The Little Match Girl and Her Friend, the Crow

About

A lonely child and a clever bird team up to navigate a crumbling world filled with flickering shadows and hidden dangers. This narrative-driven puzzle game tasks you with guiding both characters through eerie environments where each choice affects their fragile bond. Simple controls let you switch between perspectives to solve environmental challenges while figuring out a quiet, melancholic story. The hand-drawn visuals create an unsettling yet beautiful atmosphere that deepens as you uncover fragments of their shared past. Ryan Veeder's signature storytelling shines here, blending sparse dialogue with evocative imagery to craft an emotional journey. While there are no combat elements or time pressures, the game's difficulty lies in piecing together its abstract world rules. Available on PC, Mac, Linux, and browsers since late 2023, it's a short but impactful experience clocking in at around three hours. Its calm pace and artistic direction have earned it a 92% rating on Steam from over 1,000 players.