Fascinating and hypnotic history, great atmosphere and outstanding soundtrack. Also very interesting to know some of the myths and legend of the Northern Europe. Emotionally very addictive game, actually one of the best games I've ever played.

Okay, so it'd be easy enough to describe this as a "budget" version of Outlast 2 meets Through the Woods. It would also be appallingly LAZY to do so. This game is deserving of a much more thorough appraisal than that. So let's get down to it, shall we?

It's usually a good sign when I'm saying to myself, "Hey, this looks pretty good, actually" by the five-minute mark. Better still when I'm saying, "Hey, this looks like it's gonna be REALLY good, actually" by the ten-minute mark. Luckily, this game didn't disappoint me, and only got better from there on in.

This isn't to say there aren't flaws. The graphics are...more than serviceable, but certainly no great shakes in this day and age. The character models, in particular, could at times use a bit more...erm..."finesse", but they're close enough to decent.

The mapping is also completely serviceable if a tad uninspired at times, and I found some of the more "open" areas to be a little confusing, given how similar the scenery can often get. (Though it is, in all fairness, a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ FOREST: if you've ever been in one in real life, they can be a bit like that. Outlast 2 arguably went too far in the OTHER direction, making some of its "outdoor" environments a tad claustrophobic, so we'll split the difference and call that one a draw.)

The pacing is fantastic. The game is slow to build, but creepy from the get-go. Thanks to the exceptional sound design, you never feel a moment of ease from the second you set foot in the woods (even if moments of actual danger are few and far between, at least until the end).

The lighting mechanic is also excellently handled, with the flashlight held by your initial companion (the protagonist's brother) mixing it up a bit from the horror game cliche of YOU holding and controlling the flashlight. And the matches you use further on are sheer perfection, in the limited quantity that they're given, the length of time they last (about a minute), and the extra atmospheric details lavished upon them (they don't always successfully light with the first strike; you cover the wavering flame with your hand when you run; and the match quite visibly and gradually burns down in front of your eyes, before singeing your fingers and forcing you to drop it)!

There's also an awesome harp-related series of puzzles, but I won't spoil any of that for you other than to say...they're pretty cool, and involve the use of a harp.

The length is also very decent in my opinion - I don't need my stealth-horror games to drag for longer than four to six hours on the first playthrough - and the difficulty level is sufficiently challenging, yet never overwhelming (though there was one puzzle which compelled me to reference a walkthrough; but if I'm honest with myself, it was probably more due to my own laziness than any fault on the game's behalf).

And, most importantly of all, it's SCARY, which a horror game should generally aspire to being.

When all is said and done, this game is what innumerable uber-indie horror devs try to pull off, but largely fail in doing so. Is it as good, overall, as Outlast 2? No, of course it isn't. But it's also only half the price. Most gamers need to grow the ♥♥♥♥ up and realise that almost no one starts at the top; good things take time. To say that Angry Demon Studios show potential is a criminal understatement: they really have achieved something quite special here, and I wouldn't be surprised if they go on to rival the likes of Red Barrels and Frictional in years to come.

If you expect more than this from fledgling developers, stick to your AAAs...that really is all I can say. That, and you're an unforgiving, spoiled brat whose Mummy must've wiped your butt 'til you were well into your twenties. The real world is about taking risks, making mistakes, and getting there eventually if you have the vision, talent and stamina (and a bit of luck, maybe). I, for one, hope that Angry Demon (or at least members thereof) are in it for the long haul.

Verdict: 9/10.

(PS If you enjoyed this review, feel free to check out my two Curator pages: http://store.steampowered.com/curator/9284586-ReviewsJustfortheHELLofit/
http://store.steampowered.com/curator/10868048-Truly-Horrible-Horror-Games/?appid=398210
Cheers!)

Pretty cool game, i liked the atmosphere and the swedish voice acting kinda fits. The scandinavian folk lore was pretty damn good; gods, demons and creatures alike. The ending left some to be desired but there might be more endings i do not know about.

Chat gave this game, 81/100 very much bang for the buck, Good Job would recommend this game.

It reminded me of my own childhood when i saw big naked men in the forest. I can't believe what happened to Bobby, the most brutal twist of any game i ever played. Lukas was pretty cool guy.

Tack så mycket.

Unforgiving - A Northern Hymn is one of those adventure games that's basically a walking simulator but it includes action sequences that consist of having to get away from creatures chasing you with less-than-good intentions. I've played about a dozen of these games and qualitywise Unforgiving - A Northern Hymn falls somewhere in the middle.

