The Forest A Sensational Survival Horror

The Forest combines an unsettling mood with a palpable atmosphere to create a constant feeling of dread and tension. Meanwhile, the densely packed and layered story immerses the player from the off. A story that sets a terrifying president, as events unfold in a grizzly and grotesque fashion. The Forest is a unique, survival horror sandbox, that makes astute use of its surroundings, to generate fear and uncertainty. In truth, fans of the sub-genre owe it to themselves to play this game. That’s if you can face the stark reality of its ominous underlining premise.

On the surface, or to the casual eye, the forest gives off the impression of an Elysian paradise — an untamed woodland, flooded with natural beauty. The craggy cape, with its glittering ponds and padded forests, looks like the perfect place for an ideal getaway. What’s more, the rich abundance of flora and fauna presents an idyllic representation of Eden. Sadly though, there is an undercurrent of tragedy, to all this sensual immersion. That said, the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. In keeping with infamous horror tropes: Things are not as they seem.

Initially, all is quiet, a little too quiet for my tastes. As I trek forth to find the coast and forage for provisions, a despicable beast, hunched and hideous looking stops me in my tracks. I’m rooted to the spot, but my best chances are to evade the of unknown origin. In fight or flight fashion, I avert my gaze and dart into the thick forest to try to lose the beast on foot.

 

I can hear its quickening footsteps and ghastly grunts. Surprisingly, just as I expect it to launch an attack, the pounding of the floor drops a beat while the eerie echoes of inhuman panting dissipate. Soon enough, I realized that the forest would spend the next twenty hours, instilling a sense of paranoia, and psychological trauma. All this, by subverting my perceptions. The result of which, would lead me to question my sanity. In doing so, it would bring me to the brink of despair.

 

Okay, so we’ve established that you’re going to be sharing your time on the wooded peninsula with cannibals. Oddly though, no matter how many times you run into one, you never desensitize to their horrific qualities. Mainly, this longevity of fear is due to the brilliantly configured AI. There’s no kamikaze charging or mindless pursuits. Instead of ignorant, and braindead actions, each attack is carefully conceived and coordinated.

 

For instance, sometimes they’ll stalk you at a distance to determine your base of operations. Other times, they’ll suss you out by charging head-on in short bursts to test your nerve. They’ll even flank you, and target areas of weakness, showing a knowledge of their environment, and the susceptibilities of man. All this creates a frightening foe that exhibits human thought processes and rational decision making — something that’s lacking in all but a few survival horror games.

Usually, in a game of the survival sub-genre, there is some form of self-preservation. The Forest is no exception. You will need to manage thirst and hunger levels to survive. All the while, the sanity system, tests your moral compass. Here, you can choose to maintain a level of moral decency. Or, you can turn feral, and eat your way through the cannibals. It’s an eye for an eye mentality in a kill or be killed world. However, besides being granted the option to build statues of trophy kills, there is not much separating a saint from a sinner.

 

Perhaps, with hindsight, it would have been nice if the sanity system had a greater significance on the story. Maybe something like Fallout 3’s karma mechanic, which impacted dialogue and plotlines. Anyway, it’s a small gripe and the core fundamentals more than mask this deficiency.

 

The story though is gripping from start to finish. Interestingly, it demands much of the player on both an emotional and psychological level. You’ll be asked to make some challenging decisions and face a few ethical demons along the way. As well as encounter some literal serpents of the afterlife. For me, the cave segments where the most thrilling, and produced the more intense, adrenaline-fuelled moments. Albeit, dreaded and suspenseful drama that it was.

 

As a single-player experience, The Forest stands as one of the most excellent examples of survival horror. That said, the co-op mode, which allows up to eight players, is more of a fun and experimental way to kill time. Within, players make use of a base-building system, to defend the fort against waves of oncoming brutes. It’s a fun pastime which provides a touch of light-hearted fun between friends. In what is an otherwise despicable world filled with unimaginable horrors.

 

All in all, The Forest executes a sensational survival horror, that plays wicked tricks on the mind. Moreover, the depth of AI garners a constant feeling of uncertainty. That tortures the soul throughout. Finally, the perfect blend of jump-scares and moments of carefully crafted suspense conjure up an unforgettable thrill-ride of misery, that never lets up, and strengthens its grip, in the final hours. A must play for fans of the sub-genre.

 

What did you think of The Forest? Did it scare the pants off you? Let us hear about your fright-fest in the comments.