Never Alone Reviews

Never Alone is ranked in the 48th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Gameblog
Chris
Top Critic
7 / 10
Nov 20, 2014

Anyone who is transported by this timeless tale will undoubtedly forgive the various worries of youth from which the game suffers and will live an experience if not rare, in any case sufficiently striking to remember it in several months, even years, with a touch of nostalgia.

Review in French | Read full review

7 / 10.0
Dec 4, 2014

Never Alone is an interesting and deceptive experiment in edutainment, or whatever you want to call it, and as such it must be evaluated in all its parts: in the face of an often limping gameplay, the title of Upper One Games gives a touching and detailed overview of the culture and folklore of the iñupiat, serving it on a dish much more attractive to gamers. A production not free from defects, but undoubtedly to be rewarded for its noble intentions.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Twinfinite
Top Critic
4 / 5.0
Nov 21, 2014

Never Alone is short, and will run you at two hours, assuming you don't get stuck. The puzzles are usually straightforward, and don't take a lot of difficulty to solve, so a player approaching this game looking for challenge will be disappointed.

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Dec 2, 2014

Never Alone is something of a disappointment. It's by no means a terrible game, but the experience of playing doesn't live up to its gorgeous presentation, lovely atmosphere and genuinely interesting content. It's a pleasing diversion, provided you can round up a mate to play it with, and it tells a compelling story – but its drawbacks make it hard to recommend unreservedly.

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7 / 10
Aug 17, 2015

Never Alone offers an average experience as a platformer with puzzles to solve but it's the game's narrative and tribute to the Inupiat people that makes it stand out as a unique experience. A perfect choice of artwork and use of cultural traits contribute to make Never Alone an insightful work which can also be enjoyed as a game.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Dec 13, 2014

Never Alone is one of those games I want everyone I know to be able to play. It's a really great example of the good that video games can do in the world, and of the artform they really are. Anyone can play it, everyone would find something to enjoy about it, you can play it with a friend, and non-gamers would even enjoy watching you play due to the intermittent documentary clips and the beautiful art style. The future of gaming looks even more exciting due to Never Alone's existence. If this is an indication of more to come, I can't wait to participate in other cultures and stories from around the world in an interactive art form.

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9 / 10.0
Jun 27, 2015

So, should you buy Never Alone? It depends. I can't recommend it to everyone: the game is short, and it doesn't really include much challenge in either puzzles nor platforming. But if you can look past that, you'll find a stunning, unique game that uses the medium to deliver a beautiful story and an incredible world – and that's worth experiencing.

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Unscored
Dec 29, 2014

Measured solely as a puzzle-platformer, "Never Alone" has nothing on games such as "Braid" or "Portal," which offer far more intricate challenges. However, this is a game that transcends its gameplay. The bio of one of the game's scriptwriters, Ishmael Angaluuk Hope, mentions that in his younger days he was ashamed of his Native Alaskan heritage.

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5 / 10
Jun 23, 2015

If you've got enough patience you'll probably be able to mine for the diamonds in the rough - but the easily frustrated should steer far clear.

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5 / 10.0
Nov 18, 2014

A disappointing but noble effort.

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Nov 18, 2014

Effortlessly charming and surprising insightful, Never Alone is only hampered by some frustrating control issues and unfortunate technical hiccups.

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50%
Nov 25, 2014

Never Alone isn't without its merits. Telling an interesting story of a dying culture, it's a hugely flawed game that manages to conjure warmth in the icy cold.

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Nov 18, 2014

Bravo to both Upper One Games and E-Line Media for putting this gem out there, this is definitely a worthwhile and enjoyable title for all ages to enjoy as well as learn from. I truly hope that this title does well or at least meets their expectations I'd like to see more from these companies in the same vein as Never Alone.

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6 / 10
Dec 27, 2014

If I had to describe Never Alone succinctly – I’d say that its intentions are pure but that it falls flat in its execution.

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6 / 10
Mar 21, 2022

Never Alone: Arctic Collection is an endearing attempt to blend a learning experience about the Iñupiaq culture and its folklore, and bring that to a video game.

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7 / 10
Dec 27, 2014

Play it for the documentary, and play it in co-op

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CGMagazine
Jason D’Aprile
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Dec 10, 2014

Never Alone takes a familiar game style and adds a unique sense of distinction with its well-realized atmosphere and native story.

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7 / 10.0
Nov 27, 2014

A fascinating insight into an interesting culture held back from greatness by average platforming mechanics.

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7 / 10.0
Nov 26, 2014

Never Alone is a beautiful game, full of fairy tale delight and educational knowledge. It isn't as patronising as that might sound as it keeps the two well-separated enabling you to take or leave as much of the cultural content as you like. It struggles though with being a compelling video game with its slow start, short running time and AI issues. It comes away respectful of its inspiration and educational as well, but won't last long in the memory as a gaming experience.

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5 / 10.0
Nov 30, 2014

It's obvious that Never Alone's Inupiat influences took precedence throughout the whole game, and as a result its gameplay took a hard knock. Some serious AI flaws and glitches ruined any enjoyment we could have with the game, as we spent more time wrestling with its problems than actually gaining any satisfaction. Never Alone is just not an enjoyable or fulfilling experience, and that is why it is best left alone.

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