Spirit of the North

Spirit of the North is an audio-visual treat, let down by weak gameplay.

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In Spirit of the North, you play as a fox on a spiritual journey, exploring a beautifully realized version of Norway's landscapes and uncovering the secrets of ancient Norse mythology. Through intuitive exploration and puzzle-solving, you'll discover a world filled with beauty, mystery, and magic, all while working to restore balance to the environment. With its striking visuals and engrossing atmosphere, Spirit of the North is a unique adventure that's not to be missed.

Play Modes

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

Reviews

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,729 reviews

story303 positive mentions

stability50 negative mentions

Beautiful graphics and environment that create an immersive experience.
Heartwarming story conveyed through visual storytelling without dialogue.
Relaxing gameplay with simple puzzles that encourage exploration.

Clunky controls and imprecise jumping mechanics can lead to frustration.
Lack of clear direction and guidance can make navigation confusing.
Auto-save only at chapter ends can result in lost progress if you need to quit.

story
707 mentions
43 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The game's story is primarily conveyed through visual storytelling, utilizing environmental cues, murals, and the protagonist's journey as a fox to create an emotional narrative without dialogue. While many players appreciate the unique approach and find the story touching and beautiful, some criticize it for being vague or lacking depth, leading to mixed feelings about its overall impact. Overall, the visuals and music enhance the experience, making it a memorable journey for those who enjoy atmospheric and introspective gameplay.
- “The story is told in an endearing way and there are a few quite emotional moments.”
- “The combination of the music and environments that tie into the story makes me love this game.”
- “The story is unique and the puzzles are challenging, but not too much so.”
- “The story is very lackluster, which is its weakest point; it's hard to keep up with or make any sense of it, just kind of plops you into the game and feels like it's a second thought.”
- “The story is simple and barely present; puzzles and platforming are easy, and the game overall lacks any challenge.”
- “The story is mostly told by sheer observation, with no subtitles or narration, making it hard to follow due to the lack of dialogue.”
music
566 mentions
60 % positive mentions
37 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in "Spirit of the North" is widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the game's serene atmosphere, with many players describing it as hauntingly beautiful and emotionally resonant. However, some reviewers noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time, lacking sufficient variety to maintain engagement throughout longer play sessions. Overall, while the music significantly contributes to the game's immersive experience, its limited range may detract from prolonged enjoyment.
- “The music is absolutely gorgeous and spot on for the overall mood.”
- “The combination of the music and environments that tie into the story makes me love this game.”
- “The visuals are stunning, and the music adds a calming vibe to the whole experience.”
- “The game is silent, void and empty; you just sort of go through it, and the music tries to do the heavy lifting, which simply cannot work, because I don't care how 'nice' your music is if the game isn't worth playing.”
- “The music is well done, but the same little tune plays over and over on repeat with very little in the way of variety.”
- “The music loops can get annoying but are fine if you turn the music volume down.”
graphics
416 mentions
67 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Spirit of the North" are widely praised for their stunning beauty and captivating environments, often described as breathtaking and evocative of Nordic landscapes. While many players appreciate the game's artistic direction and the charming design of the protagonist, some note inconsistencies in texture quality and occasional graphical glitches. Overall, the visuals, combined with a soothing soundtrack, create a relaxing and immersive experience, though some players feel that the gameplay mechanics do not always match the high visual standards.
- “The graphics are stunning, and the music adds a calming vibe to the whole experience.”
- “The visuals are breathtaking, and the soundtrack is phenomenal, creating a beautiful atmosphere.”
- “The graphics are absolutely beautiful, and the story is really good, making for a captivating experience.”
- “The game tries to remedy this with nice, calming music and sometimes decent visuals, but I would honestly just prefer listening to the music separately and the visuals are only nice for a few minutes, before you realize that everything repeats and that the empty maps do not contain any interesting places whatsoever.”
- “Ultimately there was not enough story to keep me motivated through the clumsy controls, disappointing graphics, and boring gameplay.”
- “The graphics might feel kind of old in some parts.”
gameplay
306 mentions
22 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Spirit of the North" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its beautiful visuals and calming atmosphere but criticizing its clunky mechanics and repetitive tasks. While some enjoy the puzzle-solving elements and exploration, others find the controls frustrating and the gameplay overly simplistic, leading to a lack of engagement. Overall, the game is seen as a relaxing experience, best suited for those who prioritize aesthetics over complex gameplay.
- “The gameplay compels you to explore these landscapes to find solutions to puzzles, clean the area, and advance to the next area.”
- “The gameplay mechanics are intuitive, allowing you to immerse yourself in the serene world and connect with the environment in a meaningful way.”
- “The puzzles and gameplay are well-paced, and there's just the right amount of exploration, without being overwhelming.”
- “The collision mechanics are pure garbage; you get hit by a wall or stuck on a corner for no reason, and a lot of the time it causes you to fall from heights and restart again and again.”
- “Don't buy this game; the controls suck (literally can't go up stairs half the time), gameplay is boring, and the poor mechanics make it just frustrating and unpleasant.”
- “The gameplay itself is really janky, and the design of the 'puzzles' is so boring.”
atmosphere
142 mentions
70 % positive mentions
27 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beautiful visuals, calming music, and immersive environments, creating a serene and ethereal experience for players. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke emotions and a sense of exploration, despite some frustrations with gameplay mechanics. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, making it a compelling choice for those seeking a tranquil and visually stunning adventure.
- “Where this game truly excels is in its atmosphere.”
- “The game's atmosphere is beautifully crafted, immersing players in a serene and ethereal world.”
- “The atmosphere is unforgettable and several times throughout my playthrough I got whole body chills.”
- “It totally ruins the gameplay, atmosphere, and simply is a half-done job.”
