Fox n Forests is a brilliant love letter to the 16-bit era of games that so many of us hold dear to our hearts. Bonus Level Entertainment successfully captures the excitement and soul of the platformers that dotted countless childhoods.
As the graphics and art direction are the wow factor to this title, it only feels appropriate to dive into them first. The sprites for Fox n Forests are gorgeous, pop with colour and move fluidly through their animations. The care was obviously put into making them and the wonderful backgrounds–I truly don’t think you could look at Fox n Forests and know the difference of whether it was made yesterday, or twenty-five years ago. It’s seamless in its presentation of the modern retro genre and flawless in its execution.
Watch the Fox N Forests gameplay trailer below:
[brid video=”226744″ player=”531″ title=”FOX n FORESTS Gameplay 2018 Fungus Forest”]
You play as Rick the Fox, making your way through a mystical forest with your trusty crossbow at hand. The default move set for Rick’s attacks are very clever and well divvied up–you can only shoot your crossbow when standing still and everything else is a slash from a dagger. It might seem frustrating that Rick can’t shoot whilst moving at first, but it quickly becomes apparent that this was not made to annoy–but to sharpen your mind for strategic attacks. Rick also comes equipped with potions that can give various power-ups, putting a little oomph into your next move.
Something that’s really unique and I found to be wildly fun is the ability to change seasons. Rick has a mana bar that acts as the fuel to this magical power that’s the real showstopper. Changing the seasons allows you to progress through the levels, warping the environment around you from season to season. A common example would be crossing a river–perhaps the river is too wide, so you freeze it and cross over without a problem. There’s also targets scattered about which can only be hit by certain arrow types. It’s a fantastic and fresh take on what would otherwise be another run-of-the-mill platformer.
View some screenshots from Fox N Forests in our gallery:
There’s also a bit of RPG element to Fox n Forests as well. You can return to the village and upgrade various items that you have equipped or in your inventory. This invites the concept of grinding for certain upgrades. Be that a good or a bad thing, I can honestly say that the amount of coinage that drops regularly makes it feel like not so much of a chore.
Fox n Forests is a perfect title to pick up if you happen to have half a foot in the past like I do. It’s the answer to your Sega Mega Drive and Super Nintendo needs–all with the smarts of modern technology paving its way. With various difficulties, it’s a great way to enjoy at any level of skill–easy to pick up, but a challenge to master.
Fox N Forests was reviewed using a digital code supplied by the publisher.
Publisher: EuroVideo Developer: Bonus Level Entertainment Release Date: May 17th, 2018 Reviewed On: PC Also Available On: Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One
