FORSPOKEN REVIEW
Forspoken could have been excellent if it tried a little harder.
On paper, Forspoken is a game that should have resonated with me. It's a Luminous Productions/Square Enix venture, a developer I remain deathly loyal to despite its poor track record in recent years. It features some of my absolute favourite things in life: nail art, cats, parkour, and badass matriarchal rulers.
Yet, Forspoken is let down by its sheer unwillingness to break the mould. In many ways, it's the exact type of game you've seen countless times across the last 15 years. An open world RPG with superpowers, mystical creatures, and a terrifying world-ending threat. It does play into some isekai tropes, with protagonist Frey Holland whisked away from her New York home and plonked into a fantastical world. Along with her talking bracelet companion Cuff, she navigates the world of Athia and the Break which threatens to consume the land and everyone in it.
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The biggest mistake I made during my time with Forspoken was doing so much of my exploration early on. If you're going to play it--and it's a game I do think is worth picking up on sale... and also potentially on console depending on your rig--blitz through the story. The true enjoyment comes once you're in the post-game, with Frey's full kit at your disposal. When I spent several hours flinging around my one or two spells, I lamented how painfully basic its combat was. Had I been handed more elements earlier on, or simply ignored side tasks in favour of getting access to those, I think my time with Forspoken would've been more enjoyable.
It's a game most fun when you're not following its orders. Free of sudden stops for a fade-to-black cutscene, or the game randomly rooting you in place while you initiate dialogue that could have easily happened while on the move. Once the shackles of its limp narrative came off, I finally felt like I was playing the game Forspoken was trying to be. Don't get me wrong, freedom can't cover up vapid gameplay objectives. But hey, it sure does help.
A game shouldn't have to end to feel like it's just starting. Unfortunately for Forspoken, that's exactly what happens.
Score: 65/100
