Never Alone, also known as "Kisima Inŋitchuŋa" (however the hell one might pronounce that), is a 2.5D puzzle-platformer in the vein of "Limbo". The twist is that you need to guide both Nuna, the little girl, and The Fox, the fox, across each level. The fox and the girl have very different capabilities, meaning you need to master both of them and know when to switch between them in order to complete your objectives. While this probably seems like an interesting mechanic, the novelty gives in quickly to frustration as the game's problems set in. The game's physics re actually quite uncomfortable. You expect them to either be a little floaty or a completely realistic, but it really isn't very much like either, instead being some odd weighty-ness that's just as hard to work with as it is to read about. This leaves you guessing where your jumps will land you up to the very end. While I was playing, I felt that I was dying more often to my inability to understand where my jump will take me more than anything else. Another annoying thing is that halfway through the sub-4 hour game, the game throws a complete curve-ball by completely changing the way one of the two characters functions (in a way that I won't spoil), forcing you to basically learn a whole new game right in the middle of one you were enjoying. And the worst part is the character's new abilities are some the most annoying in the game. I'm trying not to spoil it because the game's story is actually quite good, but just know that the new game you'll be learning won't be quite as fun as the one that was cut short.
On another note, the game's puzzles are actually quite enjoyable. After you get past the game's odd mechanics, putting them together to progress is actually quite cathartic. And that's a catharsis you'll need after banging your head against a wall for so long (as in your head will literally collide with a wall after your jump didn't quite make it over that hole). A big part of the game is using both character's abilities to move platforms around so that you can get from point A to point B. Figuring out the right way to make this happen in each level is just the right balance of challenge and reward to make you feel like you're really getting work done.
The game's story is equal parts fun, emotional, and (God, I never thought I'd write this but) educational, and it keeps you engaged by use of all three. The main game's narrative tells the story of a native Alaskan girl meeting a fox and befriending it. They then decide to go off on a journey to find out where all the snow is coming from. If this seems like a familiar narrative style to you, that's probably because the story all the various mini-stories you go through in the game are based on tribal myths from Alaskan culture. Punctuating this story-telling technique, the entire game is narrated beautifully in said culture's native language giving off the vibe that you are being told this generations-old legend by a real tribal story-teller. And if you see all this culture and still want to know more, the game includes "Cultural Insights", unlockable clips of what, all strung together, could be considered an in-depth documentary on native Alaskan culture. These clips are completely optional but definitely help to give context to your actions in the game so I recommend watching them. Even without this context, the game tells a compelling story about how bonds between friends can conquer all evils. Ok, yeah, I totally just made that phrase up but I'm sure any who's played the game would agree that it sums up the story pretty well.
The game's art design is odd and often ugly, but this design is apparently intentional, giving off the feel of traditional "scrimshaw" art. Many of the game's cutscenes are displayed as moving 2D images on a flat plane that makes this design choice even more apparent. So even though at first glance the graphics can look a bit muddy or last gen, over time it becomes easier to see that the game looks exactly like it wants to look and that's actually quite beautiful. The music is a bit more contemporary most of the time but sets the tone quite nicely, so a little nod to that.
In total, while Never Alone doesn't quite succeed as a platformer, it does succeed as a puzzle game and as an atmospheric look into native Alaskan culture through accurate recreations of it embedded into the game's structure. So, I give Never Alone/Kisima Inŋitchuŋa "The Icy Winds of the Artic Juxtaposed with the Warmth of Friendship"(8) out of 10. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to throw snow at an animal to see if it'll be friends with me. That's how it works, right?
