* My review on the main game: http://n4g.com/channel/neve... *
Since Never Alone (Kisima Inŋutchuŋa) released last year, a new type of genre dubbed “world games” has been bandied around certain circles. The reasoning behind it is admirable: using games as a method of showcasing different cultural values, aesthetical characteristics, and legends from another society outside our own that transcends the description of a traditional gameplay template. And though that may just sound artsy-fartsy to some fellow readers, I wouldn’t be surprised if that sort of mindset would make more sense after they’d played Upper One Games/E-Line Media’s original title. It wasn’t without some integral mechanical issues—which may very well put some people off altogether, but the noble intention is felt in so many ways throughout that fascinating tale. Never Alone’s first (and perhaps only) expansion, Foxtales, maintains that purpose but in a more condensed package that ultimately doesn’t measure up to the power of the original title; like how engaging a storyteller’s novel may present themes and characters to only come back to that fictional universe with a supplemental short story.
The development team and the DLC’s cost ($3.99) didn’t suggest it would be anything but, though. Leaving off from the main story’s reinterpretation of Kunuuksaayuka, Foxtales is inspired from “The Two Coastal Brothers” story. Reprising their roles, Foxtales follows an Iñupiaq girl named Nuna and her arctic fox companion (called ‘Fox’ here for the sake of simplification). Arctic Spring is in season. Upon egress from their humble hut, Nuna and Fox decide to give chase to an innocent mouse and, in the process, disregard their elders’ wisdom of always respecting nature and animals. This initially innocent game results in the mouse accidently being thrown off the edge of an umiaq (sealskin canoe) into the water. Nuna and Fox use the canoe and paddle ahead in hopes of remedying this mistake.
As with the main campaign, all of those unique secondary elements that bolstered the storytelling there are also in this mini-campaign. The euphonious Alaskan tribesman declaiming plot points and the central message of this story, the scrimshaw-themed cut scenes, and five extra Cultural Insights videos are here. Instead of the extensive look of Iñupiaq tenets and Alaskan lifestyle, these videos have a more intimate focus on the “Coastal Brothers” storyteller Willie Panik Goodwin, Sr. and his family. These videos really make this short story resonate on a deeper level. The “edutainment” dynamic (though less educational here) still shines through as bolstering a relatively simple story to something meaningful, which in turn makes it one of the best aspects of the game.
As for the short story itself, it’s rather basic but fits in neatly for a DLC package. Seeing the extraordinary lengths these two go through while rowing up the river is riveting and that theme of interdependence feels just as strong here. The antagonist discovered later on is interesting too; witnessing the ripple effect of not giving due obeisance to an animal in the beginning and having that come back around to bite them.
A big disconnect I had early on with the storytelling is—unsurprising at this point—a repeated offense. The same quibble of adapting a story about two brothers to this expansion yet starring a girl…and a fox, even when parts of the original story are detailed in loading screens, can be a minor distraction. While it’s an understandable move for time, cost effectiveness, and gameplay reasons, I do wonder if greater impact would’ve been achieved with actually having two brothers here.
Overall, the story and collectibles keep some of the strengths from the original; despite that, I still felt underwhelmed once it was over. It sounds strange to say considering the previous compliments but keep in mind: many of those great qualities are directly drawn from the base game. I understand the respectable price point, what the developers were going for, and that it’s a DLC so I should have modest expectations; however, a part of me feels the drive I had with absorbing the story and understanding this culture came from the original’s magnificent scope (for an indie game). Since this one’s so ephemeral and the plot just plateaus between the beginning and boss encounter late into the story, it wasn’t as easy to remain captivated throughout. Foxtales certainly isn’t a bad story. Far from it! It’s just that having a modest short story doesn’t hold an impact in such a way that gets it away from just being in the shadow of the main title.
Where Foxtales veers off tremendously with its own identity from the main game would be in graphics, and subsequently in visual tone. It’s a much brighter, easygoing adventure. Instead of the gusty blizzard winds battering down the player(s) in a struggle to survive against harsh winter, this nautical-focused adventure is more about kayaking up a river with prairie land beginning to bloom in the background. And it all looks beautiful. The warm, blue sky complemented with the well-animated river currents and swimming animations show a lot of focus went into tweaking this engine. Even small touches like Fox popping his head up and down in fluid unison with Nuna’s paddle strokes when nestled next to her on the umiaq caused me to reminisce of the first time seeing Ellie’s animation of hiding under Joel while behind cover in The Last of Us. The same level of artistic focus into crafting this specific Alaskan short story are here with an appreciable amount of new technical updates.
