A Folk-Horror FMV Deep in the Black Forest
Germany’s Black Forest is a huge expanse of trees, towns, and old mines, situated in the south-west of the country. It’s a beautiful place full of picture-perfect villages that look like they belong in a fairy tale, and, of course, it is where the famous Black Forest gâteau originates. It is also a hotbed for regional myths, including tales of witches, fairies, and spirits, and is widely believed to be the inspiration for the classic tale of Hansel and Gretel.
Now, it serves as the setting for an FMV adventure published by Wales Interactive called Heart of the Forest. We put our hiking boots on to see exactly what was waiting in the woods.
Wales Interactive has been one of the founding fathers of the FMV genre’s resurgence over the last decade or so. While they have published Heart of the Forest, it is actually a new German developer, Trapped Predator, that has crafted this enjoyable adventure.
The Narrative Journey
The story is the real star here. It begins in a small town just outside the forest, where four people meet up to go on a hike. Nick and Simon are friends who are there for different reasons, with Simon being the one who posted an advert looking for others to join them. Laura and Anna, a couple, make up the other half of the group. After introducing themselves, they head straight into the trees.
Very soon, things start to go a bit wrong. First, they get lost, and then they become separated while searching for one another. Simon heads into a cave and learns of the forest’s dark secrets, while the others stumble across a couple who have been camping in the woods. One of the campers is dying and suddenly attacks them. From there, everything starts to go very, very wrong.
Mind Games and Supernatural Horror
Without spoiling the story or its ultimate ending, I can offer some hints about its themes. Supernatural forces are afoot, and the gang finds themselves in situations that play mind games with them, forcing them to question what is real and what is fake. There are a couple of sequences in this piece of storytelling that truly stand out. One horror section involving a Polaroid camera is a particularly clever piece of narrative and camerawork, and there are also a few highly effective jump scares.
However, occasionally, there are pacing problems, especially during the scenes shot in semi-darkness, which could have benefited from tighter editing and a bit more urgency.
Branching Paths
The gameplay elements, as is the case in most FMV (full-motion video) games, are quite a simple affair, and Heart of the Forest is no different. It relies on a system of choices that you must make to steer the narrative one way or another. What is quite clever about this game is that the choices you make along the way are rarely as simple as good or bad. The decisions are interesting and reflect the theme of how humans react to danger, showing how trying to do the right thing can often have unintended consequences later on.
The game features many different endings for you to unlock. What I really liked is the inclusion of a story planner in the menus, which maps out all the different paths you could have taken. This makes starting again incredibly enticing, as you know exactly where to diverge to experience different parts of the tale. After your first run-through, you also have the option to skip scenes, allowing you to get to the branching decision points much faster.
The film quality throughout the game is of a very good standard, featuring some excellent lighting and shot selection. The production team has done a great job with the horror elements and effects, especially when you consider that the budget wouldn’t be of a Hollywood standard.
One thing that has always been quite tricky when playing FMV games is the transition after making a decision; sometimes, the cut between different takes is rough and jarring. In Heart of the Forest, the editing between takes is smooth, utilising a clever framing technique with a clicking timer to help mask the transitions.
A Worthy Addition to the FMV Hall of Fame
The sound effects are excellent, and the soundtrack remains atmospheric throughout. The performances from the actors are great, and they do a solid job carrying the narrative, though the aforementioned pacing problems don’t do them any favours in certain scenes.
Heart of the Forest is a well-crafted and intriguing horror story from accomplished filmmakers, making it a great addition to the FMV hall of fame. I really enjoyed the narrative, and some of the standout sequences wouldn’t look out of place in a major cinematic release. There are pacing issues at times, and the inherent lack of traditional gameplay might be a problem for some. However, if you plan on going down to the woods today, Heart of the Forest is an adventure well worth taking.
Important Links
Wales Interactive Returns With More Interactive Horror – Heart Of The Forest – https://www.thexboxhub.com/wales-interactive-returns-with-more-interactive-horror-heart-of-the-forest/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/heart-of-the-forest/9NGTXWLLTJZ0
There’s an FMV Gore bundle too – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/fmv-gore/9PJQFQHSV415/0010
