Trail markers
Hand-painted route markers emerge from the undergrowth.
A peaceful first-person outdoor adventure
Find your way. Make camp. Stay awhile.
Explore a Bavarian-inspired wilderness with map and compass, observe and document nature, and settle in beside the fire. Forestbound brings the rituals of trekking and light survival into a calm journey without combat or pressure.
About Forestbound
Survival, without the struggle.
In Forestbound, survival is not about fighting the world. It is about preparing well, reading the land, and taking care of yourself as you travel.
Choose your route, navigate by topographic map and compass, watch the weather, and make camp when you are ready. There are no enemies, no combat, and no race against the clock - only a landscape to understand at your own pace.
Forestbound glimpses
Paths, landmarks, and quiet places.
Pine canopy
Filtered light beneath a high, quiet canopy.
Mooswinkel
A small trailhead at the edge of the forest.
Silent grove
Weathered trees mark a forest in transition.
FMT-2 tower
A distant landmark inspired by German telecommunications towers of the 1960s and 1970s.
Landscape views
A world made to be read.
Topographic navigation
The map is part of the game, not just the UI.
Hand-crafted topographic maps mirror the terrain as closely as possible, with contours, paths, water, vegetation, and landmarks you can also read in the world. Navigation knowledge learned here should feel useful beyond the screen.
Forest mood
Evening settles between the trees.
Warm sunset light, layered silhouettes, and the feeling of being alone with the forest.
National park wilderness
Part of the journey leads through protected forest.
Dense woods open into wide views, quiet clearings, and national-park landscapes shaped by nature rather than roads.
Varied forest biomes
Not every forest feels the same.
Move through pine stands, birch groves, deadwood areas, clearings, wetlands, dense spruce forest, and other distinct natural zones - each with its own mood, materials, and wayfinding clues.
Core features
A quieter kind of survival.
Trek and make camp
Plan your route, move through varied terrain, and create a place to rest with shelter, warmth, food, and a fire.
Navigate the old way
Set in 1996, Forestbound keeps navigation analog: read a topographic map, take compass bearings, and use terrain, paths, and landmarks to find your own way.
Gentle survival systems
Weather, temperature, hunger, and thirst shape the journey without dominating it or turning mistakes into harsh punishment.
Discover the natural world
Observe plants, wildlife, and natural materials to expand your field guide and deepen your understanding of the forest.
Photograph and remember
Capture wildlife, landscapes, and fleeting moments, then collect your photos, notes, and stickers in a personal nature journal.
Settle into camp
Pitch your tent, light a campfire, prepare food, and let the day fade out in the wild.
Hike together
Bring your friends along for a cooperative adventure through the wild. Read the map together, share supplies, set up camp, cook by the fire, and experience the forest at your own pace.
Team
A small indie studio from Erlangen, Germany.
Forestbound is developed by Number13 Media UG. Johannes and Jörg work together on technology, game design, visual details, gameplay systems, and many of the assets that shape the world.
Johannes Kühnel
Co-founder, game design, art direction, technology
Johannes has a B.Sc. in computer science from FAU Erlangen. On Forestbound he works across technology, game design, art direction, graphics, sound, and visual details.
Jörg Hetzner
Co-founder, gameplay systems, tools, assets
Jörg brings long programming experience, especially in C++. He works mainly on gameplay systems, technical foundations, infrastructure, and Blender assets.
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Financially supported by FFF Bayern with funds from the Free State of Bavaria