Bleak Faith Forsaken review

Introduction

Bleak Faith Forsaken aims to carve out its niche in the overcrowded Soulslike genre. The game’s premise, featuring a faceless automaton exploring the dystopian Omnistructure, promises a dark and mysterious journey. But does it manage to rise above the shadows?

Gaming Heaven

The Omnistructure is undeniably the game’s standout feature. Its sprawling, labyrinthine design is a gothic punk dream, blending decaying technology with dark, foreboding spaces. This vast environment teems with architectural diversity, hinting at a once-thriving civilization now on the brink of collapse. The visual creativity extends to the enemy designs, with Lovecraftian influences giving rise to truly nightmarish creatures. Occasionally, the game’s art direction delivers tormented visual beauty that’s genuinely captivating.

Gaming Hell

However, once you dig deeper, the cracks in Bleak Faith Forsaken become glaring. Combat, the lifeblood of any Soulslike, is a mess of inconsistent hitboxes and floaty, imprecise melee mechanics. Managing stamina feels less like a strategic challenge and more like a test of patience. Character animations are choppy, often feeling incomplete, which severely impacts the fluidity of battles.

The lack of a levelling system is a curious choice, replaced by various tiers of weapons, consumables, and armour. This could work if the crafting system were well-explained and intuitive, but it’s not. Moreover, the absence of any form of currency upon death may seem merciful, yet it highlights a recognition of the game’s numerous broken elements.

Final Judgement

Bleak Faith Forsaken is a tale of potential marred by execution. Its atmospheric world and creative enemy designs are overshadowed by lacklustre combat, technical glitches, and a minimalistic approach that strips away much of what makes the genre compelling. While the screenshots and art direction may lure you in, the unpolished gameplay quickly shatters any illusions. For die-hard fans of the genre, there’s a fleeting charm to be found, but it’s buried under layers of frustration and broken dreams. Proceed with caution – this one’s more of a haunted house than a hidden gem.