Recent reviews by ADMute

Darkwood makes excellent use of environment and ambiance to create a setting dripping with atmosphere and combines that with the tension of constantly racing against the setting sun to do stuff and *not* get stuck outside at sunset lest you wind up a dead man. However, even in your "safe house", you are still not entirely safe, as dangerous creatures will attempt to break in and assault you physically while other deadly entities will begin to assail your mind. This survival mechanic is also combined this with other familiar survival and gathering mechanics that while not entirely unforgiving does give make you think about what you want to do with those resources you found on your journeys into the terrible woods with lurking horrors where you might least expect to find them, and your harrowing escapes from those horrors with those precious finds and resources. All in all, for the price of the game, and for a top down game, this far and away blows so much of the otherwise would be competition from other horror games out of the water.

If you like Horror games, dripping with atmosphere with a constant tension and an engaging plot that leaves just enough in front of you to keep you engaged and interested in pushing forward into the ever darker and more dangerous woods both for the story and for the fun of the game, then I can not recommend this game enough.

A great example of a game that can be both a world that is open and brimming with life. The story is stellar, the characters are enjoyable are interesting. One area where the game truly shines is in its side quests. Rather than feeling like tedious fetch quests or just boxes to tick off in your journey for completion, these quests are almost all engaging stories in themselves. While the combat mechanics aren't particularly mind blowing, there is at least enough depth to hold your interest while you make your way through the game. I didn't find much use for one of the skill trees, but the others had enough in store to allow me to create a fairly unique play style suited to my tastes.

Overall, if you enjoy fantasy, are looking for a rich open world game that also delivers in a gripping narrative that doesn't shy from the fact that things are rarely black and white, and seldom does everyone walk away happily ever after. I can't recommend this game enough.