Never Again

About

Never Again is a single player survival puzzle game with horror and mystery themes. It was developed by Primary Games and was released on May 9, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Never Again" is a narrative-driven first-person shooter set in an alternative 1960s world. The game follows the story of a member of a resistance group fighting against a totalitarian regime. Players will engage in thrilling gunfights, solve puzzles, and make decisions that impact the narrative outcome. It offers a unique blend of action, adventure, and stealth, with a profound story that explores themes of freedom, oppression, and morality.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

68%

Audience ScoreBased on 225 reviews

story47 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

Beautiful story build-up with intriguing puzzles that keep players engaged.
The game creates a deeply atmospheric experience, effectively using sound and visuals to enhance the horror elements.
The unique mechanics, such as managing the character's asthma, add a layer of tension and immersion to the gameplay.

Controls are awkward and unresponsive, making gameplay frustrating at times.
Some puzzles lack clear logic or guidance, leading to confusion and trial-and-error gameplay.
The horror elements are not as impactful, with many players finding the game more sad than scary.

story
133 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
62%
3%
The game's story is a deeply emotional and surreal journey that unfolds through environmental storytelling, notes, and voiceovers, allowing players to piece together a narrative centered on trauma and personal struggle. While some players found the plot confusing or lacking cohesion, many praised its unique approach and impactful twists, creating a haunting atmosphere that resonates long after the game ends. Overall, the story is seen as a standout feature, despite some criticisms regarding clarity and pacing.
- “With its deeply emotional story, stunning atmosphere, and thought-provoking symbolism, it delivers an unforgettable experience that lingers long after the game ends.”
- “As you explore the eerie house and unravel the story piece by piece, you realize this isn't just a horror game—it's a deeply personal journey through fear, trauma, and the fragility of the human mind.”
- “The story is deep, emotional, exceptional, dark, and important.”
- “Lastly is the story, which was lackluster at best.”
- “While I do appreciate the story the devs were trying to tell, it just wasn't very cohesive.”
- “You can't really feel connected to the story; they tried to tell the dramatic story of a little girl who suffers from asthma, but they are far away from depicting it well.”
gameplay
59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
70%
5%
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its unique mechanics and emotional depth, particularly the asthma mechanic that adds tension. However, many reviewers criticize the controls and overall mechanics as janky and frustrating, leading to a lack of immersion and enjoyment. While the puzzles and atmosphere are praised, the gameplay often feels disconnected from the narrative, leaving players feeling uninvested in the story.
- “Her asthma is not just a character detail—it becomes a core mechanic, occasionally threatening to overwhelm her and forcing the player to pause and manage her breath.”
- “The gameplay is fun, great puzzles even though there are no hints about what to do, which is nice since it made the game kind of harder.”
- “The gameplay was pretty good; I liked some of the puzzles and the extra secrets you can find throughout.”
- “A lot of the gameplay seems to be fairly irrelevant to the main plot.”
- “The controls were difficult and the gameplay was weak.”
- “That said, a lot of the gameplay is very frustrating in a bad way.”
atmosphere
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
29%
9%
The atmosphere in "Never Again" is widely praised for its unsettling and immersive qualities, effectively enhancing the psychological horror experience. Players appreciate the game's use of sound, visuals, and emotional storytelling to create a compelling and eerie environment that keeps them engaged. While some found the gameplay mechanics and puzzles lacking, the overall ambiance and tension-building elements are considered top-notch, making it a standout in the indie horror genre.
- “Never Again, developed and published by Primary Games, is a deeply atmospheric psychological horror experience that invites players to see the world through the vulnerable eyes of Sasha Anders, a thirteen-year-old girl suffering from asthma.”
- “The way it uses atmosphere and sound to build tension is a masterclass in creepy.”
- “With its deeply emotional story, stunning atmosphere, and thought-provoking symbolism, it delivers an unforgettable experience that lingers long after the game ends.”
- “The horror elements were more based on the atmosphere than anything, but also chase sequences and good use of jump scares.”
- “The atmosphere is very well crafted, and the scares are well executed.”
- “But overall, the game has a decent storyline and horror atmosphere, and the puzzling level is neither too different nor too easy.”
music
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
43%
9%
The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric quality, effectively enhancing the mood of sorrow and unease, with a focus on subtle ambient sounds rather than overwhelming soundtracks. While many players appreciate the haunting melodies and minimalistic approach that contribute to the game's tension, some criticize the sound mixing and occasional intrusive background music that detracts from immersion. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong point, complementing the game's narrative and emotional depth.
