Andy Bell has rarely sounded as good as he does here, contrasting the icy-smooth synth nature of Martyn Ware's production with a warm, well-shaded vocal.

"[5] Troy J. Augusto from Cash Box felt that "flamboyant frontman Bell's voice is as smooth and bittersweet as ever, a nifty companion to Clarke's upbeat programming and producer Martyn Ware’s almost industrial style.

"[9] Peter Paphides from Melody Maker commented, "A bittersweet feast of feelings, with Andy Bell's ethereally lachrymose moan tantalising and trapping you forever with a chorus so ravishing that even The Four Tops' "I Can't Help Myself" sounds like The Toy Dolls by comparison.

"[12] Alan Jones from Music Week gave it five out of five, describing it as "busy, perky pop with the deftest of touches, this is another hugely commercial and nicely understated piece enlivened by Vince Clarke's tickering synths and Andy Bell's warm contralto.

[14] Keith Cameron of NME was negative in his review, writing that the "inconsequential Martyn Ware-produced tinkle-plop has all the allure of a Eurovision Song Contest entry circa 1982".

[15] A reviewer from People Magazine felt that Bell's "quasi-operatic vocals continue to lend color and depth to Clarke's effete synthetic grooves".

[16] Mark Frith from Smash Hits gave it three out of five, calling it "a nice catchy tune with strange squiggly bits and electronic noises.

[18] AllMusic editor Ned Raggett described "Always" as a "wonderful ballad" with a "slightly quirky opening, strong verses both musically and lyrically, and a flat-out brilliant chorus, Bell's impassioned delivery one of his finest moments.

"[19] John Hamilton from Idolator ranked the song among "The 50 Best Pop Singles of 1994" in 2014, describing it as a "bleep-bloopy disco ballad featuring some of Andy Bell’s most delicate vocals to-date.

"[2] Same year, Chris Gerard from Metro Weekly stated, "They made a triumphant return with "Always", a divine synth-pop ballad that proved irresistible to pop radio.

[20] "Always" entered the top 10 in Austria (2), Denmark (5), Finland (3), Germany (5), Iceland (4), Ireland (7), Spain (8), Sweden (2), and the United Kingdom, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100, where the single reached number four in May 1994.

The accompanying music video for "Always" features Andy Bell in a Chinese scroll painting-inspired backdrop; it was directed by the Dutch-French filmmaker Jan Kounen.