Review: Fe looks like a game for kids - it's not

Fe, the main character who runs amok in a cute and cuddly forest that has darker undertones.

They oohed over the porcupine. Then they ahhed at the owls. And they gasped at the scenery, a stunning forest bathed in spectacular pink, purple, orange and blue hues.

But when it came to the Silent Ones, metallic creatures with giant spotlights for eyes, my kids were left shaking on the couch, covering their eyes, unable to watch any more.

The Silent Ones are a menacing presence in Fe.

You couldn't blame anyone for thinking Fe is a game for kids. After all, game studio Zoink has spent the better part of five years honing Fe's colour schemes, soothing music and characters, an array of sprightly forest dwellers ranging from squirrels to owls and everything in between. In New Zealand, Fe has a G rating.

Then there's the gameplay. You're a porcupine roaming through that forest, solving puzzles, swimming in rivers, climbing and jumping over trees and exploring every nook and cranny while working your way around a sprawling map.

Fe is full of cute and cuddle characters.

To help you on your way, you'll need to connect with other animals. That's the bit my kids really loved. To do that, you need to hold the R2 button to make Fe sing, and, if you get the frequency right, you'll become friends with the deer that was prancing around in front of you earlier. It's a super-cute touch.

You'll also need to befriend an array of birds in the same way to help to guide you around a sprawling map that's easy to get lost in. Getting lost will happen: the map doesn't quite work the way it should.

But the overbearing spotlights and hard metallic shells of the Silent Ones start to infiltrate gameplay, becoming a bigger and more menacing presence and giving what could be a simple kids' game much darker undertones.

Anyone who's playing Inside or Little Nightmares will understand the feeling of sheer terror when you are caught in one of their spotlights. If you can't find a bush to hide in, it's game over as the Silent Ones tangle you up in their nets.

But there's a bigger message at play in Fe, one which pushes it above what could have been a good-looking but empty affair.

In Fe, as in life, everything is connected. If you can't work out who the Silent Ones really represent, then perhaps you need to dig a little deeper.

Fe

Platforms: Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC
Rating: G
Verdict: Sir David Attenborough would be proud