Welcome back to another gaming blog post that isn't Minecraft and/or Hermitcraft~~~
"Finally??? What's this new game then?"
I recently purchased a horror game! You have been forewarned, because...
It's Forewarned!
".......... I'll forgive you the pun... for now..."
What is Forewarned?
Many YouTubers describe Forewarned as "Phasmophobia, but with Egyptian mummies." This is true in terms of the concept and gameplay style.
The difference, however, Phasmophobia never intrigue me to tune in to any of the gaming videos. Forewarned, on the other hand, kept me hooked from the first round itself.
What's my first Forewarned video? Jimmy's (Solidarity Gaming) stream replay on YouTube with his fellow British Minecrafters, Grian, Lizzie (LDShadowLady) and Joel (SmallishBeans).
How do I play Forewarned?
The game concept is simple: explore a burial site, collect clues to deduce the Mejai (ghost), collect the treasured relic and survive!
While gathering evidence, the Mejai will disturb you in its spirit form. Occasionally it'll send its zealots to pester you... so keep your eyes and ears peeled.
Once you're confident with your evidence and findings, head over to the inner chamber to make your selection.
If you guessed it right, congrats! Now desecrate the ... I mean *open* the sarcophagus and collect your blood-and-sweat (and adrenaline) relic!
"Yay! Is this the end of the game?"
Not quite! The main entry gate will automatically the moment you made your guess, so now you need to find a blue lever to reopen it.
Here comes the fun part, which is also the main reason everyone's playing Forewarned... or any horror game...
This is also the time when the Mejai manifested into its physical form to haunt you!
There are five types of cursed Mejai, each with a unique set of traits:
Rathos the Damned, Dekan the Lost, Ouphris the Forgotten, Necreph the Shadows and Talgor the Perilous.
Rest assured, there are ways and tricks to escape each Mejai. All you need to do is carry out the precautions when (panic) searching for the lever.
"Uh... sure."
If you're feeling adventurous (or greedy), then the latest Major Update Eternal Banishment is just for you. Because...
You can now permanently banish the ghost! You're now both a ghostbuster and an exorcist!
After guessing the Mejai, successfully running away from it AND reopening the entry gate... You now have the option to tackle the puzzle level by descending deeper into the tomb.
Here, you'll need to solve a puzzle, teleport to the Ritual Hall and start the exorcism. And voila, you've officially ended the game!
P/S Some of the ritual items are collected in the tomb itself. So hang out with the Mejai once more if you do not have them!
Paranormal activities aside, let's not ghost over the story building of Forewarned. You're on this Eygptian expedition because you are an archaeologist.
So if you're vibing with the Indiana Jones / Lara Croft feels... then Forewarned is your Natural Treasure!
While the main objective is to collect the relic, there are also rare artifacts and lore pages up for grabs.
Once you see them, be sure to collect them because...
...they belong to the museum!
Searching for rare artifacts and lore pages is a nice break from all the adrenaline, ghost-hunting (and getting-hunted) sessions. So yes... gotta catch 'em all!
Is Forewarned worth playing?
Me blogging about this game is already an indication that YES, Forewarned is worth playing and therefore money well spent. This game is so well designed, from its gameplay interface to the in-game architecture, graphics and sounds.
Forewarned is probably one of the most user- (and beginner-) friendly games.
Its tutorial is the literal definition of short and sweet. Even without going through the tutorial, one could navigate around using only common sense. As Jimmy, Grian and Lizzie mentioned in the stream, and I summarise:
Forewarned has a smoother, easier gameplay so even though players messed up, it's not as frustrating.
Design-wise, I think the architecture is quite spot-on. There are criticisms of how each burial site looked similar to one another but hey, that's what pyramids look like in real life.
What, players get lost easily in the tomb? That's the purpose of the pyramid's architecture: to confuse the grave robbers! Also even more fun when you're being chased by the Mejai... haahahahahahaahaha!
Attention to detail: the audio effects
The crucial part of any horror experience lies in the sound effects. Don't believe me? Try watching a scary movie muted.
That said, Forewarned's sound design is top-notch. One of the detail is when players talked in the tomb and their voices reverberated throughout the space. This is very cool and realistic, considering there isn't any fabric around for sound absorption!
My favourite part is when the Mejais communicate with players (via a transmitter). The game purposely echoed the Mejai's response/threat throughout the entire tomb, sending chills down every player's spine!
Most importantly...
The graphics! Oh, I cannot get enough of the detailed, high-quality graphics!
All in all, every element is curated perfectly to ensure players stay immersive throughout the expedition.
Now I'm (sp)hooked... What's next?
Easy: go read my step-by-step guide (and tips!!!) to Forewarned. Till then, see you!
Disclaimer:
All published media are in-game screenshots. Kindly contact mypassion.mythoughts should you wish to remove any of the media.
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