I played The Forest for the first time last year. I loved it and also played Sons of the Forest. Even though the second game added more details, improved graphics, and cannibals that act more intelligently with better AI mechanics, I found the gameplay of the first game better and more sustainable, with a smoother learning curve that helps the player get used to the game naturally. Even at the beginning of the game, when I had nothing and was vulnerable, the cannibals were not too aggressive, the first game has a good startup mechanism, while the second game feels more complex. Overall, I like the first game experience more. After I finished both games, I came back to the first game for all the completions. I waited to write this review until I reached 100%. Positively, The Forest is the best open world survival game that I have ever played. I love the map and how everything is located. You learn about plants and animals in a fun way. There is also a building and crafting aspect that could easily be a separate game on its own. That is very creative. The graphics are also very good. I love the story. It is mysterious and engaging. I learned so much about the cannibals and how to kill or avoid them. If I have to say one negative thing about the game and this is the only one. It is how the AI was implemented for the cannibals. Okay, the developers wanted the cannibals to move unpredictably, and that is fine, but they were disappearing and appearing 5 meters away in less than a second. I do not think this is a glitch, but somehow it comes from the implementation. I am not sure it was intentional, though. Anyway, the whole game experience was fun for me. If I could erase my memory, I would want to play it again :D I saw The Forest 3 in the space mentioned online, and I simply cannot wait for it <3

The Forest
Playing now
Developer / Publisher
Endnight Games Ltd
Release date
Apr 30, 2018
Genres
Action, Adventure, Indie, Simulation
Russian language
Text only, no voice-over
Price
$4.19
Steam recommendations
582,574
Tags
Features
Veterans
10+ hours at review95%
positive · 6,150 reviews
Newcomers
Under 2 hours at review83%
positive · 426 reviews
Most criticized
At launch
First 30 days after release on Steam (30 Apr 2018)91%
English reviews: 91% at launch → 94% now
· Reviews at launch: 2,159
Russian reviews: 92% at launch → 94% now
· Reviews at launch: 699
How opinion changes with playtime
Share of positive reviews by hours played at the time of the review. Click a column to read those reviews.| Played | Positive | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Under 2h | 83% | 426 |
| 2–5h | 93% | 1,544 |
| 5–10h | 93% | 1,879 |
| 10–50h | 95% | 4,954 |
| 50h+ | 98% | 1,196 |
How the score changed over time
Share of positive Steam reviews per period: the last 12 months month by month, earlier years one column each. Counts every Steam review in that language, not only the ones below.| Period | Positive | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 93% | 7,810 |
| 2019 | 96% | 12,201 |
| 2020 | 96% | 26,706 |
| 2021 | 96% | 35,182 |
| 2022 | 96% | 34,989 |
| 2023 | 95% | 21,420 |
| 2024 | 95% | 15,899 |
| Jan–Oct 2025 | 95% | 12,146 |
| November 2025 | 93% | 792 |
| December 2025 | 94% | 1,198 |
| January 2026 | 95% | 1,234 |
| February 2026 | 94% | 625 |
| March 2026 | 94% | 864 |
| April 2026 | 93% | 648 |
| May 2026 | 95% | 583 |
| June 2026 | 94% | 1,223 |
| July 2026 | 93% | 994 |
| August 2026 | 93% | 526 |
| September 2026 | 92% | 692 |
| October 2026 | 96% | 156 |
Best argument for
The most helpful review from a veteran (10+ hours at review)Best argument against
The most helpful review from a veteran (10+ hours at review)A survival crafting game with almost no reason to actually engage in the base-building mechanics. Combat is easy but exceptionally janky (poor hit detection). The story is somewhat interesting but very poorly told. This game does not hold up in 2026. There are numerous other games in this genre that do everything better.
