Hela: A Cozy Adventure
for Solo and Cooperative Play
Welcome to your trusted source for the game Hela, including release updates, gameplay details, and more. Hela is a cozy open world game focused on exploration and puzzle solving, offering players a calm and immersive adventure experience.
In Hela, players take on the role of a small yet courageous mouse who serves as the familiar of a gentle witch struck by illness. Driven by the need to help her recover and support the surrounding village, the journey unfolds through careful exploration of a handcrafted world seen from a tiny perspective.
The experience emphasises thoughtful discovery, heartfelt storytelling, and the quiet magic found in everyday moments, where even the smallest choices can shape meaningful outcomes.
Whether experienced alone or shared in cooperative play with family and friends, Hela delivers a warm, welcoming adventure designed for players of all ages. Celebrated at Gamescom 2025 with awards for Most Wholesome and Most Entertaining, the game centres on kindness, curiosity, and meaningful moments that unfold through gentle gameplay and thoughtful storytelling.
Exploring the World of Hela
A Cozy Open-World Adventure
Hela features an open world built around exploration, allowing players to uncover its story through the environment and the spaces they move through. Instead of strict paths, the game encourages wandering, observation, and discovery, placing emphasis on the simple pleasure of moving through a thoughtfully crafted world.
Small Heroes and Everyday Magic
At its heart, Hela explores the quiet strength of kindness and the impact of small, thoughtful actions. Change doesn’t come from size or strength, but from simple acts that nurture connection, trust, and hope. These ideas shape the story throughout the game, drawing on themes of everyday magic and meaningful moments.
A Look into the World of Hela
Hela is about a love letter to the natural world and the stories that live within it – Step into a fantasy world of familiarity.
- Open World Scandinavian Landscapes
The beauty of a Scandinavian coastal village deeply inspires this game’s setting. The design was purely focused on capturing the specific atmosphere of the crisp air, the long shadows of forests, and the sparkling shoreline of the North. - The World from a Mouse’s PerspectiveAs the witch’s mouse familiar, players get a whole new sense of small characters in a large open world. To a tiny mouse, a kitchen table is a towering plateau; this transforms every ordinary location into a grand new adventure waiting to be conquered. Being small requires a different kind of bravery. You must use your wits and your agility to navigate a world built for much larger beings. This dynamic creates a constant sense of wonder as you find clever ways to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
- The Life of a FamiliarAs the loyal helper and friend to a village witch, your role is central to the community’s well-being and prosperous possibilities. When the witch is unable to tend to her duties due to illness, the responsibility falls on you. This creates a whole new excitement that drives the unfamiliar narrative centered on service and loyalty. The bond between mouse and witch is the emotional anchor of the game, as it further shows the difference between tasks and chores; they are vital contributions to the village’s harmony.
PROGRESSION
AND PLAYER FREEDOM
Exploration Without Pressure
Physics-Based Puzzles with Multiple Solutions
In Hela, there is no pressure to hurry. The sandbox areas are designed to be enjoyed slowly, allowing players to appreciate the handcrafted details and hidden environmental stories.
Discovery driven progression means that the world opens based on your curiosity. If you find a way over a wall, you deserve to see what’s on the other side.
The calm pacing is a deliberate choice and sets Hela as a refuge from the high-octane nature of many modern games. It is a place where you can listen to the wind in the trees and solve a puzzle at your own speed.
Puzzles in Hela are integrated naturally into the environment. They aren’t abstract logic gates; they are physical challenges that make sense within the world. If a branch is too high, you might need to find something to stack beneath it.
Throughout Hela, “toybox” style interactions are prevalent. Every object has weight, friction, and properties that you can manipulate. This leads to emergent gameplay where players find solutions that the creators didn’t initially anticipate.
Because there are multiple solutions to most challenges, Hela encourages experimentation. If one idea doesn’t work, you can easily try another. This removes the frustration often found in puzzle games and replaces it with a sense of playful discovery.
The Core
Mechanics of Hela
This game uses unique mechanics to make movement and interactions similar to those of a playground. These systems ensure every journey through the magical village feels unique and spontaneously ‘real’.
The Magical Froggy Backpack
Brewing potions is the heart of Hela. Created by the witch, the backpack does far more than carry items. It grants ordinary mice magical abilities, shaping how they move, explore, and interact with the world.
- Glide and Grapple: Reach high places or descend safely through the forest canopy.
- Physics Based Interaction: Move objects and solve puzzles through playful experimentation.
