Forsaken Frontiers
- October 21, 2024
- made in fairyland
- 77h median play time
Get on Steam"Forsaken Frontiers" is a 12-player cooperative game set in a frozen wasteland, where players must work together to survive and pay off their debt aboard a train. The game features proximity voice chat and PSX-inspired aesthetics, with unique analog-style horror elements that challenge players' perception and sanity. Players must face unimaginable terrors while exploring the icy unknown.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a fantastic atmosphere and sound design, creating a genuinely scary experience.
- Gameplay is fun and engaging, especially when played with friends, and the looting mechanics are satisfying.
- The developers are responsive to community feedback and actively work on updates and improvements.
- The game currently lacks content, with only a few enemy types and maps, making it feel repetitive.
- Navigation can be challenging, and players often get lost without adequate tools to mark their paths.
- The AI of the enemies can feel unfair, as they often seem to know the player's location too easily.
- gameplay35 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is often compared to "Lethal Company," with many praising its satisfying loop, innovative mechanics, and immersive atmosphere enhanced by sound design. While some players appreciate the strategic elements of hiding and looting, others express a desire for more varied enemy types and mechanics to differentiate it further from its inspirations. Overall, the game shows significant potential, but some aspects, like enemy behavior and content variety, could be improved for a more engaging experience.
“The way the sound design is leveraged in a way that balances gameplay is also great.”
“The gameplay loop feels good - every run feels just as risky (if not more) than the last.”
“Not only do I love the satisfying gameplay loop and looting, but also the innovative mechanics and fun easter eggs.”
“Sadly, the butcher is disappointing in its mechanics, as it killed my friend and me after we ran away, even though we cut line of sight on the monster for a good while and hid in a room without making a peep.”
“Moreover, its mechanics feel very generic and boring, with it being another monster that sees you, chases you, and then hits you with nothing to make it feel special or unique besides the sound it makes.”
“Gameplay problems.”
- atmosphere25 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its intense, immersive, and spooky qualities, with many reviewers highlighting the exceptional sound design and visual aesthetics that enhance the horror experience. Players appreciate the tension and nervousness it evokes, often comparing it favorably to other titles in the genre. However, some critiques mention that certain gameplay elements can disrupt the atmosphere, suggesting that while the foundation is strong, further refinement and content updates are needed to fully realize its potential.
“Of all the horror looters I've played, this one has the best atmosphere and feelings of nervousness and caution yet.”
“Dev has nearly mastered an atmosphere of tension, and its peaks are straight up gripping.”
“The atmosphere is tense and spooky.”
“Way too undercooked, way too little content, soundscape way too buggy for a supposed stealth game, killer's AI way too busted, game's economy's a needless lethal ripoff, solid setting, solid atmosphere, solid build-up, poor execution, give it a solid year and a half before trying it again.”
“Chainsaw guy has the awkward carry animation where he can walk for 10+ minutes with you in his hand and you’re exposed to his face for the entire duration, absolutely killing the atmosphere because it’s so awkward.”
“Definitely needs more enemies and better equipment, maybe a little more backstory-related atmosphere.”
- graphics22 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their heavy atmosphere and nostalgic PS1/PS2 aesthetic, which enhances the horror experience. Reviewers appreciate the gritty art style and custom-built engine, noting that the visuals and sound design create an immersive ambiance. Overall, the game's graphics are described as stunning and enjoyable, contributing significantly to its appeal, despite some calls for more content and enemy variety.
“The visuals and audio are insane; I love the PS2/grainy vibe it adds to the horror of the experience.”
“The art style is fantastic, the engine is custom built, and the ambiance and sound design are unparalleled.”
“Atmosphere and visuals go so crazy it's tricky to get a hang of, especially without any guidance. I suggest playing a few right away, then once you've had the fresh experience, search some tutorials on YouTube if you're not try-hard like that.”
“The movement feels super clean and reactive, but the enemies' aesthetics I find to be unmatched, just like the butcher's laugh.”
“Just the game's audio and visuals in the PSX style look absolutely stunning.”
- story5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The current version of the game lacks a definitive story, with players noting that it is still in early access and requires more narrative depth and atmosphere. While it is praised as a fun horror co-op experience, there is anticipation for future updates that may introduce a more developed story mode.
“It's a great horror co-op game to play with friends! I'm excited to see where they go when story mode and other modes are released.”
“There is nothing to be spoiled about as there is no definite story as far as I know for an early access.”
“Definitely needs more enemies and better equipment, maybe a little more backstory-related atmosphere.”
“☐ no story”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect less tedious due to the ability to hold infinite loot, allowing for a more streamlined experience without constant item management. However, some express uncertainty about the purpose of their grinding, feeling it lacks clear goals beyond exploring different maps, while others suggest that extensive grinding may require significant time investment.
“I love the adrenaline rush the game gives me, but I just don't know what I am grinding for other than making it far enough to see all of the different maps.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“It's focused on playing the game, not doing tedious loot running.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its darkly comedic scenarios, where players face absurd choices, such as whether to boldly kick down a door or sneak away from comically menacing monsters. This blend of tension and humor creates a uniquely entertaining experience.
“You will be questioning whether or not to kick down a door and risk being heard to progress in the world, or to leave early as you hear the monsters and laughing killers roaming in nearby hallways and corridors.”
“Very funny game”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its good optimization, providing a pleasant graphical experience while delivering value through entertaining co-op gameplay within a short duration. Users find it worth the price for the laughs and scares it offers.
“The graphics are surprisingly pleasant, and the game, as far as I've gotten, is optimized well.”
“If you’re looking for a good, stressful co-op laugh and value price performance by how many laughs and scares you can get within 2-3 hours, then this game is worth the money.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, particularly in the soundscape and AI, leading to a frustrating experience. Many reviewers suggest that the game feels undercooked and poorly executed, recommending a significant wait for improvements before revisiting. Overall, the consensus is that the game currently suffers from major stability issues.
“Way too undercooked, way too little content, soundscape way too buggy for a supposed stealth game, killer's AI way too busted, game's economy is a needless lethal ripoff. Solid setting, solid atmosphere, solid build-up, poor execution. Give it a solid year and a half before trying it again.”
“Game is a buggy mess, and honestly pretty terrible.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for enhancing the overall atmosphere, contributing to a cool and engaging vibe. While some gameplay elements are criticized for being unfair, the combination of art direction and music is highlighted as a strong point that adds to the player's experience.
“I love the vibes, the art direction and music are super cool.”
“I did enjoy the atmosphere, the music, the way you collect items in a backpack, a 'pipboy' style inventory system, and color choices for it too.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game is widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, leading users to suspect that it may have been hastily developed with minimal effort, potentially even as an asset flip.
“Overall, just a shameless cash grab by the developers. I wouldn't be surprised if the game was an asset flip.”
“The monetization model is incredibly aggressive, making it feel like the game is designed more for profit than for player enjoyment.”
“It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, which makes the game feel incomplete without spending extra money.”