Community reviews
202 matching
Based on the 9,999 most recent Steam reviews · updated 6 Oct 2026
- English reviews: 4,999, 25 Mar 2026 – 6 Oct 2026
- Russian reviews: 5,000, 10 Jun 2026 – 6 Oct 2026
- ▲ Recommended37 h at review59 h total6 Sept 2026
---{ Graphics }--- ☐ You forget what reality is ☐ Beautiful ☑ Good ☐ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ MS-DOS ---{ Gameplay }--- ☑ Very good ☐ Good ☐ It's just gameplay ☐ Mehh ☐ Watch paint dry instead ☐ Just don't ---{ Audio }--- ☐ Eargasm ☐ Very good ☑ Good ☐ Not too bad ☐ Bad ☐ I'm now deaf ---{ Audience }--- ☐ Kids ☑ Teens ☑ Adults ☐ Grandma ---{ PC Requirements }--- ☐ Check if you can run paint ☐ Potato ☑ Decent ☐ Fast ☐ Rich boi ☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer ---{ Game Size }--- ☐ Floppy Disk ☐ Old Fashioned ☑ Workable ☐ Big ☐ Will eat 15% of your 1TB hard drive ☐ You will want an entire hard drive to hold it ☐ You will need to invest in a black hole to hold all the data ---{ Difficulty }--- ☐ Just press 'W' ☐ Easy ☑ Easy to learn / Hard to master ☐ Significant brain usage ☐ Difficult ☐ Dark Souls ---{ Grind }--- ☐ Nothing to grind ☐ Only if u care about leaderboards/ranks ☐ Isn't necessary to progress ☑ Average grind level ☐ Too much grind ☐ You'll need a second life for grinding ---{ Story }--- ☐ No Story ☐ Some lore ☐ Average ☐ Good ☑ Lovely ☐ It'll replace your life ---{ Game Time }--- ☐ Long enough for a cup of coffee ☐ Short ☐ Average ☑ Long ☐ To infinity and beyond ---{ Price }--- ☐ It's free! ☑ Worth the price ☐ If it's on sale ☐ If u have some spare money left ☐ Not recommended ☐ You could also just burn your money ---{ Bugs }--- ☐ Never heard of ☐ Minor bugs ☑ Can get annoying ☐ ARK: Survival Evolved ☐ The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs ---{ ? / 10 }--- ☐ 1 ☐ 2 ☐ 3 ☐ 4 ☐ 5 ☐ 6 ☐ 7 ☑ 8 ☐ 9 ☐ 10 ---{ Author }--- ☑ https://vojtastruhar.github.io/steam-review-template
95 found helpful · 12 found funnyPerformanceGraphicsGameplayStoryValueGames owned: 63 · Reviews written: 10On Steam - ▲ Recommended72 h at review72 h total25 May 2026
I played The Forest for the first time last year. I loved it and also played Sons of the Forest. Even though the second game added more details, improved graphics, and cannibals that act more intelligently with better AI mechanics, I found the gameplay of the first game better and more sustainable, with a smoother learning curve that helps the player get used to the game naturally. Even at the beginning of the game, when I had nothing and was vulnerable, the cannibals were not too aggressive, the first game has a good startup mechanism, while the second game feels more complex. Overall, I like the first game experience more. After I finished both games, I came back to the first game for all the completions. I waited to write this review until I reached 100%. Positively, The Forest is the best open world survival game that I have ever played. I love the map and how everything is located. You learn about plants and animals in a fun way. There is also a building and crafting aspect that could easily be a separate game on its own. That is very creative. The graphics are also very good. I love the story. It is mysterious and engaging. I learned so much about the cannibals and how to kill or avoid them. If I have to say one negative thing about the game and this is the