- “As for the story and narrative... well, it's there. Honestly, I expected more from the narrative design; you want some interesting ways to tell the story from games like this, but it seems the developers prioritized visuals and overall atmosphere above all.”
- “Making this game a terrifying action thriller would have portrayed the awfulness of the dark better, made the atmospheres pay off with greater emotions, and made our role as the hero that much more real.”
emotional
127 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised, with many players reporting that it evoked strong feelings, including tears, throughout their experience. The heartfelt storytelling, beautiful visuals, and touching soundtrack contribute to a deeply moving journey, often described as both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics, the overall emotional impact leaves a lasting impression, making it a recommended experience for those who appreciate narrative-driven games.
- “The story is told in an endearing way and there are a few quite emotional moments.”
- “A truly heartwarming story-driven game with breathtaking visuals comprising of mysterious snowy landscapes of Iceland.”
- “This game is beautiful, I would say on par with Journey for atmospheric storytelling and heart-wrenching endings.”
stability
55 mentions
9 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
91 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting frequent glitches and bugs that can disrupt gameplay and require restarts. While some users found the experience enjoyable despite these issues, others noted that the clunky controls and environmental glitches significantly hindered their enjoyment. Overall, while the game offers beautiful visuals and a captivating atmosphere, it suffers from technical shortcomings that may frustrate players.
- “The photo mode in this game is excellent, with no glitches (at least that I know of), and it's perfect for the map of the game.”
- “And the performance of each animation and chapter is not buggy whatsoever.”
- “I don't have many problems with it, and it runs great.”
- “There are also a few design flaws and glitches that are irreversible when triggered and may cause you to restart the entire chapter/section.”
- “In addition, I ran into many bugs and glitches that were maddening.”
- “I've really enjoyed so much of it - but the game doesn't have many save points so every time the game glitches and I get stuck somewhere that isn't part of the game I have to quit and I've lost chunks of gameplay time.”
grinding
34 mentions
3 % positive mentions
12 % neutral mentions
85 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as tedious and repetitive, with many players noting that the gameplay often involves slow, monotonous tasks that can detract from the overall experience. While some appreciate the game's beauty and emotional impact, the need for extensive backtracking and the lack of clear guidance contribute to a sense of frustration and boredom during gameplay. Overall, players suggest that the grinding elements could benefit from improvements to pacing and mechanics to enhance enjoyment.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Half of the tasks are purely repetitive actions that require you to go back and forth several times for a tedious process.”
- “The gameplay is also fairly tedious and mostly consists of exploring these empty spaces, finding walking sticks and jumping on switches to unlock doors.”
- “In the middle part of the game, however, tasks become a bit repetitive, tedious, and a bit frustrating because of that.”
replayability
16 mentions
19 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has low replayability, with many players noting that once they complete it and collect all achievements, there is little incentive to return. While chapters can be replayed individually, the lack of new content or significant rewards diminishes the desire to replay the game. Despite its enjoyable experience, the short length and repetitive nature of the levels contribute to a consensus that replay value is minimal.
- “All chapters are replayable and easy to access through the main menu.”
- “The game is short even though you get all the achievements, but it has replay value and honestly is worth the price.”
- “🔲 infinitely replayable”
- “It is a great relaxing puzzle game, but I'm not sure it has any replayability, unless you really want to get those achievements.”
- “There is no real replayability in this title.”
- “Although I could replay to unlock fox skins and find all of the shamans, the replay value is simply too low as there is nothing new that it brings once you complete the game in around 5 hours.”
optimization
15 mentions
60 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with many players reporting smooth performance even on low-end PCs and the Steam Deck. However, some users experienced performance issues such as frame rate drops and tearing, indicating that optimization may not be consistent across all platforms. While the graphics are impressive and well-optimized, the limited configuration options for performance tuning were noted as a drawback.
- “Well optimized (only 3.6 GB and runs well on low-end PCs).”
- “I played it entirely on the Steam Deck, and the performance was amazing.”
- “Graphics are very impressive and well optimized, and the gameplay/mechanics are well thought out and polished.”
- “Finally, I'm not sure this is a problem only faced by me, but it had some performance issues, with stuttering, frame rate drops, and tearing.”
- “The game settings (as presented in the options menu) are sparse, with few options to tune for looks or performance.”
- “Not much to adjust in the config files either; it's bare bones, typical settings for console, since the differences in specs that the game is optimized for are basically non-existent.”
humor
6 mentions
83 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as hit-or-miss, with some players finding enjoyment in the quirky animations and funny moments, such as the fox flying through geysers. However, frustrations with bugs and crashes overshadow the comedic elements for others, leading to mixed feelings about the overall humor experience.
- “The most fun part about the gameplay, in my opinion, are the geysers and jump portals :D It just looks so funny to see the fox flying.”
- “Some bugs were funny, some others were helpful, and of course... some were frustrating.”
- “Hehe, funny spirit woof woof bark fox nuzzle wuzzle hihi hoho go into you bark superman fox go bark bark.”
- “I lost a lot of time on a game that just isn't funny.”
- “The humor fell flat and felt forced throughout the gameplay.”
- “I expected a lot of laughs, but the jokes were stale and unoriginal.”
character development
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the character design and the overall world-building, indicating that these elements contribute positively to the game's character development.
- “I love the character design and the world-building in general!”
- “The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form genuine connections with each character.”
- “Each character's journey feels unique and impactful, making their growth throughout the game truly memorable.”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the game's monetization approach, noting that it feels genuine and crafted with care, rather than being a quick cash grab like many contemporary titles.