Developer: Upper One Games, E-Line Media
Püblisher: E-Line Media
Platform: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tested on: Xbox One
Never Alone: Foxtales DLC – Review
Even though it’s the middle of the summer, we went back once more to the wintery wonderland of the Inupiaq, under the guise of the first DLC of Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna), Foxtales. This short extra story for the original game will take you on another snow white adventure that feels like an authentic folktale that has been passed on for many generations. This small grey mouse might turn out to be a tale of giant proportions. Grab onto an oar, as we’ll be heading downstream for this one.
Note: You’ll need the base game in order to play this DLC. Be sure to check out our original review to learn more about the basics.
Story
It seems the Inupiat have many tales that could be compared with our ‘fairytale’ adventures, and Foxtales is another one of those stories for you to guide Nuna, the little Inupiat girl, and her (spirit) fox companion through the snow planes of the north.
Seeing Nuna and her fox-y companion are still of a playful age, they find adventures every place they lay their eyes upon. On one of their hiking trips they come across a small grey mouse, which immediately stands out in the middle of the large snowy area they call home. When chasing the little animal they get too excited, causing the small creature to fall in the water. This calls for a rescue mission and the unlikely duo jumps into a umiaq (traditional canoe) to chase the drowning mouse, hoping they make it in time. Soon Nuna and Fox will learn that even giant adventures can come from the littlest of things.
Graphics
Foxtales still looks the same as the original game, treating you to a snowy environment which is still rough around the edges. Nonetheless, the overall experience is very pleasing to the eye. You’ll have two protagonists who could easily feature a fun animation movie. The environments might not show that much variation in this short expansion but the wintery wonderland still looks decent and both the style of the characters and the areas make for a decent looking game. Whilst everything might not be top notch for a next gen title, we were still able to feel the ‘magic’.
Sound
Just like in Never Alone, the beautiful story is told during small cutscenes and at certain moments when you are already playing. The story itself is presented by an actual Inupiat ‘elder’, in their language, adding so much more to the atmosphere of the game. Even without the subtitles, it’s a pleasant experience, even if you don’t understand a single word.
Music wise, the developers chose a calm and soothing soundtrack, except for some of the more ‘exciting’ moments throughout your playthrough. The whistling arctic wind and the splashing of the water stand out above the music, which adds up to the feeling of being always alone.
Gameplay
Never Alone: Foxtales still stays true to its base as a fairly ‘simple’ puzzle platformer. No new mechanics are introduced in this expansion, keeping things quite straightforward. Of course, the play style depends on if you’re playing solo or with a friend locally.
Both Nuna and Fox will have different control schemes and abilities, which means you’ll have to work together to complete all of the puzzles the game throws at you. Nuna will be able to row (row, row) your boat and pick up spirit orbs, whilst Fox can easily climb walls and guide ‘water spirits’ to change the current of the water. Guiding these spirits is done by swimming close to these celestial beings, pressing a button and guiding them to where you want them to be (along a predetermined path).
Truth be told, other than the items mentioned above, there is not that much extra to do. Nonetheless, this basic scheme really works for the theme, as you’ll be guiding your way through puzzles, in order to get a fun tale in return. That being said, the puzzles get harder and harder as you progress and you’ll have to put some thought into finding a solution.
Sadly, whilst the overall expansion proves to be qualitative, there are a few bugs where certain correct actions don’t get the expected response. For example, characters not grabbing onto the walls, getting stuck in places without ever being able to continue, etc, are quite common to experience throughout your playthrough.
Conclusion
Never Alone: Foxtales certainly is a fun and decent DLC, even if it only lasts around an hour. You’ll be treated to a great authentic Inupiat tale, fairytale like visuals and great ‘voice acting’ to accompany you on your trip through the northern plains. If you can see through several tiny bugs, you’ll enjoy this chilly experience.
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