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Never Alone

Never Alone Game Cover
79%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
stability, grinding
79% User Score Based on 2,467 reviews

Platforms

Playstation 3Nintendo SwitchEpic GamesAndroidPlaystation 5Playstation 4XboxSteam DeckiPhoneWindowsPlayStationLinuxXbox Series X|SPCWii UTabletMac OSPhoneWiiXbox OneiPadMobile Platform
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Never Alone Game Cover

About

Never Alone is a single player and multiplayer casual platformer game with a historical theme. It was developed by Upper One Games and was released on November 18, 2014. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Never Alone" is a historical platformer game with good mechanics and phenomenal visuals, playable in single-player or co-op mode. It tells an intriguing and wholesome story based on traditional Iñupiaq tales, narrated in the spoken Iñupiaq language, and features two characters trekking through various environments. However, it has low replayability and may be very buggy, with lots of grinding, but it can also make you laugh and is very atmospheric with an excellent soundtrack.

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Never Alone screenshot
Never Alone screenshot
Never Alone screenshot
Never Alone screenshot
Never Alone screenshot
Never Alone screenshot
Never Alone screenshot
Never Alone screenshot
Never Alone screenshot
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79%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,467 reviews
story848 positive mentions
stability198 negative mentions
  • Beautiful graphics and art style that enhances the storytelling experience.
  • Engaging cultural insights that provide valuable information about the Iñupiat people.
  • Charming characters and a heartwarming story that resonates emotionally.
  • Clunky controls and frustrating gameplay mechanics that detract from the overall experience.
  • AI companion often behaves poorly, leading to unnecessary deaths and frustration.
  • Short playtime with limited replayability, making it feel overpriced at full price.
  • story
    1,796 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Never Alone" (Kisima Ingitchuna) is a heartfelt exploration of Iñupiat culture, following a young girl named Nuna and her arctic fox companion as they seek the source of a relentless blizzard threatening her village. While the narrative is rich with cultural insights and beautifully presented through traditional storytelling methods, some players find the gameplay mechanics frustrating and the story's pacing uneven. Overall, the game is praised for its artistic visuals and educational value, making it a unique experience for those interested in indigenous folklore, despite its gameplay shortcomings.

    • “The storytelling is great!”
    • “The story is very interesting and it is very nice to learn something from other cultures.”
    • “Never Alone is a beautiful heartfelt story of a young girl determined to find the reason for a blizzard engulfing her village.”
    • “All of these documentaries and how they fit into the game story were utterly boring, to be honest, and didn't really make sense overall.”
    • “If only the people interviewed had stories that were more interesting so it could be a better game story, but it's all pretty dull, to be honest.”
    • “There is not much to do but follow the story, with small documentary inputs as you go along.”
  • gameplay
    929 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Never Alone" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its simple mechanics and engaging storytelling, while others criticize it for being clunky and frustrating. The game features a blend of platforming and puzzle-solving, often requiring players to switch between two characters, but issues such as awkward controls, bugs, and repetitive mechanics detract from the overall experience. While the cultural insights and beautiful visuals are praised, the gameplay itself is often seen as lacking depth and polish, making it a more enjoyable experience for those focused on narrative rather than gameplay challenges.

    • “A wonderful exploration of native mythology, fairly simple gameplay that blends well with beautiful visuals and music to create an engaging storytelling experience.”
    • “The gameplay is enjoyable and has that quality where it's just difficult enough to be interesting without distracting from the story you're following.”
    • “The gameplay changes along the story preventing boredom and giving design changes that makes it entertaining until the quest ends.”
    • “Gameplay is awful.”
    • “The atmosphere is good, but it cannot hide the fact that the controls are bad and the game is inconsistent with its mechanics, leading to a lot of frustration.”
    • “Unfortunately, the gameplay really does detract from the rest of the package.”
  • graphics
    634 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Never Alone" are widely praised for their stunning beauty and unique art style, which effectively blends traditional indigenous aesthetics with modern design. Players appreciate the atmospheric visuals that enhance the storytelling experience, particularly the incorporation of scrimshaw-style cutscenes and the depiction of Alaskan landscapes. While some reviews note minor graphical glitches and control issues, the overall impression is that the game's visuals are a significant highlight, contributing to its educational and cultural narrative.

