At completexbox we are very much community driven, and welcome guest articles, opinion pieces and reviews. This Review of Bleak Faith: Forsaken, developed by Archangel Studios is written by the very talented IM Dave Angel, played on Xbox Series S.
Ok, describe Bleak Faith: Foresaken for me…
Bleak Faith: Forsaken is a souls-like where you explore the Omnistructure, a vast and unforgiving world where you must fight tooth and nail to survive. You choose your class, progress your skills, and then face everything the Omnistructure can throw at you, including epic boss fights. This is an immersive and extremely challenging game.
Ok, so it’s a tough experience but I have experience with Souls-like games…
This is a game that promises a lot with its atmospheric world and intriguing sci-fi setting. However, my experience with the game was largely negative, primarily due to its punishing difficulty, especially the boss fights, which are challenging even by Dark Souls standards.
So, just how hard is Bleak Faith?
Crushingly difficult. I used to play Aladdin on the SNES which was a beautiful example of pixel punishment, but the lack of direction, with the general level of enemy aggression, makes this extremely unforgiving. This is made even harder as the respawn points throughout the Omnistructure as so far apart and so bewilderingly placed, you feel as though as every move forward could leave you to draw your last breath.
I will not go into specifics with the bosses, but they do have observable patterns that in theory will leave you with a window of opportunity to attack. But the hitboxes for their weapons are so large it is almost impossible to get in, hit once and then retreat without taking some damage. You can make your own potions to increase your health, but the damage delivered is so devastating that you will eat through potions faster than you can make them. It’s not as if you can practice your moves against random enemies beforehand because, well, there are hardly any of those to speak of; the locations are devoid of anything.
Graphically, how does it stack up?
It has a unique look which is one thing that Bleak Faith has going for it. The combination of classical medieval equipment with a post-apocalyptic backdrop is an aesthetic that has been done well, dripping with atmosphere.
The game has several different graphics modes, which change factors such as the saturation, brightness, contrast and draw depth/fog to create some unique vistas. Some of them do not necessarily add any game value (the SEGA pixelated view completely misses me) but the graphics are so grey and dark, having the ability to inject some colour into an otherwise bland world is an improvement.
Summary
Overall, while “Bleak Faith: Forsaken” has potential and some standout elements, the overwhelming difficulty and technical issues make it a challenging game to recommend. If you’re a fan of extremely tough Souls-like games and can overlook the technical shortcomings, you might find some enjoyment here. Otherwise, it might be best to wait for further updates and improvements.
Overall
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CX Score - 30%30%
Summary
Pros:
- Atmospheric World: The game excels in creating a dark, immersive environment that draws you in. The visual design is intriguing, and the world-building is impressive.
- Enemy Design: The enemies, particularly the bosses, are creatively designed and add to the game’s eerie atmosphere.
Cons
- Difficulty: The difficulty level is extremely high, with bosses that can feel unfairly tough. This can lead to frustration rather than a sense of accomplishment.
- Technical Issues: The game suffers from various technical problems, including bugs and frame rate drops, which detract from the overall experience.
- Lack of Guidance: The game provides little direction, leaving players to figure out where to go and what to do next, which can be disorienting.