YAR Forgotten Throne (XSX) Review

Developed by Honor Games and published on Xbox by Axyos Games, YAR Forgotten Throne is an open world RPG that takes inspiration from Slavic mythology and the classic role playing adventures of years gone by. With a mysterious fantasy world, plenty of crafting and more than 100 quests to complete, there is plenty here to tempt fans of traditional RPGs. However, while the adventure has some interesting ideas, its Xbox version has a few rough edges that make it harder to recommend without reservations.

Welcome to Borea

YAR Forgotten Throne drops players into Borea, a fantasy land where darkness is corrupting the forests and wildlife. Your task is to uncover the source of this corruption while exploring the world, meeting its inhabitants and completing quests along the way.

The setting is one of the game’s more appealing features. Slavic folklore provides a welcome alternative to the familiar fantasy worlds we have explored countless times before, with creatures, legends and mysterious locations helping establish its identity.

There is a definite old school feel to the adventure, particularly in how exploration works. Rather than constantly holding your hand, the game encourages you to learn your surroundings and discover things for yourself. This approach will appeal to players who enjoy a little independence, although those accustomed to modern conveniences might find some of its design decisions frustrating.

Finding Your Feet in Combat

You can choose between three classes: Warrior, Archer, and Volkhv, a magic focused character. Each offers a different approach to dealing with the dangers of Borea, while character attributes, active abilities and passive skills provide opportunities to develop your preferred playstyle.

Combat can be challenging, particularly during the opening hours. Enemies can be surprisingly unforgiving, making it important to learn when to attack, block and retreat rather than charging into every encounter.

Unfortunately, the Xbox controls are a significant sticking point. Hand on coverage has highlighted awkward controller implementation, with menu navigation and combat feeling less comfortable than they should. Some of these frustrations appear to stem from how the original PC interface translates to a gamepad.

Furthermore, stiff animations and occasionally awkward combat encounters can make difficult fights feel frustrating for reasons beyond the challenge itself. There is a rewarding traditional RPG buried underneath these problems, but getting comfortable with the controls takes patience.

Plenty to Keep You Busy

Thankfully, YAR: Forgotten Throne offers considerably more than combat. The game advertises over 100 quests. two factions and three large settlements, giving players plenty of opportunities to explore and become involved in the world.

Crafting is another major component, with alchemy, cooking, blacksmithing, enchanting, fishing and jewelry crafting all available. These systems provide additional reasons to collect resources and spend time away from the main storyline.

I also appreciate the range of difficulty options on offer. Players can opt for a story focused experience or choose a hardcore setting featuring limited saving. This flexibility makes the adventure more accessible to different types of RPG fans, although the underlying combat and control issues remain worth cosidering.

The presentation has its strengths, too. The atmospheric setting and soundtrack help to establish the right mood, while the simplified visuals give the world a distinct character. Nevertheless, the storytelling takes time to develop, and the early quests can feel rather ordinary before the larger mystery begins to take shape.

Summary

YAR: Forgotten Throne has the foundations of an enjoyable old school RPG. Its Slavic inspired setting stands out, the crafting systems offer plenty of activities, and the sheer number of quests suggests a substantial adventure for anyone willing to invest the time.

However, the Xbox version is let down by controller issues that affect the experience where it matters most. Combat can be awkward, menus require patience, and the opening hours do not always do enough to pull you into the story.

There is certainly an audience for this kind of adventure, particularly among players who miss the demanding design of older fantasy RPGs. Unfortunately, nostalgia can only carry the game so far, and the controls need more refinement before the experience feels as comfortable as it should.