Game - Never Alone Foxtales

Release Date - July 28th, 2015

Platform - Xbox One, PS4 and PC

Genre - puzzle platformer

Developer - Upper one Games / Eline media

 

Never Alone Foxtales is the first expansion for the game since its release last year on Xbox One, PS4 and PC. It continues by providing further details and education along the Inupiat people of Alaska and their culture. Foxtales describes the tale of The Two Coastal Brothers, one of which is a strong swimmer and the other a strong fighter, and who's abilities are on display through Fox and Nuna. Although it focuses on one story as the original game does, Foxtales is a much shorter endeavor coming in at about 60-90 minutes of total gameplay. At a price of only $3.99 it's not going to break the bank and is worth the fun puzzle solving and life lessons you learn from it. 

There is no bola weapon in Foxtales as we instead are tasked with controlling a small paddle, fishing boat with Nuna. We must be careful of everything in the environment in Foxtales as goes the provided lesson in the story with everything being intertwined. Simply exiting the fishing boat with Nuna isn't enough as we will need to ensure it is in the right location for fox to help us, drop some rocks in to break open a puzzle or anything else the game provides. As fox is the swimmer and Nuna the fighter, the teamwork centric gameplay in Foxtales focuses on some tricky underwater puzzles. Once again, fox has the ability to interact with the spirits in the game and can pull them back and forth in order to open up new area of the level. For example, moving a spirit from one side of an underwater rock to another will cause its breath to make the water's current flow in an opposite direction and allow you to pass. As Foxtales is more about providing a life lesson, there is no way for either fox or Nuna to run out of oxygen under water. 

The Tale of the Two Coastal Brothers story as told in the game is more about respecting nature and all living things. In the game's opening scene, Fox and Nuna are trying to run after and catch a little mouse and aren't showing true appreciation for its place in nature. As a result, the mouse escapes and as Fox and Nuna run after it they find themselves being attacked by the game's main antagonist, a giant rat. Only after you solve the puzzles in the game which are focused on interacting with nature can you defeat the enemy and be reunited with your friend the little mouse. A total of five new cultural insights are included in FoxTales and provide a great look further into the lives of the Inupiat people. The scene has switched from the harsh winter into the beginning of Spring and new pieces of the land are on display. The amazing sounds from the original game are still present as walking on snow and wooden planks portray the true to life sounds as they do in nature. Remember, the team who worked on the original game took microphones out into the wilderness to record the game's audio. These aren't computer generated, they're nature generated. 

The story in Foxtales provides a new appreciation for nature and its karma effect when it is not respected. History lesson aside, Never Alone and this Foxtales expansion both set the stage for what should be a staple in the future of education. With computers, smartboards, tablets and more technology infused into our classrooms on a daily basis, games like Never Alone and its social studies oriented gameplay can provide a valuable learning tool for children. After all, how often do we get to both play a game that is this good while learning a lesson that is even more important? Never Alone Foxtales provides this and truly hits on, what I believe, is a phenomenal new way of educating youth through play. 

Overall, Never Alone itself should be a mandatory game for everyone to play as it helps you grow as a person with a simple respect and understanding of another people's culture. This Foxtales expansion is also included with that reference as one can never truly have enough education. Eline Media and Upper One Games have provided another emotional and educational experience with Foxtales that can't be truly understood unless you play it and realize it for yourself. It is available now on Xbox One, PS4 and PC