Farewell North Review

I recall a time, six or seven years ago, being absolutely devastated by the loss of my dog. Apparently, he had wrecked his body in an accident and required to be put down out of mercy. I was only made aware of his state after the fact because I had placed him under the care of my grandmother, living in the countryside, and at that time, she did not wish to deal with the way I would eventually come to grieve.

I was quite thrilled with Farewell North, a game where you could pretend to be a lovely Border Collie. After all, Stray performed rather well with a feline main character. I am always game for a light-hearted little adventure, particularly if it involves a dog.
 

 

You will join Cailey and Chesley on a profound spiritual quest in Farewell North as you face some heavy topics. The most prominent of these is grieving a loved one's death. As a result of the untimely passing of Chesley's original owner, Cailey has been given the responsibility of taking possession of the sheepdog. As you explore other islands and bring their colors back into existence, you will uncover secrets and try to reconcile with your history.

The way each island is explored is the same throughout them, albeit their appearance is distinct. A yellow glow will indicate areas contributing to the main tale, while a blue glow will indicate less significant islands. The typical island scenario involves landing your boat and pursuing Cailey until she encounters an obstacle.

Now, I will admit that this game does have a few issues. Firstly, it misrepresents itself as an open-world adventure. This is a relatively uniform process. One road is the only one to take. A fair portion of platforming in Farewell North is also poorly executed, which is a major bummer. The game houses a mechanism that tells you when to jump, but it comes off rather wobbly and more unfulfilling, and it is utilized a lot more than I desired.

Aside from dashing, the only other important mechanic is your stamina meter. The fact that it recharges so rapidly makes it seem pointless. And a "death", if you would even call it that, usually results from a bad leap, and it will just return you to your original position without any consequence. So, there is really no challenge in exploring it in any way.

It would have been great if the map had been somewhat more open, but I am not expecting a Breath of the Wild-sized freedom and expanse. I like venturing out on my own. In Farewell North, though, I do not feel like I am exploring. Technically, I am, yet it seems more like I am just moving in a straight line.
 

 

The majority of the game is, once again, relatively straightforward, even though there are some puzzles to solve later. Most of the time, you will need to locate an item of significance, such as a flower, inject some color into it, retrieve it with your mouth, and transport it to the location where your progress has been impeded. Not much else happens other than herding the animals and the occasional game of fetch. The puzzles in this game mostly center on using flowers to cut through concealed or impenetrable walls.

Those who like intricately designed puzzles might be disappointed since this does not provide that difficulty level. The good news for the bulk of you who are here for the story is that these puzzles are more of minor diversions than anything else, thus ensuring that you are never really trapped. I was still surprised by how quickly Farewell North ran out of gameplay concepts, especially considering the campaign's short length.

Canoeing is an essential aspect of the game. I adore it as a means of transportation. It would have been nice if she could have been a little faster while doing double paddle—she could move at a leisurely pace—but that is hardly a deal-breaker. When you find your groove, everything seems to come alive. Charming, you can even make out Chesley sprawled out in front of the boat.

The visuals in this game are stunning, no doubt about it. Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of this game is its visuals, particularly the concept of bringing color back to various areas. I think it is a fantastic concept, and the visual execution of this game is spot-on. Scenic mountain ranges gush with revitalized energy. As you go through the game, you will see how remarkably the vegetation and snow come to life. 

Unfavorably, you will spend a great deal of time in that lifeless, desolate color scheme, which lacks any actual vibrancy whatsoever. I had the impression that some areas dragged on for much too long at times in those muted grays, whites, and blacks, even though this was obviously a choice to reflect the storyline and main theme of the game.
 

 

A further one of Farewell North's more significant problems is its animations. Even with respectable character models, facial emotions fall flat. The game's evident low budget makes itself apparent, disappointingly, on occasion. Fortunately, if you finish the game, you can have a much more vibrant adventure in full color. 

Across the islands, you might come across a plethora of musical tones. Discovering a long-lost song is possible with the discovery of all the musical notes, plus additional goodies are buried throughout the islands for those looking to complete Farewell North to the full one hundred percent. If you manage to get everything, a possible extra hour or two of playtime may be yours.

Farewell North performed quite well on my computer, although it did not come without a few glitches and peculiarities. In terms of performance, it was a mixed bag. Sometimes, I would spawn myself into a series of deaths; other times, I would clip through landscapes. When I leaped into the water, for example, there was absolutely no sound; this is just one example of how the sound effects fell short of the excellent music at times.

The score is the final item that must be discussed. As the strings soar at dramatic moments, the orchestra provides a sonic backdrop of raucous, bombastic brilliance that is really unforgettable. The soundtrack is a fantastic match for the game's plot and atmosphere: rousing and forceful. I fell madly in love because I like classical music and orchestration.
 

 

Farewell North is a stunning video game that you should play. While I was writing this review, fixes were still going out, so I hope your experience is less rocky than mine if you choose to play. As someone who mourns the loss of her dog, I could relate to the heartbreaking tale. Farewell North is not the game for you if you are looking for a puzzle adventure game that puts more emphasis on gameplay than it does on the narrative.

But this is the game if you have been searching for an emotional roller coaster of a five-hour drama. I did my best not to spoil it for that reason. On its own, the story would make this game a higher priority for me, but the lackluster, repetitive puzzles and terrible platforming really detract from the overall quality of the experience. Again, however, if you are looking for a touching tale, Farewell North will not let you down in that regard.
 

Jennifer
Editor, NoobFeed