Buy Forgotton Anne

Ever wonder where that other sock ran off to? How about the television remote, car keys, or the Gameboy Color? One minute it's there, and the next minute, it's gone. Common household items get lost frequently in our daily hustle and bustle. It turns out these forgotten items end up in another realm beyond our own.

Forgotton Anne is the story of how these possessions begin life anew in the magical Forgotton Lands, which is a place cameras, chairs, lamps, shoes and various other items (known as forgotlings) find themselves once they're forgotten. Here, lost items come alive with dreams, personality and hopes, and they create a community to live in with ID badges, work permits and transportation systems. New arrivals to this alternate dimension must stand in line to receive a permit before shipping off to their next destination. They are reminded that their new life does not necessarily mean a life of hopelessness, since the welcoming committee proclaims, "Remember, you're not rotten, just forgotten!" This is Forgotton Anne, an indie adventure-platformer game developed by ThroughLine Games and published by Square Enix Collective.

Forgotton Anne opens with an attack on the capital city. Bombs going off create a warzone, and our protagonist, Anne, awakens from her sleep to find herself on the trail of rebel forgotlings who are causing a commotion. Thus ensues a frantic chase to track down these dissenters of the Forgotton Lands. Anne is the realm's Enforcer, an authoritative and lawful figure, who keeps the peace on behalf of her master and overseer, Bonku.

Using a magical glove known as an Arca, Anne is able to manipulate anima, the energy of all things that gives life to forgotlings and serves as a power source for the Forgotton Lands. Anne's Arca allows her to solve puzzles that players will encounter along their journey. Her Anima Wings allow players to jump higher to reach out-of-the-way places. Immediately, the game rewards players who go out of their way to explore the nooks and crannies of the map. Certain spots contain hidden collectibles or character interactions that provide more depth to the world-building. (They also satisfy my completionist need to look for everything.) Interacting with other forgotlings gives way to dialogue choices that can determine the outcome of some scenarios. The choices that players make can also be reflected later on in the game with dialogue changes or additional dialogue options.

As Anne begins her investigation, she learns that the rebel forgotlings attacked her master's Ether Bridge. Master Bonku has earned the reputation of a successful engineer and scientist in the Forgotton Lands. His most ambitious project is a bridge that leads back to the Ether, also known as the Human Realm. Bonku's project has created a divide amongst forgotlings: Some wish to return to the Ether to be reunited with their human owners, and others wish to remain free from ownership in the Forgotton Lands. The latter group has taken to expressing their disagreement in more explosive ways. These polarizing politics have created a powder keg within the Lands that have finally come to a head.

While the story starts out slowly with players not knowing much about the plot, it provides an opportunity to flesh out the protagonist. As her investigation wears on, Anne finds her convictions turned upside-down as ulterior motives threaten to tear apart the realm and she's shown that there's more to her own forgotten past than meets the eye.

Immediately, Forgotton Anne leaves a charming impression. Hand-drawn visuals are evidence of sincere attention to detail, and they give the game an old-school anime feel with a very smooth frame rate. Additionally, the integration of animated cut scenes add even more anime flavor. The world-building, lore and colorful atmosphere are so whimsical, the game feels as if it could take place in a Miyazaki universe. Fully voice-acted dialogue adds even more depth, as a wide range of vocal talents provides diversity among the cast of characters.

In my opinion, the most standout element is the fully orchestrated soundtrack. The music is a symphony of emotion and does an amazing job of transitioning properly to set the tone for each scene. The visuals and sound design transport players and make it seem like we're watching an anime drama. The overall plot is quite refreshing, although toward the end, it does become a little predictable. The story is engaging with well-written characters, development and witty dialogue. An alluring cast of memorable characters drive the story forward and keep players engaged. I constantly went out of my way to talk to characters because they looked interesting. One of the most interesting characters is the rebel leader Fig, who has a Robin Hood personality. Fig could have stolen my wallet, and I would have still found him charismatic and appealing. I was often rewarded with navigation hints because I talked to NPCs.

Level design provides an opportunity for built-in puzzles and creative ways to navigate the world. The environment is rich and diverse, with many interesting places to explore. The scenery was made to reflect the crowded and often impoverished Forgotton Lands. In many cases, players must solve puzzles within the environment to proceed to the next area. Shortcuts and side routes give more dimension to the 2D side-scroller. While I found some puzzles to be creative and interesting, many felt forced and unnecessary. Anne's movement abilities make it relatively easy to get around, but there is a lot of backtracking that can make the experience feel drawn out. I often had to put down the game and come back to it because some puzzles were exhausting in all the wrong ways. Instead of feeling accomplished after finishing puzzles, I often felt like I had completed a chore. With so many other elements creating an outstanding impression, it was a disappointment that some areas felt like a slog.

Overall, Forgotton Anne gets a lot of things right. It's obvious that the game was crafted with tons of attention to detail and passion. The world is magical and leaves a strong impression. While the story starts off slowly, it builds momentum and leaves players motivated to seek more answers to the questions. Political themes and moral choices kept me going. I did find it unfortunate that I was able to predict the outcome of the plot, but the overall story and concept were refreshing with original ideas. Puzzles provide an opportunity for creativity and critical thinking, but not all puzzles were needed or even made sense, which left feelings of confusion more than anything else. Despite its flaws, Forgotton Anne has such fantastic qualities that may charm you to overlook these inconveniences.

Score: 7.5/10