Like with graphics, the aural experience and the soundtrack also compliments the breezier atmosphere. Audio is minimal in regards to voice acting with the narrator discussing events as the game moves forward. Wind and water are heard quite often in contrast to the constant trudging through snow as before. This initial focus on calmer sounds punctuates the climax of the game quite well. After short trips over icebergs and through streams, to stumble upon this villain in a subterranean lair, whose introduction is a piercing yelp, makes for an effective transition.
In many ways, Foxtales takes the most precious qualities of the base game and either reiterates or builds upon them. Gameplay’s unfortunately more reiterative in its mistakes and often even brings up new problems.
Never Alone’s platforming is about emphasizing the unique qualities of Nuna and Fox. Both are playable in either single-player or local co-op. Fox is much spryer than Nuna, is able to jump higher, run up and jump off walls, and can move spirits to different locations. These different locations often cause these underwater spirits to blow a water current, above or below sea level, in a different direction. If in solo mode, you switch between characters manually; in co-op, each player controls a character.
Being a more compact experience translates to specific mechanics getting cut. The positives are removing any precision demands with the bola or the sub-par, late-game mechanical changes made in the original. The big problem is these have been supplanted with a greater emphasis on underwater puzzles that are very simple and canoeing, dealing with controls that are just too finicky as a result. Repositioning these ethereal spirits and their currents is typically used to prevent grabby creatures from harming these characters or propelling mystic rocks at barriers.
While there may be less gameplay problems on average than the original, such focus means there’s also less variety. Before, the puzzles AND the gaps between them would have some type of challenge. Dodging evil spirits one moment to moving forward while dealing with the blizzard blowing back and forth. Yes, it makes sense that a calmer Artic Spring setting would make natural forces in the game more agreeable this time around; however, the assortment of gameplay elements like platforming on solid ground, water-oriented puzzles, chase scenes, etc. being mixed together so often meant it was easy to disregard the poorer elements too. Here they settled for repeated scenarios much more often.
Foxtales is quick remind players that local co-op is part of the game; in fact, later puzzles are assembled in such a fashion that there’s practically an invisible hand PUSHING you towards that option. That isn’t to say it’s impossible to complete on solo, but it’s clearly the optimal choice. It’s frustrating: necessitating these transitions between characters with very little margin for error. Before, co-op was to expedite past certain obstacles; here, it’s to avoid tedium.
If this “world game” genre/sub-genre is to take hold, Never Alone will be one of the brightest tangible examples in modern gaming culture. That tactile feeling of interdependence through local cooperation was still present with Foxtales. But despite that, something has still been lost in this expansion from a mechanical and storytelling perspective. That sense of scope and general variety helped make the original experience overcome a lot of black marks against it. Within this one hour experience—if that, the communal experience of overcoming odds together never resonated with as much impact.
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Neil writes: "The Xbox Live Deals With Gold and Spotlight Sale may well have been overshadowed by its bigger, better, badder cousin - the Black Friday sale - in recent weeks, but with the massive discounts slowly coming to an end, it's time for the Deals With Gold sale to once more take the limelight. Want to check out the full list of Xbox One and Xbox 360 discounts available via the Xbox Live Deals With Gold and Spotlight sale for 28th Nov-4th Dec 2017?"
A written review of the Never Alone DLC Fox Tales
Rossco Writes:
"If you wanted more from the outstanding Never Alone you have got a very nice tale here. It's all over a little too soon however and, with less emotional attachment to this story, you find yourself still wanting more of the original title than this story to continue.
The same beautiful presentation continues however and fans of the original will certainly enjoy it."
J Station X: We review Never Alone: Foxtales, the new expansion DLC for Never Alone. Foxtales follows Nuna and Fox as they battle against a giant mouse.
I hope everyone enjoyed the review. Please feel free to leave your questions and/or comments below.
I can acknowledge this would be one of my more nit-picky reviews where virtually nobody may agree with the harsh score. While I stand by my score + reasoning, that's just something for you to consider. The $4 price point (non-sale) is very respectable, as many critics have pointed out.
This review's also great timing since Never Alone + DLC is on sale for XBL Gold members right now. There is the "Never Alone: The Arctic Collection" going for ~$7.50 at the moment, which includes main game plus this DLC. While I still judge Foxtales harshly, I'd recommend picking that one up based on a couple things:
-Having everything for nearly HALF the non-sale price of original game is simply a great deal.
-I seem to be an outlier on criticizing this DLC anyways
So...yeah. Hope you pick it up if you're able. :)
Well written review. Just unsure, did you mark this game down because it didn't have any online component.
That's great. Thanks for clarifying that for me.