Bleak Faith: Forsaken (Medieval Cyberpunk Dystopian Git Gud Soulslike)

 

Let me say something before I really begin here. This isn’t a game, it’s an experience. If you do a quick search you’ll undoubtedly find out about the jank, read a number of complaints, poor journalism in relationship to game assets from Epic, and other nonsense. But let’s get to what Bleak Faith: Forsaken is really about. As a Soulslike it comes with certain expectations, which it largely brings but in an entirely different way in many respects. Developed over four years by three guys in Montenegro that live in a rat-infested apartment it came with much deserved hype (check the trailer below and see if your blood doesn’t throb), leading to much undeserved hate from some. Others, well, we got it. I get it. Will you? I’ll say it again, with over twenty hours now logged into this beast (and only past the second boss) this isn’t a game, it’s an experience.

   

If you’re familiar with Dark Souls and its sequels, you sort of know what to expect in Bleak Faith: Forsaken. The primary exception is there’s absolutely no hand-holding. The player is left to determine absolutely everything from the controller layout, to crafting, to the story, everything. This leads to a ton of exploration, digging, experimenting, and back-tracking, as well as exhaustively non-linear maps. Taking place in a post-apocalyptic, dystopian medieval cyberpunk realm (yeah), you take control of a cyborg demihuman thing, a sad lump finding its place in a ruined world and man is it beautiful. The design and atmosphere, especially the music, is grandiose. Simply looking around will pull at least one gasp out of you, in spite of the fact that, yes, it’s janky AFFFFFF. Button-mashing won’t work, stats are tied entirely into gear instead of levels, and even basic grunts can be entirely unforgiving. The bosses? Yeah the first has a 10% completion rate on the Steam and the second a mere 4%. But wow, do you ever feel accomplished after gaining some traction. In spite of the bugs you’ll and super jankiness (at times), Bleak Faith: Forsaken creates an amazing journey that shoves the uninitiated back in the womb. Give it a negative review, if you want, you’re just showing your cowardice and lack of skill. Yes, “git gud” is reality here, but it’s not about that, it’s about the experience. I said it at the start and I won’t say it again. Support these weirdos and give it a chance, you’ll see what I mean, if you’re really worthy.

 

Bleak Faith: Forsaken Official Facebook

Written by Stanley, Devourer of Souls

Bleak Faith: Forsaken
Archangel Studios (developer and publisher)
4.3 / 5