F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch Reviews

F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch is ranked in the 83rd percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8.5 / 10.0
Sep 6, 2021

Punching through F.I.S.T. only gets better thanks to its evolving combat. Mapping every inch of the world is an engrossing, good time

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4 / 5.0
Sep 6, 2021

F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch is a must-buy for Metroidvania fans looking for something that tries new things. It takes the well-worn staples of the sub-genre and blends them with a steampunk feel and a richer storyline than most

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6 / 10
Jul 13, 2022

Although we may sound quite negative when discussing the game, FIST: Forged In Shadow Torch really is worth playing; it just has so much potential that it doesn't quite reach. It rides on the cusp of greatness so often, while not quite making it over the hurdle. We can't wait to play a sequel because if it was iterated on, FIST could be something really special. Sadly, due to the technical issues associated with this Switch version such as the unbearably long load times, it's let down even further. Overall, a promising foundation that we hope leads to better things in the future.

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8.5 / 10.0
Jul 13, 2022

F.I.S.T remains an excellent action adventure on the Nintendo Switch and an unmissable experience for fans of the genre.

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8.5 / 10.0
Sep 6, 2021

F.I.S.T: Forged in Shadow Torch's exciting, brutal combat, and rewarding exploration set it apart from many of its genre-mates, and make it utterly worth your time.

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85 / 100
Sep 9, 2022

The arrival of F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch in physical format is great news for collectors and fans of metroidvania: it is still a great adventure, with interesting ideas, a solid combat system and an attractive staging... although on Nintendo Switch it is somewhat less sharp and spectacular.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Sep 7, 2021

F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch is an exemplary action-adventure, packed full of heartfelt detail and design, daubed in a grimy-yet-absorbing aesthetic, and powered with punchy, satisfying combat. While some of its elements will be over-familiar to genre fans, the originalities still shine through, resulting in a brilliant-looking, great-playing metroidvania that will delight players, whether they have a fluffy tail or otherwise. Heed my words: It’s most definitely wabbit season.

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7 / 10
Sep 6, 2021

F.I.S.T. offers a rock-solid Metroidvania experience that I enjoyed greatly. Chunky combat, glorious level design and well-hidden secrets are what gets me out of bed in the morning, and F.I.S.T provided all of that and terrifying talking bears too. Unfortunately, I can't overlook the technical issues that plague proceedings. If TiGames sort out the problems with a rapid patch then this would be a game that's much easier to recommend.

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7.7 / 10.0
Sep 6, 2021

A metroidvania full of explorable areas, with a good combat system, but unable to stand out or say its very own.

Review in Italian | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Sep 7, 2021

While it may not redefine the Metroidvania style of games by any stretch of the imagination, F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch is a stellar example of the genre done right. Featuring mildly interesting characters, a world teeming with life, and a well-designed map that is very player-friendly, it genuinely feels like it does damn near everything right. As long as you don't mind an occasional table flip encounter here and there, this is a hare-raising adventure for the ages.

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70 / 100
Jul 21, 2022

F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch is an excellent story-driven, combat-heavy Metroidvania. But the Nintendo Switch version is the worst version available. If the Switch is your only option to play the game on, it’s a great game at its core. But if you have access to either PlayStation, or a PC, their visual and performance quality greatly outweigh the Switch’s portability option.

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Ken McKown
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Sep 30, 2021

F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch is one of the worst names for a game ever. Still the exploration is second-to-none. I wish the combat was more fluid or the enemy encounters tweaked a bit better. I feel like most people will quickly fall off once the difficulty ramps up. It is not hard due to challenge, but more because of functionality and that sucks. It tarnishes an otherwise incredible experience that could have easily been the next huge series in the genre. Still if you can muster through the challenge this is an experience worth taking.

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GameMAG
Top Critic
7 / 10
Sep 27, 2021

F.I.S.T .: Forged In Shadow Torch combines a beautiful world full of anthropomorphic animals, stunning locations, great music, deep combos and fun exploration, but at the same time shows probmelms with uneven difficulty levels and unbalanced combat system.

Review in Russian | Read full review

JVL
Top Critic
17 / 20
Sep 7, 2021

If the artistic direction of F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch with its anthropomorphic orientation in a diesel punk universe is remarkable, it is not its only strength. The title is indeed very solid, both in its platform aspect and in the very fluid and dynamic combat phases.

Review in French | Read full review

Wccftech
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Sep 6, 2021

F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch throws a lot of different things at the wall and tries to make them all stick. In the end, it's a bit of a messy mix of platforming, combat, robots, and animals that Dr. Robotnik would be proud of, but it's still great fun to play even if it doesn't make a lot of sense.

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8 / 10
Sep 6, 2021

F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch is a stellar Metroidvania adventure set in a beautifully realised world, replete with challenging combat encounters, rewarding exploration, and some spicy platforming action. Rayton Rabbit might be of diminutive stature, but he's punching well above his weight here in what is one of the best games of 2021 so far.

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90 / 100
Sep 6, 2021

F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch is an exceptional game. With innovative visuals that ooze charm and imagination, you will immediately fall in love with Torch City. The extensive combat system allows you to experiment with the mechanics to create some incredible combinations.

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8 / 10.0
Sep 6, 2021

F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch is a deftly crafted Metroidvania that while it doesn't do anything especially new or ground-breaking, nonetheless reframes the genre through a distinctly Chinese and attractive dieselpunk setting that fans of the genre and action adventures in general will assuredly enjoy.

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85 / 100
Sep 14, 2021

A rabbit that clumps in a coherent, demanding and motivating Dieselpunk-Metroidvania robot, what more could you want?

Review in German | Read full review

Gameblog
Plume
Top Critic
6 / 10
Sep 9, 2021

F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch first manages to captivate the player for hours thanks to its singular world. Unfortunately, even if we feel that he has been inspired by the best and proposes a global construction that inspires respect, he suffers from certain errors of youth impossible not to sanction.

Review in French | Read full review