Never Give Up

 Switch
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. NintendoWorldReport
    Aug 26, 2019
    90
    Never Give Up is clearly inspired by games like Super Meat Boy, right down to details like blood from previous failed attempts splattered across the levels. That’s a bar that many indie developers aspire to, but this is a game that’s mostly worthy of that lofty comparison. Switch owners are spoiled for choice when it comes to platformers, but this is one that stands out as worth playing.
  2. Pure Nintendo
    Sep 3, 2019
    85
    A lot of fairly standard platformer stuff is given a whole new kind of charm in Never Give Up and it comes together to make a smart, funny game that really works.
  3. Nintendo Enthusiast
    Aug 29, 2019
    80
    All in all, Never Give Up is a fun, unique take on the platformer genre. The game is challenging, but rarely overly so. Even so, you can mitigate or remove this challenge entirely by taking advantage of the ability to skip levels. There’s also some humor to be had, courtesy of Egoraptor’s dialogue, though chances are you’ll die enough to begin to grow tired of it. Nevertheless, if you fancy a challenge, Never Give Up will go a long way to sating your appetite.
  5. Video Chums
    Aug 22, 2019
    80
    If you take pride in showing off your 2D platforming skills then Never Give Up will be a perfect fit for your gaming library.
  6. COGconnected
    Aug 26, 2019
    79
    As a challenge from the very beginning, fans who are into this sub-genre will surely enjoy Never Give Up. With clever quips from our characters, the solid controls to the satisfying jumps and evades, get ready to jump through missiles, slide through hammers and evading charging rhinos, this is definitely a title worth picking up.
  7. GameSpace
    Sep 9, 2019
    76
    Never Give Up is a proper progression from its predecessor, Give Up. While the gameplay may be simplistic in nature, there is still a lot of challenge here that will certainly appeal to more die hard retro platformer gamers. The pop culture and humorous comments are certain to lighten the experience of what would otherwise be a, sometimes frustrating, monotone title. Still, Never Give Up sets the stage to challenge and delight the right kind of gamer. Perhaps the type that enjoys difficult platformers as well as those that might be mildly masochistic.
  8. Nintendo Life
    Aug 13, 2019
    70
    It's not quite fluid enough to stand toe-to-toe with Super Meat Boy, but Never Give Up is nevertheless a solid platformer that offers up highly inventive, ludicrously challenging levels along with a smattering of dry humour that's well suited to the style of the game. Add to that a collection of unlockable costumes that only become available after gathering a certain number of collectable, and you've also got a hefty amount of replay value.
  9. Nintendo Insider
    Sep 16, 2019
    50
    Never Give Up doesn’t have much to offer that you haven’t already seen before from the genre and any attempt it does try at separating itself from the herd, unfortunately, make the experience worse rather than better. From its dated sense of humor and ho-hum art style to its uninspired premise of repeating slowly evolving levels Never Give Up is a tough recommendation especially when there are far better examples already out there that won’t leave you rolling your eyes with embarrassment.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 13 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 13
  3. Negative: 2 out of 13
  1. Sullabim
    Aug 18, 2020
    7
    The game starts out brilliantly with levels that slowly increase in difficulty, and funny phrases uttered when you die collected from popularThe game starts out brilliantly with levels that slowly increase in difficulty, and funny phrases uttered when you die collected from popular films and the devs own sense of humor. It was a pure joy until levels that required you to pass heat seeking missiles that simply prevent entry making it a matter of patience to die as many time as necessary until those missiles or other things are exactly timed out of the way for you to progress. This is to say the challenge to learning curve was perfect in the beginning, but later became more about luck and patience with deaths, which made an initially. very fun game kind of a grind. Still a fun game in small portions. Would have been bettered by deciding in obstacles that challenge rather than prevent access to platforming.… Full Review »
  2. ClinOton
    Oct 17, 2019
    10
    Never Give Up is the little game that can. Quality that seems to have gone unnoticed. The difficulty here rivals Super Meat Boy when played onNever Give Up is the little game that can. Quality that seems to have gone unnoticed. The difficulty here rivals Super Meat Boy when played on hard mode and yet it’s always fair with creative/consistent play control. (Double tap mid-air to slid up wall or the hidden Mario like long jump which the game never teaches you and is a blast to use when speed running) Imagine playing Super Mario Bros level 1-1 then playing it again except this time there are more enemies more pitfalls more danger. Now imagine this difficulty progression happens 5-7 times until after playing thru each version the final version of level 1-1 is a saturation of impossible death traps that must be avoided with ballet like finesse/skill all adding to the satisfaction that comes from a well earned victory. Quality with a price though...skill and patience are imperative. Graphics, sound track and voice acting are solid and never detract from the true brilliance of the game which is the level design/play control skillfully dovetailed...each complimenting the other. Never Give Up is that much sought after Diamond in the Rough and not the over polished common stone we are so often fed. An Ultra Hard Must Play Gem!… Full Review »
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