Forgotlings is a cinematic action-adventure game that blends indie sensibilities with RPG and adventure elements on Xbox Series X|S. Players step into the role of Fig, a once-forgotten posing doll who now captains the sentient lightship Volare through the Forgotten Lands, a magical realm where lost objects gain sentience and form communities.
Gameplay
The core loop centers on exploration across windswept skies and forgotten cities aboard the Volare. Fig navigates hand-drawn environments while engaging with the world through a mix of movement, interaction, and decision-making. Combat appears when diplomacy fails, allowing players to draw a sword against threats, though the emphasis stays on thoughtful engagement rather than constant action. Tough choices shape how tribes respond and how the story unfolds, creating a journey that rewards observation and careful consideration of consequences. The experience unfolds as a seamless narrative adventure with full voice acting supporting character interactions and an inspired soundtrack underscoring key moments.
Game Modes
Forgotlings delivers a single-player experience focused on story progression and personal choices. There are no separate multiplayer modes or competitive formats. The structure revolves around a linear yet branching campaign where players unite five tribes, balancing diplomatic negotiations against direct confrontation. This unified mode encourages replay through different approaches to conflicts and alliances, though the game presents itself as one cohesive adventure rather than divided playlists or variants.
Story and World
The narrative places players in the Forgotten Lands, a realm populated by forgotlings crafted from everyday lost items such as old toys, letters, and single socks. These sentient beings long to be remembered, and ancient divisions threaten to unravel their existence. As Fig, the captain of the Volare, the task involves soaring between locations to bridge gaps between five distinct tribes before shadows and deeper fractures consume the land. The setting draws from the idea that everything forgotten finds its way here, resulting in a world built from mislaid objects that now seek purpose and connection.
Art, Audio, and Presentation
Hand-drawn visuals define the aesthetic, bringing the magical realm and its object-based inhabitants to life with detailed animation. Full voice acting gives personality to the forgotlings and supports the cinematic tone. The soundtrack complements the journey with inspired compositions that heighten emotional beats and exploration. These elements combine to create an intimate, hand-animated presentation suited to players who appreciate visual storytelling and atmospheric design in indie titles.
Is It Worth Playing?
Forgotlings suits players drawn to narrative-driven adventures with meaningful choices and a distinctive hand-drawn style. Its focus on uniting tribes through diplomacy or combat, paired with exploration aboard the Volare, offers a focused single-player campaign that emphasizes story and atmosphere over expansive systems. The game earned recognition at the NYX Game Awards 2026 with two gold and three silver awards, highlighting its strengths in narrative and presentation. Reviews describe it as a moving work centered on themes of identity and belonging, with clever and occasionally absurd touches that fit its premise of sentient lost objects. Those who enjoyed the developers' prior work or seek thoughtful indie adventures on Xbox Series X|S will find a complete experience here, particularly if they value voice acting, soundtrack integration, and branching outcomes over fast-paced action or multiplayer features. Availability on the platform makes it accessible for console players interested in this specific blend of action, adventure, and RPG-tinged decision-making.
