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Mini Worlds Dioramas
Game
Game2020
Welcome to Elk
Developer Triple Topping
True stories told by real people. Welcome to Elk transforms the weird, wonderful, dark and desperate tales of the road less-traveled into an inventive, biographical adventure. This is an island like no other where drama, trauma, love and laughter hide around every corner. From the Steam store page
209 reactions from 2 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
92
LovedLoved
178 positive · 15 negative
95% range 88–95%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 178 | 15 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 5 | 0 | 11 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
215 of 230 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
93% recommend · 178 yes, 14 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 192 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (311 of 331 positive).
Players praise the game's unique storytelling and emotional depth, blending real-life stories with quirky mini-games. [1][2][3] Many note the contrast between its cute art style and heavy themes like alcoholism and death. [4][5][6] Some find the game disjointed or lacking in gameplay, while others appreciate its heartfelt, human approach. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [6]
Welcome to Elk is a bright and charming game on the surface, but it is not the lighthearted experience I was expecting - perhaps that is my fault. Most of the game is actually quite heavy and I just couldn't get into it. There were a couple situations where I worried the main character would be SA'd, which made me very uncomfortable, as it would lean heavily in that direction (thankfully, no such thing happened). …
- [1]
So, it took me a little while to get into this game. I thought it was kinda quirky at first, also wasn't really sure where this game was heading. The game takes you through many different stories, some are funny, leave you feeling good, some are sad, leave you pondering. After the first story which was told with a video, like actual footage of a person just telling their story, I got more absorbed in the game. I …
- [4]
Just by looking at the screenshots for this game it might come of as a cosy life sim, or a quirky adventure, nothing could be further from the truth. This is bleak, and depressing, even if it has colorful and cute aesthetics. You arrive on a island where everyone is either severely alchoholic, miserable af, mentaly unhinged or manically depressed (and sometimes all 4). It's surreal, very depressing, 4th wall …
- [12]
This was such a beautiful game. I don't really get why some find this bleak and depressing. Yes. some of the stories are devastating - but there is so much humanity and hopefulness. Nothing matters and that's why everything matters kinda vibe. I might have been on the verge of tears once, most of the time I had a lil smile on my face whilst playing. It's an odd and captivating story with little game play - the mini …
- [7]
The game focuses on the darker sides of the human experience, but remains truly human in the care taken to represent these true stories. That being said, Welcome to Elk did not feel like a cohesive game, but more of a disjointed mishmash of those stories which only serves to give them a platform to be told, heard, until they're lost in the madness of life. 4/10
Summarised from 34 of the 209 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 13, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked Welcome to Elk talk about unique and captivating storytelling with real-life stories; those who didn't talk about gameplay is minimal and passive. Which matters more to you?
Reactions
60 of 209 · most liked firstSo, it took me a little while to get into this game. I thought it was kinda quirky at first, also wasn't really sure where this game was heading. The game takes you through many different stories, some are funny, leave you feeling good, some are sad, leave you pondering. After the first story which was told with a video, like actual footage of a person just telling their story, I got more absorbed in the game. I wanted to find the other stories. You can tell the developers put a lot of…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Well, I moved here at the wrong time. Welcome to Elk follows a woman named Frigg who has left their life in the city to take up a carpentry apprenticeship in a small town named Elk located on an island. Upon accepting this apprenticeship position, she expects this part of her life to be calm and boring, however this is not the case. It’s not long after she arrives that she learns that this small community has its own problems, colorful characters, and stories to tell. For better or for worse,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Welcome to Elk is a bright and charming game on the surface, but it is not the lighthearted experience I was expecting - perhaps that is my fault. Most of the game is actually quite heavy and I just couldn't get into it. There were a couple situations where I worried the main character would be SA'd, which made me very uncomfortable, as it would lean heavily in that direction (thankfully, no such thing happened). Another scene I wasn't a fan of, and I'm sure would bother most animal lovers, is…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →My Experience Welcome to Elk was a must-play for me, and is actually the only game I've bought (so far) in the 2020 Steam Winter Sale. Unfortunately, I didn't find the game particularly appealing. While I found some of the stories contained in the game to be intriguing and I thought the mini-games were creative, the game never came together for me into any sort of cohesive whole. It reminded me a little of the 1999 film American Beauty, where so much dysfunction is contained within a single…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I wrote about the minigames in Welcome To Elk, why Shenmue is one of the best in the biz, and what it means for a game to have dignity.
