Endling - Extinction is Forever Review: For Fox Sake

Endling - Extinction is Forever is a product of authentic passion for an underlying threat to our planet. Quoting developer Herobeat Studios…

Are you aware that, according to a recent study, published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, about 27% - or in numbers: more than 28,000 - of animal species on our planet Earth are threatened with irreversible extinction? That’s thousands of species such as rhinos, lions, tigers, seals, and bears, jeopardized by pollution, hunting and the ever increasing loss of their natural habitats.

Herobeat Studio has crafted an informative experience unlike any other, telling a timely and critical narrative of human carelessness and destruction. Haunting, gorgeous, and frankly refreshing - Endling is not your traditional survival game. 

Typical Humans

Endling is a tale of survival, and what you would do to protect your own blood when the surrounding world has its figurative gun pointed towards you and the ones you love. Stepping into the paws of a mother fox - the last of its species - players are tasked with protecting, caring for, and raising four cubs in a spoiled home; a surely once thriving habitat is now ravaged by human violators and their destructive creations. Scavengers and poachers wander the forests that surround a toxic factory poisoning the surrounding areas, crafting a world not fit for its natural inhabitants. Day by day, the fox family must scavenge for food, avoid predators, and teach younglings how to survive. 

From the moment ‘New Game’ is selected, Endling makes one thing perfectly clear: it is a heavy narrative where danger lurks around every corner. Anxiety is consistently pushed to the player’s limits, with little room for levity. While its refusal to not let up may be a deterrent for some players, it’s necessary for the message being portrayed. The storytelling is blunt. Humans are destroying the planet, and the repercussions are ever-present. Life is fragile, and can be lost at any moment; particularly new life. 

Since previews and public demos, there have been concerns from various players about the nature of the narrative, its themes, and any potential outcomes. Understandably so, as Endling has always worn the “cute animals fighting for their lives within a hellscape” plot on its sleeves. Yes, it’s dark and riddled with chest-clenching moments. Again: a tone I believe to be inherently necessary with the underlying message. It even elevates the survival gameplay. But for conflicted players, there are ways to create a ‘narrative safety bed’ of sorts. Being a video game, thankfully a quick menu reload can reverse any dire turn of events. Saving only occurs when entering the fox family’s lair and ending the day. Since gameplay is broken up into single days, if something happens, players can simply back out to the main menu and restart the day. There are no repercussions tied to the bit of video game time travel. 

Sunrise, Sunset

Despite the Endling’s dreadful and dire narrative tone, the overall presentation is awe-striking. Endling is a lush painting in motion. The tonal and textureless color palette creates a more whimsical presence than what is actually being portrayed thematically. The contradiction in visuals and themes is compelling. The beauty of the aesthetic feels as if it belongs to environments not riddled with human-caused chaos, strengthening the overall story being told by harkening back to a beautiful past. Beyond potentially deliberate choices to utilize contradictions narratively, Endling is simply stunning. The use of contrast and depth never fails to catch the eyes, generating an impulse to stop in the fox’s tracks and exist for a moment. The depth, in particular, is remarkably executed. Endling is a game played in 2D, but the 3D renderings give off an impressive flow and grace when it comes to the environment’s inhabitants. For a world sinking into destruction, it is quite beautiful.

The soundscape, score, and overall mix elevates not only the visuals, but the gameplay as well. Sweeping orchestral scores give off a climatic Disney-like essence found in many of our childhood favorite animated films. The sound design is subtle, particularly where humans are nowhere to be found. Paws hitting snow, the fox plopping into bushes, the cubs chewing away at their mother’s prey all give off a soothing sensation within the in-between moments. On the flip side, the dynamic range of the mix is utilized wonderfully with crashing machinery, weighty equipment clanking around humans, and the natural warning signs given off by predators. Hard effects trigger a reactionary fight or flight catalyst. If it wasn’t for the thoughtful mix, drastic moments would be more abundant.

Fantastic Mrs. Fox

Traditionally, I am not one for survival games. The mechanic of simply existing in a world that actively does not want the player to exist tends to be frustration. But thankfully, Endling is a different type of survival game that puts its narrative in the forefront. It’s refreshing.

Endling is an ‘open-linear’ experience, giving the player freedom to openly explore a surprisingly large world while signposting towards plot-driving events. As previously mentioned, the game is broken up into days. While narrative is the focus, survival is still a critical mechanic. For the cubs and their mother, surviving a day means scavenging for sustainable food, as hunger amongst the cubs steadily increases. Additionally, predators - both animals and humans - are ever present. As days draw to a close, the lurking threats become more widespread. Stay out too late, and exhaustion begins to drain on the cubs. Traversing back to any lair the foxes call home in a timely manner is a must to take shelter and prepare for the next day.

Exploration and survival is appropriately nerve wracking. Predators and traps are easy enough to avoid or fend off once player confidence is built up, but hunger is where panic comes into play. The hunger meter tends to drop quite drastically, so hunting or scavenging must always be a priority. At times, there will be no animals in sight nor natural vegetation or trash to tide the cubs over. Sometimes, scented trails - the mechanic that leads players to food sources - lead to dead ends or straight to predators. It can be a bit frustrating when no animals are spawning or predators corner food sources. With the aforementioned ‘time travel’ workaround, any bad days can easily be reversed. Days tend to run shortly (which also adds to the panic), so not much time is ever wasted.

While balancing survival, the mother fox is exploring the wasteland created by humans with one specific goal in mind. For the sake of spoilers, I won’t include specifics on the plot-driving objective as its introduction is impactful and heartbreaking. Particular events occur on particular days, all which help move the narrative forward. This is where linearity kicks in. Events are marked on the overworld map, signaling the player where they should probably spend time exploring. Events will not only share on-screen action (NPCs moving about, in-game cutscenes, etc), but they will typically open up new areas or trigger a cub skill unlocking as well; actions such as jumping, digging, and squeezing to uncover environmental secrets. 

Narrative beats and environmental events always feel precisely paced. When I felt ready to explore beyond particular barriers, an event would open the path. The same applies to the cub skills; when curiosity struck coming across a small nook, a cub would unlock the appropriate skill. Along the same line, days never felt aimless. When leaving the lair to begin a new day, I almost instantly knew where I should be heading due to map markers or a critical scent. Endling doesn’t waste the player's time. Frankly, this is a trait I’m not used to in traditional survival games. My only critique when it comes to the events in particular is the lack of navigational markers. I found myself constantly checking the map to ensure I was heading in the correct directions. In turn, it kept interrupting the flow of natural gameplay. This felt like an odd omission, as when days draw to a close, a navigational marker to the closest lair pops up on screen. While I understand the desire to keep the UI clean, being able to select an event on the map and, for example, trigger a scent would have been a welcomed addition. 

Breakdown

Game: Endling - Extinction is Forever

Developer: Herobeat Studios, HandyGames

Availability: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

Reviewed on PlayStation 5

Pros:

+ Fresh take on the survival genre

+ Awe-striking visuals and color play

+ Heartbreaking, honest narrative

+ Wonderful pacing

Cons:

- Lack of navigational markers interrupt gameplay flow

- Unavoidable scenarios can cause frustration

Final Thoughts

Endling is a heartbreaking, yet honest and necessary take on the human effect on natural habitats. The harrowing tale is masterfully paired with this fresh take on the survival genre. Despite a few minor critiques when it comes to navigation and occasional unlucky scenarios, Endling is a dime a dozen type of experience worthy of your attention.

Reviewed by Mike Towndrow

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