F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
66

Mixed or average reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. TrueGaming
    Oct 10, 2021
    80
    F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch strikes the perfect balance between combat, platforming, and puzzles, it may suffer from technical shortcomings and some design choices, but it is a good Metroidvania nonetheless.
  2. Gaming Age
    Sep 8, 2021
    75
    Despite the word salad definition of it’s acronym (Seriously what does Forged in Shadow Torch mean really?), F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch is a competent and challenging title for fans of metroidvanias. I was definitely invested into the plight of the furtizens of Torch City and would love to see the conflict which led to the current situation explored in some means. If this is the first title to come out of the China Hero Project, I am definitely interested in the other titles they are curating.
  3. TheSixthAxis
    Sep 6, 2021
    70
    F.I.S.T. offers a rock-solid Metroidvania experience that I enjoyed greatly. Chunky combat, glorious level design and well-hidden secrets are what gets me out of bed in the morning, and F.I.S.T provided all of that and terrifying talking bears too. Unfortunately, I can’t overlook the technical issues that plague proceedings. If TiGames sort out the problems with a rapid patch then this would be a game that's much easier to recommend.
  5. PLAY
    Oct 17, 2021
    60
    With patience, you should find an accomplished metroidvania in FIST, especially in its rich visuals and varied levels. But if you prefer more carrot than stick in your games then, like Rayton, you may not be a happy bunny. [Issue#7, p.78]
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  6. Gameblog.fr
    Sep 9, 2021
    60
    F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch first manages to captivate the player for hours thanks to its unique world and lore. Unfortunately, even if we feel that it's able to draw inspiration from the best and proposed a construction overall which inspires respect, it suffers from certain mistakes that cannot be avoided. Misplaced checkpoints, unskippable cut-scenes but above all commands issues certain phases of platform or combat too frustrating. Try if the genre appeals to you, but be warned that this game will not go easy on your nerves.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 20 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 20
  3. Negative: 3 out of 20
  1. serbon21
    Sep 22, 2021
    6
    FIST is a pretty interesting concept, with pretty rich visuals, decent story and fun characters. There's enough variety in the game in termsFIST is a pretty interesting concept, with pretty rich visuals, decent story and fun characters. There's enough variety in the game in terms of the weapons, treasures, areas to explore, enemies and missions. The game is supposed to be a light hearted encounter, which it is for the most part. FIST is not hard but it's not a walk in the park either. There are some challenging boss encounters that require you to use the full extent of you weapons and abilities. The game succeeds in keeping you engaged throughout the game play. However, what definitely made me not fully enjoy the game is how the developers chose to make the game more difficult - through difficult platforming. Going through long patches of the game attempting to make perfectly timed jumps while avoiding all kinds of obstacles over and over again until you get a perfect run is a disengaging and frustrating experience. Another frustrating function in the game was the usage of the carrot juice bottle (used to replenish your health). It's a process that takes a second. You literally have to stop and hold the button for Ray (the protagonist) to use the bottle and recharge his health. This can be more detrimental than beneficial in some fast paced boss fights because you'll get hit and stunned while trying to recharge your health.
    This is not a triple-A game to begin with, so expectations shouldn't be too high when starting the game. It's supposed to be a fun, quick experience. However the unnecessarily difficult platforming sections took away from the experience. It just felt like a cheap way to make the game more difficult and that way prolong it without adding more actual content instead.    … Full Review »
  2. InferiorPenguin
    Sep 15, 2021
    8
    I would give the game a 10, but it has crashed 3 times and I have no idea why it is happening.
  3. Cyrus666
    Jun 14, 2023
    9
    Number of Playthroughs: 1
    Total Hours Played: 20
    When I started playing FIST I thought: This is a well-made AAA game. I had no idea that an    Number of Playthroughs: 1
    Total Hours Played: 20
    When I started playing FIST I thought: This is a well-made AAA game. I had no idea that an indie-developing team was behind it. It is so well made, the combat, cinematic cutscenes, and level design.
    FIST is a Metroidvania game. Similar to other games in the genre, there are lots of areas that are locked at first but you gradually gain new abilities and unlock them. The combat is fluid and responsive and a lotta fun. The game overall is very fun but it's not without is flaws. There are short segments of underwater levels, there is a level when you have to play hide and seek with a sea creature and it gets really annoying. Another annoying part was at the ancient complex where you have to run away from a worm. I died to that thing many times and I found it to be quite unfair.
    My only regret is that I didn't manage to get the platinum trophy for this game for 2 reasons: 1) Even though I explored some areas completely and gathered all the collectibles, the map percentage is still not 100 percent. 2)Master Wu's training at the later stages are too difficult and I was too much of a noob to complete them. I've seen some people complain about the final boss. It's not as difficult as they claim and can be easily stunlocked by using whip's Down+ triangle for moderate damage which also gives you enough time to heal.

    So my final thoughts are: Fist Forged in Shadow Torch is a great Metrovania game and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre.    … Full Review »
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