Sons of the Forest Early Access Review

ign.com:

I'll never forget my first confusing, terrifying encounter with a cannibal in 2018's The Forest, when an intelligent creature out of a nightmare decided simply to watch me rather than try to kill me. And while its sequel, Sons of the Forest, can't truly replicate the creepy novelty of that first time, it does build upon the gameplay, story, and atmosphere of one of the best ever survival crafting games in some very satisfying ways. It occasionally reminded me of its Early Access status with seemingly unfinished cutscenes and inconsistent performance, but not nearly as often as a lot of other recent games that use that label.

Set several years after The Forest, Sons of the Forest challenges you to survive and uncover new mysteries on a lush, temperate island that reminded me of hiking in the American Pacific Northwest. It's about four times the size of the original's map, and it is downright gorgeous. The amount and variety of vegetation, some of which can be used as a food source or to make medicines, adds a fullness and richness to the landscape that we rarely see in this type of game. The lighting is also incredible. Clouds that partially block out the sun on a warm day completely change the mood of my exploration. It's one of those small details that most games ignore, but when one of them gets it right, I really notice.

I’ve never been terrorized, stalked, or fascinated by enemy AI quite like I was in The Forest. It’s a harrowing survival ordeal that knows how to play with tension and create the sense of a real world with complex inner workings and mysteries I was eager to discover. It’s I Am Legend told in the depths of the hinterlands, with a meaningful story progression that doesn’t overstay its welcome. Disregard