The Forbidden Arts is an indie action adventure platformer. Take on the role of Phonies as he discovers his latent pyromancy and journeys across the land.

Another hero

Developed by the small studio Stingbot Games, The Forbidden Arts is a mixture of action platformer and open world RPG. After introducing a fairly typical RPG plot of chosen ones and saving the world, players play through a variety of platforming levels as Phoenix. Gameplay consists of solving simple puzzles, jumping, and fighting enemies with a mixture of physical and magical attacks. A small hub world serves as the bridge between these levels, with NPCs and quests littered about. While the basic gameplay is fine, if mediocre, the problem with The Forbidden Arts is a lack of innovation. Nothing surprises or engages the player as they collect gold pieces for the townspeople, stab a wolf, or learn more about the tired characters. An over reliance on stock sounds and models also create a general feeling of hollow cheapness, leaving little to draw in players.

Deep as a puddle

The Forbidden Arts is a completely forgettable game thrown together from open license components. A weak and derivative story completes the poor quality experience.