Future Unfolding
- March 15, 2017
- Spaces of Play UG
- 5h median play time
There is no ‘best way’ to play this, other than in a quiet room with your headphones firmly in place and nothing to distract you.
Get on SteamFuture Unfolding is an exploratory adventure game set in a mysterious forest filled with uncoverable secrets. Players control a small, nimble character, traversing through different biomes, solving puzzles, and avoiding or confronting creatures along the way. The game's unique art style, ambient music, and open-world design encourage players to discover and enjoy the beauty and dangers of the forest at their own pace.
Mac OS
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
PlayStation
Reviews
- The game features a beautiful and unique art style that creates a mesmerizing atmosphere, enhancing the exploration experience.
- Future Unfolding encourages players to engage in exploration and experimentation, allowing for a sense of discovery and personal connection with the environment.
- The soundtrack complements the visuals well, providing a soothing and immersive experience that enhances the overall mood of the game.
- The gameplay can become excessively repetitive, with many areas feeling similar and lacking in meaningful rewards for exploration.
- The lack of clear guidance or tutorials can lead to confusion and frustration, making it difficult for players to understand the mechanics and objectives.
- The procedural generation of levels often results in tedious backtracking and aimless wandering, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- story18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's story is often described as minimal and vague, with players noting a lack of clarity and depth, primarily revolving around themes of nature and balance. While some appreciate the ambient and meditative qualities of the narrative, many feel it takes a backseat to gameplay, with the procedural generation of worlds offering a unique experience but not a compelling storyline. Overall, the narrative is seen as underdeveloped, leaving players wanting more engagement and dynamism.
“It also all but perfects procedurally generated worlds - each world that you pop into is generated around a set of rules and puzzles but the randomization gives every player a unique experience, a unique path to the end of their story.”
“It's good that the story wants to put you in a mood where you'll have the most fun out of the game.”
“Future unfolding is a spiritual quest in a mysterious and life-filled forest.”
“There might be a story here, but I doubt it after only being given a couple of lines of tedious poetry after an hour of exploring (read: randomly running around till the exit appeared).”
“I have no clue what the story of the game is, other than perhaps a vague theme of 'nature should be in balance'.”
“I use the word 'story' very loosely as there is a basic narrative that carries you through but really takes a backseat to your progression.”
- gameplay18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Future Unfolding" is characterized by its vagueness and repetitiveness, with players often feeling frustrated by the lack of clear tutorials and punitive mechanics, such as one-shot enemy kills. While the game encourages exploration and self-discovery of its mechanics, many users find the experience monotonous and lacking in depth, despite some appreciating the unique puzzles and artistic elements. Overall, the gameplay is a mixed bag, appealing to those who enjoy exploration but potentially alienating players seeking more structured guidance.
“Future unfolding excels at letting you find your own way through puzzles and game mechanics, something in which most games fail.”
“The puzzles, atmosphere, and mechanics in this game are so unique!”
“In the role of a human seen from a top view, I walk around, experiment with all sorts of miraculous mechanics, and unlock new sections, lakes, and caves when 'puzzles' are solved successfully.”
“Gameplay-wise, the game doesn't explain itself very well; there's little tutorial other than showing prompts for the controls at the very start.”
“Future Unfolding is an odd game in that you'll see most people's experiences are positive, but all of the negative reviews share the same problem; the game is excessively vague, and the gameplay is extremely repetitive.”
“The hours of running around aren't helped by the limited sprint or the one-shot mechanics of the enemies.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are praised for their unique overheard art style and beautiful, painted aesthetic, which create an immersive atmosphere that evokes a sense of exploration and wonder. However, the visuals can become repetitive and lose their charm due to the emptiness of the game world and lack of engaging content, leading to a sense of aimlessness. Overall, while the graphics are a highlight, they are not enough to sustain long-term interest in the gameplay.
“The overhead art style with heavy use of shadows really adds to that feeling like the sun is setting and you should be getting home, but you're lost in the woods and can't find your way home.”
