Endling: Extinction is Forever from Herobeat Studios and HandyGames is a game that’s incredibly story driven. This is a title that you really shouldn’t overlook and despite its short length, it’s well worth playing. So, what exactly does it do right and why should you play it?
In Endling: Extinction is Forever, players will take on the role of a mother fox. The game kicks things off immediately with a forest that’s on fire. Oh boy… Without wasting any precious time, you’ll take control of the fox and be given the bare minimum control instructions. Running away from the fire, you’ll soon learn how to dig and how to climb. Shortly after this, the game throws its first punch at you.
Forest Fire
A moose is caught in the flames and rushes towards you, throwing both itself and you off a cliff. Unfortunately, the moose doesn’t survive but you do. You’re able to limp away meekly before almost being run over by a vehicle. Punch number two successfully avoided huh? This opening sequence makes it quite clear to you that Endling: Extinction is Forever is all about survival. There’s danger lurking at every turn and you have to survive. The visual storytelling in this regard is fantastic right from the get-go and the rest of the game follows in the same way.
Once you’ve found shelter, you give birth to 4 fox cubs and things slowly escalate from there. This is a story about survival first and foremost and it’s your duty as the mother fox to gather food for your cubs during the night. Night time is safer than a day and you’ll be able to track down prey using your scent detection skill. Once you’ve brought back enough food to your shelter, the game throws its third punch at you. A big one this time. One of your cubs gets abducted by a human being and it’s up to you to track them down while still caring for your remaining cubs.
Endling works this into its narrative remarkably well. The decisions you make with regard to finding prey for food and avoiding danger will play a massive role in the game. You’ll have to balance venturing out and exploring with the risk of putting yourself in harm’s way. You’ll also have to monitor your cubs and ensure that when they are following you, they are safe. Taking shelter is important and you really do need to time your trips out into the wild because the day-night cycle is a key factor for your survival. Humans in Endling’s world are out to get you and you need to avoid them at all costs.
Emotional storytelling
Endling: Extinction is Forever looks fantastic with a beautiful art style that evokes emotion throughout the entire game. The use of colour, environmental imagery and some emotional set pieces truly ties the game together so well. There are plenty of scenes which you’d want to screenshot because the game looks so aesthetically pleasing to the eye. There’s also a lot of variation in the environments as well as the colour palette that’s been used.
The soundtrack of Endling: Extinction is Forever is just as great with the game’s orchestral themes perfectly fitting its emotional, visually driven narrative. The music plays a key role in the game’s visual storytelling and you will definitely become heavily emotionally invested in caring for your cubs throughout the game because of it. While there’s no real voice acting here, the game doesn’t need it to tell its story. The visuals, music and instructions you’re given are enough. It’s a masterpiece of storytelling and chances are, it will tug on your heartstrings.
Final Verdict
Endling: Extinction is Forever is a short game coming in at around 5 hours or so but it’s a truly beautiful 5 hours of gameplay. The core mechanics are quite simple involving some light platforming elements and side-scrolling. It doesn’t need to be any more complex than this to be enjoyable though and the emotionally gripping visuals are what will keep you coming back for more. The game also doesn’t overstay its welcome and is the perfect length because the need for gathering food can become slightly repetitive. For the most part though, this repetition is avoided by the game introducing branching paths and new locales for you to explore and traverse.
If you’re looking for an indie title that will captivate you for a few hours, Endling: Extinction is Forever is a great game and one with a very powerful emotional message about how humans are affecting the world and the environment around us. Extinction is Forever and this is a game that helps drive home that message.
- Microsoft Store: https://www.microsoft.com/store/productid/9p42dsxnccdg
- PlayStation Store: https://store.playstation.com/concept/10001440/
- Nintendo Store: https://www.nintendo.co.uk/Games/Nintendo-Switch-games/Endling-Extinction-is-Forever
- Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/898890 (Steam Deck verified)
- GOG: https://www.gog.com/game/endling_extinction_is_forever
- Epic: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/endling-extinction-is-forever
Reviewed on PC
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