Perhaps it’s the way it slowly builds tension rather than relying on jump scares. Maybe it’s the blend of folklore, tragedy and psychological dread that lingers long after the credits roll. Whatever the reason, The Sinking Forest – 沈んだ森 is hoping to tap directly into those fears as it launches on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC with Play Anywhere support.
Priced at £8.39, this survival horror adventure throws players into a fog-covered Japanese village where a desperate search for a missing sister soon spirals into something far darker. This is Japan, but not like you’ve ever experienced before…
At A Glance
- Game: The Sinking Forest – 沈んだ森
- Developer: TonyDevGame
- Publisher: Dolores Entertainment
- Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Play Anywhere
- Price: £8.39
- Genre: Survival Horror
A Search For Family Turns Into A Nightmare
At the centre of The Sinking Forest is a simple premise that quickly becomes anything but.
Players take on the role of a young man searching for his missing sister, Sayuri, in a remote Japanese village. What begins as a personal mission gradually unravels into a disturbing journey through abandoned buildings, forgotten shrines and flooded pathways where every discovery raises new questions.
The village itself is as much a character as any of the people inhabiting it, hiding secrets beneath layers of mist, folklore and decay.
Survival Horror The Old-Fashioned Way
The Sinking Forest wears its inspirations proudly. Fans of classic survival horror should feel immediately at home with a formula built around exploration, puzzle-solving and carefully managing limited resources. Every item matters, every encounter carries risk, and every decision has consequences.
And the game’s environments lean heavily into atmospheric Japanese imagery, featuring overgrown shrines and temples, some lovely abandoned houses, flooded pathways, the iconic cherry blossom trees, albeit withered, and fog-covered woodland trails.
Built using Unreal Engine 5, the world aims to create a constant feeling of unease, where danger could be lurking just beyond the next corner.
Japanese Folklore Meets Psychological Terror
Rather than focusing purely on monsters and combat, The Sinking Forest places significant emphasis on psychological horror.
The deeper players travel into the village, the more reality begins to blur, with folklore-inspired horrors emerging from the shadows. Combined with an ominous soundtrack featuring taiko drums and haunting string arrangements, the game looks determined to keep players feeling uncomfortable throughout.
That’s often where the best horror lives.
Ready To Enter The Forest?
With a missing sister to find, disturbing folklore to uncover and a village full of secrets waiting beneath the fog, there’s every chance this could be a memorable journey for those willing to brave it.
The Sinking Forest – 沈んだ森 is available now on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Play Anywhere for £8.39. Just head on over to the Xbox Store.