only one. It is how the AI was implemented for the cannibals. Okay, the developers wanted the cannibals to move unpredictably, and that is fine, but they were disappearing and appearing 5 meters away in less than a second. I do not think this is a glitch, but somehow it comes from the implementation. I am not sure it was intentional, though. Anyway, the whole game experience was fun for me. If I could erase my memory, I would want to play it again :D I saw The Forest 3 in the space mentioned online, and I simply cannot wait for it <3
62 found helpful · 3 found funnyPerformanceGraphicsGameplayStoryGames owned: 257 · Reviews written: 109On Steam - ▲ Recommended47 h at review47 h total21 Jul 2026
Можно избивать голых женщин аборигенов, и ещё есть даже мутант сросшийся из нескольких женских голых тел, который рожает детей прям на ходу (естественно всех их можно отдубасить, сжечь, или взорвать, распилить, отрубить голову и повесить на стену в своей отшельнической хибаре). Всякие природные звуки, шум ветра, дождя, грома, журчание ручья - на высоком уровне и создают подходящую атмосферу. Враги и мутанты издают звуки не менее зловещие) Можно пересраться ненароком, рубя среди ночи деревья Графика зачёт, отлично прорисованы тела врагов, в том числе бубсы врагов. Месить папуасов в игре довольно таки увлекательно
23 found helpful · 5 found funnyGraphicsGames owned: 41 · Reviews written: 29On Steam - ▲ Recommended23 h at review43 h total13 Jul 2026
Привет, ребята! Хочу поделиться своими мыслями про The Forest. Я в неё недавно снова окунулся и просто в восторге. Это одна из лучших выживалок, в которые я вообще играл. Игра начинается с авиакатастрофы, и ты оказываешься на острове. С первого взгляда всё красиво - лес, природа, но очень быстро понимаешь, что здесь опасно. Каннибалы, пещеры, постоянная нужда в еде и воде. Но при этом можно строить что угодно, и это реально затягивает. Что мне больше всего понравилось: Свобода полная. Хочешь - строй огромный дом на деревьях, хочешь - рой бункер под землёй. Ночью сидишь у костра, а вокруг шорохи, и сердце колотится. Когда наконец-то отбиваешь первую серьёзную атаку на свою базу - это кайф нереальный. Графика до сих пор выглядит хорошо, атмосфера просто огонь. В коопе с друзьями вообще бомба. Оценка от меня — твёрдые 9.5 из 10. Если любите выживание — обязательно попробуйте. Мой личный гайд по выживанию (то, что я сам узнал на практике) Первые часы Как только встал после краша — сразу собираю всё вокруг самолёта. Топор, зажигалку, еду из чемоданов. Быстро делаю простой костёр и временное укрытие, чтобы можно было спать. Дальше бегаю, собираю палки, камни, листья. Главное — не затягивать с первой нормальной базой. Крафт и ресурсы Всё собираю подряд. Палка + камень = нормальный топор. Позже делаю лук — это моя главная вещь для охоты. Верёвки ищу в чемоданах и пещерах. Книжка выживания (B) — мой главный помощник, там все рецепты. Еда и вода Пью из речек, но кипячу на костре. Ягоды ем в начале, потом охочусь на животных. Мясо обязательно жарю. Делаю сушилку, чтобы запасы были. Голод и жажда — это первые враги, а не каннибалы. База Выбираю место у воды, но чтобы обзор хороший. Сначала стены из брёвен, потом двери, ловушки. Обожаю строить на деревьях — безопаснее. Добавляю хранилища, кровать, огонь. Со временем база превращается в настоящую крепость. Бои Сначала убегаю от всех. Потом осваиваю