Sons of the Forest

I'm not usually a fan of this genre, and I don't particularly enjoy crafting-focused games, but playing this one with friends was amazing. The game offers plenty of events and even has a decent storyline behind it. It's not very deep, and you can't expect it to perform like a story-driven game, but it still manages to keep you engaged.

At first, you dive into caves expecting them to look alike, just looting with not much going on. However, as you play, you realize the mines can grow to incredible sizes, and you end up spending hours progressing through the story. What's more, you'll find yourself trying to remember where you've been and where you haven't, especially when you get lost in a cave. Despite the absence of jumpscares and the ability to play online with friends, the caves still manage to create a sense of tension.

I wasn't really into the building aspect-my friends mostly handled that-but even without blueprints, the game lets you use your imagination to create amazing things. The crafting system isn't too complicated, and you have a helpful assistant who can gather resources all day on your command, which is a nice touch. That said, I especially enjoyed the events after exploring caves. These events not only push the main story forward but also add a lot of fun, with the final section being particularly challenging and satisfying.

Using weapons feels a bit tricky, and the game doesn't do a great job of making you feel the impact of killing a creature. The death effects, in particular, could have been more satisfying. It's not a game I'd replay after finishing once, but for crafting enthusiasts who enjoy building camps and setting traps for zombies at night, it's a game they'll love coming back to.

I have always hated survival games in which you have to find something to eat or drink in every 3 real-life minutes. I still don't understand what people find appealing or fun about these games. But, ironically, I have a lot of friends who like these games and they sometimes gift me and put me in a position where I feel like I have to play with them. This is how I ended up with this game in my Steam. I'll be very generous and objective while reviewing this and put my personal dislike of the genre aside.

The most impressive thing about the game for me was the graphics and how smooth it runs despite the amazing looking environment. I don't have the best PC in the world, so it was even more surprising for me that such a good looking game runs so smoothly. Indeed, the visual quality of the game is the reason that I am typing this review. I couldn't help imagining how Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim would be if it used this games graphics. I even played the Skyrim soundtrack in the background while gliding over the island. The environment and the lighting of various weather conditions and day and night cycle causes incredible and very realistic scenery. And everything is alive, when you are sitting in the back of the golf cart and your friend is driving it, you can watch the path behind you; branches falling, vegetation moving as you drive through it, etc. Speaking of the friend, there is only one thing negative about the graphics and it's the characters. Whenever there is another human being in your screen, it reminds you that you are in a video game. Whereas, when you are roaming alone, it is really very immersive and realistic...

The story is also interesting, though, I haven't finished it yet. There are some weirds cults, cannibals, billionaires, a mysterious mineral, a lot of bunkers which reminded me of the famous TV show Lost. But we will not spoil the story here, and as I said, I haven't even finished it yet myself.

And lastly, gameplay. This is where I have to try and be objective. Because I really dislike this eating, drinking, sheltering, etc. That really defeats the purpose of playing a video game. We play video games to free ourselves and our imaginations from the chains of reality. I wanna fight dragons, drive tanks, etc. Trying to find something to drink every 3 minutes is like doing your taxes in a video game for fun. I really don't get it. Aside from that aspect, there are some fun crafting options and other things like a glider, golf carts, electric unicycles, etc. So it's not actually bad.

If you like this genre for some inexplicable reason, then I don't think you can find a better game than this in terms of graphics. I decided to play and finish it, so it says a lot about the game. Not saying that because I have a very high opinion of myself, but because how I genuinely dislike the genre...