neutral · AI labelView post →Just by looking at the screenshots for this game it might come of as a cosy life sim, or a quirky adventure, nothing could be further from the truth. This is bleak, and depressing, even if it has colorful and cute aesthetics. You arrive on a island where everyone is either severely alchoholic, miserable af, mentaly unhinged or manically depressed (and sometimes all 4). It's surreal, very depressing, 4th wall breaking, werid and not especially "enjoyable" in the sense that you will have fun to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The first disappointment this game gave me was that it was in the Pride humblebundle for the sole reason that there's a background lesbian couple among the cast, unless Frigg's ear gauges, shaved/dyed hair and carpentry is supposed to signal that she's a lesbian too - which would be fantastic - but that's fine. I'd prefer more games than fewer. The second disappointment was the first death - of course, many people are going to take a smug pride in this, that it has the style of a cosy job…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →When I finished this game I asked myself if I had any fun playing this game and the answer is not really. However I don’t think you are meant to have fun playing this game. Everyone in this game is miserable, mentally ill or an alcoholic - it is a truly depressing experience. That alone isn’t exactly a bad thing but the game also doesn’t seem to make a statement or connect any of it to form a bigger picture. What is the point of it all?
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It takes a lot for me to say I don't recommend something, but this game has very positive reviews so my little two cents will be a drop in the bucket at best! I'm the kind of person that likes and appreciates video games for the art that they are. They don't have to be perfect for me to appreciate what they bring to the table as I see it as an expression of the developers creativity through the game. Anyways, all that being said, I was drawn to the game because of the art style, which was very…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's a tiny island with only a handful of people, but each carries a heavy burden. A bitter dose of reality wrapped in a deceptively cute art style.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hey Rami and hello to everyone in this thread (who I will now swoop through and add people) - my name's Murray Somerwolff (he/him) - I'm an indie game dev who worked on (I think?) most notably Welcome to Elk. I got some exciting stuff going on that I can talk about soon ^ ^
neutral · AI labelView post →The further out I get from Welcome to Elk, the crazier it feels that the game exists - so was an absolute pleasure to be invited to talk with @thegameclub.bsky.social a little about it as part of the game being their current game club pick!
positive · AI labelView post →It's difficult to "NOT recommend" this game, but that's the right things for me to do. I regret I played it. To be fair I owe it some very well due credits. The music is very good and perfectly fits the story the whole time. The art style is unique and beautiful. Not only the visuals. Also the movement of characters, the dream sequences, the transitions, the message in a bottle items, the interview scenes are perfect... It plays great, it's very easy to get what to do in each sequence. All the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →First of all, a word of caution: Welcome to Elk deals with very serious themes such as alcoholism and death, as well as tragic and sorrowful events, though there are also some quirky and humorous moments. So, even if it might not look like it at first glance, this is really a game for adults: sweet in appearance, but heavy in content. The entire game is built on true stories, either told directly to the developers or in some way part of their lives. Most of the time, you interact with other…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not as affecting or memorable as I had hoped, but it's always great to find idiosyncratic games that execute well on doing their thing. An interesting one thematically. To me the game quickly felt upfront about what it's doing - even seemingly telling you at points, And I actually felt accommodated, treated like a guest through the journey and its serious topics. Worth knowing not to expect a self-contained fictional world, nor anything especially outlandish, as this can be rather mundane (in a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Want to play cool, weird games you probably wouldn't normally, and then get to talk about them with cool, weird people you probably wouldn't get to talk to normally? Come join @thegameclub.bsky.social ! We played Welcome to Elk this month, and rated it 7.5 Questionable Beers out of 10!