лук с горящими стрелами - лучше всего работает. Катану нашёл и вообще рад был. Главное - хорошая оборона вокруг дома, тогда и ночью спокойно. Исследование Пещеры стремные, но туда надо. Там и фонарик, и бензопила, и акваланг. Страшно, темно, но интересно. Ищу сына, смотрю все записки и артефакты. Концовка реально трогает. Мои советы из опыта Первый раз играйте на нормальной сложности. В коопе один строит, другой бегает по острову. Сохраняйся у костра. В общем, The Forest - это целое приключение. От слабого парня с палкой до крутого выживальщика, у которого мощная база. Очень рекомендую! Если тоже играете - пишите, как у вас первая ночь прошла или какую базу построили. Интересно почитать. Удачи на острове! Если надо что-то отдельно расписать подробнее - скажите
13 found helpful · 3 found funnyPerformanceGraphicsReviews written: 1On Steam - ▲ Recommended34 h at review85 h total6 Sept 2026
---{ Graphics }--- ☑ You forget what reality is ☐ Beautiful ☐ Good ☐ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don't look at it too long ☐ MS-DOS ---{ Gameplay }--- ☐ Masterpiece ☑ Good ☐ It's just gameplay ☐ Meh ☐ Watching paint dry is better ☐ Just don't ---{ Audio }--- ☐ Eargasm ☐ Very good ☑ Good ☐ Not too bad ☐ Bad ☐ I'm deaf now ---{ Audience }--- ☐ Kids ☑ Teens ☑ Adults ☐ Everyone ---{ PC Requirements }--- ☐ Check if you can run Paint ☐ Potato ☑ Decent ☐ Fast ☐ High-end rig ☐ Ask NASA for a spare computer ---{ Storage Size }--- ☐ Floppy Disk (< 1 GB) ☑ Small (1–10 GB) ☐ Average (10–30 GB) ☐ Big (30–80 GB) ☐ Huge (80–150 GB) ☐ Black hole (> 150 GB) ---{ Difficulty }--- ☐ Just press 'W' ☐ Easy ☑ Easy to learn / Hard to master ☐ Significant brain usage ☐ Difficult ☐ Dark Souls ---{ Grind }--- ☐ Nothing to grind ☐ Only for leaderboards / ranks ☐ Not necessary to progress ☑ Average grind level ☐ Too much grind ☐ You need a second life ---{ Story }--- ☐ No story ☐ Some lore ☐ Average ☑ Good ☐ Lovely ☐ It will replace your real life ---{ Game Time }--- ☐ Long enough for a cup of coffee (< 2h) ☐ Short (2–10h) ☐ Average (10–30h) ☑ Long (30–80h) ☐ To infinity and beyond (100h+) ---{ Price / Quality }--- ☐ Free ☑ Worth full price ☑ Wait for a sale ☐ If you have spare money left ☐ Not recommended ☐ Just burn your money directly ---{ Bugs }--- ☑ Never heard of them ☐ Minor bugs ☐ Can get annoying ☐ Cyberpunk at launch ☐ The game itself is a terrarium ---{ ? / 10 }--- ☐ 1 ☐ 2 ☐ 3 ☐ 4 ☐ 5 ☐ 6 ☐ 7 ☐ 8 ☐ 9 ☑ 9.9 / 10 ☐ 10
12 found helpful · 3 found funnyPerformanceGraphicsGameplayStoryValueGames owned: 81 · Reviews written: 54On Steam - ▲ Recommended111 h at review114 h total15 Apr 2026
---{ Graphics }--- Good: 7/10 Looked good for the time. ---{ Gameplay }--- *CLICK* Nice: 8/10 This was revolutionary for the time but once you play the second one it’s hard to replay this one. ---{ Soundtrack }--- Not too bad: 6/10 I always listen to Stronghold when I’m cutting trees. ---{ Difficulty }--- Easy to learn / Hard to master: 8/10 I’m a pro by now but it was hard in the beginning. ---{ Story }--- Some lore: 6/10 Story is optional but fun to do. ---{ Game Time }--- To infinity and beyond: 9/10 I could play this game for ages if the second one didn’t come out. ---{ Bugs }--- Minor bugs There is a bug when you play multiplayer that you can’t get the gun pieces when you aren't a host. ---{ 8 / 10 }--- Love it but the second one is better.