- Fluid Movement: Travel smoothly between branches, treetops, and forest paths.
Animal Friendship System
In Hela, progression is tied to kindness. By befriending wildlife, you unlock new ways to move through and interact with the world. With no combat at its core, the game encourages cooperation with nature rather than conflict, whether played solo or in co-op.
- Shared Skills: Different animals assist with traversal and movement in unique ways.
- Nature’s Trust: Building relationships unlocks abilities that help you overcome previously unreachable areas and challenges.
- Wholesome Rewards: The world responds positively to your compassion, reinforcing thoughtful and caring play.
Shade System for Solo Players
The Shade System allows players to summon magical echoes that help with multi-mouse interactions. When fewer players are present, shades can assist so cooperative mechanics remain accessible.
- Magical Echoes: Create shades to hold switches or support shared interactions.
- Flexible Play: Experience the entire game solo or with others, with systems that adapt to your group size.
- Seamless Design: The system integrates naturally into gameplay without interrupting the experience.
Creative Movement
There are multiple ways of traversal for the mice. Be it grappling, gliding, riding befriended animals and or using objects as make shift items to float on water for example.
Traversal:
In Hela, mice have multiple ways to move through the world. Traversal is flexible and playful, encouraging experimentation with movement and the environment.
- Grappling and Gliding: Reach distant or elevated areas with the help of movement tools.
- Animal Riding: Travel with the assistance of befriended animals.
- Improvised Solutions: Use objects as makeshift solutions, such as floating across water or reaching new paths.
The Art of Brewing
In Hela, you gather the raw essence of nature. As a tiny mouse, you explore meadows and forests to uncover various natural materials scattered throughout the world. Gathering these materials adds meaning to exploration, tying discovery directly to progress within the journey.
- Natural Materials: Gather common items found throughout the world, including plants, fungi, insects, and feathers.
- Special Ingredients: Discover rarer materials through exploration that support progression and brewing.
- Magical Essences: Receive enchanted resources by helping villagers and completing small acts of kindness.
In Hela, crafting is a hands-on process where gathered ingredients are combined into practical concoctions used throughout the adventure. With a combat free design, the experience focuses on problem solving, environmental interaction, and thoughtful progression. Whether played solo or as part of the Hela co-op game experience, the emphasis remains on utility, harmony, and shared discovery rather than force.
Crafting & Helping the World
- Movement Boosts: Brew potions to jump higher.
- Environmental Healing: Create mixtures that grant new abilities, helping you interact with the environment and solve puzzles to progress.
- Physics Interaction: Use alchemy to manipulate objects in clever ways.
Your ultimate goal is to help the village by aiding its inhabitants and addressing the challenges they face.As you apply your potions, you will see the world change. This visible progress confirms Hela as the most wholesome game for players who love seeing their kindness bloom.
Game Modes
Hela offers several ways to play, whether you prefer a quiet solo journey or a shared adventure with friends and family.
Solo Adventure
Solo play in Hela is a cozy, meditative experience, inviting players to embrace their inner mouse and explore at their own pace. Soaring through open skies and wandering the world, players are free to follow their curiosity and discover the magic hidden throughout this calming, open world adventure game.
Local Split-Screen Co-Op
Want to share the adventure with a friend? Hela offers a split-screen co-op game mode that stands as the perfect way to bond over a shared adventure.
Online Co-Op for Up to Four Players
This mode supports up to 4 players and allows a whole group of mice to explore together. Here, players need to work together, sharing resources and ideas to overcome the village’s challenges.
PROGRESSION
AND PLAYER FREEDOM
Progression Through Exploration
Expanding Your Toolkit
Progression in Hela feels natural. You aren’t checking boxes on a list; you are living a life in a village. As you explore and help people, the story unfolds around you. This makes your progress feel like a real consequence of your actions.
Exploring new areas is a reward for your curiosity. You might find a secret tunnel behind a bookshelf or a path through a hollow log. These discoveries keep the game feeling fresh and exciting from the first hour to the last.
As you grow in your role as the witch’s familiar, you will gain new abilities and tools. These expansions to your toolkit allow you to interact with the world in more complex ways. A new recipe might allow you to create a potion that makes you jump higher, opening up new vertical paths.
These upgrades are closely tied to the narrative and the world, feeling like meaningful milestones along your journey. With each new ability, exploring the village of Hela becomes easier and more rewarding.
Visual Style and Atmosphere
The visuals and sound in Hela are designed to be just as cozy and welcoming as its story and characters.
