The Scarlet Harvest
Game
Game2024Published by indie.io
The Sinking Forest - 沈んだ森 -
Developer @TonyDevGame
A Japanese survival horror game full of tension, drama, and violence. If you like psychological horror games with exploration, puzzles, and limited resources, you'll enjoy an intense experience where every decision can mean the difference between finding Sayuri or getting lost in the forest forever. From the Steam store page
37 reactions from 2 sources (Steam reviews, Lemmy) · newest Oct 27, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
61
Fresh
22 positive · 14 negative
95% range 45–75%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 22 | 14 | 0 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 1 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Mixed
23 of 37 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
63% recommend · 22 yes, 13 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 35 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Mostly Positive (61 of 81 positive).
Players praise the game's atmosphere and graphics, especially for an indie title. [1][2][3] Some reviewers note it is short, lasting about one to two hours. [4][1][5] Several players report bugs and darkness issues that hinder progress. [6][7][8]
Liked
Representative posts
- [6]
too dark...started off great, but the fact it's so dark and involves multiple chasing insta death, no thanks.
- [16]
Loved the games of TonyDev, but this is sadly the worst one. Besides a good beginning, the game becomes uninteresting and boring, and too many bugs kill gameplay (monsters respawn when reloading a save, so I found myself trapped and couldn't finish the game). Graphics are also quite worse; looks like a game made by someone else :(
- [4]
It only lasts about an hour, which makes it ideal for Halloween nights. The game puts you in the shoes of Sota, whose sister has disappeared. He visits her appartment to hunt for clues. There, he discovers that she was intrigued in an old village in the woods where the monks practiced some odd self-inflicted mummification. It is also thought to be haunted. Because that is the only clue, he chooses to travel there, …
- [3]
POSITIVE POINTS: - Incredible price: it is hard to believe that it has such a LOW price for the quality and fun it offers. - The atmosphere of the game is incredibly well executed and immerses us completely in its dark and disturbing world. - The graphics are really, really good and they squeeze the Unreal Engine 5 in a remarkable way: it's hard to believe that it's an indie game. - Being able to take pictures of …
- [10]
I was expecting very little from this - indie dev, cheaper than a coffee etc. Boy was I wrong! Played at night with the lights off and an ultra wide screen I nearly crapped myself, really immersive. Graphics were far better than the price suggests. Has no business being this good.
Summarised from 27 of the 36 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 10, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
63% of the 35 Steam reviewers we collected recommend The Sinking Forest - 沈んだ森 -. The complaint that keeps coming up: too dark, making navigation difficult. Deal-breaker or nitpick?
Reactions
37 of 37 · most liked first"AI Gaming Festival" on Steam. [How nice of them to self-report their AI usage.](https://store.steampowered.com/curator/46280965/sale/AIGamingFestival) Here is a list of the publishers taking part and which games they entered into this event. Do with that information as you please. Just as a warning some of the games linked are very NSFW. 10six Games - YOU vs Zombies -- https://store.steampowered.com/app/4224660/ 150 Beanies - Cardboard Gladiators --…
neutral · AI labelView post →It only lasts about an hour, which makes it ideal for Halloween nights. The game puts you in the shoes of Sota, whose sister has disappeared. He visits her appartment to hunt for clues. There, he discovers that she was intrigued in an old village in the woods where the monks practiced some odd self-inflicted mummification. It is also thought to be haunted. Because that is the only clue, he chooses to travel there, but not before encountering a frightening experience that may indicate that this…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →too dark...started off great, but the fact it's so dark and involves multiple chasing insta death, no thanks.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A highly enjoyable experience from a skilled developer, previously known for creating Jack Holmes: Master of Puppets as a solo project. Although this game offers a shorter playtime, it’s no less captivating or visually stunning. The developer’s use of Unreal Engine 5 brings an impressive level of graphical fidelity, crafting an atmospheric world that pulls you in. Clocking in at around two hours, the game combines exploration and puzzles within an intriguingly designed environment. While…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game breaking bug where you can;t use key.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The story is very original, exploring Japanese culture and myths. It's original and different from what we're used too. A good experience although it has some not very obvious puzzles and what I felt was the biggest issue - the hit box to pick up items is really really small. I missed important items several times because the cursor wasn't pointing at the precise exact spot to pick up the item. This is problematic because the scene is usually filled with other prop objects. And well, it would…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →if you don t mind dying and wasting your time most of the time in the game then this game is for you
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Sinking Forest stands out as a remarkable entry in the horror genre, masterfully set against the hauntingly beautiful backdrop of Japan. The game's atmospheric design is truly commendable; every shadow and sound immerses players in a world that feels both eerie and enchanting. As you embark on the quest to find your missing sister, the narrative pulls you deeper into a web of suspense and intrigue, making every moment feel charged with tension. It is a horror game that all lovers of the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Too dark. I can't see where to go. The lighter is worthless. Lots of bugs in game.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I was expecting very little from this - indie dev, cheaper than a coffee etc. Boy was I wrong! Played at night with the lights off and an ultra wide screen I nearly crapped myself, really immersive. Graphics were far better than the price suggests. Has no business being this good.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →games broken, cant even progress past the first door since it wont even let me open it, what a shame
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Completed the game with 5/14 achievements. (forgot to take any photos) Ive played this devs other games and they are really cool. This one is a super fun realistic horror game set in a forest, temple and graveyard in japan. You are chased by evil manniquins and must progress through the story to find a lost girl. Its a fantastic experience!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →neat little indie horror game. I was a little bit worried about the performance because I couldn't get 60 fps in the title screen but the game runs fine as soon as you start it. The sliders for the sound did not work for me but other than that I didn't have any problems with the game. It has some well placed jump scares and a nice eery atmosphere. the puzzles are not too hard to solve. would recommend to play it
