Game Review: Next of Kin (Xbox Series X)

Coming from developer and publisher Spelkvall Games, Next of Kin is a difficult game to talk about without spoiling the only aspect worth playing it for, its deep and emotional story. Be warned, this review has some spoilers but also deals with difficult subjects.

Which might seem odd, considering the game starts off in mundane fashion and has colourful 2D visuals. Players step into the shoes of Thomas, who alongside his wife, Martha, has left the city and bought a house in the country. There, they meet the other members of the small town and set about making themselves comfortable.

It’s all so wholesome, and the years pass by seemingly uneventfully.

That is until one day, Thomas wakes up to find his home in disarray, blood everywhere, a big wound on his head, and no memory of the last few days. If that wasn’t bad enough, Martha is nowhere to be found, and the town appears to be empty. Just what is going on?

That is what players will have to find out, and the truth is one that stays with you, even if I found the ending a bit frustrating overall. I’ll explain why in a bit, but before then, I can’t praise the way the narrative drew me in enough. I was hooked, and more than happy to let the story play out in ‘cinematic’ fashion. It’s not quite a walking simulator, but it’s pretty darn close.

It doesn’t matter though, Next of Kin is all about its narrative and as the mystery unfolds, it becomes darker and darker. This is a story about mental health and how issues around it can take its toll on a person and those around them. Which might not be particularly fresh sounding, but Spelkvall Games does go in quite an unflinching direction with their story. Sometimes, to the point that almost doesn’t work. Happily, it’s ‘almost’ and the story will leave you with plenty to think about afterwards.

The final few moments of the game really hit hard. Even if what comes just before it might be a bit too much. I won’t spoil it for you, but there is an odd ‘bait and switch’ at the end. It’s not so bad that it ruins anything, and the final moments really rescue things, but it’s a close one. I recognise that not everyone will feel this way about this section of the game though, it’s a personal thing.

Regardless, I do believe everyone will take something from the game though and that makes it worth playing. It’s a short experience, liable to only last an hour to an hour and a half at most, but it delivers something memorable, satisfying, and so importantly, meaningful.