[3] The game is loosely based on an ancient Swedish tradition called "Årsgång" (pronounced [ˈoːʂgɔŋ]; "Year Walk").

The fate of Almsten himself is also uncertain; his research seems to have taken a toll on his mental state, and his final entry takes place immediately before he goes on a Year Walk of his own.

"[13] TouchArcade liked Year Walk's companion app, feeling it freed up the game from having to rely on expostion, "Knowing which creatures exist and what they’re capable of... makes every screen transition, every peek inside an abandoned shack fraught with apprehension".

Game Informer enjoyed the puzzles, saying that they often relied on clever solutions, "each demands that you think in a new and surprising way, and draws you deeper into the cold and minimalistic presentation".

[14] IGN criticized the puzzle design of the game, noting that it could often lean into obtuse solutions, "there are a handful of obstacles that are oblique in their presentation and execution, to the point where I nearly lost all motivation for solving them".

[17] Nintendo Life felt the game's story left a lasting impact, "Like most great art, though, Year Walk sticks with you well beyond your time with it".

[18] As for the Wii U version, Nintendo World Report enjoyed the title's use of motion controls with the GamePad, "This creates a whole new way to solve puzzles, from carefully manipulating an object to large and fast movements".