There is a deep tragedy behind the beauty in Spirit of the North 2. Despite such a vast open world, there is a profound sadness against the backdrop of its wonder. Nature and pain. Hope and turmoil. Success and failure. The journey to restore this ancient land falls at your four feet. You may be little, but the power to change the world is in your grasp. Filled with puzzles, rich lore, and moments of tragedy and joy, it is an adventure I won’t be forgetting in a hurry.
The freedom to explore the various biomes in Spirit of the North 2 is either going to keep you hooked or put you off. We’ve become reliant on waypoints and objectives in gaming, so it’s refreshing to find things out simply by discovering them on your travels. You have nobody to hold your hand. Sometimes it’s unclear where you need to go or what you need to do, and I can see this approach leading some players to fall off pretty quickly. However, if you embrace the emancipation of rules and guidance, it makes the adventure much more organic.
I loved being allowed to wander misty highlands and lush forests. I never knew what I would find, yet when I was able to discover a particular relic that allowed me to progress, I felt so pleased I did so without any help. Above ground, there’re Obelisks to unlock which show you nearby points of interest; treasures to find and subsequently spend at the raccoon merchants dainty home; Wisps to collect and then use on secret doorways; an so much more. There are also passageways to go underground and explore a whole new place steeped in myth.
Scrolls are scattered throughout the world and tell you the story of the different tribes who once thrived, now gone and lost to the powerful dark shaman Grimnir. It’s always a joy to see what lies above the surface, but some of the dungeons and icy caves underground provide a wider scope to the magical world of Spirit of the North 2. The environmental puzzles feature a variety of tasks whereby items can be used to open doorways, for example. Sometimes, the answers aren’t always clear, though.
With no real voiceover or dialogue to guide you, and no tutorial to reference whenever you like, it’s so important to pay attention. The whole point of Spirit of the North 2 is to embrace that freedom and fear of the unknown. Carve your own way, take your time, and soak in the mysteries of a fallen civilisation. You’ve got a variety of ways to help you along the way. Runes can be equipped to parts of your body, as well as providing new abilities for you, such as gliding through the air thanks to your raven companion.
There’s nothing more incredible than meeting one of the Guardians. They aren’t bosses you must defeat. Instead, Infuse Studio has swapped combat for puzzle-solving in these encounters. They are awe-inspiring, and whenever I got to see one, I was blown away by they looked. Some are sombre, some don’t want your help, but all need the help of a fox and his friend. There has been enough destruction, so getting to meet these without the worry of trying to best them in battle takes the edge off and allows you to appreciate how Infuse tackles each one’s purpose.
Along with the runes, a skill tree is available for you to improve everything from negating fall damage, increasing help, and giving you means to find more wealth. Chests are scattered around everywhere, so there’s always a skill point to find on your travels. It’s yet another facet of Spirit of the North 2 that balances the challenge and the ability to take your time and see everything there is to other with just the right amount of abilities and skills at your disposal.
Movement is pretty fluid, other I had an issue with jumping. There’s a freedom to jump onto anything you can reach, although this doesn’t always work when it’s somewhere you can’t. If a platform is too high when pressing the jump button, a tiny blue triangle will appear that indicates you can reach somewhere automatically. Like reaching platforms in Stray, it is done without the fear off falling. It just means that sometimes the triangle can disappear or not appear when you need it to. A minor annoyance, but one that could do with a little more tweaking.
Spirit of the North 2 begs you to explore without the confines of markers and an abundance in map icons. The various biomes are gorgeous and can change depending on the weather or time of day. The puzzles aren’t difficult, but some require exploring the wider area. With little to no help from in-game tutorials or NPCs, there’s a chance some players won’t like this. I felt it was the right balance of challenge and enjoyment, and to say I would die for that fox is an understatement.
