Spirit of the North

 Switch
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 23 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 23
  3. Negative: 6 out of 23

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  1. Maroonshift
    May 17, 2020
    2
    Spirit of the North tries to follow in the steps of great games like Abzu and Journey. It many ways it succeeds, but mostly it's terrible. I love these types of simple, atmospheric games. I love foxes and I love Iceland. Surely there's no way I could dislike this game, right? Perhaps the experience on PC or PS4 is different, but on the Switch this is the worst game I've ever played, and ISpirit of the North tries to follow in the steps of great games like Abzu and Journey. It many ways it succeeds, but mostly it's terrible. I love these types of simple, atmospheric games. I love foxes and I love Iceland. Surely there's no way I could dislike this game, right? Perhaps the experience on PC or PS4 is different, but on the Switch this is the worst game I've ever played, and I tried the Switch version of Fornite. I played the whole thing docked,, but even still the resolution looks like it's 720p and framerate is about 30 fps. The textures are blurry and washed out. Everything is sharp and jagged. It looks like a hot mess still in alpha development. For a game that's focused on visuals it looks and feels absolutely terrible. The game play feels clunky, but maybe thats partly from the dismal fps. The music is good and the idea is great, but the execution on the Switch is downright embarrassing. Do not buy this game on the Switch.… Expand
  2. Kirixa
    Jan 1, 2021
    3
    Controls make it unplayable, graphically not great: the fox is pixely, gravity is off, the snow squish effect is copy-pasted for every step, the jumping is as if you're launched straight up without any use of muscle.
  3. RedPixel
    Apr 16, 2023
    3
    Pretty, but I'm not sure who this game is for. Long stretches of running around somewhat awkwardly in the pretty world make you think it's a chill game meant for the atmosphere. But then it's got its platforming stretches which are a little harder than they should be. Not always clear where you're supposed to go, despite an occasional hint. I get a bit dizzy playing it at times, though IPretty, but I'm not sure who this game is for. Long stretches of running around somewhat awkwardly in the pretty world make you think it's a chill game meant for the atmosphere. But then it's got its platforming stretches which are a little harder than they should be. Not always clear where you're supposed to go, despite an occasional hint. I get a bit dizzy playing it at times, though I don't in other 3d games, so it's something about the way you move around in this game. Controls are sort of wonky, especially that you have to hold L and left joystick to run... not a comfortable combination. Divided into "chapters", but there's no way to save, so you have to finish a chapter, which is super annoying when you need a break from the awkward platforming, awkward controls, or awkward movement making you sick. Some of this game is puzzling about what you're supposed to do next and how, and those parts have some promise, but they get sort of lost with the other wonkiness.… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 14
  3. Negative: 3 out of 14
  1. Cubed3
    Aug 3, 2020
    90
    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.
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  2. GameCritics
    Jun 26, 2020
    45
    Sadly, my drive to persist was sapped by a series of glitches in one section that led me to replay the same should-have-been-easy bit over and over again. That was bad enough, but combined with the poor controls, lack of engaging gameplay, an inability to manually save and infrequent checkpoints, every session was a slog. Writing a negative review for Spirit of the North is tough because on paper, it seems like something I’d fall in love with. That said, it’s just not a good experience — my appreciation for its non-violent content and environmental themes can’t carry its many shortcomings.
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  3. Everyeye.it
    May 25, 2020
    65
    Overall, the experience remains a valid alternative for players looking for a relaxing, short-lived title with ethereal atmospheres, despite the technical defects that prevent it from making its full potential shine.
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