Hazard Levels
Hazard Levels
Game
Game2026
Heart of the Forest
Developer Trapped Predator
An ill-fated hiking trip spirals into a chilling fight for survival in this interactive psychological horror movie, inspired by centuries-old tales of vengeful spirits from Germany’s Black Forest. From the Steam store page
146 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Nov 1, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
78
LovedLoved
77 positive · 22 negative
95% range 69–85%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 77 | 22 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 9 | 2 | 32 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 4 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Mostly Positive
81 of 103 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
78% recommend · 76 yes, 22 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 98 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Mostly Positive (170 of 240 positive).
Some reviewers criticize the writing and acting. [1][2][3]
Liked
Representative posts
- [1]
At about 2/3rds of the way through this, I turned to my wife and asked her, "If we were watching this as a film, what would we rate it out of ten?" Both of us landed at 3 or 4. Indie movies have a long and storied history, and I always give some level of deference to budgetary limitations and shortcuts they have to take to make it work, but there is no excuse for poor writing, directing, and acting. The drapery of …
- [4]
Probably one of the best interactive games with a sharp plot and sudden twists and turns. And definitely the BEST this week! Oh, that atmosphere... Oh, that sound... The acting isn't always brilliant, but 8/10 of the time it's very high quality. But in places it was too scary. I wouldn't recommend the game to anyone who is easily frightened. And for those looking for thrills = use headphones instead of speakers, at …
- [5]
I absolutely LOVED playing this, I played it on a stream so me and my chat could decide what choices to make (the stream mode in the options was especially helpful for this) - all of the actors performed great, the story was atmospheric, spooky and really tense at times! Not every choice pans out exactly as you'd expect which was refreshing. There are multiple endings, we ended up getting a mostly good one but I'll …
- [6]
This was a fantastic FMV horror, choose-your-own-adventure experience! The story was gripping, the filmmaking was impressive, and the interactive elements really pulled me in. The performances felt authentic, and the atmosphere built tension nicely. Highly recommended for horror fans!
- [7]
I liked it - finished it in about 2.5 hours on stream. I deliberately avoided checking other branches and only glanced at the endings so the viewers would still have a reason to try it themselves. I really enjoy this style of amateur filmmaking with non‑professional actors and early‑YouTube vibes. Turns out the choices actually change a lot of things, and you really need to pay more attention to people.
Summarised from 34 of the 150 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 13, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked Heart of the Forest talk about atmosphere and tension are well-crafted; those who didn't talk about writing is criticized as poor or clichéd. Which matters more to you?
Reactions
60 of 146 · most liked firstAt about 2/3rds of the way through this, I turned to my wife and asked her, "If we were watching this as a film, what would we rate it out of ten?" Both of us landed at 3 or 4. Indie movies have a long and storied history, and I always give some level of deference to budgetary limitations and shortcuts they have to take to make it work, but there is no excuse for poor writing, directing, and acting. The drapery of interactivity over top of it shouldn't fundamentally change the calculus of how…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →THE SCENES ARE SO SLOW. IF THERE WAS A 2X SPEED OPTION I WOULD USE IT. GREAT CINEMATOGRAPHY AND SET DESIGN. MONSTERS LOOK FANTASTIC. WRITING IS NOT GOOD. ACTORS WORKED WITH WHAT THEY GOT. CAN'T BLAME THEM.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you're ever awake and don't want to be, launch this for sweet, sound sleep in under 20 minutes, guaranteed. If you want an FMV game that at least resembles horror, play Dead Reset. That one's at least funny, the main character is hot, and the big bad's braid is to die for.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game relies heavily on the classic “let’s split up” horror trope, to the point where the entire plot feels like an idiot plot : characters repeatedly isolate themselves for the dumbest reasons, breaking immersion. On top of that, some actors struggle to convincingly convey emotion, which makes it hard to take the story seriously.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This week! Sun: Finishing up Poppy ch.5 Mon: Yakuza 0 Wed: Heart of the Forest (FMV game) Thurs: Yapping then Peak collab with @neonharper.bsky.social at 7mst
neutral · AI labelView post →Wow, what a load of crap! Sorry to be so blunt, but I honestly can’t believe what I just played... First off: if you’re into that really cheap horror trash you find all over Amazon Prime, you might actually enjoy this. I’m not one of those people, so it definitely wasn't for me. From glaring plot holes and logic gaps to consistently mediocre acting and a completely unoriginal script, this has everything that defines a C-movie. And there’s one thing you can count on: not a single "lost in the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Did you know that Smushi Come Home added an adorable free post-game adventure with new @failpositive.bsky.social tracks? Help Smushi restore the Heart of the Forest while meeting new friends, collecting new hats, discovering new mushrooms, and more! Hop on your local capybara and sail over today! ⛵🍄
