Survival games aren't usually where you go for deep, Shakespearean narratives. Most of the time, you’re just trying not to starve or get eaten by a wolf. But the story of the forest game—specifically Sons of the Forest, the sequel to Endnight Games’ 2018 cult classic—is something else entirely. It’s messy. It’s weird. It’s told through gold-plated bunkers and mutated billionaire families. Honestly, if you played through the whole thing and still felt like you missed something, you’re not alone.
The game doesn’t hold your hand. At all.
You’re dropped onto an island as a member of a private security team. Your mission? Find the Pufftons. Edward Puffton, a billionaire who apparently had more money than sense, bought a remote island and disappeared. Along with his wife Barbara and daughter Virginia, he just... vanished. You spend the first ten hours of the game just trying to build a stick hut while cannibals scream at you from the bushes. But once you start digging—literally—you realize this isn't just a missing person's case. It’s a sci-fi nightmare involving interdimensional travel and a "Cube" that dictates the fate of everyone on the island.
What’s Actually Happening in the Story of the Forest Game?
To understand the sequel, you have to remember the first game. In The Forest, Eric LeBlanc was looking for his son, Timmy, after a plane crash. He found out a corporation called Sahara Therapeutics was using an ancient artifact (the Resurrection Obelisk) to bring people back to life. It didn't go well. Fast forward to the story of the forest game in Sons of the Forest, and we see that the Pufftons were trying to do something similar, but on a much more "corporate luxury" scale.
The Pufftons weren't just vacationing. They were building "Holosprings," a high-end resort for the ultra-wealthy. They knew about the artifacts. They knew about the "Golden Cube."
The Golden Cube and the 31st Cycle
This is where the plot gets heavy. Deep underground, there is a massive Golden Cube. It’s not human. It’s likely extraterrestrial or interdimensional. According to the lore found on emails and scattered papers in the bunkers, the Cube "activates" every 31 weeks and 1 day. When it pulses, anyone inside the Cube is safe. Anyone outside the Cube—specifically on the island—gets turned into a mutated meat-slurry.
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This explains the "mutant" problem. The Pufftons were hosting a massive gala in the VIP bunker when the Cube cycled. In an instant, the richest people in the world turned into multi-limbed monstrosities. Virginia Puffton survived, sort of, becoming the three-armed, three-legged companion we all know and love. Why didn't she turn into a mindless beast? It’s implied she had some sort of partial protection or a genetic fluke, but the game leaves that largely to your imagination.
Timmy LeBlanc’s Return
One of the coolest moments for fans of the original is seeing Timmy again. He’s all grown up now. And he’s still dealing with the "glitch" inside him from being resurrected as a child. You see him in several cutscenes, usually racing you to the artifacts. He’s not your enemy, but he’s not exactly your best friend either. He’s on a mission to stop the mutations and perhaps heal himself.
Timmy’s presence bridges the gap between the two games. It confirms that the story of the forest game isn't just a standalone spin-off; it’s a direct continuation of the LeBlanc legacy. He knows what these artifacts are capable of. He’s seen the horror firsthand. When you see him fighting off mutants with a shotgun in the final stretch, it feels like a payoff years in the making.
The Problem With the Ending
Endnight has updated the game several times since its early access launch, and the ending has shifted. Originally, it was incredibly abrupt. You reach the Cube, it shuts, you see some trippy visions of a futuristic city (is it an alternate dimension? A future Earth?), and then you leave on a helicopter.
People were confused. Rightfully so.
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The current version of the ending adds more context, especially regarding the "Silver Jacket" characters who are also hunting for the island's secrets. These are agents from a rival corporation—likely Sahara or a similar entity—trying to weaponize the Cube. The conflict isn't just "man vs. nature" or "man vs. mutant." It’s a corporate war over god-like technology.
Why the Environmental Storytelling Works (And Why It Doesn't)
Endnight loves "show, don't tell." You find a corpse in a bathtub with a toaster. You find a laptop with an angry email from a disgruntled employee complaining about the food at the resort. These small details build the world.
But here’s the thing: it can be frustrating.
If you don't explore every single corner of every single bunker, you might finish the story of the forest game thinking it was just about a crazy cult. It’s not a cult. It’s physics gone wrong. It’s greed. It’s the idea that if you have enough billions, you can buy an island and try to cheat death, only to end up as a wall-crawler in a luxury spa.
The Role of Virginia
Virginia is the heart of the narrative. She’s the daughter of the man who caused all this. She’s been living in the woods, terrified, for weeks. By befriending her, the player gets a glimpse of the tragedy. She isn't a monster; she’s a victim of her father’s hubris. Her story is told through her behavior—how she dances, how she brings you gifts, how she reacts to the rain. It’s a silent narrative that resonates more than any of the discarded emails you find.
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Misconceptions About the Plot
A lot of players think the island is "haunted." It isn't. Not in the traditional sense. Everything in the story of the forest game is grounded in a weird, pseudo-scientific reality. The "demons" you fight near the end? They aren't from Hell. They are creatures from another dimension that have crossed over through the rifts created by the Cube.
Another common mistake is thinking you’re there to save the world. You aren't. Your character, "Fitzpatrick" or whichever operative you imagine yourself as, is a mercenary. You’re there for a paycheck and a rescue mission that went south in the first five minutes. The stakes are personal and immediate: survive long enough to get off the rock.
Actionable Steps for Deep Lore Hunters
If you want to truly piece together the story of the forest game, you can't just follow the GPS trackers. You have to be a bit of a digital archaeologist.
- Revisit the Maintenance Bunkers: Most players rush through these to get the shovel or the keycards. Stop and read the magazines. There are mock-ups of "Forbes" style magazines featuring Edward Puffton. They provide a timeline of when he bought the island and what he promised his investors.
- Watch the "Glitch" Scenes Closely: When Timmy has his seizures in the cutscenes, the images flickering on the screen aren't random. They show the Resurrection Obelisk from the first game and blueprints of the Cube.
- Check the Cave Paintings: There are gold-leaf paintings in the deep caves. These suggest that ancient civilizations knew about the Cube long before the Pufftons arrived. This implies the Cube isn't new; it’s been cycling for thousands of years.
- The Final Choice: At the very end, you have a choice to stay or leave. Staying doesn't give you a secret ending, but it allows you to continue exploring the island with all your gear. If you’re looking for more story, leaving is the "narrative" choice, but staying is where the gameplay lives.
The story of the forest game is a puzzle with several missing pieces. Endnight seems to prefer it that way. They want the community to speculate. They want you to wonder what that futuristic city was. They want you to feel the same confusion your character feels. It’s a descent into madness that starts with a helicopter crash and ends with a glimpse into the infinite. Whether you find that satisfying or annoying depends on how much you like filling in the blanks yourself.