Title: Farewell North
Developer: Kyle Banks
Publisher: Mooneye Studios
Initial Release Date:  August 16th, 2024
Available On: PC, Xbox One and Series S|X, Nintendo Switch
Reviewed On: Steam Deck

Imagine a game that pulls you into the breathtaking setting of the Scottish Isles, while exploring themes of loss and love, while playing as an adorable doggo? Farewell North is an indie title by Kyle Banks and published by Mooneye Studios that provides a story rich adventure, married with gorgeous art and sound design to deliver a heartfelt experience with a fresh perspective.

SYNOPSIS

A young woman named Cèilidh returns to the Scottish Isles with her faithful border collie, Chesley–or Ches for short. However, despite the beauty Scotland has to offer, everything is dark, gray, and devoid of color. With each island you venture to, Ches must restore color back to the land, and help his human heal from the loss of a close family member.

Each island uncovers a puzzle piece of Cèilidh story, ranging from loss, fear, uncertainty, and trust. Some islands contain a specific memory or narrative, while others are bits of interaction between human and dog–a microscopic moment in time that seems to weigh heavily on the heart.

While exploration is left up to the player in an “open world” fashion, each memory fragment can be encountered in any order without disrupting the overarching narrative.

Cèilidh represents many of us in the younger generation that feels like they outgrew their parents’ traditions and even tried to distance themselves from their roots. However, as Cèilidh grows older and loses her mother, she returns to the Scottish Isles to recall songs, memories, and reconcile her identity. Can Cèilidh come to grips with her culture while living out her own life?

ANALYSIS

Art and Sound Design

There is something that is utterly serene about Farewell North. The use of color (or lack thereof) plays a key role in the story. Once Ches unlocks the colors of an island, the environment is bright and luscious, much like bright cell-shaded type games out there. Colors aren’t just there to look pretty; they represent life given back to the land and the protagonist.

The music is calming and representative of the Scottish culture. It immerses the player from the first minute to the last and is the glue that ties the story, art design, and gameplay together. The Farewell North OST has the kind of music I would like to listen to daily.

Gameplay

The gameplay in Farewell North is simple, yet effective. Firstly, I want to remind you that you play as a dog. You can run, jump, and yes, you have a dedicated bark button. In fact, when you bark enough, you get an achievement!

Each island has its own set of puzzles, whether it is to bring light to an area, pick a flower (pertinent to the story), and use it to unlock paths previously barred by darkness. On other islands, you simply fetch, and on others, you must herd sheep.

Farewell North also utilizes perspective in some puzzles. If you go to a certain vantage point, you can unlock new paths. I haven’t run into this often. The last games I know of that uses that are the Hellblade titles from Ninja Theory.

I also wanted to call out the various side quests/achievements you can sniff out, such as “rebuilding” lighthouses, following orbs of light to increase stamina, and sitting on benches to enjoy vistas. All are optional but were fantastic means to explore more of each island.

Overall, gameplay ties in seamlessly with the plot, of which, Farewell North is primarily a story-first title. This symbiosis makes Farewell North greater than the sum of its parts.

Final Score

Farewell North is an absolute delight. You can tell it was crafted with love. I praise Kyle Banks with the quality of work put into the game–from its pleasing graphics, soul-stirring music, and touching tale.

I also appreciate the emphasis on Scottish culture. I learned a lot about Cèilidh and her reasons why she moved away from her roots. It is thanks to her dog, Chesley, that brings her back and helps her process her grief. Farewell North is an excellent example of video games as an art, and there is little critique I could add.

Farewell North is fairly lengthy for an indie game if you choose to explore everything. From a story standpoint, it was quite lovely, and I was thoroughly engrossed. Although from a gameplay standpoint, it sometimes was a slog to continue to the next point. However, that is negligible compared to the overall experience that I recommend to many who are looking for a heartfelt story and a taste of Scottish culture.

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Featured Image Source: Kyle Banks