The Cursed Forest

About

The Cursed Forest is a single player simulation game with horror and mystery themes. It was developed by Noostyche and was released on February 26, 2019. It received positive reviews from players.

"The Cursed Forest Remake" is a horror-adventure game that takes you back into a haunted forest with enhanced graphics and a new storyline, using the updated CRYENGINE. The game now includes localization in Hungarian, Italian, French, Polish, and Turkish, all provided by dedicated fans. Embark on a chilling journey through the woods, overcoming obstacles and uncovering the mysteries within.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 596 reviews

story126 positive mentions

stability34 negative mentions

The atmosphere is very well-crafted, both spooky yet oddly cozy, making it a nice walking sim.
The game features stunning graphics and a captivating story that draws players in.
It offers a unique blend of horror elements with engaging exploration and well-written notes.

The game suffers from various bugs and crashes, which can disrupt the experience.
Storytelling relies heavily on scattered notes, which can be tedious and disrupt immersion.
Some players find the gameplay shallow, lacking interesting mechanics and a clear purpose.

story
332 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
58%
4%
The story of "The Cursed Forest" is described as captivating and atmospheric, with many players appreciating its enchanting and eerie narrative. However, the storytelling primarily relies on scattered notes, which some found to be unimaginative and detracting from immersion, leading to a mixed reception regarding engagement and clarity. While the plot has elements of cliché and simplicity, it manages to maintain interest and evoke emotional responses, particularly in its exploration of darker themes.
- “The story is enchanting and in places immensely atmospheric.”
- “If you like story-driven, narrative experiences, where every moment of the game is worthy of a screenshot, I can highly recommend 'The Cursed Forest'.”
- “The atmosphere, graphics, puzzles, genuine scares that made me jump out of my skin, creepy sections, music is amazing, level design is outstanding, story is interesting.”
- “Yet, storytelling solely happening through scattered notes is unimaginative and often ruins the vibes you're into when you constantly have to stop and read.”
- “The start was strong, intriguing, but then it all just turned into a walk-everywhere-pick-everything routine with no sense of danger or suspense, and a story that was turning more and more predictable with every page I found.”
- “Jump scare after jump scare with little to no atmosphere in between, an incredibly shallow and repetitive story.”
atmosphere
254 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66%
32%
2%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and beautifully crafted design, combining elements of spookiness with a cozy feel. Players appreciate the attention to detail in the graphics, sound design, and music, which enhance the eerie and engaging environment, making it a standout experience in atmospheric horror. While some find the gameplay simplistic, the overall ambiance and storytelling create a captivating experience that keeps players intrigued and on edge.
- “The atmosphere is very well-crafted, both spooky yet oddly cozy.”
- “The game world is lavishly designed, full of magic and creepy atmosphere, eerie music, fun jump scares, hilarious humor, and an unnerving mystery that slowly unfolds over the game.”
- “The atmosphere and environmental design in this game is fantastic, and while I have never been scared by playing this game it certainly does have an in-game environment that leaves you wanting to come back for more.”
- “Jump scare after jump scare with little to no atmosphere in between, an incredibly shallow and repetitive story.”
- “Instead of keeping the atmosphere creepy, the game just throws in some cheap jump scares that are mostly noise-based and the character heavily sighing.”
- “In spite of all of this, I found it entertaining enough (barely), and liked the atmosphere, and the story (even though it's cliched).”
graphics
186 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
35%
2%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising the stunning visuals, atmospheric lighting, and detailed environments that rival those of contemporary AAA titles. Built on CryEngine 5, the game showcases beautiful 3D graphics that enhance the eerie and immersive experience, although some users noted occasional graphical glitches and performance issues on certain hardware. Overall, the game's visuals are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to its engaging and spooky atmosphere.
- “First of all, I'd like to say that the graphics are amazing, one of the most beautiful games I've ever played.”
- “Absolutely gorgeous visuals and environments which are the highlight of the game.”
- “The graphics and art style/direction is really something that stands out about this game; it's actually really beautiful, especially for a horror game.”
- “You know it's going to be a crap-fest when the opening screen is a list of issues that they cannot and/or will not fix (depending on the issue), known bugs, what graphics cards it doesn't work with, etc....but this isn't an early access game.”
- “However there's times where objects were disappearing due to a graphical glitch and not a crafted horror experience even though the patch notes dictate it's been resolved.”
- “All in all this game just feels like no one really put any thought into anything (besides graphics) and it was made with a 'let's get this over with' mentality.”
gameplay
90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
72%
4%
The gameplay is primarily characterized as a standard walking simulator, focusing on exploration with minimal puzzles and mechanics, which some players find shallow and lacking in challenge. While the atmosphere and graphics are praised, many reviewers express a desire for more engaging gameplay elements and depth, noting that the experience can feel monotonous or empty. Overall, the game offers a visually appealing but mechanically basic experience, appealing mainly to those who enjoy exploration and narrative over intricate gameplay.
- “This game is from 2019 but feels like a newer game graphically and mechanically still 5 years later and very fun.”
- “Gameplay itself is your typical walking simulator with emphasis on exploration and no real puzzles, but I think it's what makes it fantastic and allows you to play without ever getting stuck.”
- “Great graphics because of the CryEngine and sounds, fluid gameplay, decent story.”
