A thread through time, stitched with love.
I’ve always had a soft spot for Swedish Fish – probably my all-time favorite candy. But beyond the chewy, red nostalgia, Sweden has given me more than just sugar highs. Every now and then, Swedish creators drop something unexpectedly great, like the beautifully crafted indie game Unravel. It’s a quiet, heartfelt platformer that follows Yarny, a tiny creature made of red thread, as he traverses lush, photorealistic environments inspired by the Swedish countryside. There’s a gentleness to the gameplay, a melancholic charm to the story, and a sincerity in its design that makes Unravel feel like more than just a game – it feels like a memory you’re piecing back together.
And that’s exactly what Unravel is! You’re unraveling the past, quite literally. Yarny’s thread trails behind him as he journeys through old memories, binding moments together while slowly coming undone. Each level is like flipping through a forgotten photo album, where joy, loss, and love quietly unfold without a single word spoken. It’s a game about connection, about holding onto what matters even as time tugs it away. The mechanics are simple, but the emotional weight is surprisingly heavy. It never feels overly pretentious like some of those try-hard, feel-good indie games. The game earns its sentiment – it doesn’t beg for it.
Gameplay-wise, it’s basically one long, adorable tug-of-heartstrings. You swing from tree branches like a little yarn Tarzan, lasso buttons, and build tiny yarn bridges. The game will also have you tying knots to create makeshift trampolines, and dragging apples around to solve surprisingly emotional physics problems. You may end up screwing up from time-to-time but that’s part of the charm. The game never punishes you too harshly. It’ll occasionally have you slowly drown, which sounds dark, but somehow even that feels like slipping into a very sad bubble bath. It’s low-stress, high-wholesome puzzle-platforming, with just enough challenge to make you feel clever without ever breaking the cozy vibe.Â
Unravel isn’t overly long. You could finish it in a cozy weekend, maybe even a lazy afternoon if you’re particularly clever with your yarn tricks. But despite its short runtime, it packs that classic Pixar-style punch – gentle, heartfelt, and likely to leave you staring at the credits with a weird little lump in your throat and a newfound appreciation for grandmas, forests, and old photo albums.
No loose ends here,
Mikhail
Verdict: 8/10