The Forest – Survive or Be Eaten

The Forest pits players against an island of bloodthirsty cannibals as the lone survivor of a terrible plane crash. Survive quietly and hope for rescue or die alone as a cannibal's next meal.

You are not alone on this island!

When players first crash-land on the island in The Forest, it appears to be an idyllic survivor's paradise. There is plenty of game and resources to build a survival base – but players soon learn they're not alone.

....>Screeches and glowing eyes dot the horizon at night.

They have you surrounded, and they want you to know it.

Dealing with the island's cannibals is a unique experience each time you engage them, which makes them terrifying. They can learn your typical strategies to combat them and work to thwart your best-laid 'Home Alone' style traps.

Survival Game-play with a Horror Twist

Surviving until rescue on a deserted island is the objective of many survival games. But it is The Forest's erratic cannibal inhabitants that genuinely set it apart from other survival games.

Whereas a mundane enemy like zombies or natural wildlife may charge your base, the cannibals are unpredictable. Occasionally, they appear on the horizon and make themselves known, menacing the player to provoke an attack. They will sometimes feign leaving, only to rout you from behind like a pack of raptors in Jurassic Park.

Exploring the island and its hidden caverns reveal multiple layers to this stinking cannibal onion of an island. Cave dwellers in pitch-black caverns can transform into horrifying creatures. The game does an excellent job of doling out its surprises throughout your campaign.

Serviceable and Terrifying

The survival elements of The Forest are pretty generic, as far as first-person survival games go. The island is gorgeous, and the soundtrack holds plenty of tension, but the real horror is in the cannibal design.

New monsters and enemies come at the player, resulting in some truly 'wtf?' moments. Some of the later evolution's of the cannibal tribe may give you nightmares.

Home Alone Traps: Island Edition

At its core, The Forest is a survival game. There is plenty of tree chopping and base building, but with some added effects. Once you chop a tree in the game, it is gone forever. Clearing a portion of the island to expand your base gives the island's inhabitants a more unobstructed view for orchestrating attacks.

You can approach the game in a variety of ways, which makes it feel like a true sandbox. Building a massive base to defend and holding your ground is one terrifying possibility. But the game also doesn't discourage nomadic behavior – moving between several sparsely populated bases to avoid detection.

Players soon unlock the ability to set elaborate traps for their cannibal pursuers. There's nothing quite as satisfying as watching them get caught up in a well-placed trap. You'll start crafting wooden axes and evolve to make wristwatches, electric boards, and even explosives.

The best part about The Forest is that it works perfectly well as a single-player game, but also supports co-op. Up to eight people can join together to survive a harrowing ordeal on the island. That said, co-op does diminish from the terrifying encounters you have with cannibals.

No play-through feels the same

The Forest is one of the best survival horror experiences you can have on multiple platforms. No play-through feels the same, thanks to enemies that adapt to your tactics. Co-op is also a welcome addition, though strength in numbers reduces the terror factor.

Surviving alone in The Forest feels like being hunted every single time you journey away from the safety of your fire.

TL/DR

The Forest is one of the best survival horror games you can play on any platform. The game holds up well in both single-player and co-op.