The Forgotten City

 PC
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 170 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 130 out of 170
  2. Mixed: 30 out of 170
  3. Negative: 10 out of 170

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  1. SuperkenGaming
    Aug 19, 2021
    9
    The Forgotten City
    An experience you wont forget
    The forgotten city is a 6 hour long action adventure mystery game where you playas a character that wakes up in what seems like the distant past, in this land of people afraid of this golden rule, if just one person sins theyre all doomed, these golden statues will cometo live and turn everyone into gold.. but hers the conundrum, to get    The Forgotten City
    An experience you wont forget
    The forgotten city is a 6 hour long action adventure mystery game where you playas a character that wakes up in what seems like the distant past, in this land of people afraid of this golden rule, if just one person sins theyre all doomed, these golden statues will cometo live and turn everyone into gold.. but hers the conundrum, to get some info and escape, you gotta do a little sinning.. luckily for you.. youre a time traveler.. you steal the item or kill the person you need to, run to this portal, go back intime, thankfully theres a messanger standing right at the portal for you to tell all the info to, so they can run and take care of things you already took care of, not only that, youre back with the item you stole, sin free, rinse repeat, talk to the charcters in this small yet lived in feeling city,solve their problems, get what you need.. youll even get your own golden bow,which leads to some amazing dungon crawling sequences that I would’ve lovedseeing more of, youre dealing with thesegolden monsers, shooting vines leavesandalgie, to turn them into gold to traverse.. I loved it.. but again sadly this makes up maybe only 2 hours total of this 6 hour game.. the rest is just talking and listening, being persuasive, solving problems, figuring out the big giant people puzzle, how can I get what I need, gi back in time and use it against this person, or help this person.. I loved trying to solve the problem of getting info and also dealing with burdansall at the same time, and I loved that I got to keep everything I collected in between it all..
    The forgetten city is one of the coolest story games ive ever played… it is definitey boring at times.. a lot of times.. I skipped more dialog than I would in a game really pulling me in with its story.. but I was still glad I pushed through to the end, to reveal the big twist..
    If youre a fan of solving mysteries or just love a really good story, snatch this one up..
    I give The Forgotten City
    an 8.5/10    … Expand
  2. Monge
    Sep 1, 2021
    10
    The game looked like it would disappoint, mainly because of the terrible endings that games of this style have been releasing.

    However, I was surprised, with well-written dialogues and a sense of importance in the story.

    I could see the effort in delivering a good ending, and I hope the developers continue with new projects.
  3. philzlz
    Aug 12, 2021
    9
    I went in completely blind (never even heard of the mod) and loved this game. The story kept me interested, voice acting was stellar for such a small production and graphics nice to look at. Soundtrack was epic and you really felt transported to an ancient time with a lot of small details in world building.

    Only downside was the bow combat which is understandable since its not the main    I went in completely blind (never even heard of the mod) and loved this game. The story kept me interested, voice acting was stellar for such a small production and graphics nice to look at. Soundtrack was epic and you really felt transported to an ancient time with a lot of small details in world building.

    Only downside was the bow combat which is understandable since its not the main focus of the game and the tiny map, I would have liked to explore a bit more.    … Expand
  4. dick7181
    Oct 29, 2021
    10
    Simply amazing. I hear the complaints about "stiff graphics" but understanding where this game comes from as well as the idea of 'art style' will get you past this barrier. This game is an experience that no gamer should go without experiencing. It will influence other games for years to come. Play a pioneer while it's still easily digestible. Also, avoid spoilers at all costs!
  5. Archound
    Oct 1, 2021
    9
    Outer Wilds, but in ancient Rome and with a detective vibe. Must play for narrative games lovers.
  6. Aashtarsrain
    Aug 2, 2021
    10
    To those who never played the original Skyrim mod : this game is the most exciting, fresh, immersive, beautiful and cleverly fascinating mystery action game I've played in years. From a magnificent soundtrack to awesome story revelations, it's jaw-dropping in every way.

    To those who played the Skyrim mod : it's all we loved and hoped for, but different, fresh and ten times better in every way.
  7. hello_world
    Nov 23, 2021
    8
    The forgotten city is a game the lives or dies by its writing. Thankfully the game is quite well written (mostly). The game is less concerned with epic battles or even dialogue options with branching paths and is more interested with politics and philosophy. At its core, the game is about ethics, about what is right and wrong and how do we know what is right or wrong. An ambitious way toThe forgotten city is a game the lives or dies by its writing. Thankfully the game is quite well written (mostly). The game is less concerned with epic battles or even dialogue options with branching paths and is more interested with politics and philosophy. At its core, the game is about ethics, about what is right and wrong and how do we know what is right or wrong. An ambitious way to write a game, and it mostly works.

