The Forgotten City cover art

The Forgotten City

A time-loop Roman mystery where deducing each citizen's secret motive unlocks a nonviolent resolution.

On Steam ↗
Here's the argument for where this game sits - disagree freely.
Match your experience?
EXECUTION2 /10READS0 /10VARIANCE3 /10OPTIMIZATION8 /10

the cheat-test profile

The four axes - the argument

Each axis is rated on its own - how far one cheat would trivialize the game here. They don't trade off; low on all four means the game is an experience, not a contest.

  1. Execution

    cheat: Aimbot - perfect inputs

    2/10

    Combat is technically possible but almost never the optimal path

  2. Reads

    cheat: Out-predict an adaptive opponent

    0/10

    Roman citizens follow scripted roles within the time-loop logic

  3. Variance

    cheat: See what's hidden / map the RNG

    3/10

    Hidden motivations and loop-dependent states create investigative uncertainty

  4. Optimization

    cheat: A perfect solver / coach

    8/10

    Identifying the correct non-violent resolution path for each citizen is a solvable deduction

How to read this

Each axis is named by the cheat that would break the game along it. Execution is the hands. Reads is out-thinking an adaptive opponent. Variance is hidden information & RNG. Optimization is the solvable systems layer. A game's region is the top one or two axes.

These four aren't one rating split four ways - they're independent 0-10 questions. A 9 on one axis takes nothing from the others, and a game low on all four isn't missing data: it's telling you there's no skill here to cheat.

The basis is how the majority actually plays this game - not a niche mode or a personal run. For a game with very different modes (a story campaign versus ranked multiplayer), that's the version most people mean.

Compare with

Similar games

see all →

Ranked by shared genre first, then by how closely the cheat-test profile matches - a cross-genre tag means a pick matched on skill profile alone.

Final Fantasy X-2 cover art

Final Fantasy X-2

Pure Optimization · turn-based JRPG

E
R
V
O
Final Fantasy X-2
Golden Sun cover art

Golden Sun

Pure Optimization · turn-based RPG

E
R
V
O
Golden Sun
Suikoden II cover art

Suikoden II

Pure Optimization · turn-based RPG

E
R
V
O
Suikoden II
Breath of Fire IV cover art

Breath of Fire IV

Pure Optimization · turn-based RPG

E
R
V
O
Breath of Fire IV
Stardew Valley cover art

Stardew Valley

Pure Optimization · farming life sim

E
R
V
O
Stardew Valley
Dragon Age: Origins cover art

Dragon Age: Origins

Pure Optimization · tactical RPG

E
R
V
O
Dragon Age: Origins

Game details

Released
2021
Developer
Modern Storyteller
Platforms
Series X|S, PS4, PC, PS5, Mac, XONE
Modes
Single player
IGDB critics
90/100
IGDB users
81/100
Role-playing (RPG)AdventureIndieFantasyHistoricalDramaMystery