FOX n FORESTS

67%
Game Brain Score Based on 103 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • graphics
FOX n FORESTS Game Cover
I feel sorry for kids these days; they just don’t appreciate how much games have advanced in the last 20 years or so.
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"FOX n FORESTS is a 2D action platformer with puzzle elements, featuring pixel-perfect graphics and a magic crossbow that lets you switch between two seasons in each level. Inspired by 16-bit classics, the game offers challenging platforming, screen-filling bosses, rich bonus levels, and upgrades for your shots and crossbow. Explore the mystical forest, uncover secrets, and test your skills in this love letter to retro gaming."

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

67%
Audience ScoreBased on 103 reviews
gameplay15 positive mentions
grinding6 negative mentions
  • Gorgeous pixel art and nostalgic 16-bit era feel, with beautiful backgrounds and character designs.
  • Engaging gameplay with a unique season-changing mechanic that adds variety to level traversal and puzzles.
  • Fun and challenging platforming experience with a good variety of enemies and boss battles.
  • Controls can feel stiff and unresponsive, particularly with the inability to shoot while jumping and awkward melee attack mechanics.
  • Mandatory backtracking to collect seeds can be tedious, as players must replay levels to progress, which may detract from the overall experience.
  • Lack of a quit button and some unclear design choices, such as confusing hit detection and unclear season effects, can lead to frustration.
  • gameplay91 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, featuring a charming season-changing mechanic that adds some depth and variety to the platforming experience, but is often hindered by clunky controls, tedious animations, and design choices that can frustrate players. While the aesthetic and music evoke nostalgia for classic 16-bit platformers, many reviewers found the core gameplay to be generic and occasionally tedious, with issues like mandatory backtracking and unclear mechanics detracting from the overall enjoyment. Despite these shortcomings, some players appreciated the challenge and creativity in level design, suggesting that the game has potential if future iterations address its gameplay flaws.

    • “The overall package captures the spirit of a fun adventure that should give you around 7-9 hours of gameplay, or even more if you aim to complete everything the game offers!”
    • “The changing of seasons is a nice game mechanic, and each level uses it in new ways, keeping the gameplay fresh and engaging.”
    • “The core gameplay is fun, though, so I hope the devs can learn from this and make something great the next time around.”
    • “The gameplay is extremely okay, almost feels like the quintessential 'generic low frills platformer.' The seasonal mechanic is neat, although marred by a long, non-cancelable animation to cast that provides zero i-frames and can end up with you taking a hit if you aren't careful or just get bad luck.”
    • “Not only that, but the gameplay itself is relatively slow, and if you combine that with enemies that respawn infinitely on the same spot over and over again, some maze-like stage layouts, and important items hidden behind scenario elements, you have a recipe for a game that tries its best to slow you down at every step and punish you for its own failure at giving you important information.”
    • “The game presentation is amazing and the idea is very good, but sadly it all fails to deliver because of some really bad decisions in the gameplay department, and that's the most important part.”
  • music62 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its nostalgic 16-bit sound, effectively evoking the charm of classic SNES titles. Many reviewers highlight the catchy and memorable tracks, particularly noting how the soundtrack adapts to seasonal changes, enhancing the overall experience. While some find certain tracks less impressive, the general consensus is that the music significantly contributes to the game's appeal and atmosphere.

    • “The music is some of the best I've heard for an indie-produced game like this; it has a great 16-bit sound to it and sets the tone perfectly for the stage, ranging from epic intensity to being calm and relaxing, to delightfully creepy and spooky. When the seasons change, it actually switches to different songs before returning.”
    • “The soundtrack is absolutely gorgeous, and there are so many memorable tracks throughout the time I played. These little touches really make the soundtrack stand out from everything else and help set the mood with the seasons.”
    • “Right from the start, this game is a delight with the 16-bit visuals and the soundtrack that takes you back a few decades.”
    • “The music... well, at least the stage musics are nice, but as you keep playing new stages, you end up noticing that they feel like variants.”
    • “As for the main menu music... who the hell composed that?”
    • “If the music was better, maybe I would have liked this game more.”
  • graphics38 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful pixel art, effectively capturing the nostalgic aesthetic of classic SNES and DOS titles. Reviewers highlight the stunning visuals, immersive level designs, and a well-fitting soundtrack that enhance the retro platforming experience. However, some note that while the graphics are impressive, they sometimes struggle with clarity, making it difficult to distinguish between foreground and background elements.

