The first time I saw someone refer to a game called “Froggy Hates Snow,” I assumed it was a joke. Some sort of meme or reference to new slang that I didn’t understand. When I discovered this odd name was the actual title of a newly released video game, I thought that was pretty weird. Then I played the game, which involves a frog stuck in an endless blizzard and forced to clear snow, collect resources, and fight off waves of evil goo monsters with his tongue while trying to escape. It’s a much stranger game than even the title suggests. And yet, I really dig this oddball game.
Froggy Hates Snow (stop giggling) is a newly launched top-down roguelike survivor…thing. It has elements of games like Vampire Survivors, Deep Rock Galactic Survivor, and (weirdly) Death Stranding.
The basic setup is that you are an anthropomorphic frog hanging out in a heat bubble with a cozy couch and TV. But you need to escape. So you leave the bubble to enter a brutal winter wasteland. You need to collect gems and bring them back to buy upgrades that make you a better, stronger froggy. As you do this, nasty creatures (similar to the gooey monsters seen in Death Stranding) pop up and try to kill your frog man. Once you defeat them, primarily by smacking them with the frog’s tongue, you can keep exploring, upgrading, and eventually escaping via a hidden door.
Strange? Yes. But what makes this game so fun is that exploring the snowy waste outside the heat bubble is extremely compelling.
Snow has to be dug through to get anywhere. This leaves trails that can be traversed faster, but using these paths through the powder won’t lead to more materials or loot, as you’ve already cleared those areas out. The frog you play as isn’t like Elsa from Frozen. The cold does indeed bother the frog. Stay out there in the cold too long, and you’ll freeze to death. I get why he hates the snow!
My early excursions into the snow were short and dangerous. But with upgrades, like skis, gloves, and a big snow shovel, I was soon creating efficient paths to different heat bubbles, pockets of resources, and strange anomalies that can offer up rewards if you can crack the puzzle. It felt, in some ways, like Death Stranding, as I ferried supplies from one location to a nearby heat bubble using pathways. I even unlocked a little cart that let me hold even more stuff before having to race back to avoid the cold.
Combat in Froggy Hates Snow is similar to that in a lot of auto shooters, like Halls of Torment. Wait, what, Valve calls these games Bullet Heavens? Uh…okay. Sure.
Anyway, you move around and dodge attacks while your frog licks the enemies automatically. You can eventually upgrade not only your attacks, but also gain new abilities like a temporary energy shield. Did I mention this is a weird game? You know what else is weird? Froggy Hates Snow has some of the nicest-looking menus and UI design I’ve seen in a game this year. Wasn’t expecting that from a game that sounds like something I’d scroll by in Roblox.
Froggy Hates Snow is out now on consoles and PC, and it’s a blast to play. I’m excited to unlock more levels, frogs, and permanent, game-changing artifacts. It also plays great on the Steam Deck, which makes it a very dangerous game for me on those late nights when I’m chilling on the couch. I’ve already stayed up a bit later than I should while digging tunnels through the snow and trying to ensure my froggy boy survives. So be warned: This game might suck hours of your life away, too.