It's difficult to decide whether to click 'yes' or 'no' in reply to the question 'Do you recommend this game?'. Generally speaking? No, definitely not. But for its target audience i.e. people who really like games in the genre I just described, it's a bit harder to decide.

Unforgiving - A Northern Hymn is above average when it comes to atmosphere and execution, but only slightly so. In addition, graphics are mediocre and animations are bad. There is no way to change the standard WASD key bindings, which may put some people off. Last but not least, the full price of €15 is ridiculous for the quality and the actual play time you get out of Unforgiving - A Northern Hymn, which is 3 hours at best and could even be closer to one hour if you don't bother with collectibles and achievements. So for those reasons, I decided to give Unforgiving - A Northern Hymn a thumbs down, even though it does have a few redeeming qualities which may charm afficionadoes of the genre.



The story of Unforgiving - A Northern Hymn is practically nonexistent. Moreover, what little story there is makes no sense at all. And I'm not talking about the fantasy setting and creatures, I'm talking about what the protagonist chooses to do throughout this game, which had me facepalming from the very start (well, when you find out a minute later who she does the very first thing she does in the game to) and every time she makes a decision in the game, including what she does at the very end. The only possible explanation for the choices the girl you're playing as makes would be that she's severely mentally disabled. But then it doesn't make sense that she doesn't sound like it at all and that she manages to do what's necessary to escape from the dangers the game throws at her.

In other words, Unforgiving - A Northern Hymn gets no points at all for story and its characters. But what about the lore, dealing with creatures from Swedish legends, which the developer and a lot of reviewers talk about? Well, that's paper-thin, too. You find a couple of dozens of books in the game describing the lore to the player, but each of the books' texts is limited to one or two short sentences.



Unforgiving - A Northern Hymn is half walking simulator and half action game, although the action is limited to getting away from creatures that are chasing you. You can run faster than any of the creatures, although barely, which can cause tense and exciting moments when you don't know an area very well yet or if you make a mistake by taking a wrong turn. Alternatively, as soon as you're out of sight of a creature, you can go into sneak mode and try to get away from it that way.

There is a puzzle element in Unforgiving - A Northern Hymn but it's so small and such a light version of solving puzzles, I won't even get into it.

As is often the case for games in this genre, Steam Achievements add much-needed challenges to Unforgiving - A Northern Hymn, as they're pretty much the only thing that sets 'quests' or at least other targets besides running from the starting point of the game to its end point. I'd even go so far as to say that this game needs the content that the Steam achievements add by making you explore every nook and cranny of the game world, which you'd otherwise just run through with very little to experience along the way.



The graphics don't look very good. Sure, this is an indie game but still, I've seen a lot better-looking Unity-based games by indie developers. The animations are just plain awful. So Unforgiving - A Northern Hymn is nothing to look at.

The soundtrack fares a lot better. The score isn't exactly memorable, but the creepy ambient sounds that are pretty much always present do manage to create a tense atmosphere, which is exactly what you need in a game that has a go at being a 'horror game', although I wouldn't use that particular word to describe Unforgiving - A Northern Hymn. Unnerving, maybe, at best.

There's only a bit of voice acting in the game and it's so-so. For the most part the voice actors perform their task adequately but they definitely won't win any prizes for it, whereas some voice acting is sub par. I saw some videos on YouTube where I could hear the Swedish voice track, which is an option in the game's menu if you're looking for that sort of immersion, but it didn't sound any better to me.



Unforgiving - A Northern Hymn has 7 Steam Trading Cards. You'll get 4 while running the game.

Only two of the 16 Steam Achievements are story-related and unmissable. A handful of achievements each require finding a series of collectibles in the game. About half of the achievements are awarded for optional actions which require reading through the list of achievements carefully. The remaining achievements are more challenging as they're unlocked by getting through several chapters of the game in a row without dying.

“The abyss awaits. Through the midst…In the deep, where they watch. There you find the other side…” – Tormented Tree, Unforgiving - A Northern Hymn

Developed and published by Angry Demon Studio, Unforgiving, is a First-Person, Horror-Adventure title, steeped in Scandinavian folklore, unfolds the dark journey of Linn, the game’s protagonist.

Gameplay

Those familiar with this particular genre will know more or less what to expect. Unforgiving doesn’t go out of its way to surprise the player from a raw mechanics perspective. That said, the mechanics that are present are well designed and fittingly placed.

There is no combat system present. You are given no alternative but to operate on an avoidance basis when encountering foes within the game.

