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

F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch is a 2.5D Metroidvania action game set in Torch City, a diesel-punk world where anthropomorphic animals live under the iron grip of a mechanical Legion. You play as Rayton, a retired rabbit soldier who straps a giant mechanical fist back onto his arm and reluctantly drags himself into a resistance conflict. The premise sounds pulpy because it is, and the game leans into that with confidence rather than apologizing for it. The core combat system is built around three weapons that you unlock and upgrade across the run: the Fist, a heavy brawler tool for crowd control; the Drill, which tears through armored enemies and opens certain environmental paths; and the Whip, a faster, longer-range option that rewards aggressive spacing. Switching between them mid-combo is fluid once you get the rhythm, and the game genuinely incentivizes experimenting with all three rather than letting you coast on one favorite. There is a skill tree behind each weapon, and the upgrade progression feels meaningful rather than cosmetic. Enemy design pushes you to actually use your toolkit, which is more than a lot of Metroidvanias bother to do. Exploration is where F.I.S.T. earns its genre label honestly. Torch City is a dense, well-connected map with the satisfying hallmarks of the form: areas you clock early but cannot access until you have the right ability, shortcuts that collapse the world in pleasing ways, and secrets tucked into corners that reward players who slow down and look around. Backtracking never feels like punishment here. The visual design carries serious weight too - the city has a layered, lived-in quality that makes wandering feel less like a checklist and more like actual exploration. Where the game stumbles is in its narrative delivery. The story has genuine ambition, resistance movements, political occupation, personal loss, but the writing and localization do not always match that ambition. Dialogue can be stilted, and some character motivations are underdeveloped in ways that blunt what should be emotional beats. Rayton is a decent reluctant-hero archetype but he never quite reaches the depth the setting seems to promise. If you are coming in hoping for layered worldbuilding with writing that rewards close attention, temper those expectations. The lore is there, the execution is inconsistent. Boss fights are a highlight throughout, with most requiring real pattern recognition and punishing button-mashing. Difficulty is tuned on the demanding side for a Metroidvania, which will please genre veterans and occasionally frustrate players who wander into an area they are not yet equipped for. There is no hand-holding on navigation, which is either a feature or a flaw depending on your tolerance for consulting your own map and instincts. For players who want a polished, mechanically confident Metroidvania with strong aesthetics and a combat system that actually evolves, F.I.S.T. delivers. Go in for the fist-whip-drill combo chains and the gorgeous city to get lost in. Manage your expectations around the storytelling and you will have a very good time.

Monika · Scout Team

RPGs

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