The introduction starts with a private militia being sent to a remote island in hopes of rescuing a well-endowed family of three who have gone missing. Unfortunately, the helicopter transporting these soldiers of fortune suddenly gets ambushed, and a lone mercenary ends up fighting for their life on this dangerous isle. Strange cannibalistic tribes are around every turn with each individual having unique deformities and bodily distortions. The forgotten soldier’s only ally is a fellow hireling who not only has brain damage, but is also deaf from the fall. Most importantly, many hidden hatches that lead underground help the main character slowly unravel the truth behind this massive forest and everything underneath. Along the way, one of the three who were missing is not only alive and well but is now a mutant, with an extra arm and leg.
All the plot points that were just laid out sound like they could very well belong to the next big film idea to come out ofHollywood. Rather, they are all plot points from a survival horror video game released for Windows computers on Feb. 23rd of this year. Created by Endnight Games and published by a company called Newnight,Sons of the Forestis a sequel to another game that officially came out in April 2018, aptly calledThe Forest.
Flying in to Save a Missing Family
While each entry in the series focuses on individuals from different backgrounds with different goals, the overall story involves two giant companies who nefariously invested in this peninsula only so they could be closer to the ancient artifacts found deep within. Although both corporations, Sahara Therapeutics and PuffCorp, tried to stay under some marketing guise that satisfied the public, both of their secret projects went awry with unexpected dangers and deadly deformities to the people stationed there. Through each game, the player not only comes into contact with many different kinds of mutants that they must fend off but also grasps a basic understanding of survival deep within the mesmerizing landscape of a vast green landscape and is also introduced to concepts like universal resurrection by means of technology and alternate dimension travel. As some major productions have already shown, these different branches of storytelling work wonders when utilized together with a big budget. Let’s look at howSons of the Forestcould easily mutate into a different entertainment medium.
The biggest danger for players in this hyper-textured, deceivingly beautiful game doesn’t necessarily come from the always decreasing life bars in the bottom left of the screen. Whether you’re building a home or exploring a cave, all different sorts of cannibals and mutants could strike from the shadows, leaving you blindsided and grasping for any kind of weapon. Some of the more extreme varieties include beet red titans, mutant babies, and a creature called Fingers which is a walking mouth that has many limbs in the place of lips. Currently airing onHBOand garnering much acclaim,The Last of Usalso hands viewers several similar monsters called The Infected. Ranging from rapid runners to stealthy stalkers, these horrifying visuals are part of why viewers are drawn in every week, and this same aspect could work even better on the big screen if done correctly.
Related:The Last of Us Game Actor Expresses Interest in Joining HBO’s Season 2 Adaptation
Turning An Underground Resort Into a Dark, New Reality
Some of the most compelling theatrical releases involve throwing a rather simple premise onto its head with a subtle but ever-increasing catastrophic consequence. Take, for instance,OldandKnock at the Cabin, two recent psychological thriller films directed byM. Night Shyamalan. Before the dark and supernatural elements took hold, characters from both movies were celebrating life and going on vacation in remote locations.
With such a sudden and impactful turn of events, audiences were captivated and thrown for a loop. Going a step beyond the character you play as (whether it’s a father looking for his missing son or a mercenary looking for a displaced rich family), the angelic mirage created by these two billion-dollar companies could act as the introduction that slowly introduces viewers into this elaborate but nightmarish world. A once peaceful and serene underground playground for the rich and the famous is suddenly ripped apart from the inside due to the otherworldly energies that reside right below. That certainly sounds like a movie that many would see.
Surviving In the Wilderness
The core essence of what makesSons of the Forestan excellent experience for players is not only the detail put into the environment but also the always-present element of survival. The dangers on the island, mixed in with the dense green covering made from the trees and bushes, create an overwhelming sense of isolation that forces players to quickly think on their feet. Considering the theme of survival is already present in popular movies likeLiam Neeson’sThe Grey, Daniel Radcliffe’sJungle,and even Matt Damon’sThe Martian, just imagine if other uncanny aspects were thrown into the mix like rabid, devilishly designed creatures and mystical, revolutionary technology. Such a genre mash-up would be a feat unseen in today’s box office, which is filled with sequels and prequels.Related:The Best Movies With a ‘Character Against Nature’ Type of Conflict
Soon enough,Sons of the Forestwill not only become available for other systems but will jump into the hands of an aspiring director or producer who launches this game franchise right onto the big screen. But, until then, we can all enjoy the ride as it was originally intended.
