Those who cannot remember the past will just have to enter the time-looping portal
Here I go, getting stuck in yet another time-looping mystery. This time, it's Groundhog Day with ... ancient Romans?
The Forgotten City began life as a Skyrim mod - an award-winning one, apparently - and while its transition to a standalone Unreal title hangs on to some "Bethesda game" aesthetics and control quirks, it's remarkable how clear and uncompromising The Forgotten City's narrative focus is.
The game makes its intentions clear pretty immediately: you're going to watch an NPC's face move as they talk at you, you're going to respond to that NPC with a menu selection, and you're going to remember pertinent facts in a "Goals" list that points you toward the next clue, in each of a number of varied mystery threads.
At first, the world and its cast can feel a bit bewildering -- no thanks to a lack of minimap and in-game timeline. (Elsinore has clearly spoiled me on those.) It can be hard enough to keep the names Galerius and Horatius straight, nevermind remembering where their living quarters are.
But as you listen to and verbally dissect these characters, you'll become closely acquainted with their personalities, their motivations, and how they're putting up with one another in this unusual city. It doesn't take long to get invested in the fates of these weirdos.
The Forgotten City's story is not a straightforward one, but it hums along naturally and believably thanks to the cast's expressive dialog and well-acted voice work. Even if the facial animations can look a bit off, and even if there are a handful of "exposition dump" moments where someone drones on and on... they're still a pleasure to listen to.
It may lack some user interface sophistication, and its puzzles probably won't blow your mind, but The Forgotten City's great writing and voice-overs deliver the hell out of a distinctive time-travel detective story.
Better than: Why Am I Dead At Sea
Not as good as: Elsinore
True to Elder Scrolls form: I've hoarded all this bread and now I don't know what to do with it.
Progress: Saw all the endings.