Endling: Extinction is Forever

Endling: Extinction Is Forever may not be perfect, but the story and experience it provides is a cut above.

86%Game Brain Score

story, emotional

grinding, stability

95% User Score Based on 861 reviews

Critic Score 78%Based on 20 reviews

Platforms

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About

Endling: Extinction is Forever is a single player open world simulation game with a drama theme. It was developed by Herobeat Studios and was released on September 10, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

"Endling *Extinction is Forever" is a single-player action game with impressive graphics that follows the story of a mother fox on a mission to keep her cubs alive amidst a world devastated by humanity. As the last fox on Earth, players must scavenge for food, find shelter, and evade threats to ensure their litter's survival in a dire race against time. The game immerses players in a beautifully rendered yet grim world, compelling them to make difficult choices that ultimately determine the fate of their family and the planet.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Endling: Extinction is Forever screenshot

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95%

Audience ScoreBased on 861 reviews

story169 positive mentions

grinding10 negative mentions

The game features stunning visuals and a beautiful art style that enhances the emotional experience.
It tells a powerful and poignant story about survival, motherhood, and the impact of human actions on the environment.
The gameplay is engaging, with a mix of exploration, resource management, and emotional investment in the characters.

The game is relatively short, taking only about 4-6 hours to complete, which some players feel does not justify the price.
There are moments of frustration due to the time constraints and the linear nature of the gameplay, which can limit exploration.
Some players experienced bugs and glitches that affected their gameplay experience.

