The entire story is communicated wordlessly through the use of expressive animation, clever cinematic techniques and an absolutely incredible orchestral soundtrack. Furthermore, the resolution of textures has increased that makes the world look better, particularly when you’re close to these objects. While the previous consoles had issues of texture pop-ups and background, this has thankfully been rectified on the PS5, with the occasional pop-up here and there. The majority of Spirit of the North looks visually stunning, particularly the textures and lighting which make some of the environments look absolutely gorgeous. The developers have done a fantastic job of recreating the incredibly vast, varied landscapes of Iceland that are just begging to be explored. To do this, you’ll journey across windswept valleys, navigate ancient ruins and slip through cavernous glaciers, guided only by a helpful spirit companion and a blazing red beacon in the sky formed by the corrupted northern lights. The game takes place in ancient Iceland and you play the role of an adorable red fox who must help the spirit of the northern lights cleanse the land of an evil corruption. Spirit of the North could be best described as an adventure game – not in the way we typically refer to those classic ‘point-and-click’ style of adventure games, but more in the way that you play a character going on what could be described as a genuine adventure. If you’re the type of person that values style over substance, Spirit of the North is easily worth your time – but if outdated gameplay mechanics and frustrating design choices put you off, then you should read the rest of this review before you run off to pick up a copy. I can’t remember the last time I was so enamoured with a game’s visuals and soundtrack, yet at the same time so utterly frustrated with its gameplay. Playing through Spirit of the North on the Switch was a rollercoaster of emotions for me, and the scores on this review might give a clue as to why. Gameplay wise, it’s almost identical to all other formats. This means enhanced visuals, all running at 60 frames per second in glorious 4K resolution and the use of the lightbar on the new PlayStation Dualsense Controller. While Spirit of the North is available on other platforms, the developers have enhanced their original game in order to make it a much more visual experience on the new PS5 console.
Spirit of the North Enhanced Edition PS5 Review