Never Alone Reviews
A warm and nourishing tale, set in the realms of folklore and imagination combined with an interesting, well made documentary. Finicky controls and poor AI, however, let down what could have been.
Though brief and beset with occasional frustrations, at its best, Never Alone a simply spellbinding experience and a true reminder of the power of games to transport us to another place.
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.
[A]s one Iñupiat member put it, this isn't a story about a hero, just someone honoring her commitment to her community and way of life. Addressing that idea through a largely unfamiliar fiction is a refreshing way to remind us to be thankful for what we have.
You are not the greatest force in the world, one video tells us. And you feel it—through wind, through ice, through snow. Through the spirits bigger than you, and your dependency on the fox that keeps you alive and moving with its magic—on the backs of fish that dance across the waves, or breathing in the belly of a whale. Yet the humble hero, as fragile as a little girl, can still stop a blizzard.
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
Never Alone is not just telling a story—it is connecting the player to a culture. To play it is to be transported to two places simultaneously. First, to the world of Nuna and Fox, and their epic journey through the blistering cold. And second, to the warmth of a fire, listening to an old man tell a story that is as old as the Earth, feeling it sink into you for the first time.
'Never Alone' is a beautiful experience. Its somber story is masterfully expressed, but not by its gameplay. As a platformer it is subpar, and yet I am still telling people to play it. Despite its tiny length and substantial flaws, it has a soul, something that is sorely lacking in many of the games we play.
Never Alone is a short but sweet indie title that shows video games can be more than just entertainment. It's an enjoyable romp through a blizzard that may just teach you something. If you've been looking for something different but not silly, grab a friend and gather around to experience a story passed through generations of Native Alaskan storytellers.
Never Alone is beautifully presented on the Xbox One and successfully tells the story of the Iñupiat people through the eyes of Nuna and her pet fox. Sure, it may not be the most original title with its gameplay but its captivating characters and information create a thoroughly enjoyable experience on the Xbox One about a world encompassed by a never ending blizzard with magical spirit characters.
Never Alone takes a familiar game style and adds a unique sense of distinction with its well-realized atmosphere and native story.
We'd welcome more games from the developer as there's promise here, but promise may not be enough this time around.
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.
The story and information is interesting, but the gameplay is an unimpressive delivery method
Never Alone tells a deeply personal story of an Inupiaq girl on an adventure to survive the elements. This is a spellbinding experience that not only introduces players to the real stories and culture so important to the native Alaskan community, but goes one step further by creating two dozen informative videos featuring interviews with tribe elders, storytellers and artists. It's a dazzling adventure that is not to be missed.
If I had to describe Never Alone succinctly – I’d say that its intentions are pure but that it falls flat in its execution.
Play it for the documentary, and play it in co-op
Never Alone is the first project of a unique studio from Alaska, and tells a traditional Alaskan Native story of a girl, a fox and their hunt through the arctic for the source of a blizzard. Beautiful graphics, an amazing sense of location and amazing storytelling combine to make an unforgettable experienc
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.
Never Alone is a mediocre first entry in what I hope will branch into a kind of informative gaming genre. I certainly see a promising future if they can improve on what they have. For this game though, if you want to know more about the Iñupiat people and don't have anything else to play, the story of Nuna and her arctic fox isn't bad - just don't expect it to light your world on fire.