neutral · AI labelView post →Welcome to Elk is a very interesting game, I liked the mini games in this game, but I was waiting to build a chair or cupboard, but in the end I didn't make any, I became sad after that.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very unique game with some interesting story elements. If you're story telling games then I highly recommend this! The sound and art is also super well made! It really makes the entire experience come together.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Welcome to Elk is more interested in telling stories than giving you a lot to actually do. You spend your time meeting the island's strange and memorable residents while their stories unfold through a mix of dialogue and simple minigames. The gameplay is pretty minimal, but the little activities fit nicely into the narrative. Definitely worth checking out if you're after something cozy and emotional, though anyone looking for substantial gameplay might find it a bit too passive.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Welcome to Elk feels like being invited into the home of somebody very earnest. You're politely shown around, told of the highs and the lows, and after a solid time together your visit comes to a gentle end. The inclusion of real videos of people telling these stories throughout the game was really touching and kept the game grounded, and the ending made me smile. Welcome to Elk didn't blow my mind or change my life, but it didn't really feel like it set out to do that - even though it's the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It was a very cozy and devastating experience. Will always remember at least one of the singing mini games. 🙂
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This was such a beautiful game. I don't really get why some find this bleak and depressing. Yes. some of the stories are devastating - but there is so much humanity and hopefulness. Nothing matters and that's why everything matters kinda vibe. I might have been on the verge of tears once, most of the time I had a lil smile on my face whilst playing. It's an odd and captivating story with little game play - the mini games don't really matter but they were all made with care and really fun. I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →While at first glance the game is colourful and vivid, the story is actually a heavy and powerful one, that touches on serious and difficult subjects. Yet it is told in a surreal, reserved but calm manner. At its core it's still very touching and heartwarming. This is all very... Scandinavian? idk. Anyway, this one is really good.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It’s not often I come across a game I feel the urge to replay immediately after finishing it, but that’s exactly what happenned to me with Welcome to Elk. It has a captivating aura that makes you want to be part of its special place and then spread the word about it, and I think that is exactly what its creators intended. Without giving away too much (I think it’s best to approach WtE knowing as little as possible about it), this is a game about storytelling in which different real-life…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Going in blind I thought the game was going to just a fun, cozy island game but NO! it had so much much more. The game itself is not that long, but after getting acquainted to it, it takes you for a ride of different emotions. Some made me smile, some made me cry and some made me glad that i get to experience such a good story in such a short time. It has to be experienced to know how good and sweet this game is. Its that FRIGG-ing good. Do give it a try if you have a few hours to spare
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It makes you go "oh, actually games are art". Specifically a queer punk zine kind of art.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →the interactive storytelling in this game is so intriguing that I was properly sat, it felt like listening to old tales from my grandparents. the minigames fit into the story so well that they were actually enjoyable rather than hindering the gameplay. the illustration style and color palette is what originally drew my eye and I continued to love it even more as the game progressed. let me know where I can get my hands on one of those toasted cats. i love strange games!!!!!!!!!!!!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Welcome to Elk is such a unique gaming experience. Don't let the look fool you, this game deals with some mature subject matter. And it's so honest and open about it. I also love the meta layer that's added. Really just an all-around well-made game! #indiegames
positive · AI labelView post →Time for @tiereview.bsky.social’s second issue! This time we’re taking a look at the quirky yet resonant world of Welcome to Elk by Triple Topping Games. Check out Michael’s discerning overview of what makes Welcome to Elk a nuanced class-inflected game. Happy we got to collaborate with him!
neutral · AI labelView post →The game focuses on the darker sides of the human experience, but remains truly human in the care taken to represent these true stories. That being said, Welcome to Elk did not feel like a cohesive game, but more of a disjointed mishmash of those stories which only serves to give them a platform to be told, heard, until they're lost in the madness of life. 4/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Aren't we all dead?