    • “A wonderful exploration of native mythology, fairly simple gameplay that blends well with beautiful visuals and music to create an engaging storytelling experience.”
    • “The graphical style and audio are captivating and just straight up beautiful throughout the whole experience.”
    • “Beautiful graphics, great gameplay and immersive storyline.”
    • “Seemed pretty repetitive, wasn't much challenge, having to skip the 'cultural insights' all the time that they try to shove down your throat is tiresome and breaks immersion, experienced some strange character jumping and graphical bugs during gameplay as fox in co-op, and finally, having to read subtitles while trying to game in the spirit of wokeness and cultural awareness is not my cup of tea and was straight up distracting.”
    • “Never Alone lacks in every single thing that makes it a game, the visuals are the only redeeming quality, and in my opinion it's better off being a movie.”
    • “Despite the pretty graphics, the game itself isn't much to speak about; it's as much a documentary as a gaming experience.”
  • music
    220 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its beautiful, atmospheric quality that enhances the storytelling experience and complements the stunning visuals. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to evoke emotions and immerse players in the cultural themes presented, with specific mentions of its relaxing and soothing nature. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's enchanting atmosphere and narrative depth.

    • “The music, the imagery, the mythology, and the gameplay, it was all utterly magical.”
    • “The atmosphere created by the well-composed art and the very fitting soundtrack is beautiful, and it really feels like all aspects of the game are working together seamlessly to establish a mood - which is exactly how it should be.”
    • “The music adds to the emotional impact of the game.”
    • “Production quality is actually 'indie' like, cut scenes are very short, transitions are often just a fade-to-black, the soundtrack is rather minimal.”
    • “From what I could hear (the wind in this game overpowers things), the soundtrack wasn't anything to write home about, and even with dying constantly to the controls, I still finished the entire story in under 3 hours.”
    • “Sadly, none of the musical tracks have had a huge effect on me and to be honest, I don't really remember what the music sounded like.”
  • stability
    203 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is frequently criticized, with numerous players reporting a wide range of bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, such as characters getting stuck, unresponsive controls, and inconsistent collision detection. While some players found these issues manageable and not game-breaking, many expressed frustration over the frequency and severity of the glitches, particularly in later levels. Overall, the game's technical shortcomings detract from the experience, making it feel unfinished and at times nearly unplayable.

    • “Runs great on a GTX 780 and an i7 4770K at 60 fps 1440p.”
    • “No glitches from the time I've played.”
    • “Technically, the game looks and runs great (200+ fps).”
    • “The game is a technical nightmare, and among the million glitches, around 10% have you stuck in some ridiculous animation loops and the only way you can continue is restarting from the last checkpoint.”
    • “The game is buggy; you can't play it properly with a PS4 controller, AI is awful so single-player mode is a pain in the ass, animations are amateurish, game design and level design are boring and no fun at all.”
    • “The start of the game is pretty simple and beautiful, but as it goes on you start seeing a few bugs and glitches more and more frequently until the last stage is pretty much an unplayable mess.”
  • atmosphere
    194 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beauty and immersive qualities, enhanced by stunning visuals, a fitting soundtrack, and cultural insights that enrich the experience. Many players find the combination of art direction and sound design to create a captivating mood that draws them into the story, although some note that gameplay mechanics can detract from this atmosphere. Overall, the game is recognized as a unique atmospheric experience that effectively showcases the cultural heritage of the Iñupiat people.

    • “The environments and atmosphere are gorgeous with beautiful scenery, moody atmospheric music, and large set pieces you parkour across.”
    • “The atmosphere created by the music and visuals is eerily beautiful.”
    • “Never Alone is a gorgeous and atmospheric story that follows the adventures of Nuna and her fox.”
    • “Sadly, it feels that the narrator doesn't have any emotions and the atmosphere is lacking.”
    • “Ultimately, the game itself undermined the story and atmosphere, and I couldn't help wondering if the overall experience would be better if it was stripped bare of the cumbersome mechanics, a thought echoed by the friends I was playing with.”
    • “As I played through the first couple of hours, the gameplay simply didn't live up to the story and atmosphere.”
  • emotional
    141 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its heartwarming and touching narrative, which resonates deeply with players, often evoking strong feelings and even tears. Many reviews highlight the game's cultural insights and the emotional bond between the characters, particularly the girl and her fox, as central to the experience. However, some players note that gameplay issues and pacing can detract from the overall emotional impact, making it a mixed experience for some.

    • “The story is amazing and touching; it provides insight into how Alaska's people live and what they believe in.”
    • “This game is beautiful, heartwarming, and insightful.”
    • “The emotional bond between fox and Nuna is instant and effortless.”
    • “The storyline was a bit lackluster, with a lot of unanswered questions, and frankly, a pretty boring story.”
    • “I felt no emotional connection to the characters, making it hard to care about their struggles.”
    • “The attempts at emotional depth fell flat, leaving me feeling indifferent to the events unfolding.”
  • grinding
    40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly in the later stages where platforming challenges become repetitive and the controls feel unresponsive. While the cultural elements and initial gameplay are appreciated, many reviewers noted that the experience can turn into a "die and retry" scenario, leading to a lack of enjoyment and flow. The need for precise character control and synchronization often adds to the tedium, making the gameplay feel more like a chore than an engaging experience.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The gameplay itself was enjoyable, though towards the end the platforming becomes much more difficult and in some places downright tedious.”
    • “The puzzles are not satisfying; they are cruel and tedious given the poor controls.”
  • replayability
    33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game exhibits low replayability, with many players noting its short playtime of around 2 to 6 hours and minimal incentive to replay after completing it. While some appreciate the art and cultural insights, the lack of engaging gameplay mechanics and the absence of significant replay value make it more suitable for a one-time experience. Co-op mode may enhance replayability for some, but generally, it is viewed as a "beat it and shelf it" title.

