F.I.S.T. Forged In Shadow Torch

An excellent Metroidvania adventure with intense combat, rewarding exploration and a visually immersive dieselpunk world.

84%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

optimization, grinding

88% User Score Based on 1,246 reviews

Critic Score 80%Based on 30 reviews

Platforms

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Buy NowGet on Steam€8.99

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About

In "F.I.S.T. Forged In Shadow Torch," play as Rayton, a former soldier, who uses his mechanical fist to fight back against the Machine Legion that invaded and colonized Torch City. Explore a detailed Metroidvania-style game world, complete with interconnected areas, various challenges, and different weapons to master. Uncover a bigger scheme between the mafia, rebellion, and legion as you journey through this beautifully designed, torch-lit city.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

F.I.S.T. Forged In Shadow Torch screenshot

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,276 reviews

story131 positive mentions

optimization23 negative mentions

Outstanding graphics and art style that create an immersive dieselpunk world.
Engaging combat system with a variety of weapons and satisfying combos.
Fun exploration with numerous secrets and collectibles to discover.

Significant difficulty spikes, especially in the final boss fights, can be frustrating.
The story is generic and lacks depth, with underdeveloped characters.
Technical issues such as crashes and performance drops, particularly with ray tracing enabled.

story
427 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
60%
9%
The story in this game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it simplistic, cliché, and lacking depth. While some appreciate the effort put into the narrative and character development, others feel it serves merely as a backdrop for gameplay, often describing it as predictable and forgettable. Overall, the story is seen as functional but not particularly engaging, with many players suggesting that the game's strong gameplay and visuals overshadow its narrative shortcomings.
- “An absolute masterpiece, in the top 5 of metroidvania games... stunning graphics, story line, combat system, and characters... bravissimo.”
- “The map is sprawling without being confusing, the combat system is in-depth while being easy to pick up, and the story is a compelling tale of corruption, betrayal and heroism in a dieselpunk world inspired by early 20th-century China.”
- “I cared about the other characters in the game, I felt the pain of the main character, I felt as if the developers cared about the story.”
- “The story is just sort of bad on its own: barely set up, weirdly paced, and brimming with cheesy dialogue.”
- “It feels like the story only goes halfway through justifying anything, so everything you do feels arbitrary.”
- “The big weak point of the game, it feels like they focused exclusively on gameplay and the story was added as an afterthought.”
graphics
361 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
29%
2%
The graphics of "Forged in Shadow Torch" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning dieselpunk aesthetic, detailed environments, and smooth animations, often described as AAA quality. Players appreciate the vibrant art style and immersive world design, although some have noted occasional graphical glitches and performance issues. Overall, the visuals are considered a highlight of the game, enhancing the overall experience and atmosphere.
- “An absolute masterpiece, in the top 5 of metroidvania games... stunning graphics, storyline, combat system, and characters... bravissimo.”
- “The graphics are incredible, super sharp and a really nice gritty aesthetic.”
- “The graphics and animations are gorgeous.”
- “It comes off as a cheap metroidvania title that focused more on the graphics and presentation instead of a truly engaging combat system.”
- “Visuals are many times spoiled.”
- “Several crashes, graphical glitches, entire areas turning into slideshows for 30 seconds at a time (settings didn't matter), and a really poorly thought out control system mar what is otherwise a pretty good time for the most part.”
gameplay
314 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
52%
3%
The gameplay of this metroidvania title is characterized by a mix of engaging mechanics and visual appeal, with many players praising its smooth controls, diverse combat options, and rewarding exploration. However, some critiques highlight issues such as clunky mechanics, inconsistent responsiveness, and a lack of challenge in certain areas, leading to a somewhat polarizing experience. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable moments and a captivating aesthetic, it struggles with execution in some gameplay aspects, leaving room for improvement.
- “The gameplay is smooth as butter, bosses are epic, the map and level design are well defined and fun to explore, and the music is memorable.”
- “Incredibly polished gameplay with great platforming and movement mechanics as well as deep combat and combo systems.”
- “Awesome metroidvania game: cool graphics, nice mechanics, numerous upgrades through the game, enormous world to explore, though level and non-trivial puzzles.”
- “I really was looking forward to this game, but its combat is just so stiff and mechanical that it lost all appeal. The fact that some enemy attacks are so fast-paced and the input feels so unresponsive at times just ruins it.”
- “However, the gameplay feels clunky and outdated, while the level design is uninspired as well.”
- “Gameplay is extremely simplistic, glitchy, repetitive, and is not doing anything new.”
music
123 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
35%
3%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its unique and varied soundtrack that enhances the overall experience, particularly in terms of atmosphere and immersion. While some tracks are described as memorable and fitting for the game's tone, others are criticized for being repetitive or not particularly impactful. Overall, the soundtrack is generally considered solid, with standout moments that resonate well with players, despite some technical issues and personal preferences regarding style.
- “The music perfectly complemented the action, and it almost took a life of its own with all the orchestration and jazz licks that you are able to sample as you play through the game.”
- “The soundtrack by Caisheng Bo does the job well, with a couple of the songs truly slapping.”
- “The graphics are amazing and the music ties in very well with zones and helps quite well with the immersion.”
- “The music in the first area is so repetitive, it almost drove me crazy.”
- “The music is often a miss too, with the very first location track being the worst offender and the best example of the issue – it’s not a bad track, but it’s short, repetitive and it soon becomes annoying.”
- “Given how long you might be in an area, or paused, I think the soundtrack should have room to breathe and set the tone but the tracks are so damn short.”
optimization
71 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
45%
