⭐⭐⭐.5
Developer (Platform): Luminous Productions (PlayStation 5)
Publisher (Release): Square Enix (2023)
Length: 40-50 hours
Genres: Adult; Fantasy; RPG; Open-World; Action
❗️Disclaimers❗️:
themes of depression and suicide
this review contains low-level spoilers
recommendation: vibe check before playing and buy on sale
👍 Pros 👍
Solid protagonist with a solid performance to match
Fast and flexible exploration and combat
Near instant loading
👎 Cons 👎
Lacklustre plot
Supporting cast can’t quite find their feet
Muddy world
👀 Synopsis & Trailer 👀
Alfre “Frey” Holland is out of chances, homeless, and hopeless when a mysterious bracelet transports her to the mythical kingdom of Athia. Sentient and awakening dormant magic within Frey, she finds the bracelet she dubs “Cuff” inextricably bound to her. Before she can process that, however, the deadly dangers of a barren and corrupted Athia propel Frey into a hero role she doesn’t want with revelations about herself she could never expect.
🧩 Plots 🧩
Despite Forspoken’s fantastical attempt at a mythical and magical adventure through a foreign fantasy land, its plot is, surprisingly, rote. It plays second fiddle to almost every other element of the game, being serviceable at best and distracting at worst. Tired plot threads telegraph transparent twists and the long journey ends on a lacklustre note that renders its arc kinda moot.
Athia doesn’t quite live up to its intrigue
It’s not awful, but it’s sadly uninspired. There is a fairly engaging subplot running through the game’s optional dungeons that plays nicely into the finale, but it’s a blink-and-you-‘ll-miss-it thread that requires intense and constant scouring of the environment.
There are still secrets to discover
It’s not awful, but it’s sadly uninspired.
🎭 Characters 🎭
The cast does its best to fill the story’s void and, for the most part, everyone does a decent job. Social media lambasted Frey and Cuff’s ‘chatty’ dynamics, but they’re truly not that bad (and optional thanks to the flick of a setting’s button). Personally, I enjoyed the back and forth, becoming surprisingly invested in the thawing relationship between the two. Ella Balinska gives a stellar performance as Frey, toeing the line between genuine trauma and pity party as well as the story allows.
Frey is well-realised
Filling out the rest of the cast is fine if unremarkable supporting characters. Voice acting as a whole is as good as the dialogue lets the actors be but falls the same way as the story with a lack of charisma that negatively hits supposedly inspiring moments.
Rocky foundations surprisingly hold
Ella Balinska gives a stellar performance as Frey…
👾 Gameplay and Graphics 👾
The gameplay is where the heavy lifting gets done. Forspoken’s magical parkour exploration and near-instant load times make travelling in its open world a breeze. Combat is frenetic and fun, and Frey’s skillset is vast but well crafted. The weakness of the plot is only pronounced by how addictive exploration away from it is, and aside from some subplots in its dungeons, Forspoken’s open world is a bit barren.
Traversal is super slick
Environments are distinct and sometimes its graphics are absolutely stunning, but I get the sense that the developers focused more on making the magic magical than on refining its muddy world. Said magic is indeed magically epic and satisfying to use, but it’s a shame that the world of Athia is never fully realised.
Particle effects are…explosive
Forspoken’s magical parkour exploration and near-instant load times make travelling in its open world a breeze.
🧠 Final Thoughts 🧠
Forspoken shines as a fun and frenetic action-adventure game, tailouring its fast load times to fit its superb magical parkour. Combat is flexible and rich with magic, but, despite some strategy, doesn’t scale much. The story works but lacks inspiration and its characters’ solid performances can’t quite hold it up. That said, the negative social media reaction I saw for the game is, for me, completely overblown. It might not be Game of the Year, but Forspoken is an enjoyable fantasy experience with sparks of real potential.
The Phoenix Project 