New PS5 exclusive at the start of 2023, Forspoken does not seem to live up to public expectations. Our press review.
[Mis à jour le 25 janvier 2023 à 11h46] A new project from Square Enix studios, Forspoken has presented itself since its announcement in 2021 as an original project. A new open-world set in a completely new world, straight out of the imagination of Luminous Production studios, and discovered by our protagonist in a story that draws strongly towards isekai. However, it would seem that this PS5 exclusivity is a great disappointment for a large part of the players and the press. In addition to combat and a sometimes addictive parkour system, Forposken remains weighed down by a flat scenario, awkward dialogues and an open world that is generic enough to be forgotten as soon as the console is turned off. We take stock of the opinions of the press just below.
The press tests
With a total score of 68/100 on Metacritic from over 65 critics, Forspoken confirms its passable status. The title did not convince the specialized press, which strongly deplores its lack of imagination. Despite original combat, unique parkour mechanics, and sometimes visually impressive sequences, the game fails to stand out. Between its scenario seen and reviewed, its clichéd characters and its dialogues often described as unbearable, it is indeed the story-telling of Forspoken that weighs down a sometimes very good gameplay. At least that’s the opinion of Destructoid and of The Gamer who both give it 7/10. For the second wording, the game is defined as “a clunky game with awkward dialogue and characters, though its gameplay shines at times“. Destructoid attributes these words to him: “A solid game that can definitely have an audience. It has massive flaws, but it’s still a fun experience.” For IGNthe sentence is harsher, with 6/10: “Forspoken’s explosive combat and parkour can be fun, but it’s not enough to make up for a clichéd story and pale open world.“
For Dexertono question of making concessions, the game does not exceed two stars out of five, and is strongly criticized for its scenario, its universe and its characters: “While Forspoken offers a solid combat system and complex boss panel, it fails to deliver an engaging storytelling due to shallow characters and sometimes overbearing dialogue.“It looks like Square Enix’s new release manages to deliver engaging gameplay and epic combat, while completely missing its mark on building its own universe and characters.
Gameplay
Forspoken is an entirely new experience, a world born from the imagination of the Luminous Productions teams. The player embodies Frey, a young New Yorker transported to the fantastic world of Athia, a world she does not know and where she finds herself endowed with powerful magical powers. However, the world of Athia is in the grip of an unprecedented crisis. Ruled by the Tantas, ruthless despots, this world faces many threats, and Frey represents its only hope for the salvation of the people. A very classic scenario for a game with a unique graphic style. The gameplay of Forspoken is centered around two points: the fluidity and speed of movement, and the diversity of magic powers. There are also RPG elements such as a skill tree and some images suggest crafting features. The game has next-gen graphics by being based on the Luminous Engine, which allows, among other things, impressive particle effects during magic fights.