THE FOREST

ONLY THE STONGEST LUMBERJACK CAN SURVIVE

Well,… first of all I have been dealing with a game that was still in development but could nevertheless be played already due to modern early-access programs on Steam. The game is already done by now but before I go more into detail about the game, I want to spend a few words on this "get to play games that are still in development" issue. This is not the first game I purchased that way. The advantages are obvious - early access, cheaper than the release version and so on.

But,... there are also a lot of disadvantages that I unfortunately encountered every single time and that can be summarized with just a few words: The games are unfinished! Yes, I know what to expect but I somehow feel like always running into the same trap. In short: It is plain annoying to have a game that is full of bugs, that get’s reset periodically, that feels incomplete and that basically sucks up all the fun way before enjoying the whole picture. - I have never played a single indie game that I had early access to again after it got finally released, because I - or it - simply took out the juice from the unfinished version after some days and no matter what was promised to be available in the final game, it never made the cut. - The same is the case for The Forest, I knew there was a lot more to come, but I already had enough. I think that is very sad for a lot of ambitious games. I understand the need of programs like Early Access & Co. I am on the developer’s side and I fully understand why most of them choose to sell their game already during development, but I just have to say that there are certain downsides for both the creators and the players.

The game itself is based on some good ideas and sound principles and offers a great atmosphere, not lastly because of its good graphics. In this game it’s just you alone; you find yourself in the middle of a forest after surviving an airplane crash. You have no idea where you are and no clue where to go. Just one thing is sure: You can’t sit it out and simply wait for rescue, because that might even take weeks and above all the locals don’t like your presence here at all. Actually they would rather like to eat you for dinner (which is my imagination talking) or at least slaughter you and build a totem out of your body parts because you disturbed their sacred grounds or something like that.

In order to survive (on top of finding food and other useful stuff) you have to build a lot of things by yourself. That includes: Shelters, fireplaces, traps and even big wooden structures that will protect you from the weather as well as the local naked farmboys... and girls. Sounds pretty nice, or not? Well, to be honest after probably three hours of playing it gets a bit boring and the game starts to look more like wood-chopping simulation than a frightening survival game. In addition the chopping simulation part, The Forest lacks of any goal other than exploring the woods and picking up stones, sticks or chopped wood - which are btw. basically all the resources the game offers you . I am not too sure about what the actual goal of the game is, if it will ever be explained and in the end we can speak at least of some sort of story behind everything, because… at least at the time I played it, it was not finished. I know I am usually stating it is better to let the player’s imagination flourish and not to explain everything but you know… please give us something or else there’s really not much room to see this game any different than a simulation for lumberjacks.

So, to wrap this up: If survival games are your thing, if you like to be frightened, if you like to explore and above all if you like simulations and you want to build something, this game is for you! If there are no radical changes regarding the game’s depth in terms of story and diversity I wouldn't even recommend getting the cheaper, “in-development” version, which is - as above mentioned - anyway not possible anymore. Did you play the full version of the game? Is there some sort of plot or specific goals to it now? I would love to hear something from you because only that way I think I would give the game another try.

Play more! Chop more!