Endling: Extinction is Forever is an indie survival-adventure game developed by Spanish studio Herobeat Studios and published by German HandyGames. It has been released for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on July 19, 2022, for Amazon Luna on October 6, 2022, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on November 3, 2022, and for Android and iOS on February 7, 2023.[1][2][3][4] The game was offered to PlayStation Plus subscribers, at no cost, for the month of July 2023.[5]
| Endling: Extinction is Forever | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Herobeat Studios |
| Publisher(s) | HandyGames |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release | Windows, Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One July 19, 2022 PS5, Xbox Series X/S November 3, 2022 Android, iOS February 7, 2023 |
| Genre(s) | Adventure, survival |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Gameplay
editEndling is a third-person survival game in a 3D side-scrolling world.[6] The player takes the role of the last mother fox in the world, who is accompanied throughout the game by her young cubs, who must be protected and fed. The cubs can learn different skills that help increase their chances of survival.
Plot
editIn a post-apocalyptic world, the story begins with a mother fox trying to escape from a human-caused forest fire. Once she manages to escape, she suffers an injury from a fall. She then seeks shelter, where she gives birth to her cubs. During the first few days, everything seems to be going well, until one fateful night, a human scavenger captures one of her cubs. Desperate, the mother fox goes out in an effort to track down the scavenger and find her lost cub, all while ensuring that her other cubs survive in a polluted and desolate world. On her journey, she meets a wide variety of characters, including hunters, a furrier, a mother badger with whom she may become friends and, eventually, Molly, a girl who helps them by giving them food. After several nights following the scavenger's tracks, she finally finds him with her cub and Molly. Molly is revealed to be the scavenger's daughter. She's sick, and her father is unable to afford the medicine to treat her. The next day, Molly dies and her father is later killed by the furrier, seen by having a hatchet in his chest. Shortly after, a large flood occurs. The cubs manage to climb into a floating bathtub and the mother fox tries to catch up with them, but she is hit by a barrel and swept away by the current. She somehow wakes up in a deserted and desolate place and hears her cubs. Even though she is injured, she goes to rescue them from a mud puddle. Once she gets them all out, they set off on a long journey into the unknown. They find the mother badger mourning the loss of her own cub. She meets the furrier soon after, who is now armed with the scavenger's rifle. She finally reaches an area with vegetation, which appears to be a protected area, and begins to dig her way through the fence that separates this forested area from the rest of the world. The cubs are the first to enter, followed by the mother. But she is hit by a shot from the furrier whilst she is crossing. Her cubs help her move forward hoping to get her to safety, but she collapses and dies from her injuries. In the final scene, the cubs snuggle up next to her corpse and, afterward, continue on their way with the mother badger, who takes care of them.
The final scene may vary depending on the actions taken by the player, such as how many cubs survived and whether or not the mother fox helps the badger.
Reception
edit| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 75/100[7] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Nintendo World Report | 8/10[8] |
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2022) |
Accolades
editThe game was nominated for the "Games for Impact" award at The Game Awards 2022, which went to As Dusk Falls.[9] The game was also nominated for the "Outstanding Art Direction, Contemporary", "Outstanding Game, Special Class", "Outstanding Original Dramatic Score, New IP", and "Outstanding Game of the Year" awards at the 22nd Annual NAVGTR Awards, winning only one for "Outstanding Game, Special Class".[10] It was also nominated for the "Social Impact Award" at the 23rd Game Developers Choice Awards, which went to Citizen Sleeper;[11][12] and won the award for "Game Beyond Entertainment" at the 19th British Academy Games Awards.[13] It also won the awards for "Game of the Year" and "Most Significant Impact" at the 2023 Games for Change Awards, whereas its other nomination was for "Best Narrative Game".[14][15]
References
edit- ^ "Endling: Extinction is Forever launches July 19". Gematsu. 2022-06-02. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
- ^ Bryant Chappel [@BryantChappel] (6 October 2022). "NEW GAME ALERT!!! Endling - Extinction is Forever is now available via @AmazonLuna for Luna+ subscribers" (Tweet). Retrieved 2023-02-08 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Endling: Extinction is Forever now available for PS5, Xbox Series". Gematsu. 2022-11-03. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
- ^ "'Endling – Extinction Is Forever' From HandyGames and Herobeat Studios Is Out Now – TouchArcade". 7 February 2023. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
- ^ "PlayStation Plus: Games for July 2023 | NationHive". www.nationhive.com. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
- ^ "Análisis Endling - Extinction is Forever, tragedias apocalípticas desde la mirada animal". Vandal (in Spanish). 19 July 2022. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
- ^ "Endling - Extinction is Forever for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
- ^ "Endling - Extinction is Forever Review - Review".
- ^ Plant, Logan (8 December 2022). "The Game Awards 2022 Winners: The Full List". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ^ "Elden Ring wins Game of the Year from NAVGTR®". NAVGTR. 14 February 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
- ^ Mejia, Ozzie (26 January 2023). "Elden Ring & Stray lead Game Developers Choice Awards 2023 nominees". Shacknews. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- ^ Batchelor, James (23 March 2023). "Elden Ring and God of War Ragnarök sweep GDC 2023 Awards". GamesIndustry.biz. Gamer Network. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
- ^ Gardner, Matt (30 March 2023). "Bafta Games Awards 2023 Winners: 'Vampire Survivors' Shocks As Best Game". Forbes. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ Takahashi, Dean (31 May 2023). "Games for Change Festival unveils 2023 award finalists". VentureBeat. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ^ Rosseau, Jeffrey (20 July 2023). "2023 Games for Change Awards unveiled". GamesIndustry.biz. Gamer Network. Retrieved 28 March 2024.