Neversong by Atmos Games takes players on a childlike adventure twisted in a nightmarish atmosphere. You play as Peet who is in search of his girlfriend, Wren, after she was captured by the sinister and dark Dr. Smile.
The game uses a storybook-style exposition with an eerie narrator that always creates a sense of unease during cutscenes. Storytelling outside of cutscenes has great pacing. In a bite-sized adventure of roughly three hours, there are few moments where I find that my task is pointless or used as filler.
Neversong offers new challenges for Peet as he collects more items with each new area specializing on the item he received in the last one. Puzzles are just challenging enough where I don’t have to take a long pause to think about it, but not so easy that it’s a no-brainer.
Gameplay
There are two gripes I have with the puzzles. The spider egg bombs, at times, just feel as if they are meant to frustrate gamers. Further into the game, Peet finds a skateboard which is only used for one area. I feel that there could have been more ways to integrate it into the game.
Combat in Neversong isn’t the most important aspect. Against the different enemies you only have the option of whacking them with your bat. The lack of different attacks seems a bit “button-mashy”. The combat shines during the boss fights. Here is where the greatest variety of attacks come through.
Atmosphere
Neversong presents a paradoxical environment. The game creates a childish and creepy feel, and a calming but anxious air is present throughout the town. The music turns from cheerful to nerve-wracking within seconds added by screams heard through the background.
When I first saw the art style of the game I imagined it would all be text-based interactions. I was pleasantly surprised not only when I heard there was voice acting but that it was of such great quality. The sights and sounds of this game are the perfect storm for presenting a narrative of loss and mental illness.
Despite the combat and some points of frustration with puzzles, Neversong tells a great story in such a beautiful way that it makes up for its faults.
[penci_review]