- “Gameplay is shallow, lacks interesting mechanics and fails to give you a specific purpose.”
- “When I start to check how long the average gameplay is to see how much I still have left for some sort of resolution, it really means I'm not having fun.”
- “There is absolutely nothing special about the gameplay.”
music
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
40%
5%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its beauty and effectiveness in creating tension and emotion. While the soundtrack is described as excellent and fitting, some players feel it is occasionally sparse, leading to moments of silence that detract from the experience. Overall, the audio design, including the music and sound effects, is considered a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's immersive and haunting ambiance.
- “The music and sound design overall is a highlight as well; I would recommend the soundtrack for sure, it fits the game very well and adds a lot of atmosphere.”
- “The story is carefully written and the sound effects and music work perfectly to create a hauntingly beautiful, but still creepy atmosphere with some almost fairytale-like qualities.”
- “The ending made me cry; starting the final level, the music was perfect as you were coming into morning again after a very difficult night, fear was being pushed back as daylight returned and the music reflected that.”
- “The music takes on incredibly random, dramatic scores throughout your progression, which more often than not leaves you feeling lost and confused.”
- “On the other hand, the soundtrack leaves much to be desired as there is very little ambience, which leaves you to wander around mostly in silence; save for a few sound effects and an actual music track here and there.”
- “The game gets better towards the end, and it also has a little more eerie soundtrack there, which was pretty nice (too bad most of the time you just have sound effects with no music).”
stability
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent bugs, crashes, and glitches that can disrupt gameplay. While some users experienced minor issues and were able to continue playing after restarting, others faced significant problems like game freezes and rendering errors. Overall, the game is considered "buggy," particularly as it is still in early access, but many players appreciate its strong narrative and graphics despite these stability concerns.
- “It's alright but it's still buggy, and it's been a long time.”
- “Game freezes randomly.”
- “Buggy as a mofo, holes in the world, several times I walked through a building and became stuck...”
humor
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
92%
8%
The game features a blend of humor and horror, with many players appreciating the lighthearted moments that punctuate the darker themes. While some found the humor to be a refreshing break from the intensity, others felt certain elements, like character groans, detracted from the experience. Overall, the humor is seen as a creative and enjoyable aspect that enhances the game's atmosphere and engagement.
- “The game world is lavishly designed, full of magic and creepy atmosphere, eerie music, fun jump scares, hilarious humor, and an unnerving mystery that slowly unfolds over the game.”
- “The atmosphere, creative scares, humorous elements, and story all work together to make a really good game.”
- “It's creepy, intense at times, and had some really funny moments.”
- “Not funny.”
- “Not funny.”
replayability
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
57%
29%
Overall, the game has been criticized for its low replayability, with many players noting that it can be completed in just 3-5 hours and lacks substantial content to encourage multiple playthroughs. While some players appreciated the experience, they acknowledged that once the game is finished, there is little incentive to return, aside from pursuing achievements. Ratings for replayability hover around 4/10, indicating a significant limitation in this aspect.
- “Not a lot of replay value except for achievements, but I liked it a lot all the same.”
- “But there's just not a lot of game here and pretty much zero replayability.”
- “Coming in at around 3-4 hours of playtime, this release is well worth its base price of $11.99 CAD, despite its lack of replayability.”
- “Unfortunately, the entire game can be beaten in 3-5 hours; not sure about the replay value.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while the atmospheric visuals and touching story evoke strong feelings, the flatness of the protagonist hinders deeper emotional connection. Players report being deeply affected by the game's music and ending, with some experiencing intense fear and even tears, highlighting the game's ability to create a powerful emotional journey despite its narrative shortcomings.
- “Short but very atmospheric, also had a more wholesome ending than expected.”
- “The game looks beautiful, the story is touching, the sound is great, achievements are fun, barely visible bear traps are annoying though...”
- “The ending made me cry; starting the final level, the music was perfect as you were coming into morning again after a very difficult night. Fear was being pushed back as daylight returned, and the music reflected that.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that the game offers a relaxing experience without the need for tedious grinding, allowing players to enjoy beautiful scenery and collect achievements effortlessly. However, some users find the pacing slow and describe the gameplay as a "tedious" walking simulator. Overall, the game seems to balance immersion with minimal grinding, appealing to those who prefer a more leisurely approach.
- “It's a tedious forest walking simulator game with beautiful scenery.”
- “Was the tediously long wait worth it?”
- “Grinding immersion.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
37%
50%
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with many users reporting significant optimization issues and performance problems, as noted in various forums. However, some players have experienced smooth gameplay at 60fps without crashes, indicating that performance may vary depending on individual setups.
- “As I see some of the other reviews seem to have some performance troubles, I have to say that I had no crashes and kept a good 60fps while recording. It was a smooth experience for me.”
- “Not optimized very well.”
- “Optimization problems (reports on the forums).”
- “Bad optimization.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in this game is not a primary focus, with players advised not to expect the depth found in titles like Soma or Amnesia. While the plot is engaging, it does not prioritize the growth or complexity of its characters.