    This is not like Nier: Automata who talks about philosophers but doesn't go to far into the actual philosophy of the big thinkers they invoke. The Forgotten city wants you to engage with the ideas of ethics and morality and in the end, it does pick a side on what they think is the most correct answer to these ideas they put forth. I respect that they did this and would love it for other devs do the same instead of doing the whole "it's up to the player" mentality which has its place in gaming, but it can come off as a cop out for a mot of games and feel like the publisher was too afraid that picking a side would hurt their profits. That being said, I find that the level of depth they went into was quite shallow and isn't anything you would find in a first year philosophy class. After hiring historians to help make sure their world had historical authenticity, I felt like they could have also benefited from hiring a philosophy professor to help with the writing.

    I am three paragraphs in and I have yet to talk about the gameplay or the graphics. That's because both are serviceable and there isn't much to talk about. The game does have light puzzle mechanics, which are fine if a little one-note. The combat is pretty out of place and the game could probably be better without it. As I said in the review, the game lives or dies by its writing, because gameplay wise, it is unremarkable. The game is totally worth the experience if you're looking for something new, don't get it if you're looking for an action packed adventure.    … Expand
  8. Booth211
    Nov 21, 2021
    9
    This game was surprisingly fun. Of course it's not on the same narrative and development level as a AAA game because it was made by a team of 3 people. Granted, my bar was set pretty low, but I was pleasantly surprised. Definitely worth checking out.
  9. GibbyTheThird
    Jul 30, 2021
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm typically not the type for a mystery game; while detective work was high on my list of priorities in my youth, I've deviated from that. Now though, I thought I'd give it a try with this game. While real life doesn't have time travel (I've tried the "Time Travel to Now" trick; we never find it), I've found myself invested in this game far more than most others I've played.
    The story does follow similar story beats to the mod it's based on, but it builds upon it with new twists and turns, characters, and actual climbing mechanics. The changes made were impactful to my overall experience, and I found myself genuinely surprised and gasping - actually gasping - at most of the twists, and laughing at a few points as well, such as Descius's dialogue options in Ending #4. The writing made each character feel unique, with appropriate voice acting from each VA. While I didn't find myself going back and talking to each character, I still appreciated talking to them and learning about them.
    Despite this, there were a few drawbacks; not enough for me to not give it a lower score, but enough I was convinced to not give it higher. There were technical limitations for my laptop; while it is a higher grade gaming laptop, and I thought my computer could withstand the full quality, it was slow to spawn parts of the environment. Or clutter. Or people, which are very important to a murder mystery. Though, this may be a me-problem, so I'll let it slide. Beyond that, there was the Palace. Not the Palace itself, but I couldn't get back in. Maybe I'm incompetent with platforming, but I could not climb back up to the balcony, and I can't re-activate the quest that gets me inside. Maybe it's a balancing thing, but I would've liked to spend more time in there after further loops. Additionally, there were the facial animations. While they were on point sometimes, I still found myself puzzling while trying to read their mouths and think of them saying what I'm hearing coming from their mouths. I can't sometimes, and it spoils parts of the immersion. Finally, there were two dialogue trees that broke the impact of some quests: Horatius when "Malleolus" drops out, and Sentius when you find Sentilla. Horatius, even after the announcement about the election, will still say that M. is running and Sentius doesn't stand a chance, even when farmer boy Galerius is the opponent. Sentius, meanwhile, completely forgets that the illusion of him forgetting the loop was broken, and continues to give the typical Loop #2 dialogue unless given the Sentilla dialogue. But, these were the only two instances dialogue gave me the most trouble. The rest was on point, precise, and immersive enough to keep me invested for a long time.
    While there were problems with The Forgotten City, they were outweighed by well executed twists, deviations from the original source material, along with great writing and execution by the voice actors. With that said, I highly recommend The Forgotten City.    … Expand
  10. Traxillion
    Dec 11, 2021
    7
    Unique, well-written, surprising, and interesting throughout it all, The Forgotten City is a great game that deserves your time.
  11. Jurdman
    Aug 1, 2021
    10
    Thoroughly recommend this game. It looks beautiful, and the story is engaging. The game mechanics are unique and fun. I have spent a lot of time trying to piece everything together. Think of yourself as a Mythological Phil Connors from Groundhog Day.
    It's extremely satisfying when you figure stuff out and it all clicks together. I can't say anymore, as I don't want to spoil. Can't wait to    Thoroughly recommend this game. It looks beautiful, and the story is engaging. The game mechanics are unique and fun. I have spent a lot of time trying to piece everything together. Think of yourself as a Mythological Phil Connors from Groundhog Day.
    It's extremely satisfying when you figure stuff out and it all clicks together. I can't say anymore, as I don't want to spoil. Can't wait to see what is next for this dev team.    … Expand
  12. AleM123
    Aug 25, 2021
    10
    Amazing game! Hard to find these days games like that. Impressive! Started to play and couldn't stop for hours and hours
  13. besiegedparent
    Oct 16, 2021
    9
    This is the first time-loop game I've played, and I loved it. I found it very immersive, despite its relative simplicity. It got me thinking and problem-solving in a way unlike the adventure games I usually play.
  14. webhivbbr4vio3b
    Aug 1, 2021
    10
    I am genuinely so impressed. With a team of only 3 developers, they have managed to accomplish so much:

