Unleaving
When everything seems hopeless a child is awakened by the whispers of the last leaf, drawn into an imaginary world. Unleaving invites the player into a narrative-driven puzzle platformer where each challenge unfolds within a hand-painted landscape, exploring perception and meaning
Developer
Publisher
Release
March 27, 2024
2 years and 128 days ago
Steam Reviews
Very Positive57 reviews89.5%
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Game contextLatest: IGF Team
| ContextThe evidence factors used to assess whether this game belongs on IndieGame.Fan. | Status | Notes Latest Contributor: IGF TeamEdit notes |
|---|---|---|
Updated: Jul 13, 2026Developer scaleThe operating scale of the game's developer. | ||
Updated: Jul 13, 2026Publisher scaleThe operating scale of the game's publisher. | ||
Updated: Jul 13, 2026Publisher statusHow the game's publishing relationship is classified. | ||
Updated: Jul 13, 2026Creative controlWho appears to retain creative control of the game. | ||
Updated: Jul 13, 2026Release statusWhether and how the game has been released. |
Media
10 itemsAbout the Game
Exploration
Unleaving takes its title from Gerard Manley Hopkins' poem:
'Spring and Fall: To a Young Child.'
It opens with the lines:
'Márgarét, áre you gríeving Over Goldengrove unleaving?'
In Hopkins' words, as the seasons change, 'Goldengrove' loses its leaves, is a metaphor for the transient nature of life. Unleaving is a metaphorical game crafted through illustrations and puzzles context.
Art Experience
Unleaving is as much a video game as it is an extended series of multimedia paintings and drawings.
Every frame is a hand-painting, seamlessly integrating pencil and graphite puzzle elements.
The visuals come to life through traditional painting animation.
Embracing a commitment to originality, each scene is new, with no repetition.
Each chapter is based on a specific theme that guides the mood, emotion, and story and, by extension, influences the colors and style.
Story Driven Puzzles
Through the gameplay featuring puzzles and skill-based challenges each tightly knit into the story's fabric, players immerse themselves in the artistic experience.
