Never Alone

 Xbox One
User Score
6.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 51 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 51
  2. Mixed: 24 out of 51
  3. Negative: 7 out of 51

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  1. LUFCXI
    Nov 24, 2014
    8
    Enjoying this immensely, switching between this and GTA V at the moment.

    Side scrolling game but with local co-op abilities. You play as Nuna and/or her friend an Arctic Fox. You have to battle the alaskan weather, animals and everything else indigenous to the frozen tundra. You will have to use both characters in order to complete most puzzles in the game. The fox is super fast and    Enjoying this immensely, switching between this and GTA V at the moment.

    Side scrolling game but with local co-op abilities.

    You play as Nuna and/or her friend an Arctic Fox. You have to battle the alaskan weather, animals and everything else indigenous to the frozen tundra. You will have to use both characters in order to complete most puzzles in the game. The fox is super fast and can climb most walls unaided but Nuna has the ability to move, pick up and place objects.

    Game lasts approx 4-6 hrs depending on your ability and doesn't really have the replayability factor but for the 4-6 hrs you are playing it, you are transported into the Alaskan way of life with the stunningly beautiful graphics as well as the narrator telling the story in his native tongue.    … Expand
  2. chuckkevinz
    Dec 18, 2018
    2
    No redeeming features. Would only recommend to those looking to get an easy 1000g.
  3. Bruce722
    Nov 20, 2014
    7
    The game is smooth and visually stunning. It's also pretty short at only about 4 hours if you're watching all of the insight videos, leaving about 3 hours or so of actual gameplay, which is a fairly standard length for the genre. Those videos added a refreshing element to the gaming experience and broke up the monotony that many platformers suffer from. They help you understand the IñupiatThe game is smooth and visually stunning. It's also pretty short at only about 4 hours if you're watching all of the insight videos, leaving about 3 hours or so of actual gameplay, which is a fairly standard length for the genre. Those videos added a refreshing element to the gaming experience and broke up the monotony that many platformers suffer from. They help you understand the Iñupiat people in a way that few games achieve. In fact, most games don't even bother. That being said, the game was not without its flaws. It suffered from the same issue that, in my opinion, plagues the genre... trail and error puzzle solution. I do not think you should have to die one, three, seven, or twenty times in order to discover the trick that is needed to solve a puzzle. Puzzles should be more predicated on timing and common sense that determination through several deaths. I also thought the ending sequence was a failure. They betray a couple established mechanics in order to artificially create a difficult finale but all they did was aggravate the gamer and decrease the game's final rating. Nonetheless, I truly appreciated the effort put in to try and deliver something original to one of the oldest genres around and thought the game did exactly what the developers sought to do; they delivered an inviting platformer that people can enjoy playing while also learning about a culture that much of society is still ignorant to.… Expand
  4. ScottSilversage
    Dec 3, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I purchased Never Alone because I wanted to introduce my two young daughters to video games. So of course, once I got home, I played it, and I liked it. But once I passed the controllers over to my 10 year-old and 7 year-old daughters, the real fun began!

    First off, my girls loved Nuna, the main character of the game. I decided to let my 7 year old play as Nuna and for the most part she could handle the controls (in the beginning, just basically jumping from one platform to the next). My 10 year-old then took on the role as the fox.

    For the next hour, as a family, we had an absolute blast playing, but also watching the videos about the Inupiat people that are embedded into the game. We especially liked the one about the Arctic Fox.

    It was very rewarding to watch the two of them work together to solve the puzzles that the game presented. Soon enough, we were mimicking the noise Nuna makes when the fox "dies", and of course we needed to sing "What Does the Fox Say?".

    I will say though, that the polar bear and the "fireman" were a bit scary to them. We would try to lessen the scariness of the "fireman" by mimicking what he does when he "catches up" with Nuna (he reaches down, grabs her bola and thrusts it powerfully into the air).

    Probably my daughters favorite part of the game was watching Nuna and the Fox swim, or (SPOILER ALERT) watching the boy fox fly.