story
366 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
52%
2%
The story of "Endling: Extinction is Forever" is widely praised for its emotional depth and poignant themes, focusing on a mother fox's struggle to protect her cubs in a harsh, post-apocalyptic world. Players appreciate the game's ability to convey a powerful narrative without dialogue, relying instead on stunning visuals and environmental storytelling to evoke strong feelings and reflections on real-world issues like climate change and extinction. While the gameplay may be simple and at times repetitive, the heartfelt story and its impactful message resonate deeply with players, often leaving them in tears by the end.
- “The story was wonderful, but it is a heartbreaking game to say the least.”
- “The story, the art, the music - everything is absolutely perfect.”
- “This game is not just a survival game; it is a story based on an event many believe is our future, meant to touch your heart and tell you a heartbreaking story that is very true in some ways.”
- “The story is marketed as the game's main selling point, but it is also where my greatest disappointment lies.”
- “The decision to 'kill' a character twice in such a manner seemed unnecessary and felt like an attempt to artificially create a sad story.”
- “The story can be a bit vague or confusing sometimes.”
emotional
276 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Endling: Extinction is Forever" is overwhelmingly impactful, with many players reporting intense feelings of sadness and heartbreak throughout the game. The narrative, centered on a mother fox navigating a post-apocalyptic world while raising her cubs, resonates deeply, often leading to tears and a profound sense of empathy for the characters. While the game is praised for its beautiful visuals and storytelling, it is also noted for its heavy themes, making it a challenging yet rewarding emotional experience that players recommend with caution for those sensitive to such content.
- “As the credits end, your beautiful babies will stand and with heartbreaking sorrow walk away to face their new lives without you.”
- “Endling is a beautifully crafted and emotionally charged game that puts players in the role of the last mother fox on earth.”
- “This game is a devastating, emotional game about the corruption and greed of humans, the consequences and all along with a serious, real message.”
gameplay
162 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
55%
9%
The gameplay in this game is generally described as simple and intuitive, often blending exploration, survival, and stealth mechanics. While some players appreciate the emotional depth and beautiful visuals that accompany the gameplay, many note that it can become repetitive and lacks complexity, making it more suitable for those who prioritize story over intricate mechanics. Overall, the gameplay is engaging enough to support the narrative but may not satisfy players seeking a more challenging or varied experience.
- “The gameplay is engaging enough and exploring and finding food is neat.”
- “The gameplay is solid, with well-designed mechanics and a well-paced structure that doesn't overstay its welcome.”
- “The gameplay is very simple once you realize what each mechanic does, and there's a decent amount of challenge to avoid danger at nearly every turn.”
- “Gameplay is really boring and you have to check constantly on the map.”
- “The gameplay is fairly repetitive, days feel too short, and I longed for more player agency in affecting the storyline even in small ways.”
- “Unfortunately, when Endling transitioned into the open-world section (99% of the game), it was littered with repetitive gameplay and a lack of conflict.”
graphics
133 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
27%
2%
The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their stunning art style, vibrant colors, and emotional depth, effectively complementing the narrative. Many players noted the visuals as a standout feature, describing them as beautiful, expressive, and capable of evoking strong feelings, despite some technical issues with Intel graphics compatibility. Overall, the game's aesthetic is considered a significant strength, enhancing the storytelling and immersive experience.
- “The art style was gorgeous and somehow made a game with no speech incredibly expressive.”
- “All of this is presented with frankly beautiful visuals that looked honestly stunning during certain scenes, with the opening alone blowing my mind with how gorgeous everything looked.”
- “The graphics are cute and the music is beautiful.”
- “Not compatible with Intel graphics!”
- “I don't see it anywhere on the store page, but in the tech help section of the game boards, there is a known and recognized unavoidable crash with Intel graphics after the intro.”
- “The price is ridiculously high and it is not that impressive graphically to forgive it: it's neat and atmospheric but not breathtaking.”
music
82 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
28%
4%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and emotional depth, enhancing the overall experience with a haunting and captivating soundtrack that complements the stunning visuals and poignant storytelling. Many reviewers highlight how the music effectively conveys the game's atmosphere, drawing players into its narrative and evoking strong emotional responses. Overall, the combination of exceptional music and art design contributes significantly to the game's immersive and impactful storytelling.
- “The music and art in this game are just stunning.”
- “The game’s soundtrack is similarly great and fits the atmosphere wonderfully.”
- “Beautiful game, amazing soundtrack, great environmental message.”
- “So you make this heartbreaking game meant to depict real-world horrors we’re supposed to take totally seriously, then you make the antagonists pyro from TF2 holding a sniper rifle, and a lanky-legged man chasing after you with an axe while obnoxious punk rock music plays.”
- “The desolate landscapes, coupled with a melancholic soundtrack, create a sense of urgency and despair.”
- “Don't expect fast-paced action but rather a moving story and a soundtrack that's accompanying the current mood and situation in every moment.”
atmosphere
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
33%
17%
The game's atmosphere is consistently described as somber yet immersive, enhanced by beautiful visuals and a fitting soundtrack that complements its emotional narrative. Players appreciate the haunting and mesmerizing world-building, which effectively balances heartwarming and heartbreaking moments. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature, making it a compelling choice for fans of atmospheric indie games.
- “An atmosphere-driven game about being a fox mother trying to feed her offspring in an increasingly hostile world.”
- “Amazing art design, beautiful music and overall great atmosphere!”
- “Somber atmosphere throughout the entire game, with a few heart-lifting moments spread out.”
- “The game's atmosphere is both haunting and mesmerizing.”
- “It has both heartwarming and extremely sad moments, with the atmosphere of the game lingering with you long after the end credits.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often feeling that it detracts from the experience despite a compelling story. While some appreciate the extended gameplay for its narrative depth, many express frustration with the slow pacing and linear exploration, leading to a sense of boredom. The game may appeal to those who enjoy grinding, but it risks alienating players with shorter attention spans.
- “This is pure bullshit and tedious.”
- “Exploring boring linear paths with annoying human threats gets tedious after just an hour, and yet the game will take three times longer to complete.”
- “It needs better closure, and the way it restricts you from making progress is absolutely tedious.”
stability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
89%
Overall, the game's stability is marked by a number of bugs and glitches that players have encountered, including issues with enemy behavior and occasional freezes. While these technical problems are acknowledged, many players feel they do not detract significantly from the overall experience, praising the game's emotional depth and storytelling. However, some users suggest that the game's recent release may have contributed to these stability issues.
- “The game is beautiful and runs great, showcasing impressive stability throughout my playtime.”
- “I experienced no crashes or major bugs, which made for a smooth gaming experience.”
- “The performance is solid, allowing me to fully immerse myself in the gameplay without interruptions.”
- “The only complaint I really have is that the game is pretty buggy, but that's to be expected since it was released so recently.”
- “For the glitches that I've had: some enemies get stuck in walk cycles, I got stuck when I was trying to steal the fish from the badger (I was in a continuous fight with it), and some later scent tracking moments were playing before the current tracking moment (with me it was the 4th tracking moment played before the 3rd tracking moment).”
- “Tl;dr: great game that communicates its message perfectly, but don't think it's worth $40 and there are a few glitches that need to be fixed.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
Overall, the game has limited replayability, with most players completing it in 3-6 hours and achieving nearly all accomplishments in a single run. While some appreciate the immersive details and story focus, the consensus is that the game lacks significant incentives for replay, making it more suitable for a one-time experience rather than repeated playthroughs.
- “This game is more realistic (though you can't tell from the graphics) and also more replayable.”
- “There is not much for replay value; however, the game itself is well packaged and filled with immersive details and vision that validates the price point for a 4-6 hour game!”
- “There is some replay value and longevity.”
- “It's a three or four hour narrative game and there's not much replayability.”
- “My only complaint is the price; if you really want to play a short 3-hour game with little to no replayability, wait for a sale.”
- “It's a 3-4 hour game with almost no replayability (I got almost all achievements in the one run I made).”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted for its lighthearted approach, particularly in the use of fox sounds, which, while not entirely authentic, are chosen for their comfort and comedic effect. This choice reflects a willingness to embrace the quirky nature of foxes, setting it apart from other developers who shy away from such playful elements.
- “The fox sounds may not be entirely authentic, but at least they chose the most amusing ones. Most developers shy away from using fox sounds because they make such funny noises.”
- “The humor in this game is spot on, with clever writing and hilarious character interactions that keep you laughing throughout.”
- “I love how the game doesn't take itself too seriously, with plenty of witty one-liners and absurd situations that make every playthrough enjoyable.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users have reported optimization issues, particularly with graphics performance on both Iris Xe and Arc A750 GPUs, despite these exceeding the recommended specifications. Minor stuttering has also been noted, potentially linked to specific hardware setups like the Steam Deck.
- “The most recent ticket was from a user with Iris Xe graphics, but I am getting the same type of error with Arc graphics (A750), which exceed the recommended GPU specs in terms of power and performance.”
- “There were some minor performance issues here and there in the form of stutter, but that could just be because I was playing on the Deck.”

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78%Critics’ scoreBased on 20 critic reviews

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6h Median play time

7h Average play time

4-9h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 14 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Endling: Extinction is Forever is a open world simulation game with drama theme.

Endling: Extinction is Forever is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Steam Deck and others.

On average players spend around 7 hours playing Endling: Extinction is Forever.

Endling: Extinction is Forever was released on September 10, 2021.

Endling: Extinction is Forever was developed by Herobeat Studios.

Endling: Extinction is Forever has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Endling: Extinction is Forever is a single player game.

Similar games include Shelter, Before Your Eyes, Paws, The First Tree, INMOST and others.

Endling: Extinction is Forever

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