Northern Lights

About

Northern Lights is a story-driven exploration game set in a mystical forest. You play as a young girl on a quest to find the Northern Lights and uncover the secrets of her past. The game features beautiful visuals, puzzles, and a captivating narrative.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

43%

Audience ScoreBased on 56 reviews

story6 positive mentions

atmosphere3 negative mentions

The game features visually appealing graphics and a pleasant art style that many players enjoyed.
The atmosphere and sound design contribute positively to the overall experience, evoking a sense of immersion.
Some players found the game to be a cute and enjoyable short adventure, appreciating its potential for future expansions.

The game is very short, with many players completing it in under 30 minutes, leading to feelings of disappointment regarding its value.
Gameplay is often criticized for being tedious and overly reliant on trial and error, particularly with frustrating puzzles.
The story is considered lacking and confusing, with many players feeling that it does not provide sufficient closure or context.

story
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
64%
14%
The game's story is criticized for being underdeveloped and lacking depth, with players expressing disappointment over its brevity and the minimal information provided about the plot and world. While some find the premise intriguing and see potential for expansion, many feel that the storytelling is lazy and fails to deliver on the promises made in the game's description. Overall, the narrative leaves players wanting more, with calls for updates to enhance the experience.
- “The story is very intriguing; however, you only get a few snippets. For a tiny indie game, it does its job.”
- “If the game could be expanded with a deeper story, more puzzles, and areas, it could be so much more. There's definitely potential.”
- “It's bloody gorgeous and it draws you in with this mystery story about the king of diamonds, but then it just stops after 20 minutes without explaining anything.”
- “It's bloody gorgeous and it draws you in with this mystery story about the king of diamonds and then it just stops after 20 minutes, without explaining anything to you???”
- “I am sorry but the story that is laid out on the store page is not the same as telling the story in-game.”
- “And the story alluded to in the game such as the missing dog and the king of diamonds is never explained at all.”
gameplay
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
43%
29%
The gameplay has been widely criticized for being tedious, slow, and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting its short duration of only 20-30 minutes. Puzzles are described as easy and unengaging, leading to a general sense of disappointment despite the game's intriguing world. While some hope for improvements in a potential sequel, the current mechanics are seen as a significant drawback.
- “The developers must have thought they designed something so beautiful, so immaculate, that they could make the gameplay slower than molasses, and the player would be enthralled at the sheer magnificence of the design.”
- “There's a lot of character in this world, and it's wasted on gameplay that just plain isn't fun or rewarding.”
- “I do want a sequel to this game because I feel the developers have a good chance to improve the game and make it into something really great, but the limited mechanics of this game really hold it back more than anything else.”
- “The gameplay is a 1/10... seriously.”
- “The gameplay here is crap.”
- “So, the rating is deserved, the game is not great, it's just an interesting short experience marred by tedious game mechanics.”
graphics
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
21%
13%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their artistic style and aesthetic appeal, with many reviewers noting the impressive artwork and atmospheric environments. While the visuals are considered a highlight, some players feel that the game's short length and simplistic gameplay detract from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are a strong point, reminiscent of titles like "Portal 2" and "Inside," making the game visually enjoyable despite its other shortcomings.
- “The graphics are fantastic and reminiscent in style to Human: Fall Flat.”
- “The graphics are quite nice to take in and they got the larger backdrops nailed.”
- “I like the art and aesthetics of this game; it's very Portal 2-esque in places.”
- “I would give this game a 5/10, and that is only because of the graphics.”
- “The music, graphics, and atmosphere remind me of 'Inside'.”
- “For me, I love the artwork and style, but I found it a little hard and very short.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The music in the game is highly praised for its lovely and ambient soundtrack, which complements the graphic style and overall atmosphere, reminiscent of the game 'Inside.' Reviewers appreciate the well-suited sound effects and original soundtrack, although some express disappointment with the game's length and lack of story. Overall, the music significantly enhances the gaming experience, contributing to its engaging puzzles and design.
- “The OST and sound effects are equally good.”
- “+ ambient soundtrack and effects.”
- “The music, graphics, and atmosphere remind me of 'Inside'.”
- “The music and subtle sound effects are well suited for this type of game.”
- “Atmosphere, graphic style, sound, and music.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its dystopian theme, complemented by a striking graphic style and immersive sound design. Many users draw comparisons to the game 'Inside', highlighting the effective combination of music and visuals that enhance the overall experience.
- “The atmosphere, graphic style, sound, and music create an immersive experience.”
- “If you're looking for an atmospheric sidescroller with a dystopian theme, this is it!”
- “The music, graphics, and atmosphere remind me of 'Inside'.”
- “Atmosphere, graphic style, sound, and music.”
- “Atmosphere, graphic style, sound, and music.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, with initial enjoyment quickly giving way to annoyance as the difficulty increases and mechanics become cumbersome. This detracts from the overall experience, leading to a perception of the game as merely interesting rather than enjoyable.
- “The game is not great; it's just an interesting short experience marred by tedious game mechanics.”
- “In the beginning, this was fine, but it quickly became tedious and hard to the point where the buttons get flipped around.”
- “For me, it was teeth-grindingly annoying at points.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight that while the graphics and character design are enjoyable, there is little mention of depth or progression in character development, suggesting a focus on aesthetics over narrative growth.