    If there are parents out there searching for a game to buy their young daughters, they should look no further than Never Alone. It's really kid friendly, it teaches cooperation and teamwork and patience, as well as educating them about the Inupiat people.    … Expand
  5. ruggy
    Jan 1, 2015
    10
    This game is excellent! Yes it's not the longest but it is possibly the most interesting game that i played in 2014. Really enjoyed this and was fun to play local co-op. Final point: this is the first game I've wrote a review for, that's how good it is. You should play this.
  6. JoshLuck1995
    Jan 19, 2015
    7
    Really enjoyed this game at first but as time went on the animation bugs started to get on my nerves, and the story seems to just run out of ideas and the ending was quite sudden. the controls of using both characters turns into mayhem towards the end.
  7. DrZomboid
    Nov 26, 2016
    7
    Unique indie eskimo game, good for two players and it also have expansion named Foxtales.
    Puzzled platforming side scroller where you need to use your head few times.
  8. Naicheervan
    Aug 10, 2015
    8
    visually beautiful game, good gameplay, emotional, and educational. What more would I need from a game? Only knocked it down two points because I wish it was a little longer. Managed to 100% it in one day, and the AI can be clunky at times, but it's nothing that detrimental
  9. chadh
    May 5, 2016
    9
    Never Alone is a visually appealing puzzle-platform game with a well crafted story based on Alaskan indigenous folklore. The game follows the harrowing journey across the harsh Alaskan tundra by the Inupiaq girl Nuna and her befriended Arctic fox. The game offers interesting cultural insights in the form of short documentary videos that accompany Nuna's adventure. I thoroughly enjoyedNever Alone is a visually appealing puzzle-platform game with a well crafted story based on Alaskan indigenous folklore. The game follows the harrowing journey across the harsh Alaskan tundra by the Inupiaq girl Nuna and her befriended Arctic fox. The game offers interesting cultural insights in the form of short documentary videos that accompany Nuna's adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed the game and felt entertained and better educated after completion. Proceeds generated go to funding educational outreach of the Cook Inlet Tribal Council.… Expand
  10. Broyax
    Dec 22, 2018
    0
    L'indé foiré du jour est un bidule qui défile avec une Esquimau (ou assimilée) et un petit renard blanc pour découvrir l'origine du blizzard qui sévit dans ce nord de l'Alaska : il y a du vent, de la neige et des tas de trucs à sauter parce qu'il faut sauter pour sauver le monde, c'est comme ça. Mais heureusement les esprits sont là, si, si.

    Sous couvert de gentil documentaire sur cette    L'indé foiré du jour est un bidule qui défile avec une Esquimau (ou assimilée) et un petit renard blanc pour découvrir l'origine du blizzard qui sévit dans ce nord de l'Alaska : il y a du vent, de la neige et des tas de trucs à sauter parce qu'il faut sauter pour sauver le monde, c'est comme ça. Mais heureusement les esprits sont là, si, si.

    Sous couvert de gentil documentaire sur cette tribu, il n'était pas nécessaire de sortir un jeu (?) aussi gnangnan et simpliste, aussi ennuyeux et mal fait. Faites plutôt un vrai documentaire mais sans le jeu de merde autour, jeu qui n'en a que le nom d'ailleurs et qu'on s'empressera de balancer sous la banquise pour qu'il aille rejoindre son pote, le Titanic.    … Expand
  11. Iky009
    Nov 6, 2015
    6
    I can not deny that its plot is interesting, considering the rich folklore of the Inupiaq people (Alaska natives), even with a good storyline the game not nearly as engaging, nor moving (expected more), with countless problems the gameplay, making the game frustrating in many moments, with its slow mechanical and uninteresting characters, but features a beautiful soundtrack and a very cuteI can not deny that its plot is interesting, considering the rich folklore of the Inupiaq people (Alaska natives), even with a good storyline the game not nearly as engaging, nor moving (expected more), with countless problems the gameplay, making the game frustrating in many moments, with its slow mechanical and uninteresting characters, but features a beautiful soundtrack and a very cute artistic part.… Expand
  12. HSuke
    Dec 23, 2018
    5
    Never Alone plays a lot like Limbo or Inside if those games were made for children. But unlike those 2 games, Never Alone has repetitive and utterly boring puzzles. The environment/world anywhere close to being as interesting either. The controls are also horrible.

