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Forever Forest's itch.io pageResults
| Criteria | Rank | Score* | Raw Score |
| Narrative | #291 | 3.879 | 3.879 |
| Audio | #388 | 3.848 | 3.848 |
| Artwork | #582 | 4.167 | 4.167 |
| Creativity | #2683 | 3.561 | 3.561 |
| Enjoyment | #2692 | 3.212 | 3.212 |
Ranked from 66 ratings. Score is adjusted from raw score by the median number of ratings per game in the jam.
How does your game fit the theme?
You are in a forest that loops forever, the game's story thematically uses the concept of Loops as well.
(Optional) Please credit all assets you've used
SCP-x3x (I am Not OK) Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
"Shadowlands 5 - Antechamber" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
"SCP-x6x (Hopes)" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
(Optional) What would you like to be called if GMTK features your game?
Dee and Daisy
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Comments
I liked the grungy color palette, and the art. The grimy brown & green combo really helps sell the game's gloomy & cursed feeling. I also liked how the player character had that Petscop vibe of dangling around the line of cute & creepy. The monster's cryptid design was also cool, it may have been cliche but that's perfectly fine and it absolutely fits the vibe. And the trees being shrouded in darkness made me sometimes imagine them having this amorphous shape, as if the souls the forest had taken had inhabited them or something.
The sound design also managed to accomplish exactly what it set out to, it's simple, effective, and nerve-building. The concept of a looping forest as a horror story & game mechanic especially being the main theme tie-in is also interesting.
...Unfortunately, I really did NOT enjoy the gameplay. It had a really good setup, then the monster began chasing me, and I was anxious! I tried to run away from it, used the trees to try and build distance, but that barely worked. Then I realized that it always knew where I was, and then after a few attempts I gave up and realized oh, you can just juke the monster. And that's the most efficient way to play the game... it's just... walking in a path and having to juke the monster every few seconds. After time it felt more like it was orbiting around me like a clingy moon than anything. I'm guessing this was something that simply could not be ironed out due to time, but it seriously killed my immersion after I realized this was gonna be the gameplay.
I'm not sure if this was the intent, but I would've preferred it if you had to specifically use the design of the forest & the obstacles to gain distance from the monster. Maybe even incentivize breaking off the path in order to survive. I don't have a problem with the idea of the monster always chasing you, that creates a lot of anxiety & time pressure which works well for the game, but the execution just fell flat.
Also, it didn't really feel like I got to engage with the story as well as I should've, because you literally don't get the time to look at & interpret the pages since the game doesn't pause while you're reading a note. The principle of "Show don't tell" wasn't followed at all since during the gameplay it was better to just instantly dismiss the note and read the player character's dialogue explaining what it meant so you don't die.
Anyway, the 2 endings are both nice. The bad ending tying into the theme because you literally just perpetuate the cycle by becoming another pawn (maybe the notes shouldn't have spoiled this so much) and I liked how the good ending changed the color palette to a more soothing brown & blue combo, letting you know you really had escaped.
All in all I truly did like the atmosphere & premise! It's just that, sorry but the gameplay didn't have the sauce to back it up and it just tanked my enjoyment a lot.
erm.. i played this at 3 am.. and.. guulp.. it was s-s-s-scary....
But fr really cool game with top marks in everything but creativity imo. (Creativity is still strong, just the weakest point I think.) What I mean is that the story is a tiny bit generic with sort of predictable endings. But that's the smallest nitpick I could find. Story is still good, art is peak, music is peak, narrative is peak. (I think my nitpick might fit under narrative. Idk. It's 3 am. I'll just say it's creativity.) Enjoyment is definitely peak, this deserveres top 100 for sure. Not much else to say
REVIEW TEMPLATE Sorry for my English, I might get some words wrong. And remember, it’s all MY opinion, so don’t take that as a fact!
Creativity (5/5) - A map that loops is not a crazy idea, in my opinion. Until you make it. I can’t really say how I would execute that, but this game might have shown me that. I was clueless that the map was looping until, like, my third run. Really hard idea to execute greatly, but you managed to do it anyways!
Enjoyment (3/5) - This game is really fun, besides the horror. I myself didn’t feel that scared after the monster had appeared, and I think it’s for the fact that he follows you the ENTIRE time. I gotta say, dodging him is really fun lol. But for a horror game, I think making the dodging mechanic harder is great, as it emphasizes the power of the monster. Along with that, he could follow you for some time and disappear, only to silently return when you don’t expect.
Narrative (5/5) - I thought it was going to be pretty generic at the start, which don’t get me wrong, I would like it anyway. But with the little notes around the map (kinda hard of read because of the monster but I managed to kind of get the idea), it turned out actually fun to uncover! Also it seems like it has two endings, I got the one where the CYCLE continues. Great job.
Artwork (5/5) - I don’t have to say much, the game has its style and it’s pretty and consistent. The animations are good, and the scenario is indeed a forest. What stands out for me the most is the seamless loops, which might be recognizable if you look really close, idk. I didn’t notice any of them. Also, last cutscene was fire.
