《歌與森的妖怪屋敷》（The Song and the Haunted House in the Forest）是融合日本妖怪文化與童話敘事風格的動作解謎遊戲，以神秘洋館與詭譎森林為舞台，展開緊張又富情感色彩的冒險旅程。主角「歌」(Uta)，一位內心堅韌的小女孩，在妖魔界氛圍逐漸扭曲的背景下，與她的妖怪夥伴「繆」(ミュー)合作，試圖關閉通往妖魔界的大門並逃出生天。

核心設計採取雙主角合作機制，透過主角歌進行躲避與解謎，而攻擊與防禦則由ミュー執行。歌無法直接戰鬥，必須仰賴繆(ミュー)的身體進行物理撞擊來對抗敵人或破壞障礙。每個關卡中將隨機出現道具與友善妖怪，每次通關就會有妖怪加入，有召喚雨水進行滅火的雨降小僧跟變成牆壁的塗壁，善用他們的能力並制定策略。可前往妖怪商店「ろくろ」購買升級品項，以應對逐漸提高的挑戰。整體玩法融合類似《方塊破壞者》的節奏與碰撞機制，在動作逃生與物理解謎之間創造全新的操作體驗。

操作上，雙手分別控制左右Joy-Con，配合跳躍、推動、閃避與道具釋放等功能，在怪異洋館中穿梭、戰鬥並解鎖劇情。關卡設計以速度與技巧為主，若能零傷害過關、連續擊退敵人或快速通關，便可獲得額外分數，進一步激發高分挑戰的樂趣與成就感，提升遊戲重玩價值。

在敘事節奏與美術風格上同樣表現亮眼。每位登場妖怪都有其背景與傳說，搭配繪本式的圖譜呈現，讓整體遊戲氛圍介於奇幻、感性與神祕之間。在冒險中逐步結識新夥伴，彼此的互動與成長也帶出「用妖怪故事抒解傷痛」這樣深層的文化寓意。每通過一段旅程，將揭露更多角色過往與洋館背後的秘密。

在市場與媒體評價方面，本作雖為小眾獨立製作，卻獲得廣泛關注。《電擊Online》與《Game*Spark》等日媒給予正面評價，肯定其創新的遊玩方式與雙搖桿＋方塊破壞結合的戰鬥節奏，《Gamespark》更指出其遊戲強度與重玩性媲美經典街機式挑戰；而來自《ゲーム姫》的評論則盛讚本作情感表現細膩，畫面風格具有詩意，與《GRIS》或《斑鳩》等經典獨立美術遊戲並列。同時，知名作曲家中潟憲雄負責的背景配樂，亦被譽為遊戲情緒鋪陳的關鍵要素。

自試玩版發表以來，在社群平台掀起熱議，許多玩家表示被其獨特的妖怪美術與角色設計吸引，更讚賞其難度設計與音樂表現讓人沉浸其中。這不僅是關於逃生與冒險的旅程，更是一則關於成長、情感與文化的童話。

總結來說，《歌與森的妖怪屋敷》成功結合物理動作、解謎機制與妖怪文化敘事，打造出獨特而深刻的遊戲體驗。無論是追求高分通關的技巧型玩家，還是欣賞故事氛圍與美術演出的情感型玩家，都能在這部作品中找到屬於自己的樂趣。這款於夏季登場的遊戲，無疑是今年Switch平台上最值得期待的獨立佳作之一。

The Song and the Haunted House in the Forest is a puzzle-action game that blends Japanese yokai folklore with the aesthetic of a dark fairytale. Set within a mysterious Western-style mansion surrounded by an eerie forest, it tells an emotional and suspenseful story of adventure, fear, and resilience. Players follow the journey of a brave young girl named Uta, who, along with her yokai companion Myu (ミュー), must escape from a haunted realm and seal the gate to the demon world as its influence begins to corrupt everything around it.

The game’s core mechanic revolves around dual-character cooperation. While Uta focuses on evasion and solving puzzles, Myu handles combat and defense. Since Uta is unable to directly fight enemies, players must rely on Myu’s body to crash into foes or destroy obstacles. Each level introduces randomly appearing items and friendly yokai allies that join your party upon successful completion. These yokai bring unique abilities—like summoning rain to extinguish fire or turning into a solid wall to block enemies—encouraging players to form strategies around their powers. Additionally, players can shop for upgrades at the yokai merchant “Rokuro” to prepare for increasingly difficult challenges. Gameplay features a hybrid of breakout-style collision mechanics and action-puzzle pacing, delivering a fresh and dynamic control experience.

Control-wise, players use both Joy-Cons separately, assigning one to each character. They must jump, dodge, push, and activate items with precision as they navigate trap-filled hallways and enemy-infested rooms. The game encourages skillful play by rewarding players for no-hit clears, combos, and speed runs, increasing replayability and competitive challenge.

The visual and narrative design also stands out. Each yokai character is inspired by real myths, and their backgrounds are displayed in illustrated picture book-style collections. The tone shifts between fantasy, melancholy, and mystery, and the progression of the story emphasizes friendship, emotional healing, and personal growth through yokai symbolism. As players progress, they uncover more about Uta, her companions, and the mansion’s eerie history.

Despite being an indie production, the game has drawn significant attention from both critics and players. Japanese outlets like Dengeki Online and GameSpark praised its innovative gameplay, particularly the combination of twin-stick controls with block-breaking mechanics. GameSpark highlighted the game’s intense difficulty and arcade-like replay value, while Game-hime lauded the emotional depth, poetic art style, and likened it to critically acclaimed indie titles such as GRIS or Ikaruga. The haunting and immersive soundtrack, composed by renowned artist Norio Nakagata, has also been recognized as one of the game’s most powerful storytelling tools.

Since the demo was released, social media buzz has been growing. Players are especially captivated by the game’s unique yokai designs, balanced difficulty, and emotionally resonant atmosphere. Many see it not just as an escape adventure, but as a heartfelt story about maturity, connection, and cultural memory.

In summary, The Song and the Haunted House in the Forest masterfully blends physical action, puzzle mechanics, and narrative-rich folklore into a one-of-a-kind experience. Whether you’re a high-score chaser seeking challenge or a narrative-driven player drawn to atmosphere and emotion, this summer release stands out as one of the most anticipated indie titles on the Nintendo Switch.