Aerial_Knight's Never Yield

Amplified by the soundtrack, Never Yield is a fun run through Detroit, one I felt encouraged to take multiple times

Aerial_Knight's Never Yield is very obviously a passion project that's had a ton of love poured into its super stylish aesthetics and excellent soundtrack, however, it's also one that's rather sorely lacking in the gameplay department. Wally's runs through this futuristic take on Detroit needed more in the way of challenge and variety in order to keep things interesting - more obstacles, more twists and turns and opportunities to show off your skills as you improve and take on higher difficulties. As things stand, this is one slick looking and sounding game that just doesn't manage to provide an incentive to keep playing for very long.

Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield succeeds at getting you into the action with little complication, even if it has less depth than a kiddie pool. It does a poor job at explaining Wally’s situation (everything I know about the story came from outside the game) and this further prevents the experience from being more than something that feels like a prototype. It has a low price that matches well with its truncated runtime and the soundtrack is good enough to help you forget some of the shortcomings. Maybe Aerial_Knight’s next outing will have the recipe for success. 5/10 drone slides

Aerial_Knight's Never Yield presents a not-so-endless runner that oozes coolness, despite failing to present players with engaging gameplay.

What starts off a fun runner, Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield quickly devolves into a bland and repetitive experience. Whilst the colours are bright and the music loud, the lack of replayability or extra modes doesn’t leave it a leg to stand on.

Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield is nothing short of an incredible vision and idea executed perfectly. It’s this that makes the reality of Never Yield’s origins a mix of upsetting and uplifting; Neil Jones has spent the last decade as a Black developer doing his best to make it in an industry that he recognized wasn’t making space for him, so he decided to do it himself. If you’d like to learn more about Neil Jones and his journey, I highly recommend reading his recent interview with GamesIndustry.Biz. More than just signing his work by putting his username in the title, Jones is fully stating to the rest of the world that he quite literally will never yield when it comes to doing what he loves to do, and releasing this game is proof of that.

Overall, Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield is an entertaining game with a solid combination of running, art, and music. While its replayability can be improved upon, it’s a solid indie title to run with.

With speed and assertive gameplay as its main objectives, Aerial_Knight's Never Yield is a game that offers simplicity and dynamism for parkour, as well as for quick thinking to overcome obstacles. The game offers an authentic and well executed experience, but it needs a slightly more defined and explanatory script that allows a direction of the plot.

Solo developer 'Aerial_Knight' explodes onto the scene both literally and figuratively. This unique 3D side-scroller places the player as a superhuman youngster thrust into a world of chaos, colour and a killer soundtrack to boot. The game kicks major ass.

Neil Jones has created a terrific showpiece for how to take the classic runner and add in your own special aspects. The gameplay is enjoyable on the harder difficulties and stays just long enough to not wear out its welcome. Speedrunners or Achievement Hunters should rejoice as the game has plenty available for those seeking the perfect run. Perhaps a leaderboard will be added to it in the future that gives them, even more, to go after. Honestly though what will stick with me is the amazing soundtrack and its great sense of style that cements it as one of my favorite games of this year.