neutral · AI labelView post →Boring slog to get through. The scenes drag on, and many moments that seem important end up meaninglessly going nowhere. The story is poorly written, and the choices barely matter. It's a shame because I was completely on board with the premise, and I genuinely liked the cast and characters. It's also well shot. Unfortunately, the story just gets more nonsensical as it goes. Characters experience major events only to be perfectly fine in the next scene with little or no explanation. It's…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Do you like spooky movies? Playing an FMV (interactive horror movie) game today called Heart of the Forest Grab your popcorn & lets vibe twitch.tv/ramaea
neutral · AI labelView post →Probably one of the best interactive games with a sharp plot and sudden twists and turns. And definitely the BEST this week! Oh, that atmosphere... Oh, that sound... The acting isn't always brilliant, but 8/10 of the time it's very high quality. But in places it was too scary. I wouldn't recommend the game to anyone who is easily frightened. And for those looking for thrills = use headphones instead of speakers, at night with the lights dimmed (or off). OK. You surprised me!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Another representative of the horror and interactive film genre. I already own games from this studio, and have even written reviews. What I can say in essence: 1) The plot is interesting, keeps you on the edge of your seat. 2) The acting is a 3 out of 5. This is my personal opinion; I didn't like either their acting or their appearance. 3) I didn't find any bugs. 4) The translation is spot-on, and I didn't notice any bloopers either. Overall, this studio regularly delights me with its…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Because why not do the same for Werewolf ? Name your favorites from #WtA Tribe: Black Furies Auspice: Ragabash Gift: Mother's Touch Region: Appalachia Signature Character: Pearl River Edition: 20th Book: Umbra Game: Heart of the Forest Other Splat: Mage & Vampire
neutral · AI labelView post →B-movie version of The Ritual (2017) This interactive film by Wales Interactive follows your standard horror movie formula. It wasn't bad but it's nowhere close to their best films (e.g. The Complex / The Isle Tide Hotel / The Bunker). My only beef with this film is that the characters seem to be even less genre-savy than your average horror film participant (example: One character's idea of an ideal date is going on a hiking trip but can't answer where the rough location of their hike is at…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As a game, Werewolf has perhaps never been as relevant to our times as it is right now, and the W5 vision of the game has a particularly strong political focus. I've liked how strongly this has been reflected in new digital games like Heart of the Forest, Purgatory and the Book of Hungry Names too.
positive · AI labelView post →I always grab FMV choose your adventure games because even when they are low budget, campy, and weak on acting they mostly still tend to be entertaining. That said, I can't say I can recommend this one. This movie/ game seems Blair Witch inspired, but the story is rolled out way, way slower. Many of the scenes are a bit too long and the whole movie needed to be edited down. Visuals are good. Setting is good. Effects are light, but good and practical. Characters were a tad inconsistent for my…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO tired of LGBTQ+ garbage in the games
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Grab your popcorn cause tonight we are diving into the FMV Supernatural Horror Movie Choose Your Adventure Game... The Heart of the Forest! Who lives and who dies?! Our choices impact the ending! Let's see what happens! twitch.tv/buffboygames
neutral · AI labelView post →A really impressive debut! It was clearly realized with a small budget, but they really put it to work. It's visually very polished, and the music and sound design are top notch. The production value is easily above the indie film average. Writing-wise, it's nothing really new or special, although it is thrilling (more or less) throughout. Some decisions of both the protagonists and antagonists made little sense to me, and in some instances I wish the game let me make the choice. Player…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Here's my latest game, Heart of the Forest. Made in #godot in 7 days for the #7drl game jam. Couldn't acchieve everything I wanted during that short period of time but it's playable anyway, Enjoy !!! stabalarash.itch.io/heart-of-the...
neutral · AI labelView post →Bundle sale alert! Werewolf: The Apocalypse—The Book of Hungry Names (my game!) and Heart of the Forest (also great!) are on sale: store.steampowered.com/bundle/41379...
neutral · AI labelView post →The game is shot professionally, making it enjoyable to watch and play. The actors perform at a 8/10 level, so there's room for improvement. The game is worth its price and is made well.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I finally got to the end of Heart of the Forest and I liked it. Pretty quick game all things considered but I think it does a good job at exploring the general vibes and themes of Werewolf the Apocalypse. So, you know, it's nice. Also look at this funny buff wolfman
positive · AI labelView post →Today's marathon day was a long one, but we played through 3 games today! Day 3 will be featuring one more Wales Interactive title HEART OF THE FOREST alongside the intriguing FMV action game ONE ROTTEN OATH! See you all tomorrow @ 10 AM EDT/UTC-4!