    Fantastic story- time concepts, history, philosophy, and an open-worldish type adventure ticked all my boxes. The content of the quests was also very unique; no fetch x quests, each was memorable Acting- both the animations and voice overs were very well done; it was super    I am genuinely so impressed. With a team of only 3 developers, they have managed to accomplish so much:

    Fantastic story- time concepts, history, philosophy, and an open-worldish type adventure ticked all my boxes. The content of the quests was also very unique; no fetch x quests, each was memorable

    Acting- both the animations and voice overs were very well done; it was super engaging. Each character felt real

    Stability- with time loops involved and the quests that are included, theres a lot of potential for bugs. Surprisingly, I did not run into any (except a money exploit that I used to my benefit)

    The only downside is that I felt it was fairly short, but that might be because I loved it I wanted to explore as much as I could ASAP.    … Expand
  15. Dhshsusu
    Aug 30, 2021
    10
    The greatest story telling game I’ve ever played and the fact that it’s in time means you actually learn real story’s. It’s very intelligent dialogue and pulls you in with a very human quality, the conversions feel real and are very powerful. If they could make the Scale even bigger I’d say this game would be better then elder scrolls. But the depth of story is far better then anythingThe greatest story telling game I’ve ever played and the fact that it’s in time means you actually learn real story’s. It’s very intelligent dialogue and pulls you in with a very human quality, the conversions feel real and are very powerful. If they could make the Scale even bigger I’d say this game would be better then elder scrolls. But the depth of story is far better then anything elder scrolls had made.… Expand
  16. AllNewSuperfake
    Jul 30, 2021
    5
    I love the idea of this game, and the score is my way of saying: I don't want to rate this. I want more games like this, and this is obviously the work of people who had a great idea, and talented writers and programmers worked hard to make it, and given the size of the team the result is impressive.

    But under the thin veil of a decent presentation and some nice writing even the short    I love the idea of this game, and the score is my way of saying: I don't want to rate this. I want more games like this, and this is obviously the work of people who had a great idea, and talented writers and programmers worked hard to make it, and given the size of the team the result is impressive.

    But under the thin veil of a decent presentation and some nice writing even the short time span that you spend in the "forgotten city" - again and again - is enough to break any immersion with technical issues and shortcuts in it's mechanics.

    While the story and underlying mystery are certainly interesting and the characters well fleshed out, the developers cut too many corners when it comes to the consequences of your actions. The lack of interactivity and interaction in the city makes it feel small, dead and less and less believable. Every time you enter the market place that has no customers filled with nothing but silence, where nobody reacts to you or whatever happens - even when it's a shrine coming down on a lunatic with a weapon - it becomes harder and harder to feel engaged or take it serious.

    You can't screw around because the developers didn't seem to see any potential in that, and every interaction and every object is directly tied to your quests. You can't really experiment because everything is quiet straightforward, which also takes out planning or getting creative and the satisfaction that comes with that.

    When you change history you never get something like a butterfly effect; you are lucky if you get additional dialogue. Everyone seems oblivious to what's happening right in front of them, and with very few exceptions most people just stand patiently in place until something sets of the repeating Armageddon that you are trying to stop.

