Product Info

Platform

Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Publisher

EuroVideo Medien

Developer

Bonus Level Entertainment

Genre

Action, Adventure, RPG

Players

1

File Size (Minimum)

178.32 MB

Release Date (NA)

May 15, 2018

Purchase From

eShop

PSN Store

Microsoft Store

Steam

FOX n FORESTS blends 16-bit classics together to create an action-adventure game that encourages exploration and brings a deeper level design through the use of unique transformation mechanic. Switching seasons to locate every collectible is satisfying, though risky, but the game’s archaic controls often feel like they hold you back.

From Villain to Hero

Deep in the forest, Rick the Fox sneaks up on an unsuspecting bird named Patty who catches him and recruits him to help protect the forest from impending doom, luring him in with the promise of untold riches. After speaking to an old tree, you learn you need to recover pieces of its bark that have been lost, and to do so, he grants you the ability to change the seasons at will. In doing so, you will be able to traverse the land in ways otherwise not possible.

As you leave the old tree behind, you come to a small area that is best described as your town or home base. You can return here to upgrade your mana and health, as well as plant new trees using secret seeds, which will grant you access to new parts of the forest.

Master of Seasons

This game is built like retro, side-scrolling titles such as Zelda II, but designed with 16-bit graphics and Metroidvania-style mechanics. Rick can swipe with his dagger up or down, as well as shoot his trusty crossbow, for standard and long range attacks. There are many moves and secrets to learn throughout the game, but Patty will be there to enlighten you whenever there is something new to discover.

Each level is quite different from the last and requires incredible amounts of risk-versus-reward exploration for the more determined completionists. As you move left or right, taking down baddies along the way, you will come to points that are clearly dead ends or traps. This is where you can switch seasons and alter the land before you.

In some levels, ponds and rivers will freeze over if you change from summer to winter, allowing you to cross where you would otherwise drown. Other levels have massive gaps that, if you change seasons, will offer bridges or platforms to move across. The further in you get, the more you need to test this ability and search unexpected areas for collectibles that will help your story develop.

Planting the Seed

Every level offers many secrets, but the most important to find are the seeds. Each level has several you must seek out, and many require taking considerable risks to discover, such as falling in a pit and praying for a hidden cliff. Thankfully, along the way, you will meet a helpful badger who will save your progress for a low price, allowing you take heavy risks without having to replay the entire level.

Once you have enough seeds, you can take them to your home base and plant them, which grants access to a new domain in the forest. You do not need to find them all in order to move on to the next area, but there are secret levels in every domain that are only accessible after finding all the seeds in that specific area.

Also, many seeds will only be accessible through the use of power-ups granted to your crossbow after defeating each area’s boss. This is the main reason why you’ll need to backtrack through levels, but it will also allow you to discover new ways to master each one.

Nostalgia Overload

Rick and his crossbow pay incredible homage to the days of the SNES, with the nostalgic atmosphere and even, sadly, with the controls. Nothing about Rick’s movement is overly off-putting, yet his slow-paced running tends to almost hold you back as you return to levels again and again. Even when grinding for seeds, re-exploring feels like a chore by your third run-through.

On top of that, the jumping mechanic is archaic by modern platforming standards. Tapping the jump button or holding it down both cause Rick to jump the same height in the game. Furthermore, while you can double jump, many ledges look like they can be tackled in only one, thus causing a lot of accidental drops through painstaking trial and error.

A Tail Worth the Try

Rick and Patty will take you on an exciting, action-packed journey with a unique exploration mechanic, calling back to classics from the 16-bit glory days. And while the archaic controls and risk-based difficulty don’t leave the game unplayable, they may discourage the average gamer from long-term play. However, it is still undeniable that FOX n FORESTS deserves a fighting shot.

Disclaimer: A digital review copy was provided by Stride PR.