With The Game Awards 2021 finally over, one of the standout games shown during the gala night was that of Square Enix and Luminous Productions‘ Forspoken. As the studio’s first official gaming project since its inception, there are plenty of eyes looking to see if the studio can live up to its pedigree. Judging from an early in-depth preview of the gameplay that awaits in Forspoken, there is much to get excited about the action role-playing game.
With the help of lead writers Allison Rymer (Shadowhunters) and Todd Stashwick, together with the aid of Gary Whitta (Rogue One) and Amy Hennig (Uncharted, Legacy of Kain), the game is a fusion of magic, parkour action, and a unique female-centric story that will hopefully capture the imaginations of players all around the world.
With our heroine Frey Holland at the core of the story, together, we will discover what the ancient world of Athia holds for us, and Frey’s role to play against the miasma known as the Break and the other threats lying in wait.
The themes of family and tribalism run deep in Forspoken, and for Frey, an orphan seeking her own identity as she turns of age, the trip to Athia becomes more than just about survival. The clash of modern and ancient cultures and an inevitable confrontation of her struggle will be central to the narrative in the game.
The performance capture will be key to delivering the messaging of Forspoken to the audience, as will the voice capture, and Ella Balinska’s take on Frey has not disappointed thus far. Her way of dealing with what life throws at you, her strength, and her vulnerability will help players relate in more ways than one.
As she gains mastery over her magical powers, the journey through Athia is not exactly going to be easy. Standing in her way is the Break, with monsters and even the people of this land being potential obstacles. Figuring how to overcome all of these and more, while surviving will be a big part of Forspoken.
Broken up into two distinct parts, Forspoken will take place in the last city standing of Cipal as well as outside of the city’s walls. With the inevitability of the Break, people live in fear that the next day could very well be their last. Here, Frey will be able to interact with people and learn more about the world, as she prepares for the challenges ahead.
Outside of the walls, the environment and the wildlife have been transformed by the Break, presenting different challenges for Frey’s magical spells and parkour skills. The sense of freedom to explore the world is elevated by the magic parkour, and as you progress, you will have more room to work with and open up the world even more. This applies to both vertical and lateral movement, allowing Frey to cover huge distances without breaking a sweat.
Once you get into a scrap, Frey will have a large selection of spells to choose from to engage enemies. These can be in the form of traps, projectiles, ranged, close-quarters, and more, all available to use at will and combine to devastating impact. On the other hand, stealth is also a viable option if you want to avoid some of the tougher foes.
While Luminous Productions does encourage you to find the playstyle that suits you, it remains to be seen just how complicated the magic combat can get, and if everyone can get up to speed.
The variety of the enemies will also be important when it comes to properly challenge the player, and aside from the humanoid foes, mutated creatures also pose a question of your ability to fight. Certain areas can be subjected to Break storms, transforming the surrounding environments into a dangerous arena full of vicious creatures. Survival can reap great rewards, but the threat is equally substantial, with a gigantic Jabberwock making short work of Frey in the demo.
As an action-RPG, Frey will gain experience points from combat and likely from quests, becoming stronger and learning new spells. Shelters can be used to recover from battles, while new gear in the form of cloaks and necklaces can be found and equipped that bring different benefits to our heroine. You can even paint special patterns on Frey’s nails to enhance your spellcasting even further.
From what Luminous Productions has shared, Forspoken is certainly blending new ideas with familiar mechanics when it comes to their action-RPG. With the emphasis on Frey and her personal journey to Athia, there is much to be excited about in Forspoken, that is, if the game lives up to its AAA potential.
The game still has several months to go before its 24 May release date, and more information will surely be shared before then. For now, we can only keep our fingers crossed that everything will look and feel as awesome as what we have seen. Be sure to read our interview with the team behind Forspoken to learn more about their own journey thus far.
Jake is a full-time trophy hunter and achievement gatherer on consoles, and part-time Steam Sale victim. He has a thing for Batman and awesome statues, and running out of space for both. Send help.
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