Forgotton Anne Review

Forgotton Anne
Developer: ThroughLine Games
Publisher: Square Enix Collective
Reviewed On: PlayStation 4
Available On: Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

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Upon its release in May, Forgotton Anne immediately grabbed my attention for its colorful, anime-inspired art style. Hoping for a unique experience in a beautifully animated world, Forgotton Anne delivered that and much more, including well realized characters, a thoughtful story, and some of the best orchestration I have heard in a video game to date.

Forgotton Anne is the first game produced by Danish game developer ThroughLine Games. Releasing on May 15, 2018 for Windows, Xbox One, and PlasyStation 4, Forgotton Anne is ThrougLine’s first attempt to achieve their mission of crafting engrossing, story driven games with an eye towards animation. The acute attention to the game’s narrative and visual design also extends to its composition, recruiting the Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra for the soundtrack.

Taking place in the mysterious atmosphere of Forgotton Land, you play as Anne, a young human who is trapped in this mysterious world. Waking up one evening, you find that your home is being invaded by Rebel Forgotlings. As the Enforcer of this realm, you set off on a mission to uncover the cause of this rebellion. During your investigation, you navigate a strange land, encountering a multitude of surreal characters.

Exploring the truly unique world of Forgotton Land and unearthing its governing principles proved to be the most enjoyable experience of the game. Serving as a land where items from the human world, or Ether, go after they are forgotten or abandoned by their humans; Forgotton Land is garnished with remnants of the world above. In an attempt to escape this land, Anne’s mentor, Master Bonku, equips this world with intricate machinery. The result is a somber yet beautifully animated terrain, adorned with remnants of the world above alongside steam-punk inspired machinery. In navigating this land, I was consistently in awe of how fully realized it was.

Inhabiting this world are the Forgotlings, items sent to Forgotton Land after they were either abandoned or forgotten by their humans. In their journey to this new land, these everyday items are given sentience. While the game could have used these characters as one-noted stage piece that serve as the backdrop for Anne’s story, each is fully fleshed out. Whether it be a lamp named Tiphany or mannequin the goes by Mr. Fig, each character provided an enjoyable encounter that helped me better understand the mysterious land.

The experience of exploring the world of Forgotton Land was further underscored by the game’s beautiful composition. Each moment was paired with an appropriate orchestral score. Whether it be cinematic battle sequences or panning visuals of Forgotton Land, each moment was further pronounced by its musical composition.

Not only did these atmospherics provide an engrossing experience in a strange land, but served as a backdrop for a moving story. What starts as a mission to unearth the rebels causing dissonance in Forgotton Land mutates into an exciting story with unexpected plot-twists, gripping themes, and remarkable character development. Told through gameplay sequences and fully animated cinematic scenes, the story that Forgotton Anne presents is a notable entry in narrative games.

Unfortunately, the game’s captivating narrative and atmosphere do not translate to the gameplay. Forgotton Anne takes the style of a guided side scroller with mild puzzle and platforming sequences. In traversing Forgotton Land, you are faced with small platforming sequences. While the game provides a high-stakes narrative, the platforming feels mundanely safe and non-consequential. Rarely challenging, the game’s platforming is dull and formulaic throughout. The only time I felt truly challenged during this platforming was when the slow animation sequences interfered with my next move. The lack of depth in the game’s platforming make it feel like an afterthought, providing something to occupy the player’s time as the story unfolds.

The puzzles that I encountered, however, proved to be more fleshed out and challenging than the game’s platforming. Nevertheless, they suffer the same deficit as the platforming, whereas it is disharmonious with the game’s narrative. One serving as a high-stake’s story for the survival of the Forgotton Land and the other a slow-paced trial of little consequence.

The feeling that your actions are of little consequence also extends to the decisions you make as a player. Throughout your journey, you are prompted to make multiple decisions on behalf of Anne. And while these decisions can alter certain story elements, only one of them significantly impacts the story – the others simply modifying side-story elements.

The culmination of the game’s decision-system, puzzles, and platforming sequences made me feel as though I was simply along for the ride, and nothing I really did would impact the narrative awaiting me. Regardless of how gripping the narrative was, I could not help but feel like a bystander.

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Final Thoughts:

Forgotton Anne is a wonderfully executed installation in narrative-driven games. Marvelous art direction places great attention to detail toward visual, narrative, and sound design; providing the player with a gripping story in a surreal and charming atmosphere. However, the inconsequential platforming and puzzle sequences place the player in mundane situations they must pass to progress the game’s narrative. Despite these flaws, Forgotton Anne is a fantastic journey for those looking for an engrossing gaming experience.