“It's a lovely touch which chimes with the game's overall 'painted' aesthetic.”
“Beautiful graphics, great work with sound, first hours are full of delightful exploration and wonder.”
“The visuals are unique but they lose their charm pretty quickly when you realize how empty the game actually is.”
“Also, systematically covering all of the map just gets boring after a while, especially since the graphics are pretty, but constantly pretty in the exact same way.”
“Maybe there was something at the end of the tunnel, maybe there was some wisdom to be found amongst the spirit animals and winding mountain paths snaking through the pine forests, but I guess I'll never know, because for everything this game does right, namely the visuals, it fell short in every other aspect, and it couldn't give me anything to make me truly care to invest potentially 10+ hours into a game predominantly involving running nigh aimlessly around a map, just to have a sense of direction.”
- music12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its beautiful and soothing soundtrack that enhances the sensory experience and complements the game's art and puzzles. However, some players found the music to be overbearing at times, detracting from the overall relaxation intended by the gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is noted for its ability to set the mood and transition between different environments effectively.
“This is a really interesting game with beautiful art, a great soundtrack, and cool puzzles.”
“With an unmistakable and hypnotic visual presentation and soothing soundtrack of earthly melodies, the game captures perfectly the majestic and unknown depths of uncharted wildlands and the unknown heart of nature.”
“I wish I had skipped the game and just purchased the soundtrack.”
“I personally couldn't get enough out of the landscape or music to warrant my time being spent running from A to B to find the interesting parts of the game; I'm usually more capable of finding patience for games like these, but this wasn't one of them.”
“While these problems cause frustrations, the music becomes a little overbearing and instead of making you feel like you're relaxing, it makes you feel on edge.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its vibrant and immersive qualities, creating a world that feels alive and self-sustaining. Players appreciate the unique blend of exploration and environmental puzzles, enhanced by a captivating soundtrack that complements the game's dreamy and hypnotic ambiance. Overall, the atmosphere is described as fantastic, with smooth transitions between settings that further enrich the experience.
“Exploration and environmental puzzling with a sublime atmosphere, the world here feels vibrant and alive and real - as if it exists on its own, for itself, and you have to adapt to it and become part of its ecology.”
“The very fitting hypnotic and dreamy synth chimes and twinkles atmospherically to your every action, and ambient tones rise and fall with the movement and action.”
“They are fairly easy; they add to the atmosphere but are not really an intellectual challenge.”
“The puzzles, atmosphere, and mechanics in this game are so unique!”
“Exploration and environmental puzzling with a sublime atmosphere; the world here feels vibrant, alive, and real - as if it exists on its own, for itself, and you have to adapt to it and become part of its ecology.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and unengaging, often feeling like they are aimlessly running around without meaningful progression or story development. The repetitive nature of the exploration detracts from the overall experience, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment.
“There might be a story here, but I doubt it after only being given a couple of lines of tedious poetry after an hour of 'exploring' (read: randomly running around until the exit appeared).”
“Once I found something, I eventually figured out what I had to do, but then I was again teleported to a new place to do more tedious running around.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviewers express mixed feelings about the game's replayability, noting that while the developer's intention to enhance it is commendable, the implemented solutions may not align well with the exploration genre, potentially detracting from the overall experience.
“I understand the developer's desire to increase replayability (a popular trend today), but in my opinion, the solution they implemented is not suitable for an exploration game.”
“After completing the game once, I found little incentive to play it again; the lack of meaningful choices and consequences really diminishes replayability.”
“The game feels too linear, and once you've experienced the story, there's not much left to draw you back for a second playthrough.”
Critic Reviews
Future Unfolding Review
There is no ‘best way’ to play this, other than in a quiet room with your headphones firmly in place and nothing to distract you.
80%Future Unfolding Review
Booting up Future Unfolding drops you into a world without direction. There’s no mini-map, no quest markers, nor does the game teach you how to interact, what to do or even how to move. But you’ll learn.
70%Future Unfolding Review
80%
