It's not the puzzles or the exploration. It's not the smooth, responsive platforming or the simple controls. It's the way the leaves rustle. It's the way the snow crunches under your paws. It's the way the fox yips that makes you fall in love with Seasons After Fall.

I first met Swing Swing Submarine years ago, when they were roaming the Gamescom halls on their own, armed with a laptop and the first teaser for their upcoming puzzle platformer Seasons After Fall. The French gamedev trio had a lot of ideas for their game, which looked promising indeed - they just hadn't had the time to put them into the game yet. Fast forward, and the game is finally out. I am glad to see that it's still the very same concept, the same design. I wasn't prepared for this level of polish, though.
You're playing as a fox with mystical powers which allow you to manipulate the seasons and the life of the forest. This creates new platforming elements: water will freeze, leaves will be blown upwards, vines and giant mushrooms will grow, creating new paths for you on your quest to find the guardians of the forest. It all feels effortless and, well, natural - which is probably the nicest thing that can be said of a game that's all about nature.

It's the little things, really. The way things move, the way the world seems alive. But it doesn't stop there. Every time you move the cursor in the menus, you hear the sound of a string being plucked. It's this attention to the smallest detai...