

Spirit of the North is a pretty linear game, so building such a vast wilderness to explore seems kind of like overkill, particularly since there are places where it?s very easy to wander for awhile without realizing you?re on the completely wrong track. But also again, it feels like there?s far more of it than there needs to be for such a simple story. Again, they?re certainly not bad: the game does an excellent job of creating a mostly barren wasteland, with only sparse grass and some trees populating the world above the treeline (save for a chapter near the end that takes place in a massive forest, which may or may not be some kind of afterlife). That?s hardly a lengthy experience, but it still feels like the game?s length could have been cut by an hour or more, and nothing would have been lost. While that?s certainly enough to go on, it?s also not enough to sustain the game for nearly four hours. Take the story, for example: it?s a wordless tale about a fox wandering through the frozen wilderness to find its lost love (or so I gathered). The biggest problem with Spirit of the North is that there?s far more of it than it needs to be. I will say, however, that it feels like they could have used a very good editor (or whatever the gaming equivalent of that would be). Now, I?m not going to say Infuse Studio weren?t the right hands for their game - after all, they put all those good pieces in place. It?s got a heartfelt story, striking visuals, and some decent puzzle-platforming - all essential building blocks for a fantastic experience.

GotGame is on OpenCritic, check out our reviews here.I feel like Spirit of the North could have been a great game in the right hands. It’ll help to wind down and experience something fresh and welcoming, yet all consuming. With the winter coming and indoor time inevitable, I recommend picking this one up. It’s also a great tech demo for next-gen open world games. Generally, I would describe Spirit of the North as a nice and easy, low-pressure game to play. For the PlayStation 5 version, you’ll even have two exclusive skins to adorn your fox with. I suggest taking advantage of the camera mode to get a chance to really absorb everything in these gorgeous environments. The fox’s fur is detailed in such a way that I was compelled to gaze at it in photo mode forever. This is where it truly shines, in stunning 4K and featuring beautiful and realistic snow textures. Having played this on PlayStation 5, I had the opportunity to witness this game at its best fidelity. I always found myself helped out by whatever general direction the Guardian walked in. As the Guardian leads you to more destinations, things can become rather challenging. The game starts out pretty easy, as there are no real challenging puzzles in the first 30 minutes or so. The game is about four to five hours long, depending how good you are at puzzles. However, the game’s intriguing landscapes and varying aesthetics make this experience an enjoyable one.Īs you proceed through the game, you’ll discover puzzles accompanied by beautiful snowy landscapes, grassy plateaus and statues that remind me of God of War. The story here is something you mostly have to piece together for yourself. The game splits itself into different chapters that subtly announce themselves by your progression. There’s no clear narrative or dialogue within the game, as there’s no verbal communication between the fox or any observers. Eventually, you’ll gain minimal guidance from the Guardian of the Northern Lights the ethereal spirit of another fox who leads him to various landscapes across the snowy tundra. At the start of the game, you’re whisked out into the snowy wilderness, seemingly on your own. This beautifully rendered fox has no name or clear motivation. In Spirit of the North, you take on the role of an ordinary fox.
#Spirit of the north reviews Pc
Debuting on PlayStation 4 last year, and later on PC and Switch, the game now arrives on PlayStation 5. The vast enjoyment I experienced in Spirit of the North: Enhanced Edition is something that I attribute to the capabilities of next-gen hardware and a welcome lack of coherent storytelling. Just exploration and taking in the sweet video game atmosphere. No enemies to fight, no crazy powerful boss to either hide from or destroy. I’ve always had a thing for games with no discernible goal.
