The first three games of the Forgotten Hill series joined together with new contents, new locations, new puzzles and secrets revealed: let's follow Larson's First Steps in Forgotten Hill!
The game presents a diverse array of puzzles that cater to various skill levels. Players will encounter a mix of logic-based, mechanical, and environmental puzzles that range from straightforward to quite challenging. Many reviewers praise the thoughtful design of these puzzles, which require careful observation and deductive reasoning to solve. For example, one reviewer notes the "marbles" puzzle as being particularly fiendish yet satisfying to overcome.
The game's integrated hint system is widely praised as an excellent accessibility feature. The hint system gradually provides more detailed guidance, allowing players to get the level of assistance they need without necessarily resorting to a full skip of the puzzle. As one reviewer notes, "the hints come in several levels, first it'll point you to whatever item or room you need to explore to find a solution. Then it'll give you a more exact hint." This approach enables players of varying skill levels to progress through the experience without becoming overly frustrated.
Traversing the game's unsettling and often grotesque environments is a core part of the experience. Players thoroughly enjoy the strong emphasis on exploration, as they uncover new locations, discover hidden secrets, and piece together the disturbing narrative. Reviewers highlight the distinct art style and sound design, which work together to create a consistently eerie and immersive atmosphere, heightening the sense of unease and suspense.
While the game is primarily a puzzle-focused experience, the narrative elements are skillfully woven into the gameplay. Players appreciate how the puzzles and exploration serve to advance the storyline, providing context and deeper insights into the protagonist's journey and the mysterious town. As one reviewer states, "the narrative and gameplay [keep] players engaged and invested in unraveling the game's underlying mysteries."
The game offers a good degree of replayability, as players can revisit individual chapters or replay the entire experience to uncover missed details, achievements, and different narrative paths. Reviewers also highlight the ability to skip puzzles without penalty, allowing players to tailor the experience to their preferences and make the game accessible to a wider audience.