32%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing smooth performance and no bugs, while others report significant issues such as stuttering, frame drops, and poor asset loading, particularly in specific biomes. Despite the impressive visuals, many users feel that the optimization needs improvement, especially for RTX users, and that these performance problems detract from the overall experience. Overall, while some players enjoy a seamless experience, others find the optimization lacking, impacting gameplay, especially during intense moments.
- “Considering the number of enemies that can appear on screen, you have to tip your hat to the optimization.”
- “That's how you should do very nice visuals and optimization.”
- “Very fun gameplay, awesome graphics and optimization.”
- “Game is stuttering on 7700x and 7900 GRE.”
- “The poor optimization is the only thing keeping me from giving it a glowing review.”
- “It brings nothing new to the genre, but the setting and characters are great, the graphics and soundtrack are very good. The only bad point is a poor optimization which results in heavy lag that makes some intense parts of the game (especially the boss fights) much more difficult (to the point they can become more frustrating than fun).”
grinding
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
6%
92%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, with excessive backtracking and repetitive combat contributing to a sense of monotony. Many reviews highlight the lack of engaging content and the cumbersome navigation system, which detracts from the overall experience. While some appreciate the game's scale and design, the grinding often feels like a chore rather than an enjoyable challenge.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Combat becomes tedious when the game's strategy is just to bombard you with enemies, and there isn't a block button anywhere in sight so you just have to take hits.”
- “This makes backtracking extremely tedious, which is terrible in a metroidvania game.”
- “The checkpoints in the game are placed a little too scarce for my taste and there is a lot of backtracking if you want to 100% each area which can be a little tedious.”
atmosphere
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
77%
19%
4%
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its high level of detail and immersive design, featuring a unique steampunk/dieselpunk aesthetic that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the combination of stunning graphics, dynamic soundtracks, and engaging worldbuilding, which together create a captivating environment that draws them in. While the gameplay and combat are also highlighted, the atmosphere stands out as a key strength, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “Environments are highly detailed, atmospheric, and full of depth.”
- “Amazing graphics and scenery, really knowing how to create the atmosphere they wanted.”
- “Overall this is an excellent and enjoyable game with a unique atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is quite different, a bit of a Blade Runner vibe here.”
stability
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
5%
90%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with players reporting occasional graphical glitches and significant stuttering, particularly when using RTX settings. While some users experienced no major issues, others noted crashes and performance drops that detracted from the overall experience. Many believe that with future patches to address these bugs, the game could improve significantly.
- “I had no lag, no glitches, nothing getting in the way.”
- “With RTX on, transitions between screens cause massive stutters very often, sometimes almost freezing, around 3fps for a second or two (played on RTX 2080 Super).”
- “It has the potential of being a good game, but unfortunately it feels too buggy and unfinished.”
- “Several crashes, graphical glitches, entire areas turning into slideshows for 30 seconds at a time (settings didn't matter), and a really poorly thought out control system mar what is otherwise a pretty good time for the most part.”
humor
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by random comedic events and amusing dialogue, often highlighting absurd situations, such as a character's indifference to a potential love interest in favor of camaraderie. Players appreciate the humor found in the machines' jokes and the entertaining localization, despite some instances of hilariously poor dialogue. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted touch to the gameplay experience.
- “I also found it quite funny that they introduce the cat woman like she's going to be some kind of relevant love interest but Rayton visibly doesn't care because he'd rather fight an entire army for one of his male friends, lol.”
- “If anything, I kind of find them funny since every so often the machines make jokes.”
- “It's buggy and the dialogue is hilariously bad in spots, but the combat is just so much fun and it's so damn pretty.”
character development
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
53%
27%
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it slow and lacking depth, making it difficult to form emotional connections with the characters. While the character designs are visually appealing and creative, they are often described as flat and not engaging enough to enhance the overall experience. Additionally, the progression of character abilities feels rushed and disorganized, detracting from the potential for meaningful development.
- “The visuals such as character design, animation assets, and environmental design are all beautiful!”
- “Story, character design, gameplay, level design, and everything was amazing!”
- “Do not be put off, there is no odd 'furry' stuff; I found the characters and the character designs to be creative and fun.”
- “Character design is a bit flat and not very engaging.”
- “Character development felt a bit slow to me as I've only unlocked a few abilities so far.”
- “It's rushed, all over the place, and lacking the character development to make you actually feel something about them.”
emotional
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while the music and some visuals evoke feelings of anxiety and claustrophobia, the overall narrative fails to deliver a strong emotional impact due to awkward dialogue, poor voice acting, and an inconclusive plot. Despite these shortcomings, some players still find moments of genuine emotion, leading to a heartfelt recommendation for action game enthusiasts.
- “Story was surprisingly emotional at times, partly due to the music, which is incredibly well done.”
- “The backgrounds look so good in certain locations that the style of only being able to move left or right across the screen sometimes made me feel anxious and claustrophobic; I want to see more of the city!”
- “But for now, this is a heartfelt recommendation for any action game fan.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game offers good replayability due to its shorter length, allowing players to revisit it multiple times; however, its very linear story may limit the overall experience and variety in subsequent playthroughs.
- “Infinitely replayable.”
- “Replayability seems good, because it can be on the shorter side.”

80%Critics’ scoreBased on 30 critic reviews

Buy F.I.S.T. Forged In Shadow Torch

14h Median play time

14h Average play time

10-20h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 16 analyzed playthroughs

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