neutral · AI labelView post →Such a cool setting and some amazing shots, really enjoyed the story and the monster design!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Heart of the Forest is a choose-your-own-adventure game that unfortunately didn’t manage to fully hook either me or my wife. The opening sets things up with real promise and hints at a world that could have grown into something memorable, but the pacing stays sluggish for most of the experience and only picks up right at the end. When the finale finally arrives, it feels abrupt—choices suddenly become extremely important, yet it isn’t always clear what you’re actually deciding or what the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I absolutely LOVED playing this, I played it on a stream so me and my chat could decide what choices to make (the stream mode in the options was especially helpful for this) - all of the actors performed great, the story was atmospheric, spooky and really tense at times! Not every choice pans out exactly as you'd expect which was refreshing. There are multiple endings, we ended up getting a mostly good one but I'll be diving back into this at some point to see everything I missed! Highly…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of the long-awaited FMVs, but not the best result—THAT'S A FACT! There are some conceptual flaws, but the work was done well, and it shows.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Wales Interactive: What's there to say? I love you and I despise you in equal measure. Why? Because where the HELL is "GAMER GIRL"? You know, maybe it was controversial - sure. But what is this?! Surely controversy and being in the public eye for being hated and scandalous is better than whatever this is. I was hoping for 'The Ritual' or something - I don't know. I feel like I could have made this on edibles in a dark forest on an iphone with some friends. I am always going to support Wales…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I liked the game. The game has atmosphere, the actors play well. I didn't notice any bugs. It took me about 6.5 hours to get all 24 achievements. Once guides are released (they don't exist yet), I think it'll be quicker. The only downside of the game is the forced woke. P.S. It's also annoying that as soon as I added the word "woke" to the review, Steam immediately hid it for content verification.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →On this day 8 years ago, it was announced that "Heart of the Forest "Sylvanos was joining Rivals of Aether as a playable SLC character for the game. Sylvanos' character reveal trailer can be watched below. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CEg...
neutral · AI labelView post →The challenge is to choose 20 games that greatly influenced you. One game per day, for 20 days. No explanations, no reviews, no particular order. #GameChallange #Games #GameDev #PromoSky Day 4: Werewolf: Heart of the Forest
neutral · AI labelView post →Yooo we're getting another Werewolf: The Apocalypse game from the Heart of the Forest people! That makes my morning a little better
positive · AI labelView post →1. The production quality is very high. 2. Please do yourself a favor and don't watch this pile of ****. My wife and I watched it together, it takes about 2.4 hours and it's the most boring movie we have ever witnessed! - Simon touches everything! - All speak very basic English like "How are you?" and "Should we go in this cave?" (NO YOU SHOULDN'T!) - Again: The story is ultra super boring! - The movie is slooooooooooooooow like hell. Everything draaaaaaaaaags into eternity! - There…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you have no interest in a gay love story then avoid this entirely because you will not like it at all. Steam really needs a middle ground option instead of forcing a simple yes or no recommend because this one lands right in the middle and it is frustrating that there is no proper way to reflect that. I am going to be generous and say yes but only with serious caveats since the main story for this FMV is decent with good acting and themes that hold up reasonably well. What really…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A good FMV game all around. Even if it falls short in a few places, I consider it definitely worth the price and time I've spent on it. It also seems to be the first game of the studio, and I hope they will make more in the future. Good: - Production quality, including acting and sound design. - Beautiful locations - Horror that isn't based on jumpscares - Decision tree is present and (mostly) easy to follow Ok: - Some of the branches weren't obvious to me until I took a much…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I generally love FMV games, and the trailer made this one look very promising. However, Heart is incredibly slow and tedious, and the characters are dull and boring. By the end I honestly didn't care if anyone lived or died, I just wanted the game over so I wouldn't have the play it any more. Sections of it were either repetitive or featured endless ambling about the forest. For a game I completed in under 3 hrs, it felt incredibly drawn out There is one scene that made me want to scream at the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not bad interactive cinema, I bought it when it was on sale, so that's enough for 1-2 days of gameplay. But I wish it was more immersive
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Take the game as it is. A short form horror movie with some questionable writing. It was nice to sit back and enjoy the show!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →We just released the soundtrack to Heart of the Forest! If you want to support us, you can get it on... ... Itch: trapped-predator.itch.io/heart-of-the... #fmv #ost #indiegame #horror #horrorgame #itch
