Editing The Neverhood (section)

== Reception ==
=== Sales ===
According to Leslie Helm of the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', ''The Neverhood'' "won rave reviews" but was commercially unsuccessful.<ref name=37k/> In early 1997, that paper's Greg Miller reported that the game's "sales have been slow and [it] isn't even carried by all of the largest stores, including [[Target Corporation|Target]]." This came at a time when [[big-box store]]s were increasingly important for securing sales, as many specialized [[Video game industry#Retail|video game retailers]] had closed due to competition with these outside companies.<ref name="slow">{{cite news |last=Miller |first=Greg |date=March 3, 1997 |title=''Myst'' Opportunities: Game Makers Narrow Their Focus to Search for the Next Blockbuster |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-03-03-fi-34360-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160518142834/http://articles.latimes.com/1997-03-03/business/fi-34360_1_pc-game |archive-date=May 18, 2016 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> By August 1997, ''The Neverhood'' had sold 37,000 copies in the United States.<ref name="37k">{{cite news |last=Helm |first=Leslie |date=August 18, 1997 |title=Have CD-ROMances Run Their Course? |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-aug-18-fi-23584-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150107053439/http://articles.latimes.com/1997/aug/18/business/fi-23584 |archive-date=January 7, 2015 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> Sales in the region had risen to 41,073 copies by April 1999, a figure that [[CNET Gamecenter]]'s Marc Saltzman called "embarrassing".<ref name="10bought">{{cite web |last=Saltzman |first=Marc |date=June 4, 1999 |title=The Top 10 Games That No One Bought |url=http://www.gamecenter.com/Features/Exclusives/Notbought/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000616082501/http://www.gamecenter.com/Features/Exclusives/Notbought/index.html |archive-date=June 16, 2000 |work=[[CNET Gamecenter]]}}</ref>

''The Neverhood''{{'}}s total sales ultimately surpassed 50,000 copies, and "hundreds of thousands" of [[OEM]] copies were purchased by Gateway and pre-installed on its line of computers, according to Mike Dietz.<ref name="neverhoodsales">{{cite web |last=Zellmer |first=Dylan |date=June 18, 2013 |title=Exclusive – The ''Neverhood''{{'}}s Mike Dietz 'The Industry Is Stuck In A Rut' |url=http://www.igameresponsibly.com/2013/06/18/exclusive-the-neverhoods-mike-dietz-the-industry-is-stuck-in-a-rut/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130808090034/http://www.igameresponsibly.com/2013/06/18/exclusive-the-neverhoods-mike-dietz-the-industry-is-stuck-in-a-rut/ |archive-date=August 8, 2013 |work=iGame Responsibly}}</ref> It also received a huge fan base in Russia and Iran as a result of the massive [[Bootleg recording|bootleg copying]] and distribution of pre-installed games on computers.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/nFDj-YsZODU Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20130629020300/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFDj-YsZODU&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFDj-YsZODU&t=11m50s |title=Funny Interview with Doug Tennapel! Armikrog on Kickstarter! |date=26 June 2013 |publisher=WelovegamesTV |access-date=2013-10-06}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

=== Critical reviews ===
{{Video game reviews
| Fam = 29/40 (PS)<ref name=":0"/>
| CGW = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name=cgwrev>{{cite magazine | last=Hedstrom |first=Kate | title=Klay Time | date=December 1996 | page=304 | magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] | issue=149 }}</ref>
| PCGUK = 29%<ref name=pcguk>{{cite magazine | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001207205400/http://www.pcgamer.co.uk/games/gamefile_review_page.asp?item_id=1229 | url=http://www.pcgamer.co.uk/games/gamefile_review_page.asp?item_id=1229 | title=Pastic | last=Davies |first=Jonathan | issue=36 | magazine=[[PC Gamer UK]] | archive-date=December 7, 2000 | url-status=dead }}</ref>
| GSpot = 4.9/10 (Windows)<ref name="GSrev">{{cite web |last=Hutsko |first=Joe |date=1996-10-24 |url=http://www.gamespot.com/the-neverhood/reviews/the-neverhood-review-2543926/ |title=The Neverhood Review|publisher=[[GameSpot]] |accessdate=2013-09-02}}</ref>
| PCGUS = 40%<ref name=pcgus>{{cite journal | last=Vaughn |first=Todd | title=Reviews; ''The Neverhood Chronicles'' | date=December 1996 | volume=3 | number=12 | journal=[[PC Gamer US]] | page=258 }}</ref>
| rev1 = ''[[Computer Games Strategy Plus]]''
| rev1Score = {{rating|5|5}}<ref name=cgm>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030523213843/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/004/143/neverhood_review.html |url=http://www.cdmag.com/articles/004/143/neverhood_review.html |title=''The Neverhood'' | last=Yans |first=Cindy |work=[[Computer Games Strategy Plus]] |archive-date=May 23, 2003 | date=1996 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''
| rev2Score = A<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Cheng |first=Kipp |date=1996-11-29 |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,295189,00.html |title=PC Game Review: 'The Neverhood' |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |access-date=2013-09-02 |archive-date=2013-05-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522105035/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,295189,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| NGen = {{rating|3|5}}<ref name="NGen24"/>
| rev4 = ''[[PC Magazine]]''
| rev4Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name=pcmag>{{cite journal | last=Mooney |first=Shane | journal=[[PC Magazine]] |date=February 4, 1997 |title=Looking for Adventure? | issue=3 | volume=16 | pages=366, 368 }}</ref>
| award1Pub = ''[[Computer Games Strategy Plus]]''
| award1 = Adventure of the Year<ref name="cgmawards1996"/>
| award2 = Best Adventure Game<ref name=gamecenter1996/>
| award2Pub = [[CNET Gamecenter]]
| award3 = Special Award for Artistic Achievement<ref name=cgwpremier1996/>
| award3Pub = ''[[Computer Gaming World]]''
| award4 = Best Animation (finalist)<ref name=spotlightnoms1996/><ref name=spotlight1997/>
| award4Pub = [[Computer Game Developers Conference]]
}}

