Because the identify implies, Farewell North is a sport about saying goodbye–to a spot, to individuals, and to the life-style that these issues symbolize. Although the narrative journey is brief, it packs a number of characterization and resonance into that point, with solely occasional obstacles to blunt the affect of the expertise.
You play as Chesley, or Ches for brief: a sweet-natured border collie who had as soon as labored as a sheepdog on a farm within the Scottish highlands. Your human companion, a younger girl named Cailey, ventured off her household farm and into town however was summoned again when her rural mom grew to become ailing. Cailey helped with the farm for some time, counting on Ches‘ herding expertise, after which when her mom handed away, they moved again to town collectively, the place Ches grew to become a homebound pet somewhat than a working canine. This sport captures what appears to be Cailey’s first time coming again to the world since then.
On one degree, this can be a sport about loss, and the way it manifests in several methods. Cailey misplaced her mom, and as you discover the Scottish highlands along with her, you get bittersweet reflections about her farm life and the way it felt to slowly lose her mom to a terminal sickness. Although it is much less pointed, you additionally get the sense that Ches misplaced her residence when she grew to become a metropolis canine, so this return to the highlands is a reunion of kinds.
That sense of coming again house is what makes a number of the moment-to-moment gameplay really feel gentle and joyful, even when it is concerning very severe subject material. Ches is clearly thrilled to be again within the wild with the liberty to discover broad open fields, herd sheep, and customarily commune with nature. Likewise, Cailey is reflecting on each moments of disappointment and pleasure along with her mom, the land, and Ches.
The core of the expertise is fixing a collection of environmental puzzles, although these are as gentle and ethereal because the atmosphere itself. The puzzles aren’t particularly mentally taxing, which often provides the entire affair a calming really feel that allows you to focus squarely on the narrative.
I say often, although, as a result of whereas it does have a peaceful, relaxed really feel when every thing is working correctly, I did sometimes run right into a state of affairs the place it wasn’t fully clear what to do. Usually puzzles come all the way down to crossing below a downed tree or different related piece of nature that can change the atmosphere in some delicate means, and in the event you occur to overlook certainly one of these, you are liable to be very confused concerning the path ahead. At one level I used to be caught for fairly some time, and after I lastly did uncover the best way, I wasn’t fully positive what I had been doing flawed earlier than. I simply stumbled my means into it, blissfully unaware.
That is partly as a result of visuals, that are largely introduced with a muted grey coloration palette that turns into colourful in key moments and as a response to sure gameplay segments–for instance, the world simply round a herd of sheep will probably be colourful, which makes them stand out from the background. That is essential for illustrating the central idea: that Ches‘ time with Cailey is restoring coloration and pleasure to their world, however it will possibly additionally typically make the atmosphere laborious to learn.
For that motive, the sport is at its greatest when the puzzles take a again seat and the sport as a substitute relishes within the views of nature, like an early second when the music crescendos as Ches runs by way of a subject that has had its coloration restored. It additionally excels at abstracting the atmosphere in key moments to indicate you the world by way of a canine’s eyes, just like the streaks of site visitors lights making an impassable wall, or a sea of intimidating, faceless strangers who seem like attempting to grab you, however who’re really Cailey’s buddies and group serving to to search for you.
Farewell North is a grounded, slice-of-life sport given some fantastical parts by way of Ches‘ distinctive perspective. Because it reaches its emotional climax, it turns into a stirring meditation on the function pets play of their people‘ lives as consolation and assist, and likewise, the function that people play within the lives of their pets as suppliers and protectors. Whereas its waypointing will be sometimes irritating, it is a candy, emotionally resonant expertise that can keep on with you, and perhaps immediate a little bit additional cuddle time with your personal pets.