Forspoken

Forspoken, the open-world action RPG that will be released for PS5 on Jan. 24, has satisfying combat and magic abilities, but its bland world and bizarre ...

Frey triumphs, of course, but for a character who spends the majority of the game loudly proclaiming she neither is nor wants to be a hero, I found her late-game pivot to savior hard to believe. By the time you get a fourth set of magical abilities, the game feels like it’s finally opening up, with a full suite of powers available to you, a feeling immediately undercut by the fact that it’s actually ending. Frey and Cuff banter as you explore and quickly start to repeat themselves within the first few hours of the game, to the point where you will be able to recite, by heart, their most memorable loot-pickup lines by the time the credits roll. An early plot point involves Frey holding the lifeless body of an Athian Black girl with whom she has bonded, an image that, in the raceless world of Athia, doesn’t carry the same weight it does in ours — and Frey’s. It’s a blessing, then — a true Christmas miracle — that once you get your second set of magical abilities, the game can actually be a fair bit of fun. Before I wrap up, let’s spare a word for Frey, a notionally Black protagonist who joins a growing trend in media of putting Black people in worlds where race is inconsequential. It took me 16 hours to complete the game, taking in a fair bit of the side offerings in this open-world action RPG, being careful not to sprint too quickly toward the game’s conclusion, though the temptation was there. Frey has an Infamous-esque sprint ability that gets further modified throughout the game, allowing you to whip across the landscapes in a matter of moments. Alongside her cardboard decor, Frey has a few books (Alice in Wonderland and a leather-bound hard copy of something called “Law and Order” are the most prominent) and a wall rack devoted to her beloved “kicks.” Her whole apartment promptly burns down, leading her to reflect on her life while leaning over the edge of the Crossroads Hotel as the clock strikes midnight on Christmas Day. Soon, though, you are portaled away to Athia, the game’s true setting: a medieval fantasy world overrun with corruption that threatens to destroy life itself. (At one point, when asked what she misses about New York, Frey offers up Central Park and knish, the latter of which plays a surprisingly important role in the game’s plot.) (Hence her name.) After leaving the courtroom, Frey gets beat up by two women (one in leopard print, the other in camo) before returning to her barren, boarded-up apartment, where she has written her plan to leave New York on a piece of cardboard taped to the wall.

“Forspoken,” published by Square Enix and developed by Luminous Productions, was widely criticized during its pre-release news cycle for following the Joss ...

Cuff and the denizens of Athia are strangely combative and argumentative to Frey, and to be fair, Frey is an abrasive character herself, given her background. Although I enjoyed Frey more than I thought I would, it’s inescapable that “plucky American with sassy British sidekick” is a well-worn trope, and “Forspoken” does little to distinguish itself from other stories of this type … Then the story begins to justify this, as the people of this land aren’t what they quite appeared to be at first blush. Initially, I thought these arguments were written in just for the sake of having tension and conflict in the story. This is on top of the fact that this is a by-the-numbers open-world video game, with a list of waypoints on a big map with various activities to do, usually in the form of battling fantasy monsters. First of all, there just aren’t a lot of action adventure games about spellcasting wizards, even fewer with a Black woman in the lead role, and “Forspoken” offers, at the very least, this. Players can also set the stamina meter to refill immediately, as it’s not exactly fun to run out of stamina running across the fields. But at least with the larger area-of-effect attacks, “Forspoken” lets you conjure up some impressive and good-looking fireworks. She’s had a very difficult life, and the game doesn’t shy away from the fact that Frey is suicidal. Being Frey only becomes liberating and powerful at the end of the game, once she’s collected and absorbed all four powers from her defeated foes. As she’s about to end her life, she finds the magical and sassy Cuff that whisks her away to Athia, a land besieged by something called the Break, which turns people mad and creates monsters. Credit goes to Hennig and story creator Gary Whitta (screenwriter for Star Wars “Rogue One”) for crafting something memorable and fun despite the game’s cringe surface.

Developer: Luminous Productions · Publisher: Square Enix · Platform: Played on PS5 · Availability: Out January 24 on PS5 and PC.

