Forgive Me Father – Review
Last November we had our first hands-on with a new upcoming shooter Forgive Me Father. Even though the game was still in Early Access, it felt like it already had enough promising items and content to get players invested in the game. Now that this title has been released, we return to one of our favorite shooters and we were amazed by a large amount of new content that was added and the many changes that were made.
Story
Our story begins with two characters: the Priest and the Journalist. Both characters seem to have the same family in common, as they both are summoned by the same cousin Louis. Cousin Louis lives in your hometown of Pestisville and lately, there has been a lot going on there. He asks for your help, as the situation becomes unbearable and you leave all your things to set forth to your hometown. Once there, you were meant to meet him in a hotel room, but things are not as it seems. Louis is nowhere to be found, and he left a note, saying that he is sorry but he had to go. Suddenly there is a knocking on the door, and this sparks the beginning of your battle for survival. The whole hotel is infested with the walking dead, and after you dispose of a bunch of them, it seems like this is not a zombie outbreak but something much worse. You encounter mutilated people that can use magic, while others rely on strange contraptions, and some are complete fabrications of insane minds.
The occult has infected the town with a wide range of different enemies and all they want to do is keep outsiders away while setting up offerings for their lord Cthulu. What all started with missing people, strange voices, and panic, now has turned into a battle for Pestisville. Players have two options for playing the game, be the “Doomguy hero” and blast your way through the game, or be like a Journalist and collect every piece of the story that is scattered in the game. These are scrambled on notes, slowly revealing the story, of how various artifacts, hooded figures, and rituals are the cornerstones of this chaos. If you want to keep track of the story, then you have to fill in the gaps, as regular progression keeps the main story hidden in the shadows.
Graphics
Forgive Me Father is a masterpiece in which a lot of blood, sweat, and tears have been put into. Nostalgic gamers who grew up with the so-called ‘Boomer Shooters’ of the 90s will surely eat their hearts out. Each map is pretty large and you have many nooks and crannies that might hold secrets. Enemies are different in each biome, allowing them to blend in better with their surroundings.
Those who have played the Early Acces version were met with some amazing updates. Every weapon model has received a slight rework, with most guns being completely engraved with Chtulu-inspired details. Furthermore, there have been a few artwork updates done to the skills menu and U.I., really making the game feel like a well-polished title. There are more secret areas to find, and even though the maps are large, you will mostly find your way around if you take a second to find your bearings.
Sound
One thing that makes a great shooter is the atmosphere it creates at all times. Most of the time you have music sitting in the background to make your adventure pleasant, but things can be turned around completely. Especially when you fall into a trap, and the hard 90s rock soundtrack starts blasting, you know you’re in a world of hurt. During these battles, you will hear a lot of gunfire, and it is good that each weapon sounds as powerful as it is. A shotgun blast will kick your seat back but will also mow down hordes of enemies with a single shot. Not only are the music and sound effects amazing, but the voice acting is also equally as good. Both characters will react to the situation, with the Journalist being more pointed toward uncovering her next scoop, while the Priest is more down to Earth and is worried about the events.
Gameplay
Forgive Me Father is a retro-inspired FPS that combines fast-paced action with large maps and a pretty elaborate skill tree to improve your survivability. It all begins when you arrive in Pestisville and have to act in self-defense. The city is overwhelmed by the living dead and these are accompanied by even more horrible figures. Immediately you notice that going for the head might not be the best solution, as these zombies can replace their head with the one they are holding. Each enemy has its weak spot, and it is up to you to find it and use it to your advantage. You start with just a simple revolver, but soon you retrieve a shotgun and machine gun. Managing ammunition can be harder than you think, as encountering a large horde will have you emptying your stash, just so you can see daylight again. Careful players won’t need to worry as much though, as there is plenty of ammo to find in the world if you search for it.
Fortunately, you won’t have to rely solely on your guns, as you have a bunch of skills at your disposal that can change the tide between biting the dust or making it through a difficult spot. These skills can possibly heal you or freeze enemies in their place. These skills need to be acquired through progression and will refill with enough bloodshed. What can be unlocked by leveling are the various upgrades in the skill tree. These can range from improving your weapons to earning more XP, increasing health, or making your skills more powerful. In a real pinch, you can always grab your trusty knife and fight the enemies toe-to-toe, but this is a real last-ditch effort.
The game is divided into chapters and levels. Just like in many old shooters, you basically have to find your way from A to B, all while you’re killing enemies, unraveling story elements, and finding keys to open doors. Each level feels large, but you’ll blast through at a fairly rapid pace. The game can easily be played in short bursts, and you’ll still make progress when doing so. Those who want to throw themselves into the story can easily complete a whole chapter without breaking a sweat, thanks to the fun and engaging gameplay.
As Forgive Me Father is an old-school game with large levels, it did take a unique approach to the saving system. On each level, you will find a drunk hobo with a shrine, where you can tell your story, and he will save your progress. This small feature may not look like much, but it feels good to see a friendly face once in a while, plus it fits in the overall setting. Making your way through the game still feels as natural as all those classic shooter games from back in the day. You won’t have to remember a bunch of inputs, as these are all shown on-screen at all times.
Conclusion
Forgive Me Father captured our hearts before and does so again with its full release. We were impressed by the additions made to the game. You now benefit from picking up the story pieces, and these tell the story of what went on in the town. Together with the many secrets, the game now gives you the incentive to explore. The gameplay stays true to the shooters from the early 90s, and with the large range of different weapons available, it makes mowing down hordes of monsters a really entertaining experience. The only small downside is that both stories play out the same. It would have been cool to have the two in a separate setting, creating a lot of replay value.
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