Some parts of the game are poorly illuminated by design but you’ll be able to use matches to light your way forward. The matches don’t burn for long and your supply is limited. This particular system I felt added to the sense of dread and urgency the game was trying to convey.

In order to progress at certain points, you are required to play one or more series of notes with the golden harp, provided around the game’s mid-way point. For those that may be hesitant at the difficulty of musical puzzles from other titles, all the notes and their sequence are provided for you in the game – however, you may have to find the particular series of notes required for progression, as they are sometimes off the beaten path. While the inclusion of this particular mechanic is rather intrinsic, I think it could’ve added an added layer of complexity to make the game more difficult.

Choices

“A chill down your spine, when you cross that thin line. Your mind might just break and shatter. Right is wrong, wrong is right but in that strange, twisted night who you are and were will not matter.” – Unforgiving - A Northern Hymn

The game does present the player with difficult decisions in order to progress which was a nice touch. My only complaint if I were to make one was that I wish more of them were present and that alternate solutions existed for progression. That said, given the scope of the game, I understand why there weren’t more.

Graphics

It’s an Unreal Engine 4 game done well. The graphics serve as an adequate vehicle for the story. Beyond that, the field of view is quite limited without any menu option for adjustment; however, I found it adequate for this particular title. Various graphical options are present including a crosshair toggle for screenshots.

Sounds

The soundtrack is brilliant and the tracks are well placed. There was one scene that was particularly memorable, in which the innate terror of the scene and the soundtrack were harmonized exquisitely.

The voice acting as a whole was done well. I particularly enjoyed the dialogue of the tree people placed throughout the various levels. Not only did they add some extra depth to the game’s lore but also a sense of dread and ambiance. I couldn’t imagine playing the game without them.

Game Length/Achievements

The time to completion will vary but will invariably be quite short. Most initial playthroughs will likely be 3-4 hours long, possibly more if searching for all the journal pages without assistance from a guide.

The achievements are all in working order and will likely require at least an additional playthrough unless you specifically acquaint yourself with them and get them all done in your first run. Although, I do recommend against that as some of them do detract from the game’s enjoyment. You can reload any of the nine chapters from the main menu to specifically target certain achievements.

The Nature of Hell

By the time I completed Unforgiving, I felt I understood what was at the heart of the game. I think it was trying to address the nature of hell or rather our perception of it. The ending provided a rather metaphysical perspective that I felt was a nice touch.

Conclusion

Unforgiving tried to push the envelope in some sense, specifically with its inclusion of hard decisions. The game certainly did make me think at least once or twice in that regard. It also touches on the nature of hell and questions our perception it. Maybe hell can exist in a multitude of forms alongside each other. Maybe we each live our own form of it daily, without ever coming to terms with it. In summation, Unforgiving - A Northern Hymn does a good job overall with combining a great soundtrack, Scandinavian folklore and your typical Horror gameplay elements to deliver a fun experience.

Spoiler free review:

One hour in and I want to play a lot more.

Pros:
Great atmosphere
Great ambient music
Intriguing story (I WANT to play more to learn more)
Not a jumpscare-fest
Not a puzzle-fest
You can die but checkpoints are frequent

Cons:
Cannot rebind keys

This is atmospheric horror and a creepy journey through Swedish fairytale lore. It does a really really good job of getting you to let your guard down and then it just.....shows you things you didn't want to see. I mean that in a very good way. The scares so far are not your typical "oh sharp sound effect noise to startle you! HAHA!" scares... they are more like, you're walking along and you see....something. It walks past you and out of sight. But there is no music key to scare you, it's just THERE. Or you turn a corner and you see something moving in front of you.... is it a person? What is it? You stop dead in your tracks and just stare. Finally you realize it's just a broken sign or tree. Pretty wild. One instance got me to actually verbally yelp "AH!" in fright and then I smiled because i cannot remember the last time a game made me feel like that.

I wasn't sure about this game based on the first five minutes where I thought this was going to be garbage. So far I'm very suprised and happy with the adventure I'm on. If you like dark creepy fairy tales, this is a solid buy.

A game that reminds you that folktales were less about bedtime comfort and more about keeping children terrified enough to stay out of the woods. So, kid, don't wander in there alone.

+ Really fun experience
+ Great psychological horror
+ Amazing sounds
+ Love the environment

- Jumpscares (But there's very few of them)

I stumbled over this game by mistake on a sale at one point and was really satisfied with the contents of it (being Swedish and all). I recognized a lot of the creatures in the games from folktales and stories from growing up, although some of them have been made a bit more scarier than I remember them being.