Audio (4/5) - The ambience is scary, the audio does it’s job properly. Everything has sound effects, which is nice too. I’d just give it a 3, but the music changes when the monster gets closer. It adds so much to the experience, really great idea.
Overall (4.4/5) - For me, this is winner stuff. OR at least top 100, in my opinion. I was looking forward to play it for some time, and it’s great to finally try it.
My one and only critique that I think it’s important to point out is the “monster dodging”, which I wouldn’t figure out if I hadn’t asked, I almost dropped this gem. When I’m faced with that big of a monster, the only thing I think about is running, and when I’m able to dodge him, he kinda turns into a joke.
With that aside, really great game! One of my favourites, that’s for sure. Congratulations!
Thank you so much for the comment!! I will definetely put some work on the balancing too!
I loved the horror aesthetic and how the theme was used in the narrative, but unfortunately I found the monster to be too hard to dodge as it moves faster than the player and the dash has a cooldown.
got jumpscared, 10/10
Okay besides that, can I mention how much I love the spooky aesthetics?! The heavy contrasts between the light green and dark browns works so well. It gives this feeling of a limited night vision, which really contributes to the whole spookiness. Couldn't finish the game (due to skill issue), but loved it regardless!
Thank you so much!!
This is such a cool game! The horror vibes are on point, with the audio, artwork, and narrative all being so good and doing so much to support the horror theming. This take on the theme is very creative (the forest looping on itself when you go off track, and being able to go anywhere to progress the story is super well built). Once the shadow monster came in, I was surprised, but it was super cool!!
I wish the shadow monster was used a little more sparingly in some way, because with the core gameplay after it's introduced solely being dodging it, it's horrorness lost it's impact for me, and just became a thing that I needed to dodge. Also to that effect, I really wanted to take my time and try to look at the notes after the monster was introduced, but because it was always 1 second behind me, I couldn't admire the beautiful artwork. I'm not sure how this problem could be solved, because pausing to read the notes also loves a bit of the real-time horror aspects I guess, but maybe putting the note on the side of the screen to look at while being able to move could work?
Don't listen to my critique too much though, it was still a super well made, scary, spooky, atmospheric, cool and fn experience. Great work!!
auughh thank you so much for the feedback i will definitely consider it once i release the final patch :)
I looped that monster so many times
this game scared me so much i dont think im playing another game again
10/10
the audio and the art is perfect for a game like this... just screams creepy
Thank you!!
My second all 5-star game of the jam! congratulations!
Really cool visuals, I love what you did with the pixel art. It's hard to portray a horror vibe with that so well done! The SFX are great, gameplay is great as well! Feels very well-made and balanced, and I think you could publish this for money after the jam, and the guys in black? just little guys wanting a hug.
top marks!
Omg thank you so much I appreciate it a lot!
I know you aplied the theme in the narrative, but it is also when you run away from the monster! Nice ending!
Super scary work with the sound design and environment! Other than the points I've already seen everywhere else in the comments, the game makes me wish that the camera was just a bit farther back or had a wider angle so that I could better appreciate the depth and "foreverness" of the darkness surrounding me. Overall my jeebies are heebied.
the atmosphere is great, and also deltarune is peak gaming green pipin! (go rate mine, please)
great game!
Having the monster move faster than you was evil! Tense game, I kept dying. Excellent atmosphere, you balanced the music, artstyle, effects and gameplay to create a very spooky effect
Thank you!! I will def make the game easier next time lol
Just wow! That art is just incredible, I've never really seen pixel art with that style and palette but MAN does it work, so good! The player and monster design are just incredible, UI is great, love the spinning key UI! Forest environment and cabin interior were very pretty too, I really wonder how you even make this, the ending cutscene in the cabin went hard and the one eye being shut when firing the gun, very nice detail, the main menu and well ending art is also extremely pretty, sound design is great but the gameplay does leave a little to be desired, juking a shadow demon's lanky legs is not particularly the horror experience I expected but the initial arrival of it was very cool! Excellent work!
thank you so much!! i appreciate the comment :)
darkly beautiful, i loved the drawings you would find scattered around ! the setting of the endless forest also really added to the sense of anxiety while playing, i personally have this fear of being lost in vast spaces and this rly hit that xdd a scary and wonderful experience!
Thank you!!
pretty creepy, only problem is that the monster was more annoying to avoid than scary, its slightly faster than you so it makes avoiding it impossible, but i love the artstyle and the idea, the atmosphere is great
Thank you for the feedback!
The atmosphere is good, makes your heart race when the monster is near you. However, I think avoiding the monster is pretty harder than it should be. Not that it should be easy, but kinda restricts your movement. And maybe adding some clues to where the keys are in some notes could be great, too.
There is a clue in the first note! But thank you for the feedback anyways!
Atmosphere and art are SO amazing, as the narration and endings! Just a greatly conveyed horror situation.
The only nitpick I have is with the creature; after an amazing first impression (and lasting impact whenever it leaves the screen to come back with its unnerving theme) it sticks to you like a fly... And kinda becomes annoying as one, too (/;o;\). Also recovering health after some time would be amazing imo.
Wonderful job!!!
Thank you so much!! I appreciate the feedback!