Game: Forgotten Fragments
Genre: Action, Platform, Puzzle
System: Steam (Windows)
Developer|Publisher: Binary Phoenix | Assemble Entertainment
Controller Support: Yes
Steam Deck: Playable
Price: US $22.99 | UK £10.99 | EU € 12,99
Release Date: September 24th, 2025
Review code provided with many thanks to PR Hound.
Forgotten Fragments: Precise Puzzle Platforming
Forgotten Fragments is a 2D puzzle-platformer with a clever core idea, wrapped in a world full of intrigue and mystery. You guide Enid, Ryder, and Dayen through ruins and surreal landscapes, collecting fragments of energy that tie into a larger story about recovery and forgotten history. The plot doesn’t dominate, but it adds a layer of intrigue as you push forward.
The hook is clear from the start: puzzles that require quick thinking, precise throws, and careful movement across beautifully crafted stages.
Orbs, Throws, and Timing
At its heart, this is a game about mastering the energy orb. Once you pick it up, the countdown begins. Throw it into the correct socket in time, and you succeed; fumble or take too long, and it’s back to the start. The orb can bounce, ricochet, and arc in clever ways, which makes solving puzzles feel like part precision sport, part improvisation.
Controls give you both speed and precision: quick 90-degree turns on the bumpers, or fine-tuned aiming with the triggers. It’s a neat system allowing quick control, especially when the clock is against you.
Momentum, Platforms, and My Struggles
Beyond the orb, the platforming layers on challenge after challenge. Many puzzles lean heavily on momentum, like running with a box, tossing it so it slides down a slope, and even jumping on it after pushing it off a platform to gain horizontal reach. For some, this will be a thrilling blend of timing and creativity. For me, it often turned into frustration. I knew exactly what the puzzle wanted, but my execution never quite kept pace.
Assistance options exist, such as extending the orb’s timer or removing hazard damage, but they didn’t really help with the movement and timing issues that tripped me up most. I sometimes wished there were a way to slow the pace or fine-tune the momentum physics for struggling players like me.
A Feast for the Eyes
Visually, Forgotten Fragments is gorgeous. Its pixel art is richly detailed with personality, capturing the beauty of ruined temples and glowing fragments that hint at lost civilisations. Each level feels like it has a history behind it, making exploration as rewarding as the puzzles.
Content to Keep You Busy
The package is generous, with two separate campaigns, single-player and local co-op. These aren’t just re-skinned versions of each other; the levels are tailored to the mode, making the co-op campaign a great reason to return with a friend. Add in hidden collectables and over a hundred stages across both campaigns, and there’s no shortage of content for players who want to master it all.
The Balance of Pros and Cons
For me, Forgotten Fragments was a game I admired more than I excelled at. On the positive side, it offers beautiful pixel art, a moody but inviting world, inventive puzzles, and a generous amount of content for both solo and co-op players. It’s polished, it’s thoughtful, and its unique orb-and-throw mechanic is genuinely fun.
On the flip side, its heavy reliance on precision platforming and momentum-based puzzles meant I often ended up more frustrated than triumphant. The assist options were welcome but didn’t quite address the areas where I struggled most, and that left me wishing for a little more flexibility.
Conclusion: Not to be Forgotten
In the end, I still recommend Forgotten Fragments, just with some caveats. If you love mastering tight platforming, juggling momentum puzzles, and finding satisfaction in nailing a sequence after countless retries, this could be a game you’ll adore. If, like me, you get easily worn down by repeating tricky sections, you may find it harder to stick with.
Even so, I can’t help but admire the care Binary Phoenix has poured into this world. It’s rich, challenging, and brimming with style. For the right player, Forgotten Fragments could be unforgettable.
Final verdict: I Like it
Do you like our content?
Subscribe to our daily news and never miss a review!