Spirit of the North Reviews
Spirit of the North has much to offer, even though some of the finer points get lost in between the cracks, it's a journey well worth taking.
Spirit of the North's enchanting journey is magnificent on the Nintendo Switch Lite's screen, as played on for this review, and is even better on a large TV screen. The, at times, challenging game, has collectibles that add to the replay value, and playing as an unlocked snow fox in the snow magnifies the immersion of the game, with levels that beg to be experienced again simply for the fun of enjoying their beauty.
Exploring Iceland as a furry fox friend has been a real treat. It's delicious eye candy with a satisfyingly chewy center. Yes, there were times when I hoped for a little more direction in solving puzzles. Those brand new help cards on the PlayStation 5 dashboard sure would have been nice (fingers crossed we see those when the game officially releases). That said, Spirit of the North is too beautiful and captivating to be disappointed for long. If you love games like Lost Ember, I can't recommend adding Spirit of the North to your collection enough.
GREAT - Despite the indie background, Spirit of the North feels like a master class in atmosphere and just how much you can do with it. Even with some noticeably rough edges, the world we get a glimpse into is beautiful, bold, and begging to be explored.
Spirit of the North may have its fair share of flaws, but is ultimately a success in spite of them. In the end it won me over, and will be a game I’ll revisit when I need a warm hug from an old friend.
Generally, I would describe Spirit of the North as a nice and easy, low-pressure game to play. It’s also a great tech demo for next-gen open world games. With the winter coming and indoor time inevitable, I recommend picking this one up.
Spirit of the North is a work of excellent quality, which is worth playing on both PS4 and PS5. Its Enhanced Edition is an excellent opportunity to enjoy the gaming experience on next gen, and in addition to giving credit to the work of the developers, it greatly improves practically every part of the adventure, with particular results in the graphics sector. The goal is therefore centered and whether it is your first trip, whether it is the umpteenth time that you find yourself traveling through the snow-capped mountains, Spirit of the North: Enhanced Edition is an opportunity to be seized immediately, and now everyone has the possibility to do it on next gen thanks to the work of Infuse Studio. The mountains will be cold and the valleys will be lonely, but following the fox is a great way to make sense of the journey.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Spirit of the North: Enhanced Edition is a short adventure game that does a great job of telling an emotional tale without words thanks to some great visual and audio design. The game doesn’t offer much to those who already played it though so unless you really want to play with a couple new skins and better visuals and performance you may want to pass on it. Those who have yet to play it and are looking for a more tranquil experience will likely enjoy exploring these beautiful vistas as a fox for the few hours that it lasts.
When I go to PAX I tend to book my days to the brim with appointments but that doesn't mean I lose the opportunity to uncover some additional gems along the way...
Spirit of the North - Enhanced Edition offers up a majestic, yet melancholy narrative that will bring some peace to a weary mind, or at least try to lull you to relax. Sadly, that lull can often be disrupted by the controls, as their inaccuracy might take you out of the moment and create frustration. The game does still manage to be more entertaining than not, especially with its visuals and music.
Even as a fairly short game, Spirit of the North managed to accomplish what it had set out to achieve – to tell us a story without words and to slow us down. A truly unique experience where the visuals and music were its greatest strengths, it shows that a game does not have to be filled with excitement for it to be gratifying. It wasn’t a perfect adventure, but it served as an important reminder to always be curious about your surroundings, to take your time, and to stop and smell the flowers.
Spirit of the North is a lovingly crafted indie adventure that's let down by some wonky platforming and simple puzzling, while the mysterious explorative adventuring evokes the memory of Journey, just without quite achieving the same emotional impact.
Spirit of the North Enhanced Edition may look great at 4K and run smoother at 60 FPS, but with no gameplay changes, barely any meaningful use of the DualSense, and a lack of gameplay improvements the indie-adventure doesn't offer much of a reason to play. This enhanced edition isn't bad by any means, but it just doesn't offer much of a reason to check it out for new or returning players, especially given the price increase.
Infuse Studio has done a fantastic job in remastering Spirit of the North's visuals for PS5, but while it looks gorgeous, this edition neglects the elements that needed an update most. Though the controls remain stiff and your objectives aren't always clear, anyone willing to look past this will find a wonderful experience at the core. If you've been searching for a new adventure game, Spirit of the North is short but sweet and despite these flaws, comes recommended.
Spirit of the North Enhanced Edition is a visually impressive narrative experience that foregoes dialogue for atmosphere and world-building.
Spirit of the North is a beautiful experience with a gorgeous score, beautiful environments, and peaceful gameplay, but its late inconsistencies make it a missed opportunity for a complete package.
Spirit of the North is an atmospheric, evocative adventure game with puzzle/platforming elements that—despite being clumsily implemented in parts—are ultimately rewarding if you stick with it.
Spirit of the North is an audio-visual treat, let down by weak gameplay.
Some players might be put off by Spirit of the North due to how heavily it relies on its players to figure things out, but that’s also its biggest charm.
Spirit of the North: Enhanced Edition is a beautiful remaster of an average game. If you enjoy wandering around pretty environments and solving some light puzzles, then this is a fantastic "chill out" game, but anything beyond that is somewhat forgettable. Add on some frustrating bugs and the lack of meaningful improvements over the last-gen version beyond visuals, and it isn't a must-buy for anyone who has played the original title. It's worth experiencing if you haven't played it before, but you should perhaps wait for a price drop, since the $35 price tag isn't worth it when you can purchase a last-gen copy for $20.