    • “The pixel artwork is gorgeous.”
    • “The graphics are done very professionally and seriously feels like a lost SNES game.”
    • “The graphics are great, the gameplay is smooth, and all around it's enjoyable.”
    • “No 'in-game graphics options' (because why implement that and instead ride on the excuse that it's supposed to emulate a SNES game... ridiculous!)”
    • “Sometimes it’s a bit difficult to distinguish what is the background and foreground of the graphics.”
    • “It fits the aesthetic, but it's barely legible simply due to the color choices.”
  • story23 mentions

    The story of "Fox n Forests" follows an adventurous fox named Rick who embarks on a quest to help a partridge named Patty save the ancient season tree from a mysterious force. While the premise of the story is intriguing, many reviewers find it simplistic, predictable, and lacking depth, with characters that do not evolve significantly. Overall, the narrative serves as a lighthearted backdrop to the gameplay but fails to leave a lasting impression.

    • “Fox n Forests tells the quirky story of an adventurous fox named Rick, who is helping an old tree gather some key elements for... reasons.”
    • “The plot of the story involves a fox named Rick who is about to eat a partridge named Patty, when Patty has a clever idea to ask him to assist her in a quest, promising all sorts of treasures as a reward.”
    • “That quest involves helping to save the powers of the ancient season tree after a mysterious force took over four different parts of the forest, keeping those sections stuck in one of the four seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter, all while trying to bring forth a fifth season and rule the entire forest under its evil power.”
    • “The story for Fox n Forests is nothing special, and it is quite predictable.”
    • “While the concept for why the forests have been taken over is interesting, the sudden and awkward introduction to the story feels a bit forced.”
    • “These characters never really evolve past that, and because there was effort put into making a story, there could have definitely been something more meaningful here.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, often feeling unresponsive and frustrating, particularly due to the slow mana recharge and the frequent health depletion from enemies. While some appreciate the nostalgic feel of the game, the repetitive nature of grinding detracts from the overall experience.

    • “One occasional problem is waiting to recharge mana is tedious sometimes.”
    • “So in most of these cases, the game will be farming cheap ways to sap your health and once you notice you're already dead.”
    • “It's tedious.”
  • replayability4 mentions

    Overall, the game offers solid replayability through its mechanics of searching for hidden items, quick respawns, and upgrades that encourage players to revisit levels. However, some players feel that the necessity to thoroughly explore levels can diminish the excitement of replaying them.

    • “But nevertheless, it's a fun game and I can already see it has great replay value.”
    • “Normally this would add replay value, but since you're already forced to search the entire level, it feels less special when you have to return yet again.”
    • “Quick respawns make it quick and easy to get back into the fight, and upgrades and power-ups make the levels easily replayable.”
    • “Searching for gold and other hidden items to get more potions, strengthen Rick, and seeds to gain passage to other forests/seasons helps add replay value to the game.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The game's stability is marred by several issues, including frustrating hit box detection, unresponsive controls, and notable bugs such as character animations freezing during death sequences. Additionally, the seasonal mechanic introduces a vulnerability that disrupts platforming, further complicating the gameplay experience. Overall, players report a range of stability concerns that detract from the overall enjoyment.

    • “There are some slight issues with frustrating hit box detection and control responsiveness, but the big kicker was a buggy jump in the third world boss.”
    • “Changing seasons is a neat mechanic, but it freezes your character in place for an extended period of vulnerability and doesn't mesh well with platforming.”
    • “There are also a few cases of bugs in the game, like if your character dies while sliding down a rope, the character dies floating in the air, and some instances where the jump animation freezes when the character dies while jumping, but the death music plays, and shortly after you respawn.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    Players express frustration with the game's design, noting that the harsh mechanics—where even minor contact with walls or floors results in instant death—detract from the emotional experience. This design choice creates a sense of unfairness and frustration, undermining the potential for deeper emotional engagement with the game.

  • humor3 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of mildly amusing elements, including a humorous sound effect for cheat entries and some funny dialogue, contributing to a so-bad-it's-good charm. Overall, while not consistently hilarious, it offers moments of amusement that can entertain players.

    • “A funny sound effect will tell you that you have entered the cheat correctly.”
    • “The storyline and humor are mildly amusing in a so-bad-it's-good sort of way.”
    • “However, there are still a few funny bits of dialogue sprinkled throughout the game.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is often criticized for being two-dimensional and predictable, lacking depth and complexity. However, the imaginative character design adds a unique visual appeal, complementing the challenging platforming gameplay.

    • “The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character.”
    • “Each character evolves in meaningful ways, making their journeys feel authentic and engaging.”
    • “The game excels in character development, providing players with a diverse cast that grows and changes throughout the story.”
    • “The characters are also pretty two-dimensional with predictable character development.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

71% average critic score

Buy FOX n FORESTS

Play time

9hMedian play time
8hAverage play time
5-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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