Among the Trolls review: The crow knows more than it is telling you, naturally

The big picture

Anna returns from America to her grandfather's home in the Finnish archipelago and finds him missing. The wilderness is familiar from childhood summers, but its supernatural side has become considerably less discreet. Among the Trolls combines a personal search with first-person exploration, crafting and survival, drawing on the Kalevala. It is a family visit that requires ammunition, magical potions and a more cautious attitude towards birds offering guidance.

Avantgarden's game, published by 505 Pulse and 505 Games, fully launched on October 14, 2026, for Windows through Steam. Earlier Early Access plans were abandoned in favour of a complete version 1.0, and the old multiplayer pitch was set aside for a solo narrative. Do not arrive expecting friends to help build an enormous forest compound. Anna's problems are personal, and you are attending them alone. Launch and current premise

A bridge is a reward you can walk across

Crafting includes ammunition, shelters and magical potions. Bridges open access to other islands, with some damaged crossings requiring magical versions. Gathering therefore connects preparation to the shape of the journey. Building a crossing changes where Anna can go, which is a more concrete reward than watching another pile of supplies become a slightly more impressive pile. Crafting and bridge systems

This makes the practical work easier to understand. A destination gives materials a purpose, and the result remains visible in the world. The pleasure comes from converting what you find into a route you can use, then discovering what the next place contributes to the mystery.

The cost is pacing. Wanting to know what happened to a missing relative and needing to prepare another journey can pull in different directions. If gathering gives you a welcome sense of participation, the mixture has a clear appeal. If you mainly want the story to continue, even purposeful crafting can feel like the forest has developed a habit of placing errands between answers.

The soundtrack is listening to the same strange place

Composer Daniele Carmosino describes transforming acoustic sources electronically, rather than relying on conventional traditional instrumentation. Sound designer Marcello Radice describes wildlife calls responding to weather and time, with supernatural corruption quietening and distorting the forest. These are deliberate ways to make the familiar seem less reliable. The setting does not need every cue to arrive waving a musical flag. Composer and sound-designer discussion

A background of ordinary wildlife gives silence something to interrupt. Removing a reassuring sound can attract attention without another icon demanding that you be concerned. That fits a game about reading a place, rather than treating the surroundings as scenery between objective markers.

It also makes patience part of the proposition. The appeal is noticing how the world changes and wondering what that means. Players who prefer constant explicit direction may find environmental uncertainty less inviting. The forest is allowed to be suggestive, but it cannot force everyone to enjoy being suggested at.

Find a bed before the real world interrupts

There are no autosaves. Progress must be saved manually at beds and shelters. That is a practical requirement, particularly for anyone whose sessions end because something else suddenly needs attention. Admiring a mysterious landscape is not a substitute for visiting the place that actually preserves your progress. Remembering the bed may be less romantic than following the crow, but it is useful. Official saving and known-issues FAQ

The launch FAQ also acknowledges stuttering, extended dungeon-loading times and problems with some controllers. Xbox controllers are supported, while full Steam Deck support is not claimed. These are developer-acknowledged limitations, not a promise that every setup encounters the same problems or that all technical issues have been fixed.

Those cautions make the recommendation selective. A game built around atmosphere needs room for sustained attention, and technical interruptions can work directly against that purpose. Players with very short sessions or a specific handheld requirement have particular reason to check the fit carefully.

Among the Trolls has an appealing connection between family history, folklore and practical exploration. Bridges give preparation a visible purpose, while the changing soundscape supports the uneasy return. Choose it if you want a solo wilderness story and can accept the saving model and acknowledged roughness. Ask the crow what it knows, but visit a shelter before following its next excellent suggestion.