neutral · AI labelView post →I always find it hilarious when people watch some form of horror media and get mad when the acting is less than Oscar-worthy. Anyways, Wales blew it out of the park with Dead Rese, and Heart of the Forest had a rough job following it up. Having said that, some things I enjoyed: -The scenery outside vs the sheer claustrophobic feeling of inside the caves was a fantastic contrast in the game. -Costume design felt very eldritch for the antagonist, which was super cool -The tension from character…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game, lil slow at 1st but me and our community enjoyed it!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I actually really enjoyed this game. The story kept up a creepy tension and the visual depiction of the witch was not something I had seen previously. There were parts that were predictable and some of the acting could have been better, but on the whole this was a solid experience.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →expected more from whale interactive cast was from okish to bad acting and nobody was likeable to care slow paced and many choices didnt rly mattered
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I liked it - finished it in about 2.5 hours on stream. I deliberately avoided checking other branches and only glanced at the endings so the viewers would still have a reason to try it themselves. I really enjoy this style of amateur filmmaking with non‑professional actors and early‑YouTube vibes. Turns out the choices actually change a lot of things, and you really need to pay more attention to people.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game had an interesting setting but just really dropped the ball. I assume I got the "best" ending because everyone survived? But I can barely tell you what happened. Far too many instances of things just happening that were clearly important to plot progression, but I assume I would have only seen if I picked a different option? Spent a good 20-30 minutes just sitting there watching while the game acted like there were supposed to be options for me to pick but then just did what it wanted?…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →😱 LIVE NOW with the new Horror FMV game from Wales Interactive - Heart of the Forest! 😱😁 🌳 Just A Perfectly Normal Walk Through the Black Forest! 🌳 🔗 Link in Bio! 🔗 #HeartoftheForest @walesinteractive.bsky.social #twitch
neutral · AI labelView post →Played with a couple friends. We had a great time trying to guess the events that would come next. 10/10 good fun.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This was a fantastic FMV horror, choose-your-own-adventure experience! The story was gripping, the filmmaking was impressive, and the interactive elements really pulled me in. The performances felt authentic, and the atmosphere built tension nicely. Highly recommended for horror fans!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →“And it all started so well...” The very idea of hiking/traveling on the surface has always been intriguing. Many incidents have happened just like that... And note that most often the causes of death remain unknown or unclear. Why is that? It's cool that the storyline allows you to empathize (or not) with each character, who has their own unique personality and characteristics. But everything that happens to each of them... it's not for the faint of heart!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Playing Heart of the Forest at #NewcastlePlaytest
neutral · AI labelView post →you didn't mention the game had same sex relation ship. should have mentioned that. thank you .
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →First game? mediocre gameplay and writing as if writtne by the chuddiest of chud WtA fans. Skip and go play WtA: Heart of the Forest, it sells the feel of the setting better than "HURR RRAAAGE IS ALL THERE IS"
positive · AI labelView post →Despite the many inconsistencies and dialogue that isn’t always engaging, the storyline is full of intrigue and unexpected twists. And you directly influence these twists through your choices. That’s what makes it so compelling. It makes your experience truly immersive. A minor spoiler: the Black Forest isn’t really that black, compared to what’s going on in the protagonists’ minds. It can sometimes feel like an Indian movie, even though it’s based on German folklore :D
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →one of the better wales fmv's i played. the camera work and acting leaves a lot to be desired but the imagery and setting oozes with atmosphere. overall i enjoyed it! half the price of a movie ticket and i was entertained by this more than most modern horror movies. i also appreciate that you can play and beat it in 1 sitting
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Enjoyed my time with it!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this is the worst FMV that i had the chance to play. please don't do this to yourself, its sooooooooooo bad and boring i legit wouldve done better writing than this ****
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Now Live! Playing Heart of the Forest a recently released FMV horror game. The Black Forest is calling... and it knows your name. #Vtuber #Vtuberuprising #ENVtuber www.youtube.com/@Zedserious www.twitch.tv/zedserious
neutral · AI labelView post →Great game, I enjoyed this a lot. It is not too hard on the horror (no hard jump scares, no gore or anything like it), but absolutely thrilling. The presentation is extremely solid, except for maybe one or two shots the cinematography, effects and the designs look insanely good. You can see how much love and passion has been poured into this project. The moments that are not 10/10 did not worsen the overall expierence for me. I would definitely recommend this if you are looking for a slow burn…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I am begging you do not waste your money on this game, i spent 10 quid and couldn't even be bothered to beat it , the story is so cringe, the acting is some of the worst ever, everything about this game is ass, nick is ok but thats it. No jumpscares, just terrible, buy witcher 3 instead
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I am absolutely amazed by this interactive movie. I love experiences like this and seeing what impact my choices have on the story and this one did not disappoint! Usually, I play animated games, but I found the live action aspect super refreshing and intriguing for a change. I'm honestly stunned at what indie studios can bring to life with limited resources. I especially love how I can tell there's more depth to the characters and their past than what is shown on screen but I am able to learn…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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