I wasn’t going to highlight a demo this week, but Steam was highlighting small studios or something, and it had loads of demos, so I played one and I liked it so much that everyone needs to know about it.

This week’s demo is Woodo.

Woodo is a cozy puzzle game from Tiny Monks Tales and Daedalic Entertainment. The game is slated to release for the Xbox and the PC in 2026 (according to the website).

Woodo is about a fox on summer vacation in the countryside. The sections of the demo tell a cute story about being a new kid in an area, being bullied, and such, but the website says “The tale reflects themes of friendship, summer, childhood, and the simple joys we all recognize.”

The gameplay is driven solely by the narrative. As you place wooden puzzle pieces into their correct spot, Foxy will clarify what is happening in the diorama. In one of the larger dioramas, the player pieces together the entire beginning of Foxy’s arrival in the countryside, while Foxy narrates the current situation and how it ties to her overall summer adventure.

Onboarding needs no introduction, for Woodo teaches the player, at boot up of the game, how the game will be played. Wooden pieces are on the right side of the screen. Find the spot that matches the piece, and it slots in and colors in matching pieces. The player can rotate the screen quite a lot, resulting in larger puzzles with hidden areas to seek out and make sure every piece is placed, which, when all are placed, the story moves forward.

I don’t think puzzling has ever been this fun or good looking. The wooden puzzle theme is borderline indistinguishable from the real thing. The dioramas that the player puts together are so cute. The ducks are assholes to Foxy, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be cute, right? Finishing piecing an animal together, and they might just do a little animation that accentuates what is going on narratively. The animations are clean too, it’s crazy.

Wooden is a breathtaking-looking video game.

A little catchy tune is playing in the background as Foxy’s crisp, clean voice actor tells a story is just icing on the cake of the sound design. Finding the one shingle on the roof rewards you with what I would imagine as wooden shingles clomping into place is such a welcome sound. The love for the sound design also extends to the sounds that the ducks make and pretty much everything. I love it all.

I was struggling to find a game that I wanted to talk about this week. I called my wife into the room to play this game, because she really likes puzzle games, and she had a blast too. Everything in Woodo is clean, adorable, and expertly crafted, AND IT’S ONLY THE DEMO. I like how easy it is to place items with the mouse. I like how the items that need to be placed rotate with the diorama, so if you’re stuck, the game gives you a little hint that way. I like the narrative, and I like the look.

I am keeping a close eye on this game, for sure.