Survival games have a common formula: gather sticks, make tools, build a shelter, and survive.
Winter Burrow sticks to this formula but adds its unique touch with a cozy feel and charming approach. Unlike other survival games that are intense and gritty, Winter Burrow feels more like making a home rather than just surviving in the wild.
At Xbox‘s Gamescom event in Los Angeles, I tried out a demo of Winter Burrow. It starts with a cutscene about an anthropomorphic mouse returning to his childhood burrow after years in the city. His parents had moved to work in the mines but passed away, leading him back to find his old home in ruins and his aunt gone.
From there, you start fixing up the burrow. At first, you gather sticks and grass to start fires and repair items like a crafting bench and an easy chair. These early tasks are typical for survival games. You’ll also need to keep track of hunger, exhaustion, and temperature.
Even though it’s rundown, the burrow feels like it could be a lovely home with some work. The storybook art style and cute mouse character add to this feeling. When you’re inside the burrow, doing things like sitting in your chair (which doubles as your crafting station), the game has a relaxed vibe. The animation of the mouse knitting by the fire is especially cozy.
“Cozy” doesn’t mean it’s easy. In my 20-minute demo, I faced some tough challenges. The game is set in winter, so it’s snowy and cold outside. The initial clothes don’t keep you warm for long, so I had to knit better ones quickly or risk freezing.
Fans love seeing cute characters face real challenges.
There’s no map early on either, making it easy to get lost in the snowy landscape. Without landmarks, finding your way back can be tricky; retracing your footprints or remembering the surroundings are your only options. If you don’t return before your temperature gauge drops too low, you’ll freeze and drop everything you’re carrying.
The cold was unexpectedly harsh. Once I got lost while searching for supplies and didn’t notice my temperature gauge dropping until frost appeared on the screen edges; by then it was too late to find my way back! The weather became the main threat instead of any creatures I encountered.
The demo ended as I was repairing a bridge to explore further areas. Although short-lived, I met other animals who seemed friendly and might offer side quests later on. While there were hostile bugs around, it felt like most conflicts would come from surviving harsh conditions rather than fighting enemies.
Winter Burrow has some downsides too—it relies heavily on familiar elements of survival games like gathering resources repeatedly until you can craft what you need next. Inventory management can become tedious as you must frequently dump items back at the burrow due to limited space.
However, once past these early hurdles common in survival games, things usually get more interesting as new features unfold. My brief experience didn’t reveal much beyond initial tasks but left me curious due to its inviting art style and music coupled with less oppressive gameplay compared to typical survival titles.
Winter Burrow will be available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Game Pass in early 2025.