    • “The game is about 4 to 5 hours long, and throughout it you get insight into the Inuit culture which is where the story originates by unlocking 'culture insights'. It also has great replay value for someone who is just looking to enjoy a nice story.”
    • “I haven't tried co-op mode yet, but I can see that would definitely increase the replayability.”
    • “While the replay value is very low once you complete the game, it is a beautiful story that is worth playing over and over.”
    • “I would recommend buying on sale due to the overall short playtime and lack of replayability.”
    • “So yeah, it's a beautiful game indeed, with a unique story and storytelling, but rather short (~2h30min to watch and do everything in game) and with zero replayability.”
    • “The game is a 'beat it and shelf it' without much replayability.”
  • optimization
    29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, particularly on PC and Linux, including glitchiness and poor controls for keyboard and mouse. While some users noted decent performance on lower-end systems, others experienced frustrating interruptions and the need to adjust settings frequently. Overall, the game appears better optimized for consoles, leaving PC players with a less satisfying experience.

    • “Graphics & optimization is excellent as an indie game.”
    • “Performance was decent, and I didn't encounter any bugs nor technical issues.”
    • “It will run smoothly even on the cheapest of PCs.”
    • “The game suffers from being poorly optimized, which pulls the gamer out of the experience at times.”
    • “It is optimized for console and not for PC, making for a very frustrating experience in some levels.”
    • “The game actually locked up to recommend 'change video settings to improve performance' in the middle of one of the most dramatic and moving moments of the game.”
  • humor
    15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by its charming characters and amusing animations, which provide a lighthearted contrast to the underlying sad story. Players find joy in the quirky gameplay mechanics, such as AI mishaps and character deaths, often leading to laughter during cooperative play. Additionally, the inclusion of educational cultural insights is presented in a way that is both interesting and occasionally humorous, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “You can get through the whole game in just a few hours, and my mom was leaning over my shoulder laughing through my errors and enjoying the insight videos without getting bored.”
    • “The ice, the fox, they also animate the characters very funny, although it's a sad story.”
    • “The most hilarious death I've encountered so far is when I did the simplest leap over a pit, whereas my AI fox partner felt it was necessary to end its life prematurely by jumping into said pit with its enhanced jumping abilities.”
  • character development
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is minimal, with a focus on simple storytelling and puzzle-solving rather than deep character arcs. While the character designs are praised for their cuteness and diversity, the lack of significant development for the main characters, Nuna and her fox companion, is seen as a positive choice that enhances immersion. Overall, the game's strength lies in its beautiful visuals and cultural storytelling rather than complex character growth.

    • “But the character design and interactions make my heart happy, and the storytelling is well-incorporated into the game.”
    • “The artworks are stunning and the character designs really draw you into the world of the Iñupiat people.”
    • “It has a really unique atmosphere to it, the story and character designs are beautiful, and the part I love most is how it also educates you with Alaska Native stories, which relate to what part you're playing in Never Alone. The more you progress through it, the more interesting cultural insights you unlock!”
    • “Simple conflict/resolution, very minimal character development.”
    • “The story itself is relatively simple: it is about a girl, Nuna, and her fox companion traveling to find the source of a mysterious blizzard; since it is based off of a commonly told story, it's understandable there wouldn't be a strong emphasis on story twists or even on character development.”
    • “Speaking of a two-character puzzle-solving team, the lack of character development for Nuna and the fox was actually a very positive choice.”
  • monetization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for prioritizing advertising over gameplay, focusing heavily on promoting Alaskan tribes and tourism rather than providing a substantive gaming experience.

    • “But it's not just a game; it's mostly an advertisement for Alaskan tribes and tourist features of Alaska.”
    • “More like advertising the culture and nothing else!”
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4h Median play time
10h Average play time
3h Main story
4h Completionist
3-7h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 21 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Never Alone is a casual platformer game with historical theme.

Never Alone is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Steam Deck and others.

The main story can be completed in around 3 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 4 hours to finish. On average players spend around 10 hours playing Never Alone.

Never Alone was released on November 18, 2014.

Never Alone was developed by Upper One Games.

Never Alone has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

Never Alone is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Contrast, Spirit of the North, Seasons After Fall, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, A Story About My Uncle and others.