- “The music and ambient sound design do a lot of heavy lifting in crafting a mood of sorrow and unease.”
- “Ratchet up the tension to a cortex-frying shock with a finely executed audio presentation that features excellent atmospheric ambiance, foreboding piano-leaned music, and reserved voice acting from the main character.”
- “The soundtrack was beautiful, and I really loved the mechanics of the game.”
- “Continuous background music was really annoying; it also takes away the immersion effect.”
- “They tell us to play with headphones for a more immersive experience when the sound design is extremely low quality, with looping music, voices too low, enemies that sound far away but they're right around the corner and sections that are too awkwardly silent.”
- “Some shoddy sound mixing towards the end - in which the voice-over is almost completely submerged by overzealous music - doesn't help matters either.”
graphics
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
39%
9%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful, detailed visuals that enhance the atmosphere and storytelling, particularly in certain areas like the house and mirror world. However, some players find the graphics to be mediocre or disappointing, describing them as generic and clunky at times. Overall, while there are standout moments and a strong artistic direction, opinions vary significantly on the quality and execution of the visuals.
- “The game masterfully blends environmental storytelling with surreal, dream-like visuals to reflect Sasha’s inner struggles.”
- “The visuals are gorgeous and play very nicely in developing the atmosphere.”
- “Amazing graphics, attention to detail, and music. I cannot wait for the full release to stream!”
- “The visuals are just... well... I would say 'disappointing' if I were 20 years in the past, so maybe let's not word it out even more harshly.”
- “I think it's simply mediocre with atrocious visuals.”
- “At first, just by the graphics, you can definitely tell this is an indie game; however, do not let that throw you off.”
emotional
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its surreal and psychologically disturbing narrative, which explores the fragility of childhood and the challenges of growing up. Players report a strong emotional resonance, with impactful storytelling, meaningful character development, and a haunting atmosphere that evokes deep feelings, often leading to a profound and memorable experience. While some players felt a lack of connection to the protagonist, the overall emotional weight and heart-wrenching moments left a lasting impression, making it a standout title for those who appreciate narrative depth in horror games.
- “The surrealism intensifies as you progress, and while the plot may not be fully linear or spelled out, it resonates emotionally—especially by the time the game reaches its more intense, symbolic sequences.”
- “With its deeply emotional story, stunning atmosphere, and thought-provoking symbolism, it delivers an unforgettable experience that lingers long after the game ends.”
- “Never before has a game gone from spooky to weapons-grade heart-wrenching like the way this game did.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be overwhelmingly tedious and frustrating, with repetitive puzzles, annoying enemies, and unpredictable boss AI contributing to a lack of enjoyment. The penalty system for dying, while initially intriguing, quickly becomes irritating and detracts from the overall experience.
- “Although, oh boy, that section got super tedious super fast...”
- “The penalty system for dying was interesting the first time but quickly became irritating and tedious, which kind of lessened the impact of what was going on in the story.”
- “It was tedious, it was boring, it was frustrating.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game has been noted to have some bugs, particularly with object interactions and enemy behavior, which can lead to frustrating moments. However, most glitches are minor and do not significantly impact overall gameplay, allowing players to enjoy the storyline and atmosphere.
- “This part was somewhat buggy for me, with some of the objects refusing to let me pick them up and move them more than a foot.”
- “It's a little bit frustrating at times due to the pickup physics (you'll see what I mean) and it is buggy, but the storyline and creepy undertones are great - it's being released chapter by chapter, so I'm eager to discover what comes next.”
- “There are a few glitches where one of the first enemies got stuck, and I was able to take my good ol' time solving what needed to be solved.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development is primarily driven by collectibles found in each chapter, suggesting that players can expect to uncover more about the characters as they progress. Additionally, the overall character design is noted to be generally good, enhancing the players' connection to the characters.
- “Generally good character design.”
- “Truthfully, that's the premise, but each chapter has its own collectibles, so hopefully there will be more memories that serve to character development with each chapter.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in this game is minimal, as it leans heavily into horror rather than comedic elements, making it unsuitable for those seeking laughs or lighthearted moments.
- “Although if you're looking for a game that'll give you some laughs, inside humor, and a happy ending... this isn't the horror trip you are after.”