Never Alone is the first videogame developed in collaboration with the Iñupiat people of the Arctic. The game is inspired by a story called Kunuuksaayuka which has been passed down for thousands of years. In this story, an young Iñupiaq girl named Nuna and her Arctic Fox companion set out to find the source of a series of unrelenting blizzards which threaten the survival of her remote village.
With her arctic fox companion by her side, Nuna will trek through frozen tundra, leap across treacherous ice floes, face enemies both strange and familiar, and journey to save everything that she has ever known.
Never Alone can be experienced by a single player who can switch between Nuna and Fox by pressing , or a second player can join at any time for local cooperative play.
I know another story. I heard this one from Panik. There were two friends. One of them was a good fighter in Inupiaq games, and a good hunter. One was a good swimmer. The two friends were brave. Whenever they would cross the sea, they would use only willow as their boat paddles...
Nuna and Fox return in Never Alone: Foxtales -- the first expansion to 2014’s award-winning indie hit Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna).
Climb aboard your umiaq (sealskin canoe) and take to the waters of Northwest Alaska. Paddle through waves, ice floes and rapids or dive underwater and journey across the sea floor, inside mysterious caverns and through a sunken village.
Switch between Nuna and Fox in single player mode or play with a friend in local co-op mode through three all-new levels. Only by working together can Nuna and Fox save a new friend and defeat an unexpected foe.
Developed in partnership with the Alaska Native community, Foxtales reminds us that even the smallest among us deserve respect.
Both Nuna and Fox will need to run and jump a lot during their adventure, and they will both need to hold to brace themselves against the endless Blizzard. But the two also have unique actions they can perform to help each other along the way.
Once Nuna acquires a Bola, she can aim by holding backwards and then pushing in the opposite direction to throw. Since she has thumbs and Fox doesn't, she can also climb ladders and ropes with — and swing on some ropes by moving left or right with . She can interact with some objects by holding .
Fox is more nimble than Nuna, so he can scramble up walls by tapping . He can also jump backwards off a wall by holding back on and pressing . Fox can fit through small spaces that Nuna can't reach, and lower ropes for her to climb by pressing .
In single-player mode, pressing will switch between Nuna and Fox. But at any time, a second player can join by pressing any button on a second controller. If the second player wishes to leave the game, the first player must change the Game Mode to "Single-player" from the Pause Menu.
In Foxtales, Nuna and Fox use a boat to get around. Nuna can pick up a paddle by holding while in the boat. While holding , she can row the boat by moving in a half-circle motion.
Helpful Spirits may drop stones that Nuna can pick up, drop, and throw by pressing . These stones can be used to break through ice that is blocking the way.
Over the course of their journey, Nuna and Fox will encounter owls who have gathered at places of great importance. When the two companions meet up with a feathered friend, the owl will seek shelter elsewhere and a Cultural Insight will be unlocked.
Cultural Insights present members of the Alaska Native community sharing wisdom, stories, and perspectives from Iñupiaq culture. They can be viewed immediately after unlocking by pressing , or at any time from the "Cultural Insights" section of the Main Menu.
Pressing at any time will pause the game and display a menu of choices:
Returns Nuna and Fox to their journey.
If a second controller is connected, the first player can toggle between single-player and co-op modes here.
This option will restore the game to its most recently saved state, losing all progress since then.
The complete list of Cultural Insights is here. Insights that have already been unlocked can be viewed from this list or from the main menu.
Selecting this item will bring up a sub-menu containing configurable choices such as audio volume and subtitle display.
Life in the Arctic is harsh. Here are some hints to help new adventurers on their journey.
Simply pressing will make Nuna and Fox jump, but holding for longer will increase the distance they travel.
Even though Fox is covered in fur and Nuna is wearing a thick parka of caribou skin, neither one of the two companions can survive in the icy water of the Arctic. Stay out of water and stay alive.
When Fox is close enough to a Helping Spirit, it will reveal itself to Nuna and help the two on their journey. But before Nuna can interact with the Spirit, it must fully materialize. Watch for the telltale pulse of light on the surface of the Spirit before jumping to it.
The endless blizzard isn't always a detriment — during their journey, Nuna and Fox will sometimes need to wait for the wind to be at their backs to get to places they couldn't reach any other way.
Once Nuna acquires her Bola, she can use it in many circumstances. If a puzzle is too tricky or a pursuer too tenacious, don't forget about the Bola.
While in the boat, holding will make Nuna pick up a paddle. Move in a half-circle motion while holding to row and move the boat.
Helpful spirits may drop stones that Nuna can pick up, drop, and throw by pressing . These stones can be used to break through ice that is blocking the way.