The Awakener: Forgotten Oath

The Awakener: Forgotten Oath thrusts players into a dark fantasy world filled with dangerous foes and exciting combat. As the Awakener, you are summoned by the Twelve Gods of Therad to explore the decaying realm of Nothingness and eliminate the demonic forces that dwell within.

I was immediately drawn in by the eerie, gothic art style that is reminiscent of Dark Souls 3. However, once the action kicks off, the gameplay shifts to fast-paced, stylish combat akin to Devil May Cry or Bayonetta. In the early hours of Forgotten Oath, I was enthralled by the mysterious setting and lore surrounding the Twelve Gods and the existence of Nothingness.

Traversing the intricately designed levels and taking in the sights held my attention, even during slower moments. Combat is immensely satisfying, allowing players to experiment with various weapons and skills to take down foes. Chaining together combos feels incredible, especially when timing blocks and dodges perfectly to counter devastating enemy blows.

Forgiving Difficulty Finds the Sweet Spot

Many games in this genre tend to be prohibitively challenging for casual players. Thankfully, Forgotten Oath offers adjustable difficulty settings to cater to differing skill levels. At least, that's what I'd say if this wasn't a modern Soulsborne title. As players know, the only way to make these games easier is to "git gud."

The good news is that the combat is so immensely satisfying that you soon forget the game is supposed to be a challenging Soulsborne. Once you finally get the knack for how the action works in The Awakener: Forgotten Oath

Build Variety Adds Replayability

Across my 15 hour playthrough, I was constantly unlocking new skills and abilities for my Awakener. The extensive skill trees give players agency to craft their own unique hero. My magician build focused on elemental spells to control the battlefield.

However, respecing my skills would allow me to pivot to a heavily armored knight or nimble dual-wielding rogue. This build variety paired with randomized levels adds incentive to replay the game to experiment with new character builds.

Beautiful Environments Come Alive

The haunting fantasy environments truly stole the show for me. Each area feels lovingly crafted with an astonishing attention to detail from the crumbling castle ramparts to the ominous hanging trees in the forest levels. Traversing these environments and studying the subtle environmental storytelling kept me deeply engaged.

The excellent ambient soundtrack and sound design perfectly complement the eerie aesthetic. From the satisfying clash of steel to the unearthly howls echoing through the darkness, the audio truly brings each location to life.

In the end, The Awakener: Forgotten Oath delivers a brilliant dark fantasy world brimming with action-packed combat and rewarding exploration. Flexible difficulty options ensure the game remains accessible for new players while still offering hardcore fans an engrossing challenge.

An abundance of skills to unlock promotes diverse character builds and incentives to replay the randomized levels. Even after 15 hours, I'm still eager to explore more of this richly imagined gothic realm.

Pros

• Satisfying, stylish combat
• Beautifully crafted fantasy world
• Extensive skill trees allow varied builds

Cons

• Story feels vaguely generic at times
• Repetitive enemy designs