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →POSITIVE POINTS: - Incredible price: it is hard to believe that it has such a LOW price for the quality and fun it offers. - The atmosphere of the game is incredibly well executed and immerses us completely in its dark and disturbing world. - The graphics are really, really good and they squeeze the Unreal Engine 5 in a remarkable way: it's hard to believe that it's an indie game. - Being able to take pictures of different objects and/or areas of the game gives it a very interesting aspect. -…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Sinking Forest is a psychological horror gem that impresses from the very first moment. Its setting in a gloomy Japanese forest is carefully crafted, and it achieves an immersive and spooky atmosphere in an outstanding way. Graphically, the use of Unreal Engine 5 makes the landscapes and details eerily realistic: I find the storm effect and lightning illumination a real treat - how could this possibly have been done by just one person? To be honest, I don't understand why it's priced so…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Loved the games of TonyDev, but this is sadly the worst one. Besides a good beginning, the game becomes uninteresting and boring, and too many bugs kill gameplay (monsters respawn when reloading a save, so I found myself trapped and couldn't finish the game). Graphics are also quite worse; looks like a game made by someone else :(
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Abysmal game! Don't buy it ever. Very cluncky and doesn't even count towards a 100% game for achievement hunters ! 0/10
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I enjoyed the atmosphere and gameplay. I like the exploration aspect, as objects aren’t outlined, which forces you to search the scenes carefully. The areas aren’t very large, so you’re encouraged to investigate them. Even though it’s short—around 2.5 hours—the price of 5 euros is fair. It’s a very intense horror experience where the developer explores new ways of storytelling, in this case, a short story. In summary, I’d give it an 8 out of 10, considering that it’s made by a solo developer,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →one of the worst game ive ever played .sorry not sorry but that game lag , worst introduction , no clue where to go ... sad , no help at the start...
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →a little glitchy but a funlittle indie game
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Quick Summary 7.5/10 A Decent, afternoon horror game which has fatal frame atmosphere mixed with budget horror vibes. It's not the greatest, but for the price and a 1.5 hours. Why the hell not? I hope the dev keeps growing and increasing they're strengths cause I like where they're going. Graphics 7/10 The game has atmosphere I'll give it that. Assets flips in a few places like other games by the developer, but the overall feel of the game comes through. The Asian inspired village, the large…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The setting of the game is cool, but the game itself is very bad and full of bugs
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Sinking Forest – 沈んだ森 – is an indie psychological survival horror game developed by @TonyDevGame and published by indie.io that immerses players in a dark and mysterious rural setting shaped by tragedy, supernatural folklore, and personal loss. The game follows the journey of a young man searching for his missing sister in a remote village surrounded by a vast forest that appears to conceal disturbing secrets. What begins as a desperate attempt to locate a loved one gradually turns into a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Peg, is that you?
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →EXTREMELY HARD PASS. Nothing about this game is scary, good, or even well made. It's cheap horrible attempts at everything. Any chance at horror or suspense is ruined in the first 15 minutes. Horrible story, no voice acting, muddy graphics/textures, not scary or fun. The loading screen is just a cut to a black screen with no images or texts. It's just really bad all around.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great Asian Horror Theme, love the horror game. Could use some more help with explosives since i walked around missed this. A note would be great. But overall the game is great, graphics and theme is there, audio is there, AI are creepy, and simple puzzles make for a great experience. If you love Asian Horror games do support this guys work.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you like the Japanese theme and are looking for a horror game, this game does not disappoint. The sound effects make you quite nervous on many occasions (especially with the enemies, I still have the sound in my head!) and the Japanese style setting of the game is a marvel. I enjoyed it a lot
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I enjoyed what I played before losing all of my progress and only having a 'new game' option. Will be making my husband play it for me instead now, especially with that permadeath chance.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I haven't made it terribly far. I have enjoyed exploring and getting the crap scared out of me a couple times. The graphics and world are great for exploring and photographing. It's not a bad game. I'm just not a fan of instant death. I'll give it another go later on. It plays pretty well in VR using UEVR so very immersive for me. I recommend the game. Only if you don't mind the instant death from enemies.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'd like to play the game, but the controls are broken. For example, if you bring up the camera, you can't put it away or swap it out for another item. Well, after hitting every single button on the keyboard, turns out the number '7' puts it away. No, this isn't the unequip button which I tested and then tested again after rebinding it. So, for some reason, '7' is hardcoded to put away the camera and nothing else? And that's just one example of the broken controls. Oh, I should also add that…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A fun short stint of horror with an interesting enough premise! I will admit there are some graphical glitches here and there (Managed to launch myself into space with the umbrella in the village, put it on the ground and jump on it if you wanna meet god) Anyways, overall good narrative, good atmosphere! If I had to give any critique it would be to MAYBE tone down the sound overall it's overbearingly loud in some places and certain jumpscares may blow your eardrums out.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →not bad , its on sell and id say worth the 2 dollars lol its not long but it did scare me.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game should not allow you to progress without picking up the flashlight. I missed it in my first playthrough, and then I had to start the whole game from the very beginning. That being said, this game is okay. But it's not something that I would play again. The performance was nice though.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →For now I wouldn't recommened. I Have encountered numerous bugs; Not being able to use TAB, not being able to use ESC, being flung off the map because I touched an umbrella.. I am hopeful they attempt to fix them. It's annoying needing to restart the game and / or level for it to work again.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Went where I thought I was supposed to go and fell off the map into the void.[
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Decent horror game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game with some puzzles and good story. If you wanna know more backstory use the camera to know. Its a must buy.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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