Neversong Critic Reviews

For me, the story and theming of Neversong embody a two-thousand-year-old statement of wisdom for us all: You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Neversong did nothing but impress as I made my way through its weird and wonderful world. There’s nothing quite like it, but if you’re a fan of games like Night in the Woods or Limbo, then Neversong fits into a similar category.

Neversong is a great game, both for those who backed its initial concept and those looking for a fresh gaming experience. It’s the kind of game that’ll stay in the thoughts of those who play it long after the credits roll, and which shows the potential for indie games to do something fresh.

There’s a little something for everyone in the title — collectibles, intuitive gameplay and brilliant visuals. The use of the fairy tale narrative inspires a Brothers Grimm aesthetic that fits with the morals of Neversong‘s story. It’s also a title that has some good replay value as you receive permanent special items after beating the game at least once. While it’s a short game, length of time does not necessarily detract from the quality of the title. Instead, it takes the time needed to tell the story it wants to tell. Length of play-time is often associated with quality, but oftentimes developers take extra time just for the sake of it. And while there are some light gameplay missteps, the title recovers by being genuine in its storytelling. Neversong shows that even deep, emotional stories can come from small packages.

Neversong has a strong identity in that it is a short, colorful experience – it doesn't try to be more than it is.

Neversong is an absolute gem. It's apparent that a lot of love and time went into making this game brilliant. The story, gameplay, characters, and soundtrack all come together masterfully to create a dark, unsettling, yet whimsically fun experience. For a game roughly 3-4 hours long, the journey through this atmospheric world was nothing short of impressive. I would strongly recommend this title to everyone.

Neversong is nearly the perfect game for the genre. Aside from the few issues that I mentioned, and few they are, it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had with side-scrolling puzzle game mechanics. The story is dark, beautiful, and haunting in a way that only a few games have been able to capture before. If you’re thinking of the next title to pick up and scratch that psychological narrative itch, Neversong is the clear choice.

Neversong is an amazing adventure through a world that feels uniquely crafted. It stands out in its genre because it takes platforming, thriller, and side-scrolling game elements, mashes them together, and what we get is a well-balanced narrative adventure game.

Neversong offers a mix of action, exploration and puzzles that everyone will like, together with a compelling story and a moving ending you will remember for a long time. A pleasure for both eyes and ears that will also thrill you, despite the controls being a bit inaccurate.

Neversong brings you in the deepest nightmares of childhood, through an adventure platform game with puzzles and riddles. It’s the perfect match between dreams and reality, an adventure from which you will not take your eyes off.

There are other things I could complain about, like the occasional bug or strange hitboxes, but I appreciated that Neversong never tries to be more than it is, and everything it offers is meant to be in service of its heartfelt story of loss and hope. I felt ruined by the ending, but I will say that it also leaves some things to the player’s imagination.

Neversong might not be the greatest platformer as such, but it’s its story and narrative how it connects with the player. If you want a deeper take on the genre, this might be your game.

Neversong is a good take on Playdead's turf, but if it has lots of strengths, the game still has some problems in its story and gameplay.

Despite giving the sense of some underdeveloped gameplay mechanics, Neversong manages to tell a dark tale about child trauma in a poetic, nightmarish narrative, using odd characters, exceptional art and strong symbolism.

At the end of the day, Neversong is a game that lacks in creativity as much as it does in execution. Its incredibly short runtime clashes with the themes and emotions it tries to convey in its story, while the minimal gameplay and easy puzzles make for a decidedly unsatisfying gaming experience. With neither gameplay nor story fully covered, the end result is a game that can’t quite decide if it wants to be a point-and-click adventure or a puzzle-platformer, and quite frankly, it doesn’t try very hard to make you want to find out.

Quotation forthcoming.

“Short but sweet” is the emphasis for Neversong, both in its three-or-four hour runtime and the yarn it’s weaving. This comes at the cost of its substandard gameplay never invested in any particular idea. Each new bauble and character share the same story: neither feels like enough stock was given. But as an indie auteur’s expansion of a historical flash game, the effort poured into its revitalized presentation and atmosphere is something platforming fans could still admire.

It lacks the punch to make it more than the sum of its parts.

This is a game where the ending sequence saved it. As a platformer it barely stacks up to a lot of the competition; some portions of the art aren't that good; the combat is very wonky, with a "bouncy" feel; and, finally, the story doesn't deliver until the end. Adding some badly designed puzzle sections all pull Neversong down. The ending and the idea the title puts forth is powerful enough - even with some plot holes in retrospection - that is worth checking out if someone is into platformers, and has a few hours to try out something different.

This is a game where the ending sequence saved it. As a platformer it barely stacks up to a lot of the competition; some portions of the art aren't that good; the combat is very wonky, with a "bouncy" feel; and, finally, the story doesn't deliver until the end. Adding some badly designed puzzle sections all pull Neversong down. The ending and the idea the title puts forth is powerful enough - even with some plot holes in retrospection - that is worth checking out if someone is into platformers, and has a few hours to try out something different.