Forests, Fields and Fortresses
- April 5, 2023
- 9 Eyes Game Studio
Get on Steam"Forests, Fields and Fortresses" is a puzzle and board game hybrid where you build your kingdom as a ruler. In Puzzle Mode, manually created levels require you to place territory pieces to earn gold, while Adventure Mode offers a randomly created field and endless supplies of territory pieces to earn gold and unlock new spells, game events, and locality types. The goal is to ensure the prosperity of your people and successfully complete game seasons.
Mac OS
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a fun and engaging puzzle mechanic that combines elements of tile placement and strategy, making it enjoyable for both casual and more experienced players.
- The graphics and music create a relaxing atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience while playing through the various levels.
- Puzzle mode introduces new mechanics gradually, allowing players to learn and adapt, while adventure mode offers replayability with randomized elements and unique challenges.
- The adventure mode can feel overly random and lacks sufficient control over tile placement, which may lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- Some players found the overall difficulty to be on the easier side, with many levels not providing a significant challenge.
- The user interface can be cumbersome, requiring both mouse and keyboard for optimal play, which may detract from the overall enjoyment.
- gameplay14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay features a mix of engaging puzzle mechanics and an adventure mode that introduces new elements, though the overall experience can feel unpolished and repetitive due to RNG factors. Players appreciate the unique mechanics and gradual difficulty increase in the puzzle mode, but some find the limited content and reliance on random events in adventure mode detract from long-term enjoyment. Overall, it's recommended for those who enjoy light to medium puzzle games with a relaxing yet thought-provoking approach.
“The mechanics behind this puzzler are unique (or at least, unlike any similar games I remember playing) and I quite enjoyed having to wrap my brain around some clever puzzles.”
“The adventure mode was a nice twist on the puzzle mode, using the same rules but introducing some new mechanics.”
“You should consider buying this game if you like relaxing, but thought-provoking, puzzle games - especially if you enjoy rogue-lite gameplay!”
“Sadly, the gameplay isn't polished enough to keep you busy more than that as the RNG can, and will, make things out of your control and boring more often than it should once you start adventure mode after completing the 60 puzzles available in the game.”
“While the UI reacts fine to touchscreen taps, gameplay requires being able to hover your cursor without clicking, so a mouse or laptop touchpad is required to play.”
“There aren't a lot of levels overall, but 'adventure mode' offers an alternate play mode that introduces some new mechanics and plays almost like a roguelite, with progress unlocking new spells and randomized events.”
- music8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as soothing and medieval, creating a calming atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience. While some players find it meditative and enjoyable, others, like Aqua, feel it can be overly tranquil and even dull at times. Overall, the soundtrack is praised for its immersive quality and contribution to the game's relaxing vibe.
“I liked the chill music and had fun finishing all the puzzle levels.”
“Meditative and relaxing game with pleasant music and sound effects.”
“The music and sound effects are also impressive and add an immersive atmosphere to the game.”
“Aqua: (leaning back, bored) this music is putting me to sleep.”
“(kazuma places the tile awkwardly, causing part of his village to fall apart. the soothing music continues, completely mocking his frustration.)”
“(the argument continues as the soothing medieval music plays, drowning out the chaos.)”
- graphics4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are widely praised for their cute and unique visual style, effectively complementing the game's atmosphere. Reviewers highlight the great pixel art and the harmonious integration of medieval melodies, along with customizable settings for an enhanced experience. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's appeal, earning a solid recommendation.
“The graphics and unique visual style fit perfectly into the game world.”
“Great pixel graphics and matching medieval melodies with separate volume settings, resolutions, windowed mode, and multiple languages.”
“The graphics are cute; 8/10 would recommend.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by playful banter between characters, with moments of lighthearted teasing and laughter that enhance the overall comedic tone. Players appreciate the witty interactions, particularly the dynamic between Kazuma and Aqua, which adds charm to the experience.
“Sylvia: (chuckling) Oh, Kazuma, let me take over.”
“Aqua: (laughing) Wow, you really are bad at this!”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its balanced complexity, making it an enjoyable tile placement optimization experience that is engaging without being overwhelming.
“This is a tile placement optimization game with about the right amount of complexity to be fun without overwhelming you.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by impressive music and sound effects, contributing to a highly immersive experience for players.
“The music and sound effects are impressive and add an immersive atmosphere to the game.”
“The game's environment is beautifully crafted, creating a captivating and eerie atmosphere that keeps you on edge.”
“Every detail in the world contributes to a rich atmosphere that draws you in and makes you feel part of the story.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The adventure mode enhances replayability by introducing a rogue-lite element, allowing players to unlock various features and strive to achieve higher scores before failing, thus providing a fresh experience with each playthrough.
“Adventure mode offers a bit more variety and replayability - a sort of rogue-lite mode where you unlock different things and try to get as far as possible before failing the target amount of gold for a level.”
- story1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story revolves around completing tile quests by matching edges, which allows players to earn points as they progress through the game.