8 found helpfulPerformanceGraphicsGameplayStoryGames owned: 57 · Reviews written: 31On Steam - ▲ Recommended359 h at review367 h total26 Jun 2026
I have always loved this game for the creative ability the game gives you. this is litterally the game of you want to build the most wildest crazy forts then go ham the visuals and gameplay were always ahead of there time and still it holds up.
7 found helpfulGraphicsGameplayGames owned: 269 · Reviews written: 17On Steam - ▲ Recommended42 h at review42 h total20 Jun 2026
Awesome game, used to play with my friends over quarantine and it was a lot of fun. The graphics and storyline are really good, not something I expected. There's a lot of detail and stuff to explore throughout the game, as well as some really cool open world survival aspects.
7 found helpfulGraphicsStoryReviews written: 1On Steam - ▲ Recommended17 h at review23 h total24 Apr 2026
Good survival game with commendable mechanics and graphics. The experience is enhanced exponentially if you play it with friends.
4 found helpfulGraphicsGameplayGames owned: 74 · Reviews written: 12On Steam - ▼ Not recommended5.7 h at review5.7 h total5 Apr 2026
For some reason this game is melting my graphic card , also its way too hard , nope i cant , i know people like it good for them but as a normal regular everyday normal guy i cant
3 found helpfulGraphicsGames owned: 97 · Reviews written: 32On Steam - ▲ Recommended25 h at review25 h total15 Aug 2026
очень интересный прикольный выживач с друзьями.Плюсы хорошая графика сюжет.Минусы за тобой бегают фанаты
2 found helpful · 1 found funnyGraphicsStoryReviews written: 1On Steam - ▲ Recommended11 h at review13 h total4 Jul 2026
игра топчик всем советую графика вообще кайф
2 found helpfulGraphicsReviews written: 1On Steam - ▲ Recommended106 h at review106 h total14 Apr 2026
The Forest A survival game where you play as a father searching for his son after a plane crash on a mysterious island. You quickly realize… you are not alone. I’ve played both solo and with friends, completing the game multiple times. I originally started playing shortly after release (around 2018), finished it, took a long break, and then came back to it last year with friends. Honestly, at times the game felt a bit too easy - even on Hard difficulty. Maybe because headshotting your enemy instantly kills them and you develop a skill to quickly headshot everyone. Co-op Enjoyable, but it could definitely be improved. Item sharing, in particular, feels clunky - you have to use the plane tray system, and you can only give one item at a time. And some items you can't share, if I remember correctly. Mods Mods can greatly enhance the experience and make the game much more enjoyable. You can find them on ModAPI Hub. Examples: Harder enemies Improved UI Enemy health bars Player upgrades Increased inventory stack sizes / more slots (beyond 1–4, up to 1–9) Warning! When I used mods, some achievements didn’t unlock properly. If you care about achievements, it’s best to complete them first and install mods afterward. Alternatively, you can remove mods later and still earn them. Sons of the Forest aka (Forest 2) I don’t recommend playing it immediately after finishing The Forest. If you’re deciding which game to buy, I’d suggest going for Sons of the Forest instead. While the sequel has better graphics, the overall gameplay feels very similar. I haven’t finished it yet, but despite new features like: A 3D printer A controllable NPC companion A tameable Virginia …it didn’t feel like a huge leap for me. I might have judged it too quickly, but I had high expectations from the trailers and the game’s release. In the end, I lost interest and didn’t return to my friend’s lobby. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLAHB7VYnG4 https://store.steampowered.com/app/1326470/Sons_Of_The_Forest Forest 3 !!! It has been announced! ;] The concept seems quite different this time - check the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIcf1L0HNrU Time to 100%: ~105 hours.
2 found helpfulPerformanceGraphicsGameplayGames owned: 2,505 · Reviews written: 141On Steam - ▲ Recommended9.5 h at review9.5 h total3 Oct 2026
Открытый мир, интересный сюжет, красивая графика при желании можно быстро пройти. Рекомендую всем кто сомневался в этой игре.
