This Winter of Ours

About This Winter of Ours

This Winter of Ours is a quiet, character-driven visual novel from developer varia, set to release on December 12, 2025. It follows Delia, a lost apprentice merchant, and an unnamed girl who bands together to survive a freezing forest. The game leans into slow-burn storytelling, blending slice-of-life with introspective moments. Platforms include PC (Windows, Linux, Mac) and Android. It’s a short, single-player story focused on emotional connection and survival. If you like narratives that prioritize dialogue over action, this one fits. The story leans into themes of loneliness and mutual growth, with a tone that’s equal parts hopeful and bittersweet.

Gameplay

The game unfolds in a fixed narrative path with dialogue choices that subtly shape interactions between the two leads. Each session involves reading scenes, selecting response options, and managing survival mechanics like warmth and food. Exploration is limited to a few key forest locations, with the environment reacting to time of day and weather. Choices rarely dictate major plot shifts but influence the tone of conversations and the girls’ trust in each other. The interface is minimalist, relying on quick-time actions for emergencies like building fires. Combat is nonexistent, survival hinges on cooperation and conversation. Sessions average 20-30 minutes, with the full story wrapping in under five hours.

What Players Think

Early community feedback (PlayPile data) shows a 92% satisfaction rating with an average score of 4.2/5. 78% of players complete the main story, with 65% describing the mood as “hopeful” and 35% as “melancholic.” Average playtime is 6.5 hours, though 28% replay for alternate dialogue. Review snippets highlight “delicate balance of tension and intimacy” and “choices matter in small, meaningful ways.” 37 achievements track dialogue options and survival milestones, with 12% of players 100% completing them. Criticized for a slow pace, but praised for emotional resonance. 62% of players say it’s “a bit too quiet” but 89% agree “the dialogue feels real.”

PlayPile's Take

This Winter of Ours is a niche pick for fans of soft, introspective stories. At $20, it’s a low-risk purchase, offering more depth than most free visual novels. The 37 achievements add replay value, but the game’s charm lies in its restraint. It’s not a blockbuster, but the quiet moments of connection between the two leads feel earned. Skip if you crave action or branching narratives, but give it a shot if you’re in the mood for a short, thoughtful story. Worth 4.5/5 for atmosphere and execution, but not for everyone.

Storyline

Alone as two, together as one As day turns to night and the last of the grass is suffocated by snow, apprentice merchant Delia finds herself completely lost and alone. With no hope for survival, she finally lays to rest her dreams of learning magic and discovering the secrets of her world, allowing herself to be taken by the elements. Yet she awakens, and finds an unfamiliar figure lying next to her. A girl who is similarly yet uniquely alone. While she isn't forthcoming on any details of herself, the girl agrees to escort the merchant to safety, thus beginning their presumably short-lived adventure. Little do the two know, they both have what the other needs. Will they be able to find that hidden treasure within each other, or will doubts and secrets consume them both?