Developer: Bonus Level Entertainment, Independent Arts Software Publisher: EuroVideo Medien Released: 05/17/18
Also on: PS4, Xbox One, Switch
In the last decade or so there have been many retro style indie games. While there have been some fantastic nods to many a bygone classic many of these titles simply try to coast on their aesthetic rather than improve on the games that supposedly inspired them. When they do the results are generally excellent. Few will argue that Guacamelee does not take inspiration from Super Metroid but does it right. And Shovel Knight has many accolades under its belt to show that it is the real deal. Fox n Forests joins that club. It drips 16-bit nostalgia but largely avoids many of those game’s mistakes. It also has a brilliant mechanic that is thoroughly explored during the course of its adventure and is a fantastic game.
Fox n Forests follows Rick, a foxy treasure hunter in search of his next score. A mysterious force is disturbing the peace in the mana woods with its plant/mutant hybrids. This evil wants to introduce a fifth season and upset the balance of nature. None of this matters to Rick however. While in search of his next score he meets Patty the Partridge, who begs him to help save the forest on behalf of the Guardian Tree. With the promise of a gold reward Rick receives a magic crossbow and sent on his way.
There is no easy way to describe Fox n Forests. It has the platforming of a Castlevania, the exploration of Metroid, and RPG mechanics like Zelda. Where many games that attempt to blend so many genres fail it succeeds for a number of reasons. The controls and basic mechanics are sound. Rick has a small set of moves initially that grows with gold. He can double jump, perform a few melee attacks and attack from a distance with his crossbow. There are some oddities you’ll have to get adjust to. You can’t shoot while moving and neither can you attack after a double jump. Melee attacks are based on distance rather than having a separate button as well. Buying new moves removes some of these limitations. You also have magic with spells stored in bottles. Gold is rarely an issue and even less so later on.
What truly sets Fox n Forests is its seasonal switching. At any time you can change the season in any level which drains magic. Every level has a secondary seasonal counterpart and the shifts are pretty dramatic. Flowing rivers in summer become platforms of ice during winter at the touch of a button but it goes deeper than that. A foggy cemetery with little visibility will clear up slightly once the season changes. Sometimes the change can be a double edged sword. A fiery field can be frozen but will then reveal active thunderclouds! The puzzles are not always elaborate but are so well thought out along with their integration that it is satisfying to use nonetheless.
The level design is generally excellent all around. The world has four seasonal areas with 2 levels and a boss fight. No two levels are ever the same even within the same area which I must say, hats off to the developers for creating that much diverse content. Every level is full of secrets, many of which you will have to return to later with the right gear. There are multiple paths Not every level involves platforming as there are two shooter segments that, while novel, I was not a huge fan of.
While I like the massive levels they also work against the game. Opening up new areas of the map requires magic seeds which are incredibly well hidden. You will have to revisit past stages to find them once you acquired a new weapon like fire or mystic arrows. The problem is you need to complete said stage again in order to keep any items found which becomes tedious. To unlock the final set of stages requires 24 magic seeds, a substantial number. It comes across as padding and hurts the game. Some levels also run a bit too long in my opinion. Windy Windmills is a grueling trek up a…windmill. It will really put your platforming skills to the test but you’ll also just want it to be over halfway through.
Fox n Forests takes some of its cues from Castlevania and Actraiser but doesn’t copy their difficulty. For the most part the difficulty is in your hands. Since gold is so plentiful you can go back to town and buy upgrades at any time, including more hearts. Even without they balance the game well. Checkpoints are spaced out evenly for a small fee and life restoring hearts are everywhere. Even if you “die” it only sends you back to the last checkpoint. The boss fights are fun gimmicky fights that might be a bit too easy but few will complain. It may have is frustrating elements but insane difficulty isn’t one.
Where many titles aim to mimic an 8 or 16-bit classic Fox n Forests is one of the few that hits the mark. This could easily pass for a lost Super Nintendo game although I do think some aspects of it might be beyond that system. The vivid color palette gives rise to extremely beautiful backdrops with multiple layers of scrolling. Watching the world change when you shift seasons never grows old and it is easy to miss many minute details. The intricate sprite work reminds me of games like Adventures of Lomax and Flink. I also love the playful soundtrack although it isn’t as memorable as the graphics.
In Closing
Fox n Forests is a great game with a unique hook and solid level design. Its pacing has issues at times but the good more than outweighs the bad. This is a uniquely fun take on the 2d platformer with plenty to love for fans of multiple genres.
