Forest Ranger Services’ first episode was released on Nov 29th, 2024 – roughly 10 months after the original 20-minute demo dropped. The episode, running at around 40 minutes, plays pretty much the same up until the second half. Similar to Fears to Fathom – Ironbark Lookout, another fire watch tower indie horror game, Forest Ranger Services features PS1-style character models and a quirky sense of humor. The dense forest also serves as a great backdrop for atmospheric horror – though it doesn’t always deliver throughout its runtime.

Forest Ranger Services Story Premise

Created under the “true story” subgenre that’s been popularized in the indie horror scene, Forest Ranger Services is inspired by the developer’s personal experiences. The narrative follows a reporter who takes a position as a park ranger to investigate mysterious disappearances in U.S. National Parks. It’s set to follow an episodic format that allows you to take control of multiple characters to experience the story in unique perspectives.

Episode 1 Gameplay Overview

Episode 1 opens with a young man who is dared to visit a long-abandoned lookout tower after losing a bet. This segment sets an unnerving tone. As you walk through the woods, you are surrounded by strange animalistic sounds and catch glimpses of an unnatural creature weaving through the trees. Advancing through a fetch quest, the gameplay here consists of walking around in the dark with few interactions. Though initially tense, it does lose some impact once you realize there is no immediate danger from the lurking threat.

The perspective later shifts to our protagonist, driving along the winding roads bordering the forest. There is a lot of passive driving in this second half where you listen to the radio to gather plot-relevant exposition via a conspiracy theory talk show. It’s understandable, as this chapter is setting the stage for a larger narrative, but it became quite tedious. There is also an interesting psychological horror element at play here which is somewhat overshadowed by having to concentrate on driving.

After another shift, we are sent to the future, stationed at our fire watch tower. And then again, to when our protagonist first landed the job. Set in the daytime, these’ segments are a welcome respite from the dimly lit forest. And we can appreciate the colorful, makeshift, painterly world around us. This is followed by another driving segment with more exposition, and inevitably the end of the episode.

Final Verdict: A Promising Conspiracy

While Forest Ranger Services: Episode 1 shows promise with its eccentric aesthetic and atmosphere, I feel that it struggled to maintain momentum. The opening sequence built tension effectively, but the minimal interactivity afterwards made it difficult to stay engaged.

That being said, the promise of a greater conspiracy coming in future episodes is exciting. With a nicely balanced story and more engaging gameplay, I believe that the subsequent episodes can hit that sweet spot between fun and scary. Episode 1 is on Steam for $1.79, and with a relatively short runtime, it’s worth the play. Especially if you’re interested in following along for the overarching story.