Handcrafted, Cozy, and Tactile Visuals
Hela blends painterly textures with high-quality lighting to create a warm, handcrafted world. The visual style is designed to feel tactile, highlighting the softness of fur, the coolness of stone, and the emotion visible in every creature’s eyes.
A Calm and Escapist Atmosphere
Sound plays an important role alongside visuals in Hela. Gentle environmental sounds, such as rustling leaves and the soft patter of mouse feet, create a calm audio landscape. A restrained, acoustic musical score complements the experience and supports the game’s quiet tone.
Hela Release:
Platforms & Dates
Hela will be brought to players for availability on all the most popular gaming platforms, including PC through Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Supported Platforms and Availability
PC (Steam, Epic Games Store):
Hela will launch on PC, offering flexible settings and support for a range of hardware for the best possible experience.
PlayStation:
Hela will be available on PlayStation consoles, letting players enjoy the cozy open-world adventure with the system’s standard controls.
Xbox:
Players can experience Hela on Xbox consoles, with cloud support enabling seamless play across compatible devices.
Nintendo Switch 2:
The game will also come to Nintendo’s next-generation portable console, bringing the Hela cozy game experience on the go.
Release Window
Developed by the team behind Unravel, Hela is targeting a 2026 release window. Further details regarding platforms and beta access are expected closer to launch.
Critically Acclaimed: Hela’s Awards
Ahead of its release, Hela has already distinguished itself at major industry events, receiving awards that recognize its wholesome tone and entertaining gameplay.
Gamescom Award Wins
Hela has been recognized at Gamescom with multiple awards, highlighting its distinct tone and design approach.
- Most Wholesome Game (Gamescom): Recognized for its non-violent gameplay and emphasis on kindness, cooperation, and positive interaction.
- Most Entertaining Game (Gamescom): Awarded for its playful physics based puzzles and engaging traversal mechanics.
What These Awards Mean for Players
These awards point to a game experience built around creativity, connection, and thoughtful play. Players can expect an adventure that values cooperation and curiosity, offering a gentle alternative to more action driven titles.
The Ultimate Game for Cozy Adventures
Hela is designed for players who value gentle exploration, cooperation, and emotionally grounded experiences. The game focuses on non violent, low pressure play built around discovery, movement, and shared problem solving.
- Cozy and Wholesome Game FansHela fits naturally alongside other cozy and feel good titles, offering a calm pace, expressive environments, and a hopeful narrative. Its accessible design and non-violent approach make it suitable for a wide range of players, including younger audiences and those new to games.
- Co-Op and Non-Combat Adventure PlayersFor players who enjoy shared problem solving without combat, Hela offers a cooperative experience built around traversal, puzzles, and environmental interaction. Whether played solo or together, progression emphasizes creativity and cooperation over reflex driven challenges.
- Friends and Families Playing TogetherHela supports shared play that encourages communication and collaboration. Its co-op design allows friends and family members to explore, experiment, and solve challenges together, creating a relaxed setting for shared moments rather than competition.
Wishlist Hela
and Stay Updated
Follow updates on Hela, including announcements related to the official release date and planned beta access, as information becomes publicly available.
- When is the Hela release date and on which platforms?The Hela’s release window is currently set for sometime in 2026. At launch, the game will be available on PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. This multi-platform release ensures that every player can join the tiny hero’s grand adventure on their preferred system.
- Can Hela be played entirely solo?Yes! While Hela is a co-op puzzle game at its heart, it is fully solo-friendly. Thanks to the innovative Shade System, solo players can summon magical echoes to help solve complex team-based puzzles. You will never be locked out of content just because you are adventuring on your own.
- Does Hela include any combat?Hela is a game without combat. The focus is on exploration, kindness, and physics based puzzles. Instead of fighting enemies, you will interact with the environment and local wildlife to overcome challenges, making it the most wholesome game experience for players seeking a peaceful, low stress adventure with just enough danger to keep a mouse cautious.
- How does the multiplayer mode work?Hela offers flexible ways to play together. You can enjoy local split-screen with a friend on the same couch or join up to three others in online co-op for a 4-player experience. The game is designed to scale, allowing groups to collaborate on brewing potions and restoring the village.
- Who is the development team behind Hela?Hela is the debut title from Windup Games, a Swedish studio founded by the creative minds behind the critically acclaimed Unravel series. The team brings years of expertise in crafting emotional, physics-based adventures to ensure Hela shines with unique storytelling and “cozy” gameplay.