Le Geek - Retrogaming Reviews

Rating
Graphics:	3
Sound:	4.5
Control:	4
Depth:	3
Overall:	3.5

Forbidden Forest

By: Paul Norman
Published By: Cosmi Corp
Released: 1983

While the graphics are rather crude, Forbidden Forest makes up for it with atmosphere. Many elements of the survival horror genre appear, years before Resident Evil was released: an awkward-controlling protagonist, grisly death scenes and the unexpected lurking around the bend.

As an archer, you wander the forest, defending yourself from monsters. The bow is your only weapon and your best option is usually to run and reload in-between shots. When you die it is rather gruesome and, to rub it in, the game stays on your demise for several seconds.

The music is actually first rate cinematic horror fare, not surprising considering that programmer Paul Norman was a professional musician before turning his attention to computer games. The game over music is probably my favorite.

With eight waves of various monsters to dispatch, culminating in a fight against the formidable Demogorgon, the gameplay is varied and challenging, but the star of the game is the forest itself. The moon sets. The land gets dark. Creepy stuff.

- Ben Langberg