    On top of that the game has small technical issues like long loading times that make you think the game crashed whenever you move around and hit one of it's invisible inner borders that put another dent into the illusion that you are in a living, breathing place that is alive even when you don't do anything. There are only very few things to explore or observe or watch, and everyone sounds like they are reading to you.

    So yes, I don't want to rate this, but I also can't recommend it only because I want it to be good.    … Expand
  17. RetroTitan
    Aug 1, 2021
    10
    I've never posted anything on Metacritic before, but I made an account SPECIFICALLY to do so for this game.

    It all started with a Mod... and this game is an ode to that mode, while also being something fresh and original. It is one of the best mystery games I've ever played, with twists that kept me guessing, even after playing the Skyrim mod! The love they poured into this game is    I've never posted anything on Metacritic before, but I made an account SPECIFICALLY to do so for this game.

    It all started with a Mod... and this game is an ode to that mode, while also being something fresh and original. It is one of the best mystery games I've ever played, with twists that kept me guessing, even after playing the Skyrim mod!

    The love they poured into this game is evident from the get go, with so much research and care having gone into it. The entire experience is like greeting a familiar friend, only to find out they're even more awesome.

    Modern Storyteller is a developer that I believe will go on to do great things... because they already have and frankly, they can only go up from here. Buy this game, LOVE this game, share this game to your friends.    … Expand
  18. Young_Nacho
    Aug 27, 2021
    4
    If your bar for quality has dropped so low to the point where this is some of the best writing in gaming, please seek help or play more narrative video games.

    For a game made for "Adults who like figuring things out for themselves" the mission path is extremely straight forward, and there isn't much thought required to get through the game. Just go with the blatantly obvious solutions    If your bar for quality has dropped so low to the point where this is some of the best writing in gaming, please seek help or play more narrative video games.

    For a game made for "Adults who like figuring things out for themselves" the mission path is extremely straight forward, and there isn't much thought required to get through the game. Just go with the blatantly obvious solutions or just cheese your way through it because the game breaks at the slightest hiccup. And aside from a single moment, nothing really feels clever. For a game with a timeloop mechanic, they do **** all to give you interesting puzzles or narrative beats to get around by using the timeloop. Most solutions basically play out with you choosing dialogue until you say the wrong thing. Then on the next loop you go back and say something different. And it's not like you really have much input either as the options are pretty rigid and several times the game would not let me say the one thing I very easily could have said to sway the conversation in my favor. It's so surface level and rigid that I can't fathom why anyone would think the dialogue or choices are interesting. I mean I literally got the "True" ending on my first run through and I didn't even feel like I did anything special to deserve it.

    Speaking of the ending, the big reveals in the last act are unbearably corny and play out like something you'd probably see in a random Gmod level. And despite coming out, what, almost a decade after the mod? It still looks a plays like a skyrim mod, though I'd argue the original mod's visuals almost fit better and Skyrim's facial animations are about on par with this 2021 release. I seriously can't believe this game was made in Unreal 4. It looks like it was made Unity, by people who don't understand lighting and post processing.

    I just don't understand what anyone sees in this game. The illusion of choice is paper thin, the ending is eye-roll worthy, and it's just kinda corny as a whole. The 4th wall breaking jokes are facebook level humor and having a "Karen" joke literally 2 minutes into the game does not set a great tone.    … Expand
  19. Underpants158
    Aug 21, 2021
    7
    This is a story focused game. Literally the only combat is an occasional area that you fire your bow in where the enemies take two hits and all they do is rush you if they see you. I never came close to dying by an enemy so you shouldn't either. If that sounds fine with you then keep reading.

    The premise is you have been transported to a lost ancient Roman city that is cut off from the    This is a story focused game. Literally the only combat is an occasional area that you fire your bow in where the enemies take two hits and all they do is rush you if they see you. I never came close to dying by an enemy so you shouldn't either. If that sounds fine with you then keep reading.

    The premise is you have been transported to a lost ancient Roman city that is cut off from the outside world. AND you are stuck in a timeloop. It is your duty to explore and chat with everybody, discover leads, follow leads, and break the timeloop. The city area is not so big but I think it is the perfect size for this game. I'm going to spitball and say there are about 12 people in the city. The characters and the mystery are enjoyable. The characters will probably not be so memorable in the long run but I imagine the mystery will be.

    In a game such as this there is a lot of possibility for the little annoyance of needing to repeat your actions everyday if you want to build off of something you previously did. There is no such annoyance here I am glad to tell you. For one, there is a very nice, overly trusting man that will run and do your important errands at the beginning of the loop. Also, all the characters you interact with are totally cool with being blunt and cutting to the chase.

