Our Sons of the Forest review finds this long-awaited sequel to The Forest full of the kind of spooky atmosphere that’s enough to make even the most iron-willed among us squirm in our seats. We’ve played 16 hours so far and made it to day 12, having experimented with different starting strategies across multiple playthroughs. We’ve more to see, and will update this review-in-progress periodically as we do so, but so far our experience suggests it’s a fantastic game – albeit not without its flaws. There’s a nagging feeling that Sons of the Forest may have bitten off slightly more than it can chew.

The game is certainly fun and engaging, and for only $30, it feels worth the price of admission, especially since the developer promises continuous updates. But it’s important to note just how much it feels like The Forest. Sure, there’s more vegetation, a bigger map, new build mechanics, more variety in crafting and weaponry, and creepier mutants — but it sort of feels like you’ve seen it all before. Perhaps that’s the point: to take what worked and build from there, literally and figuratively.

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