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The Cursed Forest

PC (Microsoft Windows) • 2019

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Quick resume

Immerse yourself in the obscure and mysterious autumnal forest, where every wrong step could be your last. As you travel uncover the dark story behind this place, where beauty and danger have become as one.

Global score

89/100

Genres

Adventure, Indie, Strategy, Role-playing (RPG)

Similar games

    Pros

    • Strong atmospheric immersion
    • Beautiful graphics and sound design
    • Intriguing story and lore
    • Effective jump scares
    • Exploration and discovery focus

    Cons

    • Technical bugs and crashes
    • Short gameplay length
    • Somewhat linear and simple gameplay
    • Limited puzzle complexity
    • Lack of voice acting and localization

    Analysis

    A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Expression, Fellowship, Cooperation, Competition. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Exploration. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Violence, Strategy.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      3

      "Players explore the forest freely, choosing paths and actions with little handholding, showing personal freedom in navigation."

    • Competence
      2

      "Gameplay involves exploration, simple puzzles, and avoiding traps requiring some skill but overall not highly challenging."

    • Competition
      -5

      "No multiplayer or competitive elements; focus is on personal exploration and story."

    • Continuation
      2

      "Players report immersive atmosphere and desire to continue exploring despite some bugs and short length."

    • Cooperation
      -5

      "Single-player experience with no cooperative gameplay."

    • Creativity
      1

      "Exploration and discovery of secrets encourage some creative engagement, but gameplay follows a set path."

    • Domination
      -5

      "No social dominance or power over others; solo experience."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Strong atmospheric immersion and psychological horror provide escape from real life."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of interest and intrinsic motivation, not obligation."

    • Experimenting
      1

      "Some exploration and discovery of hidden elements encourage trying new paths and secrets."

    • Exploration
      5

      "Core gameplay revolves around exploring a mysterious forest and uncovering secrets."

    • Expression
      -3

      "Limited customization; mostly standard presentation with minor interaction."

    • Fantasy
      4

      "Game features supernatural elements, dark spirits, and a mysterious forest setting."

    • Fellowship
      -5

      "Solo play with minimal social interaction."

    • Growth
      2

      "Players learn story details and develop understanding through notes and exploration."

    • Health
      -5

      "Sedentary gameplay without physical activity."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires focused attention and immersion rather than casual or background play."

    • Intimacy
      -5

      "No close social relationships formed; single-player experience."

    • Leadership
      -5

      "No leadership or group management elements."

    • Progression
      3

      "Players collect items and unlock achievements to advance story and exploration."

    • Relaxation
      2

      "Atmospheric and immersive experience provides flow and tension release despite some jump scares."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Strong sensory stimulation through visuals, sound design, and atmospheric effects."

    • Status
      -5

      "No social recognition or status elements."

    • Story
      4

      "Narrative delivered through notes and environmental storytelling with an overarching plot."

    • Strategy
      0

      "Minimal strategic or problem-solving elements; mostly exploration and simple puzzles."

    • Thrill
      3

      "Jump scares and suspenseful moments create tension and relief experiences."

    • Value
      3

      "Players feel the game offers good value for price and time, especially given atmosphere and story."

    • Violence
      -3

      "Limited violence; focus is on exploration and survival rather than combat."

    • Survival
      2

      "Players must avoid traps and dangers to survive and progress."

    Where to buy

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    Last update: 29/04/2026