The Forgotten City

 Xbox Series X
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
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  1. RPG Fan
    Jan 31, 2022
    90
    It’s among the most thought-provoking mystery games I’ve ever played, and my only serious gripe is that Modern Storyteller hasn’t released DLC that would allow me to continue my adventure. The Forgotten City offers an unforgettable journey into an ancient town filled with a charming cast, a rich, sprawling narrative, and a world-class soundtrack. This is one city that I recommend everybody visit.
  2. GameSpot
    Aug 17, 2021
    90
    The Forgotten City rewards your inquisitive mind with equally satisfying rewards at every turn, making its time-travelling tale one not to miss out on.
  3. Metro GameCentral
    Aug 6, 2021
    90
    A cleverly constructed narrative adventure that explores serious issues of morality without ever being preachy, and still allowing for an intricately designed, non-linear gaming experience.
  5. XboxAddict
    Jul 27, 2021
    90
    The Forgotten City may have started out as a simple mod, but the small team at Modern Storyteller has taken the time and effort to craft it into its own memorable experience, one that I’m glad to have had and implore you to as well if any of the above has piqued your interest. Well worth the price of admission, The Forgotten City will leave a lasting impression once final revelations are revealed, just always keep in mind the Golden Rule.
  6. TheGamer
    Jul 27, 2021
    90
    Ultimately, though, The Forgotten City is one of those games that will inspire other games for years to come. It’s absurd to think it was mostly developed by a three-person team, and yet the clear, unanimous focus a team this small permits is evident throughout the entire game. It is clever not just in terms of its story or themes, but in how it packages and delivers those themes through one of the most inspired and tight gameplay loops I’ve seen in a long time. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a history buff, story lover, or video game fanatic with a penchant for mystery and immersive design - The Forgotten City is a game that everyone should play because it’s a game that signals to the future of the industry. Bit of a paradox given that it’s set two millennia ago, eh? That joke will actually be funny after you play it, I promise.
  7. SomosXbox
    Aug 20, 2021
    85
    The Forgotten City offers a superb narrative experience. The brilliant use of the classic story and the great work done by the studio in its setting make the title a must for lovers of good stories.
  8. Xbox Tavern
    Jul 29, 2021
    85
    The Forgotten City features a compelling story taking place in a mystifying city. The writing is more than clever and has you experiencing both horror and mirth. The deduction aspect of the game might not be breaking any new ground but the experience is enjoyable and worthwhile as a whole. If you’re unsure of this one then maybe wait to make sure the patch is fully implemented. I would also avoid any playthrough videos as they could easily spoil the story, and that is the most satisfying part of the game.
  9. Gamer.nl
    Dec 15, 2021
    80
    The Forgotten City knows how to work out the concept of a time loop to perfection, without falling into the well-known pitfalls. An exciting story full of philosophical layers keeps you captivated until the end.
  10. Pure Xbox
    Jul 31, 2021
    80
    The Forgotten City has surprised us with how engaging it is. The time loop mechanic is used to great effect and works much more than a simple gimmick, and the standout is the writing, which keeps you invested line after line. It's not a home run, with some overall clunkiness to the game and certain segments that could easily have been stripped out, but it's definitely a 10-12 hour adventure worth taking, with many paths and possibilities to uncover.
  11. Windows Central
    Jul 27, 2021
    80
    The Forgotten City is a fantastic entry in the oft-forgotten mystery-adventure genre, but a handful of flaws slightly detract from the experience.
  12. MondoXbox
    Jul 30, 2021
    75
    The Forgotten City turned out to be an amazing adventure, with a very well conceived story and an original use of the time loop mechanic. Too bad for the lack of Italian localization, which will prevent the non-English speakers from enjoying the title.
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  1. Eurogamer
    Dec 15, 2021
    An elegant mystery with curiosity at its heart. [Eurogamer Recommended]

Awards & Rankings

12
#12 Best Xbox Series X Game of 2021
40
#40 Most Discussed Xbox Series X Game of 2021

User Reviews

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User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 72 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 61 out of 72
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 72
  3. Negative: 5 out of 72
  1. avatar133
    Aug 2, 2021
    10
    Amazing game! Storyline, actors, music setting was really good! Played the original Skyrim mod. Even better than the mod. Only thing that IAmazing game! Storyline, actors, music setting was really good! Played the original Skyrim mod. Even better than the mod. Only thing that I found frustrating, was I kind of got lost and didn't know what to do.… Full Review »
  2. L3Fari0us
    Nov 20, 2021
    9
    Fantastic game that asks you to get to know its world and habitants.