1 found helpfulGraphicsStoryReviews written: 1On Steam - ▲ Recommended77 h at review86 h total4 Sept 2026
i played it with my bestie maya it was so cool and so nice, she made the gmae 10x better. you should always find a friend like her. Love her to pieces. graphics were nice, so was she. Game play was interesting, so was she. game was perfectly balanced between peace and horror, so was she. you could build your whole life together from 0, just i did with her. Every time i see the cannibals, i get reminded of her looks. The story line was so shockingly unexpected, the same way i saw her face in picture vs real life. finding Timmy reminds me of her height and how defensless she is. We've fought during many games, The Forest was never one of them. It was always peaceful and quiet, like escaping reality, until she spoke. i even used to turn the music on so we can enjoy the games together, little did she know, i just didn't want to hear her speak. Maya is the reason i downloaded this game in the first place so she gets all the praise in the world, Find your Maya to play this game with.
1 found helpful · 2 found funnyGraphicsStoryReviews written: 1On Steam - ▲ Recommended110 h at review177 h total3 Sept 2026
The Forest is the first ever modern game that I ever played. It has given me so many great memories that no modern game nowadays can do the same. It's a really well-crafted survival horror experience that's fun to explore, and once you start exploring in this game, there's no going back. Even grinding is fun in this game. The game gives you complete freedom to build bases however it pleases to you, has really simple yet engaging combat, has amazing graphics and sound design, has a nice story, and the icing on the cake is that it's a coop multiplayer game which means it's a nicer way to make use of technology to build lasting friendships. It's truly an one of a kind experience. For anyone looking forward to try this game, it'll be great to buy especially on sales, it gets really cheap. Other than that, this game really is the definition of how modern survival horror games should be like. 10/10
1 found helpfulGraphicsGameplayStoryGames owned: 58 · Reviews written: 8On Steam - ▼ Not recommended15 h at review15 h total28 Aug 2026
Игра абсолютно недоработанная. Просто дерьмо не описать словами насколько это плохо. Помимо самых простых багов до абсолютно мешающих прохождению багов. К примеру: Мы убили босса и пытались собрать с неё жуткую броню, а она была в воде. По итогу мы забрали бронь, и мы застряли не могли двигаться и буквально застыли в воде. Кроме перезахода невозможно было выбраться, а там как раз таки мы не сохранились нормально и нас откатило на долгое время назад. Не покупайте в жизни эту игру за 435 рублей если не хотите портить себе нервы и мотивацию. Игра багованная в каждых уголках и картофельная. Я буквально потратил свои нервы впустую ведь даже не смог из за багов и нервов дойти до финальных этапов, абсолютно абсурдная игра за столько денег и не понимаю почему люди завышают этот калл до небес. Очень положительные отзывы? Да это накрутка, не может быть у игры со столькими багами мешающей игре такие отзывы. Тебе буквально в 2018 году намешали говна в тарелку и люди это переоценивают из-за графики и всё. Тут ♥♥♥♥ дюпать можно дерево о чём речь идёт.
1 found helpful · 1 found funnyPerformanceGraphicsGames owned: 72 · Reviews written: 4On Steam - ▲ Recommended20 h at review50 h total15 Aug 2026
This game has been amazing. It's worth every dime and if not more. The details graphics, the small things, the horror new creatures, and the realism. although it's just a game it has everything you would want to make you feel like your there and it truly does do a great job at showing that and showing the amazing detail this game has to offer on THE FOREST. Thank you for the amazing game you have made.
1 found helpfulGraphicsReviews written: 1On Steam - ▲ Recommended33 h at review38 h total3 Aug 2026
интересная жуткая крутая графика
1 found helpfulGraphicsGames owned: 25 · Reviews written: 1On Steam - ▲ Recommended4.6 h at review5.2 h total25 Jul 2026
КРУТАЯ ГРАФИКА
1 found helpfulGraphicsReviews written: 4On Steam