Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

You begin with a clear reason to move: a forest friend needs help, and the cure lies somewhere beyond a string of blocked paths and small problems. That direct rescue hook suits a point-and-click adventure well. Rather than asking you to learn a deep system, Once Upon a Forest keeps you focused on the familiar pleasures of inspecting an area, picking up a useful object, and finding the obstacle that object can solve.

The party setup is the game’s most useful wrinkle. Abigail is the character you control, while Russell’s backpack gives found items and food a natural home. Edgar earns his place as the practical helper: his journal holds clues, maps, and plans for a flying contraption. If you are ever unsure what the game expects, checking Edgar’s material is the sensible first move instead of blindly trying every object everywhere.

More than 40 animated screens give the quest room to wander, and over 20 voiced characters should keep the route from feeling entirely solitary. Still, this is a conventional item-and-puzzle adventure at heart. The satisfaction comes from steady little breakthroughs, not from intricate strategy or a radically branching quest. Give it a chance if you want a calm, guided puzzle journey with a clear goal; skip it if you need a tougher or more unpredictable adventure.

Graphics

The game is built around cartoon-like animated screens, matching its origins in an animated film. You travel through a forest setting with Abigail, Russell, and Edgar at the center, and the large number of separate screens makes the journey feel like a sequence of illustrated places rather than one static backdrop.

Character voices are a welcome companion to the animation, especially for a game aimed at a lighter, more family-friendly tone. The visuals are there to carry the Furlings through their rescue trip, and that focus fits the material.

Story

The story starts with real urgency: one of the Furlings has eaten a poisonous mushroom, and the group needs curing herbs. It is a clean motivation that makes every detour understandable. You are not hunting for treasure or untangling an elaborate mystery; you are trying to get medicine to a sick friend.

Anyone expecting the animated movie’s ecological message to drive the plot may find the game more ordinary than the license suggests. This follows a more conventional quest path, with puzzles and obstacles doing most of the storytelling work. That is not a flaw for its intended audience, but it does mean the narrative’s pull rests on affection for the characters and the rescue itself.

Abigail’s heroic but bossy streak, Russell’s hunger and cheerfulness, and Edgar’s bookish usefulness give the trio distinct roles. Their traits are simple, yet they make the travel feel like a group effort. The story does not need to be grand to make the destination matter; the promise of helping a friend is enough to carry it.

Overall Experience

Once Upon a Forest is a modest licensed adventure that understands the value of a simple goal and friendly guidance. Its best moments should come when an overlooked item, note, or route suddenly makes sense and lets the rescue continue. It is easy to see the charm in its traveling trio even when the quest remains familiar.

Frustration can set in if you come in wanting the density of a major adult-oriented graphic adventure. The item use and obstacle solving are the whole meal, and the story is intentionally direct. On the other hand, that clarity makes it a sensible first adventure game for a younger player, particularly one who responds to cartoons, voiced characters, and low-stakes exploration.

The payoff is modest but sincere: you guide a recognizable team across a forest, solve enough problems to earn progress, and push toward saving someone who needs them. For fans of the film or families looking for an old-school DOS adventure without a forbidding premise, it is worth a look. Everyone else may appreciate the charm while wishing the quest took more surprising turns.

Retro Replay Score

6.5/10