This story takes time to get going, and while the writing doesn't always land, there's plenty to enjoy even if the numerous ups and downs make Forspoken hard to universally recommend. I was intrigued by the worldbuilding too, and Athia's history before the Break is well documented. It's immediately apparent that neither of you is welcome by the residents. Frey's a loner, and that's a consequence of her awful upbringing; she's spent a long time feeling unloved and discarded. Luminous giving her a criminal backstory for thefts and gang dealings is a highly questionable choice that feels lazy. All together it means Frey is complex, flawed and - even if you don't like her dialogue - she feels human. From the heavy forests of Junoon to Visoria's great plains, there's a ruined beauty to this open world and plenty of things to do. Despite those problems, there's a few moments where I enjoyed the duo's banter, and Cuff's not the worst company when exploring Athia. The restrictive opening chapters, poor pacing, and that PS5 demo do it no favours, and things didn't click until the campaign was nearly over. Following a rather simplistic stealth mission, Frey's soon free to explore Cipal, a central medieval city that serves as your hub and humanity's last hope. With the wildlife and corrupted humans ready to kill on sight, each region presents its own challenges, and Frey doesn't need conventional weaponry. What will undoubtedly prove divisive is the dialogue, but it's not the spoken disaster some assume.

Final Fantasy maker Square Enix and Final Fantasy XV team Luminous Productions set themselves a monstrous task with Forspoken. Releasing an open-world fantasy ...

Instead, it offers a more personal twist on the open-world formula, with thoughtful quests and a world whose size is less of a hindrance to enjoyment and more of a playground for Frey’s parkour abilities. While the storytelling may hit a few bumps along the way, Forspoken is a memorable tale and, as game worlds grow increasingly larger and full of busywork, a lesson in what matters more than size and scope. Even when the quests and characters themselves aren’t particularly deep (which they usually aren’t) there’s a current of humanity running through it all that makes the standard fetch quests and monster hunting feel more personal and interesting. You might run across the coat a hero wore as they defended a refugee caravan from monsters, while just up the road is a group of undead husks animated by the Break – the refugees from that caravan who didn’t make it to safety in time. Frey decides to defeat the Tantas and restore peace, and the first Tanta she faces is even a violent, red-hued warrior queen, though she stops short of shouting “off with her head.” Every item and location, even crafting materials, has a detailed archive entry explaining its significance and how it came to be. Luminous makes brilliant use of light and particle effects that give Frey’s journey a sense of visual splendor, from the glowing purple rocks brimming with Athia’s magical life force to the gold dust effects that sprinkle and scatter when Frey uses her powers. Frey may only help the people of Athia reluctantly at first, but she shows a sense of genuine interest that’s refreshing after so many detached, super heroic protagonists. By the time Frey ends up in Athia, it’s almost impossible not to sympathize with her and feel invested in her growth – growth made possible by her isolation and hardships in New York. Like Carrol’s book, Forspoken is better at entertaining than it is at telling a deep story. Forspoken is an Alice in Wonderland Story by design, and that’s not just metaphorically. Cuff, and being chased by a dragon.

Forspoken, published by Square Enix, features a fascinating story and incredible parkour action thats mired by lackluster combat and a game lacking ...

But there’s a decent game here, one I enjoyed and one I hope people will give a chance. I won’t reveal it here, but it felt like all of the action leading up to the final battle was cut, swapped out for an extended, partially playable cutscene. The final battle itself was also not great, a longer extension of the game’s “fight big guy with lots of health” standard. I’ve become so used to the seamless transition between controlling a character in gameplay and not controlling them in a cutscene that the fade-to-black transition felt archaic. Once Frey lands in Athia, she’s tasked with killing the four Tantas, benevolent witches who were the leaders of Athia before they went mad and started killing people and spreading a corrupting disease called the Break. Frey powers up her magic with mana that she earns either through traditionally leveling up by fighting monsters or completing quests or by picking it up in the open world. I had the most fun flipping and flying, bouncing off walls and obstacles to get to higher and higher vistas. I almost cried when the plot made Frey lose her home and her “start over fund,” and she was forced to give up her cat and her dream of getting out. The game feels unfinished, like there’s a level of technical polish missing. I became invested in Frey and her story, and I was curious as to how Forspoken would lay it all out. But because it’s almost Christmas and the judge sympathizes with Frey’s struggle to survive without parents or guidance, she is instead let go to return to the abandoned apartment she squats in with her cat Homer. She also dropped a lot of F-bombs, which you don’t really see in games, not even the M-rated ones, and certainly not as frequently as Frey does.