All in all, it was a enjoyable experience that gave me a few moments where I thought to myself if I should really do what is needed to go further in the game, while there's a few jumpscares I still find the game satisfying and extremely terrifying at different points. The music and sounds are amazing and fits into the theme perfectly.

If you're into horror games I highly recommend this one! It's quite straight forward, but it also rewards you with some lore if you go off the path and explore in the darker corners of the world.

It's neither too long nor short, it's just the right amount of time to play through this great game! :)

About 5 hours of quality gameplay, its more of an atmospheric horror game with just a few jump scares...time and money well spent

If you don't know then please note that this game was made by a newly formed studio based in Skövde (sweden) consisting of only 5 people.
Before I begin I must say that they really did a good job with this game considering that this is their first commercial title.

Now let me descibe my experience with it.

If you check wikipedia it says its an "open world and survival horror", however if you check the developer's website you will not find the words "open world" there. Please note that its "not" an open world game.
You cannot go anywhere as you like, there are invisible walls & variuous other restrictions almost everywhere. Eg: you cannot get inside the river because its blocked by an invisible wall,same is the case for many other areas too.

The story can be termed as a pshycological horror, where you play from the POV of a female protagonist who has severe drug issues & is reluctant to seek any help.She gets kidnapped by her brother who tries to take her to some person for help. On the way she wakes up and kicks her brother in the head leading him to crash his car in the middle of the woods.Now both are lost in the same woods and must try to find a way out of there. I liked the story and its presentation.
You are always on your toes frantically looking for a way out of this dreaded place. The pacing of this game is solid you will never get bored due to this.

The whole game takes place in a forest which is haunted by various creatures from the swedish folklore as the game advertised.Inside the forest there are various abandoned houses,cabins and also a mine which you have to explore to solve some easy puzzles.

The lighting of this game is pretty good! Since the story takes place during the night thus the game is dimly lit. However if you go inside any houses or cabins with no light inside it it will be pitch black. You literally wont be able to see anything.
You have to go very close to an object to see it properly. Later in the game you will be introduced to match sticks which are your best friends in this game. Matchsticks in this game is like herbs in resident evil series.
You have to search for them on every location. No they won't heal you or protect you from enemies but they will help a lot in navigating through areas which are completely dark. But don't worry if you use them judiciously you will never run out of them.
You will be able to find matchsticks inside the matchboxes throughout the game, however the quantities may differ.

The above settings with good sound effects & few jumpscares worked well for this game! I will not lie it did managed to scare me at few places. Sound effects and music in this game are something which will really grab your attention.
There is no HUD,not even a map. The roads inside the jungle has signboards and mapboards instead, which will tell you about your current location. It may feel confusing or dificult at first but since the map is small
you can easily understand it. Inside the houses/cabins and mine you will find several children's drawings sometimes with a note in it, that becomes disturbing as the game progresses.

You are completely powerless in Unforgiving, if you encounter an enemy then the best that you can do is run and hide behind a rock or a tree or walk past them slowly (works for those little trolls towrads the end).
The sound editing of this game is top notch. In certain areas while walking from one point to another you will hear footsteps following you, only to find there is no one. In the distance you will be able to hear the cry of a witch(probably),the thudding footsteps of a giant and sometimes a whisper from the trees..etc. Things like these will always keep on reminding you that you are not safe in this place.
Sometimes you may venture off of your narrow route a bit to find various poetry pages scattered through out the map (which are sometimes well hidden), that shed a bit of light on the creatures & the items you encounter in this game.These are the only collectibles in this game.

Though the system is not designed to usher you from one place to another but the gameplay does feel linear as the areas are very small. Personally I liked it & have no complains on that.
The game can be easily finished within 3-4 hours.The dilogues in the game are in swedish with english subtitles, which for me worked well because it gave me a sense of alienation, also it aroused my curiosity a bit to know something from a different culture.

Now there are few negative aspects too.

1.Mostly whever you are moving through a beam & going through a crevice you will not be able to turn back in the middle,your character simply wont go back. For that you have to reach the other side first.
2.The world looks good but the character models are represented with a bit less fidelity. They are okay if don't look too much into the details.
3.The animations are somewhat unconvincing and few times it looked funny too.
4.Repetition of the same items on various places which can only be picked and examined. They adds no other purpose.

These are some minor flaws which can be easily overlooked. This is a game developed by an indie studio with high production values. Thus if you like playing good horror games then don't forget to add this one in your library!

Rating : 8/10

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