Spirit of the North 2 Review
/By Ashley Williams
Platforms: PS5, XBOX Series X/S, PC
Developer: Infuse Studio
Release Date: May 8th 2025
Spirit of the North 2 greets back its players into its world as a red fox. Well, however you want to make it your own is up to you. The fox has spiritual strength; this time the fox will be accompanied by a raven friend. On the shoulders of the original's groundwork, this sequel tries to broaden its scope, deepen its story, and draw players into a stunning but frightening world based on Nordic myth. To a large extent, I'd say that the game succeeds, although it's not without a couple of faults along the way. Graphics: Spirit of the North 2 takes advantage of the Unreal Engine 5, and it's beautiful. Environments include fog-shrouded forests to icy mountains to sun-baked ruins, all with rich lighting, high-definition textures, and a very painterly quality. Much more than just pretty to look at, the graphics are employed as a narrative tool, leading the player through wordless story sequences and emotional color schemes.
Gameplay: Spirit of the North 2 improves upon its ancestor with linear puzzles, more diverse environments, and a skill tree. This RPG-lite feature allows you to tailor your fox's spiritual abilities, which rewards exploration and sometimes is the only way to progress. The puzzles themselves are introspective and not necessarily taxing. More environmental conundrums than thinking cap ones. While the pacing is calm by design, some players may find the pacing to drag, especially when you’re backtracking or searching large areas for needed items. The Raven companion provides welcome dynamism. It has game and story use, helping the player through puzzles and sometimes giving a gentle shove when the road ahead is blocked. The foxy-ravenny relationship, if not indeed made overt, develops organically from moments of shared experience—silent, yet emotionally charged.
Music: The music, written by Pav Gekko, quietly complements the atmosphere. It changes as you move along, growing during emotional highs and fading into soft background noise during epiphany. The audio-visual balance is where the game really shines—the experience is a living, breathing myth.
A Few Flecks of the Fur
For all its sheen in so many facets, Spirit of the North 2 is far from flawless. Tech issues—audio glitches, lighting anomalies, and periodic graphical stutters—can shatter immersion. There's also the nagging feeling that the world, while expansive and gorgeous, is at times perhaps a tad too deserted. This has the unintended consequence of reducing some objectives to fetch quests by proxy, with the player walking long distances across expanses without any meaningful participation.
One or two of the plot developments are underdeveloped, probably because of the game's minimalist, non-prolix handling of storytelling. While fans of reserved storytelling may enjoy the absence of specificity, others may be hungry for more detail or emotional resonance.
Final Verdict
Spirit of the North 2 is an internalized journey—a process, not a conclusion. It won't be everyone's cup of tea. Players who seek action, dialogue, or rapid speed will be left wanting. But players who appreciate atmosphere, emotional narrative, and art direction will discover a melancholy, sometimes stunning journey well worth the trip.
It's not flawless, but as the fox beneath it, Spirit of the North 2 glides quietly, leaving gentle paw marks on the spirit.
Final Rating: Buy It/ B+
