Biome Comparison Guide - The Merlies
All five Merlies biomes compared: signature movement, salvage richness, mood and what each layer is best for.
Published September 27, 2026 · Last updated September 27, 2026
Quick Answer: How Do the Biomes Compare?
The village is home and always safe; the canopy is the vertical climbing school; the wetlands are the brightest and most open; the ruins are the scrap motherlode with the most climbing on human structures; the pipes are the quiet, cozy underworld. The game has no combat and no difficulty spikes — what changes between biomes is how you move, what you find, and how far your squad's current abilities let you push.
| Biome | Signature Movement | Best For | Mood | Scraps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Village | Walking, managing | Building, training, planning | Cozy home | Spends them |
| Forest Canopy | Climbing vines, mushroom bounces | Learning squad traversal | Wild and green | Tangled in branches |
| Pond & Wetlands | Low gliding over water | Relaxed foraging, flying | Bright and open | Worn smooth by water |
| City Ruins | Cable climbs, billboard traverses | Densest salvage runs | Overgrown playground | Richest source |
| Pipes & Underground | Squeezing through pipes | Cozy discovery routes | Warm and quiet | Buried leftovers |
The Village: Base, Not Biome
The village sits apart from the exploration loop. Nothing here threatens the flock; it is where scraps become houses, rescued Merlies settle, and training happens between trips. Every other biome is measured by what it gives the village — which is why the manage-village screen shown in official screenshots matters as much as any traversal skill.
Green Above, Grey Below
The four exploration biomes split along a simple line: nature's structures (canopy, wetlands) versus humanity's leftovers (ruins, pipes). The green biomes teach the game's movement language on branches, reeds and mushrooms; the human biomes upcycle that language onto cables, billboards and pipes — and pay out the best salvage. A balanced session usually touches one of each.