The Forest Cathedral

About

The Forest Cathedral is a single player arcade platformer game with a thriller theme. It was developed by Brian Wilson and was released on March 14, 2023. It received neutral reviews from players.

The Forest Cathedral is a first-person psychological thriller set on a remote island. Playing as scientist Rachel Carson, players will slowly uncover the effects of DDT by using advanced environmental technology to solve 2D/3D connected puzzles in this dramatic retelling of Silent Spring.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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42%

Audience ScoreBased on 36 reviews

story6 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

The game has an interesting premise that tackles the real-life story of Rachel Carson and the dangers of DDT.
The background music is pleasant and the voice acting is well done, adding some charm to the experience.
The game features unique mechanics that blend 2D platforming with a walking simulator, creating a distinct gameplay experience.

The game suffers from poor design choices, including inconsistent controls, janky hitboxes, and a lack of polish that detracts from the overall experience.
The narrative is presented in a simplistic and amateurish manner, making it feel more like a children's story rather than a serious exploration of its themes.
The game is very short and does not justify its price, leaving players feeling unsatisfied and frustrated with the overall execution.

story
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
76%
8%
The game's story, centered around environmentalist Rachel Carson and her fight against the pesticide DDT, is seen as both intriguing and poorly executed. While it attempts to tackle a significant real-world issue, the presentation is criticized for being amateurish, with disjointed gameplay elements that detract from the narrative. Many reviewers felt that the story's depth was undermined by simplistic dialogue and a lack of cohesion, leaving it feeling more like a superficial overview than a compelling exploration of its themes.
- “It's a walking sim merged with some 2D platforming sections, and it tells the real story of an environmentalist as she tries to uncover the effects of a pesticide.”
- “The plot of the game is intriguing, and the less you know about DDT going in, the more fascinating and interesting the plot will be to you, though it will still have interesting developments for those well-versed in the matter.”
- “Though tropey at times, the plot ties itself together in a fairly cohesive bow, though not without some faults. Primarily being that the game is unfortunately too short to fully develop all strings of the narrative, but that aside, I do truly believe the game is phenomenal and worth playing.”
- “The story is sadly presented in a very amateur fashion; it's so surreal that it feels like watching an art house movie at certain points, yet the dialogue seems to be written for very small children and lacks any kind of seriousness or believability.”
- “The switch between 3D and 2D feels very forced into the game and completely unrelated to the story it tries to tell.”
- “The story is severely hampered by the fact that most of the cutscenes are literal talking heads.”
gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
50%
19%
The gameplay has been criticized for being basic and lacking coherence, with many mechanics introduced but rarely utilized effectively. While some players appreciated a few interesting ideas and the narrative, the overall execution feels disjointed and fails to create an engaging experience. The combination of underdeveloped visuals and repetitive gameplay segments detracts from the potential enjoyment of the game.
- “The main gameplay is this arcade, simple platforming.”
- “You're supposed to use it to scan fish and the environment, and it seemed like a reasonably fun mechanic.”
- “While technical and mechanical details could be polished, it manages to create a persistent narrative about the dangers of humankind's intervention in nature.”
- “The game looks ugly, the models and textures are underdeveloped and the gameplay is very basic.”
- “An interesting premise, but the game features a strange collection of elements (both in terms of style and gameplay) which do not mesh together well.”
- “It has way too many mechanics that get introduced in the tutorial and then almost never used again.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The graphics of the game are described as having a fitting art style that enhances its intended atmosphere, with overall decent visuals and good performance. However, the experience can be jarring, shifting between whimsical and distressing imagery, which may not appeal to all players. While some users noted minor bugs, the graphics were generally considered nice.
- “I can say that it has nice graphics, nice atmosphere (for what setup it's trying to create), good performance and some little bugs.”
- “I genuinely don't know because one third of the time it's a kindergarten walking simulator, the next third is a horror game with really distressing visuals of dead fish and birds and weird sounds; not to mention Rachel is literally getting stalked by death at the end.”
- “Graphics were okay.”
- “The art style does go along with this aesthetic.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game's plot to evoke strong emotions, likening it to an emotional summary of the story. However, the challenging gameplay and unrefined mechanics can detract from the experience, making it difficult to fully engage with the narrative despite the emotional impact.
- “This game's plot is more like the emotional cliff notes of the story.”
- “This game made me feel things.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The background music is noted to be enjoyable and well-composed, but it often overpowers the voice acting during the intro. Additionally, while the original soundtrack is appreciated, it is infrequently featured throughout the game.
- “The background music (OST) is actually really nice, but it rarely plays during the game.”
- “The soundtrack adds a great atmosphere to the overall experience.”
- “The background music is louder than the voice actors' voices in the intro.”
- “The music feels repetitive and lacks variety throughout the game.”
- “The soundtrack doesn't match the game's atmosphere, making it feel disjointed.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The game's optimization is generally well-received, with good performance and appealing graphics, though some users report issues like microstuttering and minor bugs. Overall, it seems to deliver a solid experience, albeit with some technical hiccups.
- “The game has nice graphics and a great atmosphere for the setup it's trying to create, along with good performance despite some minor bugs.”
- “The game suffers from severe microstuttering, making it nearly unplayable during intense moments.”
- “I experienced constant microstuttering, which completely ruins the immersion and flow of gameplay.”
- “Microstuttering is a major issue; it disrupts the overall experience and makes it frustrating to enjoy the game.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its appealing graphics and effective setup, contributing to an overall positive experience despite some minor bugs.
- “The game has nice graphics and a captivating atmosphere that effectively supports the setup it aims to create.”
- “The atmosphere is immersive and enhances the overall experience, making it a standout feature of the game.”
- “The game's atmosphere is beautifully crafted, drawing players into its world with stunning visuals and sound design.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is inconsistent, with users noting that the initial section is particularly buggy, detracting from an otherwise positive experience.
- “The game is surprisingly good, but for whatever reason, the very first section of the game is the worst one; it feels buggy.”