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Boring, forgettable
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I was not expecting what I got when I played this. Welcome to Elk is a surreal RPG based around the life of your player character in a town called Elk, and in which the central attraction and mechanic is storytelling. I don't just mean this in the sense of the story of the game, but rather the storytelling itself. Over the duration of the admittedly short, but well-made game, you get to experience a myriad of stories told by others in fun and innovative ways, and a lot of it is inspired by…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Got this without knowing anything about the game. Definitely one of the most unique narratives I've come across in gaming. Can't say I understood everything shown, but at the same time, stories are meant to be passed on and evoke interest and emotions. And Elk is one interesting story.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hello LA and surrounding LA gamers! The Hollywood Squares will be meeting this Thursday at 7pm to talk about Welcome to Elk. And if you know, then you know that the picture below is utterly upsetting. We will be diving into this as well as other topics from the game. Reach out if you want info!
neutral · AI labelView post →Dead Pets from Triple Topping is out today. Have I played it yet? No. Did I play their last game, Welcome to Elk, and thought their blurring of documentary and game was fantastic? Yes. Did you play it? Probably not, but you should. store.steampowered.com/app/1851720/...
positive · AI labelView post →This game is sort of a mixed bag for me. If you are emotionally prepared for some really intense story topics (sexual assault, murder, death) then you may find this game intriguing. I didn't realize the game would focus so heavily on those topics, and a lot of that is given to how the store page didn't make it obvious it was going to be this type of game. I know that since I bought the game there has been a notification for age put towards it for the topics. But that wasn't present when I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I bought this game mainly for the characters' cute appearance and funny way of walking, and looking for some stories. I got what I expected but differently. You play as a girl visiting an island and greet the people, hearing their stories. There's no main story but each day you hear a (weird) standalone story and have a related (weirder) dream in sleep. Some stories have real people talk about their experience like a memoir. I can't say I like this game or not, it is one of a kind I can't…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Loved this game. It's just like watching a comforting but sad European movie. It's heart warming, real, cute, scary, and sad. Glad games like these exist. It's kind of a miracle in such a cynical world, when you think about it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Would be a good game if it wasn't so buggy. When you need to make Balloon Faces the "seal of approval" just didn't work so I had to exit the game. After that it did work but from that point on my safe file didn't work anymore. Whenever I reloaded the game it was at the balloon part no matter how much I played afterward. So that is a let down.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I had a feeling of beauty for several days after playing the game. And I think it had some influence on how I write my diaries. If you love writing and telling stories....just play it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Finding gems like this is what makes me loves games as an art form. Truly novel in its approach to storytelling and able to cover difficult themes as respectfully as I've ever seen it done. Counterbalanced with some genuinely fun and well designed mini-games. Its deeply sad but never crushing in its sadness, it revels in the emotional rollercoaster that life can be and the stories we tell from it. There is some true talent here, can't wait to see other work by this team.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Best Coast Gamers rated @snekflat.com's Wuppo 94 out of 109 undelivered newspapers! Come join @thegameclub.bsky.social ! We're starting on a new game tomorrow (Welcome to Elk)
neutral · AI labelView post →Wtf the story... Fantastic graphics
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I went into this expecting some light-hearted little story game - I was wrong. It looks colorful and cozy but is actually quite morbid and dark, but a VERY entertaining story that hooked me quite a bit. I recommend it for exactly that, but not if you are looking for something chill with a silly story.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Well, that was quite an experience! It wasn't what I was expecting; the colourful and cute graphics were a bit deceiving at first, to be honest. I'm glad it didn't disappoint me at all. I really liked the overall concept of telling a story about very personal stories. Granted, they are devastating. Be emotionally prepared to deal with some harsh topics, although the game manages to find some joy in those experiences. This is definitely not a game in the traditional sense, even though there are…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game has all of the pieces to be a cozy game, but it definitely is not. I really liked the stories and the mixed mediums, but man. Some of these stories were rough.