    It's just a really bland game compared to similar games in its genre. Poor execution.
  13. Joellemm
    Jan 12, 2019
    5
    Never Alone is a game made with a passion and sincerity that holds together a mildly interesting experience. The game looks nice, with its own art style. Sadly, the quality of the game is lacking. Its gameplay is clunky, awkward and frustrating. It is also quite buggy. Its a game that fails to benefit from the simplicity of its premise.
  14. GuineaPigMan
    Nov 29, 2014
    9
    Release day I got into the game. There was a lot of expectation, but the game is very well done. Touching and cute game. I really enjoyed the two-player mode, as one of the players about the girl, and the other plays the fox.
    Plus a very good documentaries are included, by which we can admire their lives.
  15. Markini
    Mar 5, 2019
    7
    A cute and endearing game, an interesting take on a platformer. The game is better played with a partner, as someone plays as the fox and the main character. However, nothing groundbreaking in terms of gameplay. The insight into the Arctic native culture showed a perspective I never thought I would welcome in a platformer.
  16. onderd
    Apr 23, 2019
    9
    Good game with good story. Also videos about the life of culture of the Inuits(Alaskan People) I got the game with Games With Gold. I am not a platformer fan. But still had fun.
  17. SunshineRex1885
    Sep 26, 2020
    5
    Never Alone é um jogo interessante eu posso dizer, porém nao faz meu estilo de jogo, ele chega a ser desafiador, com graficos bem desenhados para o estilo que por si já é mais simples, além do que tem um conteúdo histórico e cultural, é um jogo diferenciado desde a sua equipe de produção até a experiência final, além do que proporciona conquistas e troféus fáceis de se habilitar, porémNever Alone é um jogo interessante eu posso dizer, porém nao faz meu estilo de jogo, ele chega a ser desafiador, com graficos bem desenhados para o estilo que por si já é mais simples, além do que tem um conteúdo histórico e cultural, é um jogo diferenciado desde a sua equipe de produção até a experiência final, além do que proporciona conquistas e troféus fáceis de se habilitar, porém ainda não consegue chegar a um nível que me agrade especificamente, porém pode se considerar válida a experiência.… Expand
  18. tom974
    Jun 27, 2021
    6
    This game's background/ theme is so nice, but the gameplay does not stand as high unfortunately. (unprecise, buggy). It's still very interesting to discover this culture though.
  19. cyklopPL
    Nov 27, 2020
    7
    7/10

    The game is a beautiful story while still being entertaining enough with the gameplay to not bore the player.
    Emotional ending and interesting facts placed as optional collectibles.
  20. fernandovfv
    Feb 20, 2021
    6
    6/10 .
  21. BlaineThomas
    Aug 3, 2022
    4
    Overall, I would say that while this game did increase my curiosity about the culture of Alaskan natives, the simplistic gameplay could not keep me interested long term. The multiplayer aspect of the game was probably the most enjoyable part of the game. That combined with the game's atmosphere helped create a spiritual ]immersion not many games can achieve. However, the gameplay isOverall, I would say that while this game did increase my curiosity about the culture of Alaskan natives, the simplistic gameplay could not keep me interested long term. The multiplayer aspect of the game was probably the most enjoyable part of the game. That combined with the game's atmosphere helped create a spiritual ]immersion not many games can achieve. However, the gameplay is incredibly simplistic. The puzzles are all elementary and the entire game can be completed in roughly two or three hours. Additionally, the physics can be incredibly wonky at times making the movement feel sloppy and slow. What I do appreciate is the game's dedication to telling a culturally accurate story with experiences that derive from direct experiences. This is a game I would only recommend to beginners and nothing else. However, the most important part of the game is the history and it got me invested in the tribe the game was based on and that is the most important thing.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

64
#64 Best Xbox One Game of 2014
41
#41 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2014
61
#61 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
66

Mixed or average reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. X-ONE Magazine UK
    Feb 15, 2015
    70
    A beautiful game that's let down by its clunky mechanics and frustrating AI quirks. [Issue#119, p.76]
  2. Eurogamer Portugal
    Feb 3, 2015
    60
    Quotation forthcoming.
    Read full review
  3. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Jan 6, 2015
    60
    We can't wholly recommend its gameplay, but as a vessel for an endangered culture, it's a worthy project. [Jan 2015, p.88]
See all critic reviews »