gentleness sets limits to adventure, but on the other hand, he sees that this is exactly where the strength of game design comes from. There are also fewer characters than before, but “a deeper bond is created with them”.

“The focus is especially on the story. That’s the only way this can feel authentic.” Moominexperience.”

The previous game had more players in Japan than in the Nordic countries combined. So the creators are now thinking a lot about the Japanese audience.

“I think there is a fascinating connection between the Japanese and Nordic mental landscape,” says Jetmundsen.

Surprising is how quickly ambitious The magic of winter arrives after the previous one. Today, when the game productions have swelled so much that the two years required would be the initial heat for many.

According to Hyper Games, the fast pace is explained by how the learned is utilized. The technology exists, the target audience is known and the story is ready.

Unlike the previous game The magic of winter is directly based on Tove Jansson’s work. It’s the sixth Moomin-book ie A magical winter from 1957.

Liberties are still taken. The cooperation takes place with the Helsinki-based company Moomin Characters, which manages Moomins usage rights. We deal with them every day.

For example, Moomin Characters dictates that Hyper Games cannot create new characters, include violence, or use artificial intelligence.

Studio boss Are Sundnes would not accept artificial intelligence anyway. For him, it “would take the fun out of the job, the craftsmanship and ultimately the soul of the game”.

The most important thing is that Moomin Characters understand what a video game should be like.

“They provide gamified content. That means inventing all kinds of fun and relaxing things to do as part of the story, so that the gaming experience follows its own path,” says Sundnes.

The Moomins are already an elderly series, but the stories that uniquely combine kindness and sadness have a meaningful, harmonious message. And that’s not too bad.

Vice versa: Moomins the message it carries shines more and more boldly today.

“You don’t have to like everyone, but you can get along with everyone,” says Are Sundnes.