    There are 4 endings and one of them is THE ending. The others are options but they don't leave you satisfied. So why do I think this game is only a 7 out 10? It is not that the game does anything wrong I just, for whatever reason, don't have any strong feelings toward it. It is good. It is solid. If you like this kind of thing you will enjoy yourself. I enjoyed myself.    … Expand
  20. sekiro-hate
    Jan 24, 2022
    5
    The game is decent, but I don't understand the hype, though I must say I played around 1h and I have gave up. For me it is so boring because dialogs are flat, life of the city is not better than Skyrim NPCs and we have 2022 not 2011. There is too overwhelming pathos: music, dialogs. Maybe it was fine back in the day but today I feel it makes narrative flat. Interactions with the world areThe game is decent, but I don't understand the hype, though I must say I played around 1h and I have gave up. For me it is so boring because dialogs are flat, life of the city is not better than Skyrim NPCs and we have 2022 not 2011. There is too overwhelming pathos: music, dialogs. Maybe it was fine back in the day but today I feel it makes narrative flat. Interactions with the world are boring and even though I tried 3 times I can't force myself to play more in this game.… Expand
  21. bancandrei
    Feb 19, 2022
    5
    Came for the story, stayed for the graphics. That is of course not ideal. I expected to be more impressed by both the story and the interactions. I was thinking 2 things while playing it: boy, this writing sure pales in comparison to Disco Elysium and this kinda feels like a Fallout New Vegas Vault. It probably worked much better in its original incarnation as a mod
  22. sex69
    Oct 8, 2021
    0
    There are too few supported languages. So it's not fun. It's annoying. Please support a lot of languages.
  23. felipemandarino
    Nov 14, 2021
    3
    NPCs are creepy and battle encounters feels like some unity rip-off game.
    Graphics are on the high side but I was expecting some kind of better GI or RT effects.
  24. MetoTheBabo
    Jul 6, 2022
    9
    This game is pretty good if you like history or fantasy. A pretty good adventure , graphics are decent , story is really great. But just one thing I don't like about this game is that the face expressions of the chacaracters . But its not a really big problem.
  25. Mandulum
    Feb 7, 2022
    8
    An enjoyable time loop romp through a little Roman village.

    Date Completed: 2022-02-06
    Playtime: 7h
    Enjoyment: 8/10
    Recommendation: Yes!
  26. TwoEars
    Jul 2, 2023
    1
    Jesus Christ what a buggy mess. Just play the Skyrim mod instead, it's free.
  27. Kubasa_Undead
    Nov 23, 2021
    10
    Absolutely phenomenal game, fantastic story told in a way that just grabs you by the balls and holds onto them until the end. Bravo! Haven't play something that good for a while.
  28. MaxByMeta
    Dec 26, 2021
    8
    What a great story rich game! I enjoyed every moment of it!
    Although I learned something new about history by playing this game, so it was definitely worth it
  29. auditbadger
    Jan 22, 2023
    9
    I think that this is truly a unique game and I would recommend that if you are a fan of this type of genre then I think you should give this game a try.
  30. sersimovi
    Oct 27, 2022
    8
    Really loved the world and the whole loop concept. It must be played with patience just so you're able to connect everything all the different characters tell you.
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Awards & Rankings

21
#21 Best PC Game of 2021
45
#45 Most Discussed PC Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 34 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 34
  3. Negative: 0 out of 34
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 30, 2024
    100
    The creators from Modern Storyteller, have done what others can't - they have managed to turn a successful modification into a standalone game that is receiving acclaim on all sides. Excellent production values (especially for an indie game) meet with well-crafted and original game design to create a truly unique experience. [Issue#317]
  2. Games.cz
    Nov 30, 2021
    80
    A brilliant game that’s all about conversations. You get stuck in a time loop which sounds potentially frustrating but actually isn’t because you don’t have to repeat yourself in any way. It’s just a shame that the game’s a bit ugly and the puzzles a bit trivial.
    Read full review
  3. Riot Pixels
    Oct 17, 2021
    78
    Modern Storyteller did right by rewriting its popular mod for a new world. Aside from some rookie mistakes and an apparent lack of budget, the story is exciting and memorable, and I really did not want to leave this cursed city. I definitely wouldn’t mind a few additional quests.
    Read full review
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