Week 12; Never Alone

 Area 1: Never Alone focuses on the tragic circumstances of Nuna, a young Iñupiaq girl who finds her village destroyed and must now find answers and possible survivors. She is accompanied by her Arctic Fox, whom has the ability to advocate on her behalf with natural spirits and also assist in gameplay. Seemingly, the cultural references are very much in line with the general sentiment of Upper One Games, the studio which developer Never Alone, or  Kisima Inŋitchuŋa. Coincidentally, the studio was a subsidiary of the Cook Inlet Tribal Council prior to merging with another company. The game was developed with the permission of the people, to their direct benefit and also with their direct input throughout the process. The game offers brief videos throughout where people from the tribe are interviewed regarding themes concerned with the cultural systems that are being represented during that particular moment in the game. The game is also narrated throughout by elders that speak Iñupiaq, which colors the gameplay in a way that would not be otherwise possible.

  
Area 2: I believe games like this are necessary in our modern time. They can serve as a way to not only give voice and agency to severely underrepresented peoples, but also provide fantastic cultural insights into an area or life where so many people are able to pick and choose their own interests. The slow and bleak style of actin in this game is not common; in fact, I've played only one other game that is similar, and Limbo is similar in action only. Where Kisima Inŋitchuŋa stands apart is representative; it focuses on hope. In the stories shared by the tribespeople, the themes of having to endlessly battle the elements in a fashion where there is no "winning" as game culture and modern Eurocentric thinking defines it. To win is to survive. That does not take away the harsh elements. Or provide food. Or keep you warm. It just gives you another chance to survive, and if the spirits are kind (or even if they aren't), you may be privileged enough to survive along with someone you care for.