You are playing as a character who has been transported to Ancient Rome, but is actually from the modern day. The story begins with you waking up after being rescued from a watery grave by a woman called Karen. She asks you to search for her friend in some nearby ruins, which you kindly do, and this is the catalyst for an adventure of a lifetime (for your character at least) when you discover a portal that allows you to travel back through time. ..
You’ll also meet a variety of other characters during your playthrough, some of which are more important than others. One character that is key to the story is Sentius, the city magistrate. He’s a fascinating character and you’ll get to learn a lot about him during your playthrough. You’ll also meet other interesting characters, some of which are more important than others. One character that is key to the story is Sentius, the city magistrate. He’s a fascinating character and you’ll get to learn a lot about him during your playthrough.
Your task is to track down the person who broke the Golden Rule and bring them to justice. But as you begin your investigation, you quickly realize that there are many suspects. Some of whom you know well, others who you only recently met. The only way to find out who is responsible for this crime is to get to know all of them and see if they have any connection to one another.
The city of Chicago is a fascinating place to visit. It has a rich history and a variety of people to meet. You need to question each person and in some cases win their trust, as you try to find out who might cause the crime that could potentially end the lives of the people around you. Unfortunately, you are against the clock so you can’t dawdle around at your leisure. If you fail to find the answer you need before the end of the election, somebody breaks the Golden Rule and you are then forced to run back to the time portal to start the day again.
There are times when starting the day can be advised, as you need to take on quests that can only be completed at certain times of the day. As these quests are integral to completing the game properly and reaching the ‘best ending’ (there are a total of four endings), you need to use what you learned from the previous day to complete the quests next. ..
If you want to start the day again, you don’t have to wait for the election to end. You can simply commit a crime yourself, such as stealing a valuable item from one of the characters, as this breaks the Golden Rule, kills everyone, and causes you to return to the portal to reset the day. You then set out on your mission again armed with fresh knowledge from your previous day’s encounters to get one step closer to solving the game’s central mystery.
The game hinges on the conversations you have with the city’s residents in order to progress. The game is dialogue-heavy as a consequence, but as the characters always have something interesting (and often quite witty) to say, speaking to them is never a chore. Talking to them is especially fun when you can pre-empt what they’re going to say after starting the day anew, as some of these interactions are quite fun when you take them by surprise with your conversation choices. ..
The combat in the game is a little fiddly, as you need to aim carefully to take down your enemies. ..
Combat sections are fun, despite the tricky controls, and they are a welcome relief from all the talking. Unfortunately, they are short-lived as the game needs you to progress in a hurry, so you can’t spend a great deal of time exploring the game’s golden temples and underground areas where these enemies lie in wait. ..
The game has a complex plot that is best left to the player to uncover. It is possible to complete the game early, without learning all of its secrets, so this can reduce its already short run-through. The game should take you about 7-8 hours to see the game through to its best ending but it’s possible to finish the game within 4-5 hours if you find the exit that allows you to return to your own time.
I was disappointed to find out that I had finished the game early, as I was having a lot of fun exploring the game’s world. Thankfully, I was able to return to a previous save file and complete the game properly. I recommend that you do the same if you inadvertently take the path that ends the game abruptly. ..
The graphics are good enough although they don’t quite push the PS5 to its limits. The Roman settlement has lots of detail and is suitably shiny, as befits the opulent temples and golden structures, and all of the characters are rendered well. This game actually started life as a Skyrim mod in 2015 but the developers at Modern Storyteller have worked hard to ensure the graphics don’t look like something you would find on older hardware. It might be that the Switch, PS4, and Xbox One versions of the games have slightly downgraded graphics but I doubt too many compromises have been made to make the game look good on these last-gen consoles. ..
I had a great time playing The Forgotten City, and it’s a game that I won’t forget in a hurry. The story is captivating and the time-loop mechanic is really fun, making it an enjoyable experience. If you play it through to the best ending, you will be well-rewarded by the final outcome and story reveals. So be sure to play through it again if you fail to reach the game’s proper conclusion the first time around!
I regret that the game is so short as I was having such a blast exploring Ancient Rome and trying to solve the intricate mystery that lay within its city walls. But if Modern Storyteller ever creates a sequel, I will be glad to travel back through time again to solve the latest mystery they have concocted.
