Never Give Up

About

"Never Give Up" is a tough-as-nails platformer that challenges players to overcome seemingly impossible obstacles and deadly traps. With over 150 levels, players guide a witty hero through a dark comedy kingdom, full of deadly devices and devious puzzles. The game features masochistic gameplay that encourages players to try, try again, and never give up.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 174 reviews

humor21 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

The game features tight controls and a humorous dialogue that enhances the overall experience.
It offers a unique mechanic where each room becomes progressively more challenging, keeping gameplay fresh and engaging.
The game is highly recommended for fans of hardcore platformers, providing a satisfying challenge with various difficulty modes.

The game suffers from performance issues, including lag and bugs that can hinder gameplay.
Some players find the difficulty to be excessively punishing, making it frustrating rather than enjoyable.
There are complaints about the lack of customization options, such as remappable controls and invisible menu text.

humor
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the funny voice lines, quirky character interactions, and light-hearted jokes reminiscent of classic platformers. While some found the humor to be obnoxious or grating, many enjoyed the comedic elements, particularly during challenging gameplay moments. Overall, the humor adds a fun layer to the experience, enhancing player engagement and enjoyment.
- “The controls are tight, the jokes are pretty funny, and the game looks pretty good.”
- “The voice lines in the game are also funny to listen to after you keep dying at certain points trying to progress; I would heavily recommend this game as I'm having so much fun with it so far!”
- “I also loved the cutscenes; the voice acting was funny and there is some sort of story going on.”
gameplay
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
53%
18%
The gameplay is characterized by its fast-paced, precision platforming mechanics reminiscent of Super Meat Boy, featuring challenging levels that can be replayed with increasing difficulty. Players appreciate the polished controls, humorous dialogue, and the option to skip tough sections, although some find the wall-jumping mechanic and jump height control less precise. Overall, it offers a rewarding experience that is easy to learn but difficult to master, making it highly engaging for those who enjoy a challenge.
- “From the devs of Cult of the Lamb, this is a fast-paced side-scroller precision platformer with the same mechanics as Super Meat Boy, where you need to finish levels as fast as possible while dying from one hit. However, I found it to be more polished and enjoyable than I thought. It even gives you a choice to skip hard levels if you want and move on to the next one. Overall, it's very challenging to 100% but very fun to play. Highly recommended pick up on sale.”
- “It is the epitome of a game that is easy to pick up and hard to master - 23 hours of gameplay in and I'm only up to 60% completion!”
- “Better graphics than SMB, better gameplay than SMB (thanks to even tighter controls), better level design than SMB, better sound effects than SMB.”
- “The main difference with smb is that blue feels somewhat slower and heavier, the walljumping mechanic is a bit awkward, and you cannot control the height of your jumps as precisely.”
- “The walljumping mechanic is a bit awkward, and you cannot control the height of your jumps as precisely.”
- “The gameplay is easy to pick up and hard to master - 23 hours in and I'm only up to 60% completion!”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
29%
14%
The music in the game is widely praised for its upbeat yet relaxing quality, enhancing the overall experience even during challenging moments. Reviewers highlight the high quality of the soundtrack, noting that it complements the game's tight controls and engaging gameplay. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature that adds to the enjoyment of the platforming experience.
- “Still an excellent soundtrack; just neither exceeds the other as they're both high quality.”
- “Tight controls (definitely should use a controller), interesting levels with good variability, cool boss fights, great music and graphics.”
- “The soundtracks are so different it's hard to compare; this is upbeat yet relaxing music to listen to while getting gibbed.”
- “The banger soundtrack made dying a bunch not so bad!”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
36%
7%
The graphics of the game have received high praise for their beauty and polish, with many reviewers noting the impressive visuals and art style that enhance the overall experience. While there are limited options for customization, the game's aesthetic is considered superior to classic titles like Super Mario Bros, contributing to its engaging gameplay and level design. Overall, the visuals are a standout feature, complementing the tight controls and enjoyable music.
- “The team did an amazing job with the visuals, physics, story, and gameplay.”
- “I am glad I did - the devs have put a lot of work into NGU and it shows in the well-constructed levels, beautiful visuals, and witty dialogue.”
- “+cute and polished art style”
- “There are almost no settings (graphics, controls, etc.) to adjust, and certain keys are not remappable.”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The story is well-received, featuring engaging cutscenes and humorous voice acting that enhance the overall experience. While the basic story progression is considered easier than that of similar games, it still provides a compelling narrative backdrop to the gameplay.
- “I also loved the cutscenes; the voice acting was funny and there is some sort of story going on.”
- “The team did an amazing job with the visuals, physics, story, and gameplay.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with some users reporting significant bugs that hinder gameplay, while others praise its responsive movement and overall performance. Despite the positive aspects, the prevalence of bugs has led to frustration for some players.
- “To be fair, I'm barely into the game (just reached the first boss), but it's great. The movement feels responsive and fluid, and the game runs great.”
- “The game is so buggy that I couldn't play it.”
- “The game is so buggy that I couldn't play it.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat challenging and occasionally tedious, yet it contributes to the overall enjoyment and replay value due to the abundance of content and opportunities for improvement.
- “Grinding can feel a bit tough and tedious at times, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- “While there is lots of content and replay value, the grinding for faster times can become monotonous.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it suffers from poor overall performance, it is specifically designed for speedrunning, allowing players to complete levels more efficiently when played at full speed.
- “Pro tip: this game is heavily optimized for speedrunning, so every level is easiest to beat at full speed ahead!”
- “Poor performance”
- “Poor performance”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a sense of frustration and precision, as players feel a strong connection to the mechanics that dictate their movements, such as wall-jumping and double jumping. This attention to detail in gameplay can evoke feelings of both challenge and satisfaction, depending on the player's success in mastering these mechanics.
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
50%
Players highlight the game's extensive content and significant replay value, emphasizing the opportunity for grinding to achieve faster completion times. This encourages repeated playthroughs and enhances the overall experience.
- “There is a lot of content, with heaps of replay value - grinding for faster times, etc.”
- “The game offers a wealth of content and encourages replayability through various challenges and speed runs.”
- “With so many different paths and strategies to explore, the replay value is off the charts!”
- “Lots of content, with heaps of replay value - grinding for faster times, etc.”