That in itself isn’t a slight against it – after all, there aren’t many games that are Journey.
Unfortunately Spirit of the North is not Journey. Part of the magic of both of these games is that they always feels expansive, and that you’re very much a part of a world of wonders. This game is not open (it’s deceptively linear and limited), but then, Journey was the same. It’s the moments where you come across a new area, to see expanses of land, water, snow, greenery, and whatever else that Spirit of the North really hits home. The game is also truly gorgeous, even on Nintendo Switch where things have clearly been cut down substantially to work on the more humble hardware. If nothing else, my knowledge on Nordic storytelling traditions is sadly inadequate and this game reminded me that I probably should remedy that at some stage. There’s not a word of dialogue in Spirit of the North, but it has a strong narrative context, and by going into it with an interpretative and inquisitive mind, it does seem to have real cultural value. In this case, it wants you to reflect on the cultural implications of the Nordic storytelling traditions that it explores. It wants to be a Journey-like artistic experience, designed to lift your soul and simultaneously give you something to reflect on. Spirit of the North wears its inspiration on its sleeve.
People who participate in those vile fox hunts need to be rounded up and made the subject of a hunt themselves… but we’re not here to talk about that. They’re smart, fluffy, and noble animals, like wolves but more petite and less terrifying if you happen to just come across one (yes I know that wolves aren’t actually the dangerous monsters that popular culture likes to depict them as, but they are still much more powerful animals than the shy fox).