Have you ever dreamed of donning a small froggy backpack, becoming the familiar of a centuries old witch and frolicking and foraging your way through the joys of the nature, living out your own Stuart Little fantasy? No? Well, neither had I until attending my recent preview session for Hela, a game bursting with natural beauty and a whole lot of heart from Windup Games.
Within my first few moments with Hela, I knew that this was the antidote to modern living. No stress, no pressure, just good vibes and playfulness. It’s the kind of game that you’ll sink slowly into the sofa with, feeling the tension of the day dissipate as you immerse yourself in the freedom to explore and experiment in the breathtaking beauty of the countryside. Enjoying a hands-off 20 minute preview narrated by Windup Games Creative Director, Martin Sahlin, I’ve been smitten with what’s been shown so far.
A 3D platformer at heart, set in a Scandinavian village, Hela seems focussed on providing a sense of community, as you investigate a vast, open space looking for the ingredients for potions to upgrade your abilities, whilst helping the inhabitants with their own problems. Given your diminutive stature, everything feels huge. Cupboards and tables loom over you, chairs becoming something to clamber up and over rather than to sit on. The sense of scale on show here only amplifies the feeling of being a tiny mammal in a huge world, yet it doesn’t feel threatening and instead inspires a sense of wonder and the urge to investigate just what might be hiding around that next bend in this whimsical world.
Playable both solo and cooperatively, Hela’s set in a world that’s made to enjoy with friends. Up to four players can play together online (split-screen play only supporting two at a time) with drop in/out gameplay, spreading goodwill and joy as you scamper around, performing acts of kindness as you explore. Physics based problems will require this cooperative puzzle solving, to the point that solo players will need to enlist up to three “shades”, grey ghostly mice that can be utilised to help with one task as you go off to complete another part of the task in hand.
Reminiscent of the old Xbox 360 title, The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom, these look like they’ll stretch your puzzling instincts a little, acting as a little aside from the exploration and adventuring. There’s a seemingly even mix of goal based platforming and open-ended wandering that’ll provide just the right amount of carrot to stick to keep me engaged.
Hela wants you to enjoy the pure act of traversal. Inspired by the freedom of movement in games such as Skate, there’s no fast travel here as there’s just so much fun to be had getting from A to B. With diversions left, right and centre, there’s always going to be a shiny collectible to appeal to your inner magpie. Whether using the grapple hook and slackline stored away in your backpack, gliding through the air, or just frolicking through the towering trees and lush undergrowth, it’s the sheer delight of motion that’s gotten me excited to actually get my hands on the game.
Whilst Scandi folklore can often feel dark and foreboding, this is feel-good gaming in its purest form. Soft, friendly and kind, there’s a lightness and childlike innocence here that’s been missing from most games for far too long, a sense of mindfulness and a kindness of heart. Hela looks to be the game that’ll heal and restore something that I didn’t even know had been missing, play for the sake of play.
Hela is coming in 2026 to PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.
