After checking out [b]Soulslinger[/b], my curiosity peaked and I decided to check another game from [b]Nether Lamp[/b], [b]Forest of Strays[/b]. It looked the most interesting to me and it’s the most recent game, which means my review will be more valuable than ever. So, how is it?
[b]Forest of Strays[/b] is a pretty standard 2D platformer. It’s a two-button game - jump and sword slash, and that’s it. You cannot kill enemies by jumping on them, you will simply bounce off, or die if they are spiky. In stage 6, you acquire the aforementioned sword, which is used to defeat enemies and activate those pesky bear traps. The way enemies fly forward and the SFX make me think we’re hitting them with a bat instead of slashing, which is kind of amusing. The game is responsive enough, and rarely did I feel like my deaths were the fault of the game.
The game is not very fast paced, and the levels are become longer the further you’re in, which means having to retread your steps after dying can be frustrating. Think of it as a series of mini-gauntlets, with the exception of boss levels and the hidden one, there are no checkpoints, if you make one mistake, you’ll have to start from the beginning. The game advertises itself as “hardcore”, which I personally think is a little exaggerated – it’s definitely not on the same level as [b]Celeste[/b] or [b]Airscape: The Fall of Gravity[/b]. That said, it IS a hard game, I did die a number of times, so if you’re expecting challenge, you’ll get some.
One thing the game does right is variety. Even in challenge levels, the game keeps introducing new obstacles, and each set of levels has unique enemies as well. However, the level design… it’s fine, but for the most part feels uninspired. I counted at least 6 times where you had two extending spike blocks without iterating on that obstacle, which can feel a little repetitive. There’s also the double jump. After you collect all hidden flowers, you unlock the double jump. After collecting all maple leaves and beating normal mode levels, you unlock challenge levels. They are essentially the same as normal levels, but with more hazards. However, they don’t feel like they utilize the double jump properly. It’s as if the double jump is not there to be explored as a mechanic, but something secondary, not being used in levels specifically designed for this ability. The only real utilization is to collect some tricky green leaves, which are optional. There IS a secret level that actually fits the bill – an appropriately tough level, with tricky jumps, the double jump is absolutely necessary. It even combines enemies from different level sets, resulting in a fun and satisfying challenge. If there were more levels like this, I’d be more satisfied.
There are a few issues I have with the game. In the boss battle in challenge mode, I wish there was a warning about paws coming from the ground and killing you, I died because I didn’t know that would happen. In the normal mode boss battle, you can jump behind the witch and slash her while she’s shooting forward, which in my opinion trivializes the first phase, may as well not have it if it’s this easy. Also, I am annoyed by the fact that you can both kill and be killed by the same enemy on the same frame. I feel like there should be a priority – either have enemies react first and kill you on the same frame or go the other way around and have the player take priority.
The visuals are nice overall. I like how defeated enemies typically display a sad expression, it’s a cute little detail. However, a big issue I have with the aesthetics is that the visual variety is lacking. The game trapped itself by its title – [b]Forest of Strays[/b]. All you see is forest times 33. The only thing that changes between level sets is palette, and maybe a few new tiles are added like floating islands with vines in Enchanted Woods. But it doesn’t have to look so repetitive. There are different kinds of forests and forest trees. Maybe have some pine trees. Maybe some birch trees. Maybe even add something fantastical. How about a forest of cherry blossoms because why not? Or add mushrooms, maybe even giant ones, there are mushrooms in forests. Giant flowers? I think having some variety in the tilesets and backgrounds would elevate the visuals further. Somewhat related, but the dark forest is VERY dark. Obviously you’re supposed to get the lamp. [spoiler]But one of the pillar hints require you to beat all 4 levels without it.[/spoiler] If you can’t adjust your brightness or have a dim monitor, it may be impossible to do that. Maybe implement a brightness option? This idea is fr- wait, I already used that joke. Uh, this idea is… priceless!
Here are a couple of visual nitpicks - I think the girl (protagonist) is oddly animated – her head and legs are facing forward, but the body looks like it’s facing the camera, and the arms are flailing, it looks a little silly. And in the ending picture after beating all normal levels, the girl doesn’t look like she’s holding the sword – it looks like she is clenching her hand but the sword is somewhere behind it. Again, these are just nitpicks.
The music is a Stray CatJam (translation: very good). Having a talented bro has its perks, doesn’t it? When playing through challenge levels, the tracks are the same but with slightly altered instrumentation, similar to how the level design itself is similar but altered in some ways. Some may call this lazy, but I don’t really mind – the underlying songs are as enjoyable to listen as ever. Once again, there is no in-game story or lore to speak of. I think it’s kinda odd that the witch and the girl became friends at the end of challenge levels after beating up own cat for misbehaving, but whatever. I am more of a gameplay focused nerd than story, so it doesn’t bother me too much.
To make a more definitive review, I checked the behind the scenes video. Just like with [b]Soulslinger[/b], [b]Forest of Strays[/b] began life as a game jam entry at itch.io. I won’t be talking about it much, I’d rather leave a comment on it on itch, but you can see an evolution in visuals – a bit rougher in 2020 original, and it’s just a single level, because of the game jam’s gimmick. I liked the idea of the sword spreading love instead of harming, turning hostile enemies into opposite. If that idea was kept, the game would’ve been much more unique and interesting. But yeah, the video was interesting and insightful once again. That’s how I learned about the secret level, which I had to beat to get a third hidden ending.
Just like with [b]Soulslinger[/b], I am leaning towards recommending it than not. On its own, [b]Forest of Strays[/b] doesn’t do anything wrong. It controls well, the level design is fine, and does offer some challenge, the visuals are pleasing though lacking variety, and the music is quite good. However, if I had to compare [b]Forest of Strays[/b] and [b]Soulslinger[/b], I think I like the latter a little more, if only because it’s a unique take on the autorunner genre. [b]Forest of Strays[/b] by comparison feels like it plays it safe, and as a result, doesn’t have anything to stand out. That said, it’s far from a bad game. If you’re looking for a platformer quick fix… I mean, there are so many good platformers out there, but [b]Forest of Strays[/b] is not a bad pick. Just don’t expect it to blow you away.
[b]Death Count = 218[/b]
