Skábma: Snowfall forecast for early next year

Written by K R Parkinson — September 14, 2021 at 11:07

Adventure games often feature stories based on mythology and history, and in recent years there has been an uptick in the number of titles that celebrate the cultural heritage of previously overlooked indigenous communities from around the world. Red Stage Entertainment's upcoming Skábma: Snowfall is another such game, drawing inspiration from the traditions of the Northern European Sámi people. 

This is the story of Áilu, a young reindeer herder who ventures forth to recover a runaway doe and becomes entangled in the aftermath of an accident at a nearby tar-burning pit. Following this incident, “an odd disease starts spreading across the area, affecting everything, from the land to the people and animals.” Soon Áilu finds an old shamanic drum, called Goavddis, which is enchanted with “the long-lost knowledge of Sámi healers.” Armed with this drum and its sacred knowledge, the young protagonist takes the first steps on “a challenging path of becoming the first Noaidi, Sámi shaman, in centuries.”

The world of Skábma is presented in a lovely 3D art style via third-person perspective. The game's cinematics will be voiced in the Northern Sámi language, and the score will feature “traditional Yoik-singing music from award-winning Sámi musician Hildá Länsman.” Players will be tasked with solving “environmental puzzles and platforming challenges” on a journey to find and summon the help of four spirit animals: Skuolfi the Owl, Guovža the Bear, Čámsa the Trout, and Rieban the Fox. These spirits will grant you “varying powers affecting your movement and ability to attune the disorder spreading through Sámiland.” Along the way you will also learn more about Sámi culture and history in various ways. 

Scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2022, Skábma: Snowfall will be available on Steam and the Epic Games Store for Windows PC.