By Michael Kickingbear
Looking for a video game for a teen with a Native Theme? Check out "Never Alone". A BEAUTIFUL story and the game was developed with DEEP input from the Alaskan Native Community.
One of the really cool aspects of this game is that as you play it, and the story unfolds, you UNLOCK short videos under the "cultural insights" which are outtake interviews with Iñupiat Community members who talk about their stories, and what went into the making of the game.
As the player, You are Nuna, a very young Iñupiat girl who is trapped in this crazy deep blizzard, and who is being pursued by mean spiritual being. Nuna is trying to save her village by understanding what is causing the blizzard. There is also a secondary character that you can play, an arctic fox who is also connected to the spirit world.
The entire game is based on stories by the Iñupiat community and is narrated by an elder in their language. This is NOT an interpretation of their stories from a non-native perspective. I find that fact alone to be deeply gratifying. Never Alone is the product of an uncommon partnership of Alaska Native community members and game developers. The approach to this game is a great example of how Natives can collaborate with non-native people and put out a fantastic product! I can't recommend this Game Enough!