The Fabled Woods
- March 25, 2021
- CyberPunch Studios
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Epic Games Store"The Fabled Woods" is a first-person narrative-driven psychological horror game. You play as a detective investigating a mysterious disappearance in a small, secluded town. As you explore the surrounding woods, you'll uncover dark secrets and confront supernatural forces that threaten your sanity. The game features a unique blend of exploration, puzzle-solving, and survival elements.
Cloud
NVIDIA GeForce NOW
Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and a stunning environment that immerses players in a captivating atmosphere.
- The voice acting is generally well done, adding depth to the narrative experience.
- Despite its short length, the game offers an interesting story and unique mechanics that can be enjoyable for fans of narrative-driven walking simulators.
- The game is very short, with a playtime of around 40 minutes to 1.5 hours, which many players feel does not justify the price.
- The story feels rushed and underdeveloped, lacking depth and leaving many questions unanswered.
- There are numerous bugs and design issues, including poor optimization and confusing gameplay mechanics that detract from the overall experience.
- story71 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its intriguing elements and atmospheric setting, while others criticize it for being underdeveloped and predictable. Many reviews highlight the short runtime and linear progression, suggesting that the narrative could benefit from deeper exploration and more engaging voice acting. Overall, while the visuals and mood are praised, the story often feels superficial and lacking in originality.
“The story was also great, and you find yourself thinking about this game.”
“Beautiful game with an interesting story.”
“The story quickly throws you into the mystery, blood, an abandoned camp, and the elusive messages of Larry.”
“The fabled woods is a walking simulator revolving around a dark, but underdeveloped story with some really amateur voice acting.”
“Basically a linear story with not a lot to do, not a very surprising story, and no good plot development.”
“Unfortunately the story also declines as fast as it got exciting.”
- graphics27 mentions
- 70 % positive mentions
- 19 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their beauty and atmospheric quality, with many reviewers highlighting the stunning outdoor environments, detailed animations, and effective use of lighting and effects, including ray tracing. While some players noted performance issues on high settings, the overall visual experience is described as enchanting and integral to the game's mood and storytelling. However, a few critiques mention that certain graphical elements appear outdated or blurry, detracting from the otherwise impressive visuals.
“Graphically, the forest is well done that I had the feeling like I was right inside it.”
“The visuals are beautiful, and some really cool effects happen throughout the course of the game.”
“What an amazing short game, the graphics are stunning and the voice acting is great...and the story...wow!!!!”
“Game ran fine for me totally maxed-out graphically, but it made my fans sound like a jet engine taking off at a major airport.”
“It's not my fans (I have a relatively new computer—desktop PC—fully updated with a powerful graphics card: I've had more graphics-intensive games that don't tax my fan speed as much).”
“Can be beaten in less than 40 minutes, graphics apart from certain ray tracing effects are super outdated, blurry, and overall look really unpleasant.”
- gameplay15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of experiences, with some players enjoying the engaging mechanics and story, while others criticize the linearity and technical issues that hinder enjoyment. Many find the gameplay repetitive and frustrating, particularly due to bugs and a lack of compelling mechanics, though some appreciate the unique vision mechanics and beautiful graphics. Overall, the game may appeal to fans of indie and walking simulator genres, but those seeking a more dynamic gameplay experience may be disappointed.
“On top of that, when I defend shorter games, they tend to have really memorable stories, really engaging gameplay, or really interesting mechanics.”
“Sure, it isn't that long but I'd rather have 2 hours of great storytelling and an overall great gameplay experience than 10+ hours of repetitive stuff.”
“The gameplay may feel linear for some people, but the story and voice acting make it a really enjoyable experience that I wish I could forget to play it again!”
“A 2021, 45-minute long game that still has bugs and lacks a compelling story or mechanics.”
“During my one-hour gameplay, I quit the main menu 5 times and picked up from the last save because the game can't load correctly.”
“Not to mention, the mechanic to shift into remembering is awful, short, and jarring to the point of killing any immersion.”
- music9 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The music in the game is consistently praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many users describing it as pleasant, rich, and immersive. It complements the beautiful graphics and engaging narration, contributing significantly to the overall experience and emotional impact of the game. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that elevates the gameplay.
“I really liked the atmosphere and the music.”
“A decent walking sim with beautiful graphics, a great soundtrack, and awesome narration.”
“It's really a beautiful game, with great music that brings you into the environment, and pretty decent voice acting.”
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
“The atmosphere, the voice acting, the music, the level design, and the graphics are great and really help with the whole experience.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its captivating scenery, excellent narration, and immersive music, which collectively enhance the overall experience. While some users note the game's short runtime relative to its price, the quality of the voice acting, level design, and graphics contribute significantly to its enchanting ambiance. Overall, players find the atmosphere to be a standout feature that enriches their gameplay experience.
“The fabled woods offers a quick yet captivating walkthrough with great narration and a pleasant atmosphere.”
“The run time is a little short for the price, but it has lovely scenery, good atmosphere, and some interesting storytelling.”
“The atmosphere, the voice acting, the music, the level design, and the graphics are great and really help with the whole experience.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received criticism, with users noting that it could be significantly improved. The lack of features like multiple save slots and a fast walk option further detracts from the experience, leading to lower ratings.
“Due to no multiple save slots, no 'fast walk' option, and not-great optimization, I'm giving the game a 7/10.”
“The game could be better optimized.”
“I am not impressed by your performance.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by great voice acting that feels natural, complemented by amusing bugs, such as a glitch where players fall through the world instead of spawning correctly.
“The voice acting is fantastic and feels very natural, especially when I encountered a funny bug where the game tried to load the world, but instead of spawning in the forest, I found myself falling through it.”
“The humor in the dialogue is spot on, making even the most mundane tasks entertaining.”
“I love how the game incorporates humor into its mechanics, turning glitches into laugh-out-loud moments.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report frequent screen freezes, indicating significant stability issues within the game.
“The game frequently experiences screen freezes.”
“I encountered multiple crashes that disrupted my gameplay.”
“There are constant stability issues that make it hard to enjoy the game.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the game's emotional narrative progresses too rapidly, leading to a lack of depth and failing to deliver a meaningful catharsis for players.
