« Spirit of the North's enchanting journey is magnificent on the Nintendo Switch Lite's screen, as played on for this review, and is even better on a large TV screen. The, at times, challenging game, has collectibles that add to the replay value, and playing as an unlocked snow fox in the snow magnifies the immersion of the game, with levels that beg to be experienced again simply for the fun of enjoying their beauty. »

« Spirit of the North is an atmospheric, evocative adventure game with puzzle/platforming elements that—despite being clumsily implemented in parts—are ultimately rewarding if you stick with it. »

« Some players might be put off by Spirit of the North due to how heavily it relies on its players to figure things out, but that’s also its biggest charm. You are in the shoes of a creature that can’t speak – and yet, as the game’s world and the story reveal itself to you, it speaks louder than any dialogue could. It’s not perfect by any means – the controls can be awkward, and getting stuck and needing to restart is frustrating – but look past that and you’ve got a wonderful, engaging adventure on your hands. If you’re looking for a relaxing game about exploration and discovery, Spirit of the North is a great one to pick, regardless of your age or skill level. »

« Is Spirit of the North worth playing? Despite the previous few paragraphs of ranting, I think it is. There’s genuine beauty in the design of the environments and the way the world is brought to life, which is really quite extraordinary. Also, that soundtrack is just superb and pairs well with the quiet isolation of the fox’s cross-country journey. Just be prepared for some awkward 3D platforming and make sure you’ve got a walkthrough nearby for when you inevitably get stuck at a dead end. »

« Overall, the experience remains a valid alternative for players looking for a relaxing, short-lived title with ethereal atmospheres, despite the technical defects that prevent it from making its full potential shine. »

« Spirit of the North almost nails it. From the art to the characterisation, and even the wordless narrative structure, the developers have clearly put a lot of thought and creative energy into this, and it shows. You might want to play on another platform to get the full scope of the vision, because on Switch it is a little limited by the hardware, but even then, Spirit of the North has moments where it soars. It's just unfortunate that it keeps crashing into walls along the way, as the developers tried to justify the existence of the game by what can only be termed "gameplay bits", and every time that happens the motor takes a while to get going again. If you can handle the clumsy pacing and arbitrary puzzles and collectibles, though, Spirit of the North really is beautifully earnest in what it is looking to achieve. »

« Spirit of the North positions itself as a title similar to Journey, Abzu, or Rime, but it stumbles at the most basic levels of its gameplay. This is a genre known for minimal gameplay, and maximum experience. Spirit of the North’s inability to nail down even its extremely limited gameplay means that it's a pretty constant frustration. Now and then something will hit just right and you’ll see the potential that's there. It's visually quite stunning and features a solid but overplayed soundtrack. There are moments of brilliance sprinkled in with an otherwise thoroughly mediocre experience. I wouldn’t say I hated my time with Spirit of the North, but I’d certainly have rather spent it elsewhere. »

« Spirit of the North wishes to take you on a physical and spiritual journey, and requires a slow pace and some patient thought. It is a rewarding tale in scenic surroundings, although this furry friend can occasionally frustrate. »

« This game is a pure disappointment. I played to the 4. section and could not take it anymore. -Glitchy controls -Missing Eventtrigger -Softlocking -Weird interactions by the charactermodel with the environment are absolutely crucifying the potential this Game has within. I expected a chilled experience with a nice storry but i got a very frustrating GoatSimulator instead. Very sad conclusion for something that could ezpz be a masterpiece if the developers would put some heart and soul into the controlmanagement. Like this the game is unplayable, frustrating and just not a fun experience to go with. For me i will not waste a single more second into this unless the game gets patched. »

« Pretty, but I'm not sure who this game is for. Long stretches of running around somewhat awkwardly in the pretty world make you think it's a chill game meant for the atmosphere. But then it's got its platforming stretches which are a little harder than they should be. Not always clear where you're supposed to go, despite an occasional hint. I get a bit dizzy playing it at times, though I don't in other 3d games, so it's something about the way you move around in this game. Controls are sort of wonky, especially that you have to hold L and left joystick to run... not a comfortable combination. Divided into "chapters", but there's no way to save, so you have to finish a chapter, which is super annoying when you need a break from the awkward platforming, awkward controls, or awkward movement making you sick. Some of this game is puzzling about what you're supposed to do next and how, and those parts have some promise, but they get sort of lost with the other wonkiness. »

« I love this game. It’s probably my favourite indie game right now! Everything is so well made. It’s perfectly balanced between hard and easy. »

« I played through this game last year and was pretty enchanted by it, honestly. It's not a perfect game- the most notable flaws being the sometimes wonky controls, some frustrating platforming, and the occasional glitch, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. This game was literally made by TWO people, which is so impressive! It's not the most graphically stunning, but the visuals were still very pretty, imo. Love that there's no dialogue and it mainly focuses on the foxes- the music also really heightened the emotions of the entire experience. The soundtrack is so good that I still listen to it now and then. Give it a try if you love foxes and have the patience to deal with some flaws~ »

« This is a beautiful game with an interesting, no story dialogue, gameplay. The Nordic setting and mythology sit beautifully with the game, as does the music. Somewhat challenging to play, it is really a combination of puzzle-solving and wilderness wondering. Pre-set & far apart, save points are a bit annoying if you want to pick up and drop the game during the day as you'll be pulled back to the last save. That aside, it's still a fun, fascinating and enjoyable game to play. »

« Spirit of the North is visually stunning. While the Switch version is a step down from the other console versions, it still looks great while playing. The game is very peaceful, yet retains some challenging elements. Devoid of true enemies, there is no hacking and slashing, or even biting, but that only enhances the charm of the game. Great environment and the soundtrack is perfect. Highly recommended. »

« Controls make it unplayable, graphically not great: the fox is pixely, gravity is off, the snow squish effect is copy-pasted for every step, the jumping is as if you're launched straight up without any use of muscle. »

« Way better on Switch than I expected. The graphics aren't as good as PC and PS4 but I almost couldn't even tell. Had to play them side by side to see a difference(I own PC, Switch. I've played a little on PS4). Controls felt smooth. Lots of games with animal protagonists are really rough but this was honestly one of the best. Graphics and controls asside... The subtle symbolism is the best part of this game. It's really moving and powerful. Took me a second playthrough to see it. Honestly, there is a lot of hidden lore in this game, but don't expect the game to feed it to you. Crazy to think only 2 guys made this. »