Posted on: December 7, 2023
StuntmanMikeL
Verified ownerGames: 311 Reviews: 52
It's just OKAY
Forsaken is one of those games that have been haunting me since childhood. I remember owning it at one point when I was a kid but at the time, I just found it too difficult and confusing so I brushed it off and forgot about it until recently, when I found this remaster. And then I knew, it was time to give it another chance and see if the accumulated skill and experience that I gained over the years will lend itself to a more satisfying adventure. I'm somewhat familiar with this genre, and I suppose you can think of them as SHMUP games translated into a 3D engine because that's definitely how Forsaken feels at times. The only difference is that the level progression is objective-based with plenty of backtracking. Other than that, most of what you'll be doing in this game is blowing up enemy vehicles while dodging bullets. And it's a totally fine premise if you just want to unwind and not think too much about complex storytelling or puzzles. The game controls very smoothly, and the visuals aesthetically look very pleasing. My favorite element is the colorful and dynamic lighting effects that permeate every level. It looks very clean and smooth, and the futuristic setting is probably just something that I have a soft spot for. The combat itself also feels satisfying and fairly challenging. The only thing that, in my opinion, drags this game down is its level design and sometimes obtuse mission objectives. It's pretty easy to get lost in these tight corridors and I sometimes find myself wandering around the areas that I already cleared out in a slim hope that maybe I missed some tiny hidden crevice in the wall that turned out to be the way to progress the level. Now, I'm no level designer, but if it was easier for me to discover secret areas than the actual mission objective, then clearly something went wrong here. Overall, it's a fun but occasionally frustrating game. Probably played best in short bursts rather than long sessions.
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