Want to know when Forspoken unlocks in your region? Here's a list of release times for Luminous Games' new fantasy action-RPG.

Preloads began on Sunday, January 22, 2023 at midnight local time in all regions. Having played the PS5 demo, though, I think this game's got potential, but I'm keen to get my hands on the full release on PC before I make up my mind. I personally am quite fond of the adventures of Noctis and pals, but admit that Forspoken's [self-consciously quippy dialogue](/people-hated-forspokens-dialogue-so-much-that-it-made-joss-whedon-trend-on-twitter) and [baffling system requirements](/forspokens-pc-system-requirements-are-demanding-kind-of-baffling) had me feeling a little ambivalent.

The final boss of Forspoken has leaked online ahead of the game's release tomorrow. Last week the game's opening leaked…

[breakdown of the game's various graphical modes](https://www.eurogamer.net/digitalfoundry-2022-the-forspoken-demo-six-graphics-modes-to-choose-from-but-what-do-they-do) so you can better choose how to experience Athia's visuals. [eye-watering PC specs](https://www.eurogamer.net/forspoken-demo-updated-due-to-feedback-pc-requirements-revealed) have also been released. [game's opening leaked](https://www.eurogamer.net/forspokens-opening-hour-leaks-online), showing Frey's early hours in the land of Athia.

Square Enix's open-world action RPG 'Forspoken' launches soon. Here's exactly when you can play it on PC and PS5.

If you pre-order any version on PC, you’ll gain access to the following in-game items at no additional charge: On PC, you’ll have to wait a little longer. However, in the United States, it releases at midnight Eastern on the early morning of January 24, meaning you can actually play it at 9 p.m. Forspoken is an open-world action RPG with an emphasis on story and combat, and while [reviews have been mixed](https://www.inverse.com/gaming/forspoken-review-ps5), it’s one that many players are excited about. Here’s what you need to know to [get started](https://www.inverse.com/gaming/forspoken-pc-requirements-ram-too-high) with Forspoken as soon as possible. [Forspoken](https://www.inverse.com/gaming/forspoken-release-date-trailer-gameplay-voice-actors-story-athia), is nearly here and it’s gearing up to launch exclusively for PS5 and PC.

There is not a single PC review out there right now, because Square Enix did not send any PC review codes out to critics. The game launches at the same time for ...

The only thing I can recommend is the music, which is quite dramatic and lovely and really wasted on such a lackluster release. Hell, if I didn’t know what this was and just saw some video I might peg it as a PS3 game, and not even one of the better-looking ones. For a game with such demanding specs that’s only releasing on PC and PS5, the graphics are shockingly last-gen. This is in spite of the fact that the PC requirements for Forspoken are quite demanding, which suggests that many PC players will have trouble running the game (or at least running it at anywhere near decent settings). I’m basically just sitting here waiting for the reports from gamers to start rolling in when the game releases tonight (it’s out on January 24th on PS5 and PC—see what other games release this month That’s at the 720p / 3o fps option, which is pretty damn low for PC gaming (does anybody on PC play at 720p??)

Even more alarming was a report from DualShockers that said the final boss fight from Forspoken was leaked onto YouTube. Luckily, it was taken down by a ...

[Forspoken preview,](/forspoken/171633/preview/forspoken-the-final-preview) we said, "I’m fairly convinced that there definitely is enjoyment to be found in Forspoken, but its early chapters don’t seem like the place to consistently find it. [Eurogamer](https://www.eurogamer.net/forspokens-opening-hour-leaks-online) has noted that the opening hour has leaked online and, while bits and pieces of what those first few moments of gameplay hold have been previewed and discussed previously, developers usually hold back a few surprises or key story moments that they don't want anyone to experience until the game is finally released. Luckily, it was taken down by a copyright claim by Luminous Productions, but the damage was done and that information is now out there. Please send an email to Have a tip for us? [@AdamBankhurst](https://twitter.com/AdamBankhurst) and on [Twitch.](https://www.twitch.tv/AdamBankhurst)

Some are asking when does Forspoken come out, and here's the release date and time countdown for PS5 and PC for Steam and Epic Games.