    Coming into this game I had no expectations. I knew it was an    Fantastic game that asks you to get to know its world and habitants.

    Coming into this game I had no expectations. I knew it was an adaptation of a Skyrim mod made by the same people (which even won itself an award), but I couldn't believe how fun it actually was.
    The premise is interesting in it of itself, but the characters is where the game truly shines. They are all very complex and ask of you your attention. You need and have a reason to get to know them and learn their issues.
    The graphics and artstyle are, for the most part, beautiful and awe inspiring. The facial animations, however felt very stiff at times, which is a notable problem, since a lot of what you're doing in this game is looking at other people and speaking to them. Though, thanks to the well written dialogue and voice acting, it doesn't bother me as much as it would otherwise.

    Overall, I highly recommend anyone who is a fan of heavy dialogue games and some puzzle solving to try this title out. You won't regret it.    … Full Review »
  3. RhetoricThug
    Nov 14, 2021
    9
    *SPOILER FREE*

    The Forgotten City is a strong step toward intelligent and thoughtful story telling. It's a game that emphasizes dialogue    *SPOILER FREE*

    The Forgotten City is a strong step toward intelligent and thoughtful story telling. It's a game that emphasizes dialogue and exploration over combat and cinematic set pieces. The underlying gameplay mechanics draw from years of western RPGs and play off intrinsic player intrigue. All of which culminates into an experience that engrosses the player in organic exploration that offers well-paced immersive puzzles by way of NPC conversation in an arresting city filled with mystique.

    Please keep in mind a core team of three people developed this video game over the course of four years. I'm throughly impressed by the talent behind such a well-crafted and delightful tale concerning the general mystery of humanity. The use of mythos in this game is especially good and very accessible to those unread in the lore of humanities. The atmosphere's a finely tuned production and there's plenty of visual metaphors or puns seen while traveling the city and meeting its inhabitants. Overall I felt very satisfied completing this game, and compelled to time loop a few more times, uncover a different ending or rethink my last set of choices.

    Dialogue flow charts often feel long-winded and repetitive given the limited pathways the player encounters while weighing the mystery of it all. Nevertheless, the tangled web the player weaves going through the city is simply fascinating. Encounters with NPCs never feel unnecessary and provide a new perspective on the mind games played by us and the gods.

    The Golden Rule is sardonic enough to make you want to break it, only to find yourself back in the same spot trying to solve the same problems. It's up to the player to break the cycle. With so much to learn and discover, I highly recommend trying The Forgotten City. Its intuitive story telling didn't coerce me once to see what's round the next corner or shed light on the mysteries that await us in an eternal sequence of sinful adventure.

    Surprisingly, I didn't encounter any game breaking bugs. Frame rate stutter occasionally affects the action, but doesn't become unplayable. Again, kudos to the developers for this labor of love. The audio and voice acting seemed fine, and I enjoyed its ambience. Character models and the environment resemble Elder-Scrolls, most likely due to the fact that this game was initially a Skyrim mod. With limited resources the developers squeezed everything they had out of animations to make sure the game's writing had believable delivery by its cast. Combat is sparse and doesn't feel like filler to balance out diplomacy or argument, and I welcomed it when it suddenly forced my hand.

    I couldn't help but feel a subtle nod to The Talos Principle. If you've played Talos Principle, you might notice the similarities, like a focus on morality and socially determined ethics and epistemology. Both games do a great job building a memorable setting that's inspired by human history while persuading the player to solve the worlds' conundrums. It's a fresh approach to game design that doesn't pressure the player to progress in the name of gamification systems.

    I welcome more games like The Forgotten City, and hope the three individuals mostly responsible for this gem get an opportunity to apply what they're learned from this project and go on to create more stimulating and enthralling stories for us to play.

    8.5 (round up to 9)    … Full Review »
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