Genre: Survival horror, survival game
Download(s): Windows and PlayStation 4
Modes: Single-player, multiplayer

Rating: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭ (10/10)

Gamers who want to play an open world survival game that uses the sandbox formula but is cranked up by a spooky factor complete with realistic gore and graphics will find it in “The Forest.”

“The Forest”’ was released to stream May 30, 2014 as early game access, later becoming a full game by April 2018, and to then PlayStation 4 by Nov. 2018. 

This game is a popular indie horror game for people that really love horror or just want to get their creativity to run wild as they play. The main protagonist, Eric LeBlancis, crash landed and is trapped on an island with his son named Timmy. After the crash, Timmy has been captured by some type of human-mutant tribe that roams the island. The player must build, explore the surroundings and hunt to find little Timmy.

“The Forest” itself as a game gives off an amazing sandbox experience for players to enjoy. There is a great level of immersion being trapped on an island that looks dangerous with no sign of life. Part of the reason this game hooks players is because of the realistic graphics. 

The game has by far some of the best graphics for a survival horror sandbox game, along with the plot. The game makes players go out and do something that more open sandbox games don’t have–adventure and exploration. Most, if not all sandbox games have the players building with zero possible reason to go and have an adventure. “The Forest” changes that. 

The game makes players go out and explore, not only because they need to find Timmy, but because the game puts you in a life or death survival situation. 

The soundtrack that plays while exploring is outstanding. The sound enhances every action such as exploring an unknown cave system, hearing water drop from speleothems creating a sound that echoes along the walls of the cave walls, hearing the nightly chirp of crickets and other sounds through the night. 

The game itself has true potential to be one of the best sandbox games ever created. It has so much to offer to the player to spend time opening their true imagination and also embrace creativity even when stranded on an island because your creativity is the only way of survival.