Forspoken is available and its scores are far from positive. This new release, which sometimes shines with its gameplay, suffers from a scenario and characters that are seen and empty.
[Mis à jour le 24 janvier 2023 à 10h28] While the video game world is teeming with franchises and franchise remakes, a little originality wouldn’t have hurt anyone. This is why the release of Forspoken, an original title developed by Square Enix and Luminous Productions, seemed like a godsend for gamers tired of reliving the same experiences over and over. Unfortunately, it would seem that the press and the public were right to worry about the relevance and quality of this umpteenth isekai (a subgenre of Japanese fantasy whose plot revolves mainly around a transported/teleported character, trapped , or reincarnated / resurrected in a parallel universe), in view of the first test scores published in the specialized press in recent days. We take stock of this new release.
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.“
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.