REVIEW: YAR: Forgotten Throne (2026 Video Game) - on PS5

Review by Jon Donnis

YAR: Forgotten Throne is an open-world RPG that feels like a throwback to the early 2000s, when sprawling fantasy adventures were a familiar sight on PC. Set in the lands of Borea, the game follows a journey to uncover what is poisoning the forests and wildlife with darkness. With over 100 quests, three character classes and a range of crafting and progression systems, there is plenty to get involved in. Unfortunately, some frustrating design choices and a lack of polish hold it back.

Players can choose between a Warrior, Mage or Archer, each offering a different approach to the adventure. There are two factions, three large settlements and a variety of biomes to explore, alongside secrets to discover and character attributes to develop. Crafting also features heavily, with alchemy, cooking, blacksmithing, enchanting, fishing and jewellery making among the available activities. Multiple difficulty settings cater for different preferences, ranging from a story-focused experience to hardcore challenges with limited saving.

Visually, YAR: Forgotten Throne makes a decent impression for a relatively low-budget indie game. The graphics have a distinctive style, and the presentation is good enough to make exploring Borea worthwhile. It does not need cutting-edge visuals to work, and there is a certain charm to its straightforward approach.

The biggest problem is how the game feels to play. The controls are stiff, making movement less responsive than it should be. Jumping has a floaty quality that feels out of place, while various bugs further undermine the experience. These issues make it harder to settle into the adventure, particularly when the basic controls should be the least of your concerns.

Navigation is another frustration. There is no on-screen map while playing, which makes finding your way around more awkward than necessary. In an open-world RPG with so many quests and locations, I would have appreciated a map that was readily available during exploration.

Combat can also be poorly balanced, especially in the early stages. Some enemies are far too difficult, capable of killing you with just a couple of shots. Challenging encounters are part of the RPG experience, but these fights can feel unfair when you are still finding your feet.

These problems are disappointing because the foundations are there. The range of quests, character classes and crafting options gives the game plenty of scope, while its visual style and old-school design have genuine appeal. However, content alone cannot make up for controls that feel awkward, frustrating encounters and technical issues that interrupt the experience.

Perhaps I have been spoiled by modern RPGs, with their more refined controls and smoother gameplay. There is nothing wrong with returning to an older style of adventure, but nostalgia only goes so far when the mechanics feel dated for the wrong reasons.

YAR: Forgotten Throne is a mixed bag on PS5. It looks decent, has plenty to offer and captures something of the old-school RPG experience, but it lacks the polish and refinement needed to make the most of its potential. Fans of traditional role-playing games may find enough here to enjoy, although the stiff controls, uneven difficulty and bugs make it difficult to recommend without reservations.

I score YAR: Forgotten Throne 7 out of 10.

Out Now on PS5

https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/concept/10019397