The Forgotten City is a game that is all about storytelling which makes sense since it was made by a company called Modern Storyteller. This isn’t a game that’s all about action, combat, leveling, gear, or any of the normal things you expect from games nowadays. Instead, it’s all about character building and problem-solving.
This is a game that is very unlike anything else I’ve played (aside from the original Skyrim Mod that this game started as). There are so many ways to solve problems and complete quests in this game. The time loop feature is very cool and works amazingly in this game. It essentially allows you to start from a clean slate but while keeping items and remember what you learned from the previous loop.
The story, without spoiling anything, is about a character who finds himself in a secret underground ancient city. The people there are all confined by “The Golden Rule” which pretty much means they cannot commit sin or else they will all be turned to gold. You, as the new person, are also confined to this rule and even something as simple as trying to steal a couple of coins will cause the statues to come alive and begin turning everyone into gold.
The dialogue and characters in this game are amazing. I really enjoyed hearing everything that each character had to say at all points during the game. This game does a great job at connecting you with all the characters in a way that none of them are ignored or meaningless. There are no bland, pointless NPC’s in this game, they all have a purpose.
There isn’t much to say about the combat or action side of the game. The combat boils down to essentially shooting some enemies with your bow that turns them into gold. There are some platforming elements but nothing super tricky (except one part that wants you to drop off a zip line onto a small ledge to grab a flower, that was a pain!). For what little combat is in the game, it felt fine, just a bit too easy. That’s all forgivable though as that’s not what this game is supposed to be about.
There are four different endings achievable in the game with one being considered the “canon ending”. This is the ending that I got after playing the game for roughly 5 hours. The game is not extremely long but if you explore and don’t rush through it, it should last you around 5 to 10 hours. The ending I got was amazing and made the game close out perfectly with one line that almost seems like a hint at a sequel.
Overall Thoughts:
If you’re looking for a game with a great story, characters, and quest development then this is the game for you. If you’re looking for something with lots of combat, gear, leveling, or anything else you may want to pass on this one. I loved this game and couldn’t bring myself to stop playing it until I finished it and I had to make sure that I got the best possible ending as well because it was just so satisfying. My hat is off to Modern Storyteller for making this fantastic game and I am VERY excited to see what they have in store for us next.
Available on Steam for $24.99
