A brand-new release date trailer for Sons of the Forest, an upcoming sequel to survival horror title The Forest, shows off the game's immersive survival gameplay and a whole host of grotesque monsters. Spending years in early access before its 2018 release, The Forest tasks players with surviving in an open-world environment inhabited by mutant cannibals. Announced back in December 2020, Sons of the Forest promises to up the ante by introducing unsettling new foes and realistic new survival techniques.
While The Forest can be unforgiving to new players, the title's various different mechanics make for a truly remarkable gameplay experience. Players are dropped into the titular forest and given little direction, with survival as the only goal. A realistic resource system lets players craft necessary tools, such as axes. Meanwhile, the forest's horrifying inhabitants make use of a remarkable artificial intelligence system which makes them behave in a believable and even sympathetic way. The tribe will not always be openly hostile to the player, but instead will sometimes just watch from a distance or attempt to make contact through gifts. Primarily, The Forest tasks players with building a base through which they can save their progress, while a narrative conclusion can be reached by exploring the forest's network of caves.
A new trailer for Sons of the Forest, posted to YouTube by IGN, reveals the title's May 20, 2022 release date. The first-person survival horror sequel was originally scheduled for a 2021 release, but development delays have resulted in this new release date. The atmospheric trailer also shows off more of the title's immersive gameplay, such as realistic tree-chopping and tent assembly. The player character is unfortunately seen eating a sea turtle at one point, while even more grotesque content comes in the form of Sons of the Forest's mutant monsters. The enemies range from human-like cannibals to massive worm-like giants, setting fans up for another terrifying experience.
See the original video on YouTube here.
While the franchise has historically focused on atmosphere over combat, despite a generous selection of weapons in The Forest, the game's roster of enemies is still extremely unsettling. Even the most basic mutants acted with intelligence and persistence, making them worthy foes for even the most skilled player. Cannibals would use ambush tactics, protect their allies and even drag their friends out of a fight should they become wounded. As players progressed through the title even more inhuman foes appeared, though Sons of the Forest looks to top the first game's hostile roster.
The Forest was a wildly ambitious independent survival horror title which managed to live up to its potential. The game's systems allowed it to achieve excellent immersion and an ever-present sense of foreboding, creating a tense experience for even the biggest survival horror fans. The follow-up Sons of the Forest looks to push the envelope even further, introducing more immersive survival techniques as well as horrifying new enemies.
Sons of the Forest will release on May 20, 2022 for PC.
Source: IGN/YouTube