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is probably one of the most surreal game I've ever played. It plays with storytelling, art style and even media styles to tell you a story about stories. It's quite the experience. It's not much of a game but it's still very interesting.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →For me, Welcome to Elk was a super spontaneous impulse buy that I don't regret. It's a collection of weird, grueling and heartwarming stories, put together in a colourful and sometimes surprising way, but the majority is told in the style of a graphic novel. The game takes roughly three hours to play from start to finish, so it's the perfect thing to pick up on a free evening. In its storytelling it deals with some heavy topics in a light-hearted way that feels very typically Danish to me.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →mid tbh. More of "short moving book" rather than sotry. Language seemed a lil vulgar compared to the story (like why you saying "♥♥♥♥"and "♥♥♥♥" so much and especially infornt of the lil kid there)
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a cool game! The story follows Frigg, the newest resident of Elk, and how she gets acquainted with the locals. After a couple of days in Elk, however, Frigg starts to feel as though death is following her. Every night, Frigg has different dreams involving a boat, and wakes up to a new bottle on her dining table every morning, each containing a different story with death at its center. There are plenty of interesting mini-games interspersed throughout, but the strength of the game…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fans of 'Night in the Woods' will undoubtedly love this. Indie gems like this hit so hard; they lift up a curtain to reveal a glimpse into a world that seems so private, an adolescent's experience in the US - or, as it is in 'Elk' - life on a small island in the unforgiving Northern Hemisphere. These games hit so hard perhaps, because unlike TV or a film (wherein we remain passive) the experience is 'experiential', as in - happening in real time. We are taken on a journey of sorts where we…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A unique and precious experience. I was very immersed in the small -yet deep- world of Welcome to Elk, and felt delightfully bittersweet emotions as its narrative unfold.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →You are Frigg, a young punkish woman who now lives on the Island Elk. An Island with lots of Stuff to discover. Interesting characters with one unique secret. Uncover their stories. From funny to really dark ones and play lots of little mini games. Very unique and yet pretty charming. It´s fun. Some people might ask: How woke could it be? Actually not very much. There´s a lesbian couple of older women. So don´t worry about it. Just enjoy the game for what it wants to be. A few stories that…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The only good thing in this game is the art style, there’s too much walking and talking. SO MUCH TALKING ABOUT NOTHING THAT AFFECTS YOU IN ANY WAY!!! yap yap yap I would rather it was an animation movie on YouTube or something. Oh and my character was fondled by a creep even tho I was not made aware it was that kind of game I thought by the art style is was a happy game
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I feel like this is a wildly under-appreciated narrative game. The animation is endearing and the art style is incredibly effective at portraying the rather bleak world you find yourself in. The story telling is in equal parts heart warming and heart wrenching, dealing with difficult things but always able to find some joy and light-hardheartedness around it. The content warning provided by the developers is accurate and needed, but if you can find a way to sit with the uncomfortableness of it,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →🔮At 4pm tomorrow I'll be giving away Welcome to Elk! Two more to announce for my 1k Follow Celebration!🪄 This game transforms the weird, wonderful, dark and desperate tales of the road less-traveled into an inventive, biographical adventure. True stories told by real people. See you all there!🖤✨
neutral · AI labelView post →Unique, personal stories that are weaved together to understand life on a harsh island. I like that the interactive objects were in colour while everything else was in white which made it a breeze to play. The mini games were really fun. Just take note that some of the stories can be quite tragic.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm not sure I can say that I was really wowed by Welcome to Elk. While I did find the little minigames that WtE had in every chapter quite charming, these small, pleasant moments really highlight how uninterested I was about the rest of the game. WtE is a collection of slice-of-life stories - some somber, some mystical - and while these stories are just okay by themselves, they are stories that are very independent of each other and don't mesh well for a cohesive story, culminating in a pretty…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →its, odd. to even call it a game im not sure, it didnt hit for me but I hope others find the enjoyment here
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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