The Forbidden Arts

The Forbidden Arts feels like a game from the early GameCube era, but not a particularly good one. Whilst the dungeons are vast and varied, and the platforming mechanics competent enough, the combat really brings the whole experience to its knees thanks to poor enemy AI and half baked elemental mechanics that make the entire experience feel very repetitive. Add to that the lacklustre graphics and empty overworld, and this is a game that only the most ardent of fantasy enthusiasts will enjoy.

52%Game Brain Score

graphics, gameplay

story, stability

81% User Score Based on 26 reviews

Critic Score 54%Based on 7 reviews

Platforms

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About

"The Forbidden Arts" is a 2D action platformer that has been praised for its challenging gameplay and nostalgic feel, reminiscent of 2D action adventures. The game features beautiful artwork and short 3D exploration sections, providing a fun and engaging experience for fans of the genre. Reviewers have described it as a "must-buy" and "very enjoyable", with a rewarding challenge that is worth the effort.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 33 reviews

graphics11 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

The game features beautiful graphics and a vibrant color palette that enhances the overall experience.
The levels are well-designed and progressively challenging, providing a nostalgic platforming experience.
The game includes a fun story and interesting characters, along with a variety of unlockable abilities.

The combat mechanics are frustrating, with enemies often being unfairly difficult and having awkward attack patterns.
The controls can be clunky, leading to issues with jumping and character movement, which can detract from the gameplay experience.
The game can feel repetitive and punishing, with frequent deaths and a lack of clear guidance on how to progress effectively.

graphics
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
26%
16%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their colorful and beautiful art style, with many reviewers highlighting the appealing 3D world and character designs. However, some players feel that despite the attractive visuals, other gameplay elements detract from the overall experience, leading to mixed feelings about the game's aesthetic appeal. Overall, the graphics are considered a strong point, though not enough to fully compensate for other shortcomings.
- “The graphics are amazing and I enjoyed playing this game.”
- “First of all, the art style is just gorgeous and nice to look at (think Torchlight).”
- “I really like the colorful graphics, and the soundtrack is okay and suits the game very well.”
- “Add to that the lacklustre graphics and empty overworld, and this is a game that only the most ardent of fantasy enthusiasts will enjoy.”
- “[poor combat, dungeons overstay their welcome, graphically a bit of an eyesore, fire mechanics could have been greatly expanded upon]”
- “Old school difficult with a refreshing art style.”
gameplay
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
53%
18%
The gameplay features a mix of 3D overworld exploration and 2D side-scrolling platforming, with the latter being the main focus. While the platforming mechanics are solid and easy to learn, the combat suffers from poor enemy AI and repetitive mechanics, leading to a less engaging experience. Overall, the game offers fun exploration and platforming but could benefit from smoother gameplay and improved combat dynamics.
- “The actual gameplay and focus is in the 2D platforming levels, and the 3D world is more of a bonus and helps put together the story when everything comes together.”
- “It has plenty of solid platforming value, with some quality of life aspects that could be changed to help make the gameplay feel more smooth.”
- “The forbidden arts is a nice indie studio entry for the Switch and good for at least 12 hours of gameplay.”
- “Sure, the 3D overworld exploration is not too extensive and each area is also limited in size; that's because there's not much in the actual way of gameplay there.”
- “Whilst the dungeons are vast and varied, and the platforming mechanics competent enough, the combat really brings the whole experience to its knees thanks to poor enemy AI and half-baked elemental mechanics that make the entire experience feel very repetitive.”
- “Personally, I wish the game mechanics were just a bit more forgiving, and it would be an almost perfect game.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The music in the game is generally described as pleasant and fitting, with some reviewers noting its catchy themes and suitability for the colorful graphics. However, it is also criticized for being somewhat repetitive and generic, though players have the option to disable it if desired. Overall, while the soundtrack enhances the experience, it may not stand out significantly.
- “The forbidden arts is a fun side-scrolling adventure game with colorful graphics and pleasant music to listen to.”
- “I really like the colorful graphics, and the soundtrack is okay and suits the game very well.”
- “The music themes are pretty nice for this game.”
- “The music is repetitive but can be disabled in the audio options.”
- “Sound effects and music are well done, albeit being a bit generic.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The game's story is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its depth and integration into the gameplay, particularly in the context of 2D platforming and world-building. However, some players express indifference towards the narrative, indicating that while the graphics and overall structure are commendable, the story itself may not be engaging for everyone. Overall, the story serves as a central element that enhances the gaming experience, despite mixed feelings from some users.
- “There's a nice story that ties everything together.”
- “To the devs: again, your artwork, sound, story structure, and world building feel so good.”
- “Find 6 feathers... but I'm not going into the story; I really didn't care much about it.”
- “The actual gameplay and focus is in the 2D platforming levels, and the 3D world is more of a bonus and helps put together the story when everything comes together.”
- “The whole game is story driven.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report significant stability issues, including frequent freezes when attempting to remap controls and glitches that cause characters to fall through terrain and become stuck. These problems detract from the overall gameplay experience.
- “I tried to switch the ability key to a different button, but every time the game just freezes for ages and then assigns a random key.”
- “There are a few glitches, like characters falling into the terrain and getting stuck.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
Players appreciate the high replayability of the game, as each platforming zone offers hidden gold to discover and connects to additional 3D safe zones, enhancing the overall experience.
- “+ Lots of replay value.”
- “Each platforming zone is replayable for its hidden gold and leads to another 3D safe zone.”
- “There is a lot of replay value.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report experiencing intense emotional reactions, often crying or feeling overwhelmed, particularly during dark moments in the game that evoke a strong sense of fear or vulnerability.
- “I cried and wailed a lot in my videos whenever I came across a dark area that required me to light up the room.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players appreciate the grinding aspect of the game for offering enjoyable achievements that strike a balance between challenge and accessibility, avoiding excessive difficulty or tediousness.
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and tedious, making it hard to enjoy the overall experience.”
- “I found myself spending hours on repetitive tasks just to progress, which really took away from the fun.”
- “The amount of grinding required to level up is overwhelming and feels more like a chore than a game.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is generally praised for being vibrant and visually appealing, contributing to an enjoyable gaming experience.
- “Overall, the atmosphere is quite nice and colorful.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The reviews indicate a lack of character development, with users expressing disappointment over the absence of growth or depth in the characters throughout the game.
- “There is no character development.”
- “The characters feel flat and lack any meaningful growth throughout the game.”
- “I was disappointed by the lack of depth in character arcs; they remain static and uninteresting.”