A ''[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]'' critic was pleased with both the visual style (which he said is essentially unprecedented on PC) and the execution of the graphics, but found the game is held back by unexciting puzzles and a generally slow pace.<ref name=NGen24>{{cite magazine|title=The Neverhood|magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=24|publisher=[[Imagine Media]]|date=December 1996|pages=268, 272}}</ref> ''[[GameSpot]]'' likewise stated that the game has endearing visuals but is held back by the puzzles. However, rather than being dull, they judged the puzzles to be unfairly difficult and frustrating, remarking that "Clues are so abstract they will lead you to despair."<ref name=GSrev/> ''[[GamePro]]'' contradicted, "While some of the puzzles are perplexing, none of them have solutions so obscure that you'll burst a blood vessel trying to solve them." However, they agreed that the graphics and the personality of the characters are the highlights of the game.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Major Mike | title=PC GamePro Review Win 95: The Neverhoo |magazine=[[GamePro]] |issue=99|publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]] |date=December 1996|page=95}}</ref> ''[[Weekly Famitsu]]'' gave the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] version a score of 29 out of 40.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=クレイマン・クレイマン 〜ネバーフッドの謎〜 [PS] / ファミ通.com |url=https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?a=page_h_title&title_id=17041 |access-date=2018-11-04 |website=famitsu.com}}</ref>

''The Neverhood'' was named the best adventure game of 1996 by ''[[Computer Games Strategy Plus]]'' and [[CNET Gamecenter]],<ref name="cgmawards1996">{{cite web |date=March 25, 1997 |title=''Computer Games Strategy Plus'' announces 1996 Awards |url=http://www.cdmag.com/news/0325971.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970614161401/http://www.cdmag.com/news/0325971.html |archive-date=June 14, 1997 |work=[[Computer Games Strategy Plus]]}}</ref><ref name=gamecenter1996>{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970205013139/http://www.gamecenter.com/Features/Exclusives/Awards96/indexa.html | url=http://www.gamecenter.com:80/Features/Exclusives/Awards96/indexa.html | title=The Gamecenter Awards for 96 | author=The Gamecenter Editors | work=[[CNET|CNET Gamecenter]] | archive-date=February 5, 1997 | url-status=dead }}</ref> and was nominated for the latter publication's overall "Game of the Year" prize, which ultimately went to ''[[Quake (video game)|Quake]]''. Gamecenter's editors wrote that it "went beyond anything seen so far in this genre".<ref name=gamecenter1996/> The game also won the 1996 "Special Award for Artistic Achievement" from ''[[Computer Gaming World]]'', whose staff called it "the coolest-looking game of the year."<ref name=cgwpremier1996>{{cite magazine | author=Staff | magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] | title=The ''Computer Gaming World'' 1997 Premier Awards |date=May 1997 | issue=154 | pages=68–70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80 }}</ref> While ''The Neverhood'' was nominated for the [[Computer Game Developers Conference]]'s "Best Animation" [[Spotlight Awards|Spotlight Award]],<ref name=spotlightnoms1996>{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970605172050/http://www.next-generation.com/news/041597e.chtml | url=http://www.next-generation.com:80/news/041597e.chtml | title=And the Nominees Are... | date=April 15, 1997 | author=Staff | work=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]] | archive-date=June 5, 1997 | url-status=dead }}</ref> it lost in this category to ''[[Tomb Raider (1996 video game)|Tomb Raider]]''.<ref name=spotlight1997>{{cite press release | url=http://www.gamechoiceawards.com/archive/spotlight_1997.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110703083042/http://www.gamechoiceawards.com/archive/spotlight_1997.html | archive-date=July 3, 2011 | title=Spotlight Awards Winners Announced for Best Computer Games of 1996 | publisher=[[Game Developers Conference]] | url-status=live | location=[[Santa Clara, California]] | date=April 28, 1997 }}</ref>

''[[Animation Magazine]]''{{'}}s film festival "World Animation Celebration" awarded the game "Best Animation Produced for Game Platforms" in 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0213117/awards?ref_=tt_awd |title=WAC Awards for 1997|website=[[IMDb]]}}</ref>

In 2011, [[Adventure Gamers]] named ''The Neverhood'' the 35th-best adventure game ever released.<ref name=top100>{{cite web | author=AG Staff | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604021011/http://www.adventuregamers.com/articles/view/18643 | url=http://www.adventuregamers.com/articles/view/18643 | title=Top 100 All-Time Adventure Games | date=December 30, 2011 | archive-date=June 4, 2012 | work=[[Adventure Gamers]] | url-status=live }}</ref>