As for PC, the [Steam ](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1680880/Forspoken/)countdown says it will launch in one day and eight hours as of 00:00 PST on January 23rd, which translates to 08:00 PST, 11:00 EDT, and 16:00 GMT on January 24th. Unfortunately, it is not coming to Xbox Series X/S at all tomorrow. [PSN store](https://store.playstation.com/en-us/concept/10000846).

Forspoken's flashy combat can be fun, but it isn't enough to make its barebones world very interesting.

I’m sure there will be diehard completionists out there excited for a chance to put on a podcast and spend dozens of hours clearing every single map marker and opening every single chest (the kind of game Similarly, the parkour system is a mix of straightforward and flashy, sending you nimbly soaring across the environment by simply holding down the Circle button and pointing yourself in a given direction. Her starting magic is basically an earth-based gun that can be fired rapidly or charged for an area-of-effect burst, with skills that root enemies to the ground, up your defense temporarily, and more. Between visits to Cipal, you’re generally given a target on your map and free rein to get as distracted as you’d like along the way. That’s not so offensive on its own, but the real crime is how poorly the writing establishes any of its characters and the relationships between them – it’s like it constantly assumed I must already be invested in these people in a way it never actually made me. The performances throughout can actually be quite good, even when the writing leans heavily into telling rather than showing – but none of it is ever very fun to listen to thanks to long, awkward pauses between lines and occasional crowd noise or background music that’s so loud it drowns out everything being said.

Is Forspoken Square Enix's next big franchise or does this RPG stumble out of the gate? Here's what reviewers have to say so far.

“Where Forspoken should’ve been a striking and appealing fresh start for Luminous Productions, the end result sadly is a game not only bland and unpolished but deprived of a reason to care for its unfolding mystery. At the time of this writing, Forspoken has a 68 Metacritic score and a 69 OpenCritic score. The dialogue between her and Cuff is witty and memorable, and there’s incredible attention to detail in Athia’s world and history through the game’s many collectibles. At the moment, it seems safe to say that reviews of Forspoken are mixed and trending towards slightly negative. Not only did many previews (including [our own](https://www.denofgeek.com/games/forspoken-gameplay-preview-demo/)) point out some of the game’s notable early issues, but full reviews of the game have been embargoed until the day before its release, and many outlets have reported that they did not receive an early review code. [new releases of 2023](https://www.denofgeek.com/games/the-biggest-new-games-in-2023/) so far, but its road to release has been a bit rocky.

Rewards for completing Monuments in Forspoken are typically stat boosts for Frey. You can check which reward you'll gain from a Monument by hovering over the ...

We highly recommend visiting and completing as many Monuments as you can to make Frey stronger. You can check which reward you'll gain from a Monument by hovering over the icon for it on the map. You do not need to do anything here, once this begins you have completed the Monument. Meanwhile, understanding [fast travel](https://www.eurogamer.net/how-to-fast-travel-in-forspoken-9305) and [clearing Monuments](https://www.eurogamer.net/how-to-clear-monuments-forspoken-9305) will also help you in Fray's journey across Athia. Without further ado, we're going to explain what Monuments are, how to complete them, and the rewards you can get from them too. If a Monument has been completed, it will still have the same symbol but anything that is Purple will be removed.

Forspoken is visually stimulating and a musical delight, but boring combat, poor characterization, and loose movement mechanics make for a mediocre ...

Our introduction to her is seeing her on the wrong side of a criminal court case, and that she views the world around her with jaded exasperation--she pushes people away because she's an abandoned orphan and believes no one wants her. Forspoken's movement is far more fun, especially in the latter half of the game when you start unlocking and chaining new mechanics that increase the variety of ways that Frey can journey across Athia, like slingshotting herself through the air with a flaming whip or manipulating gravity to skate across the water. Frey carries that disposition throughout most of the game and it's the primary means by which she views every aspect of Athia, and thus we the player are able to see it. Combat is visually impressive but not all that engaging, and the excellent sound design and the catchy musical score are regularly undermined by unfunny quips from an unlikable protagonist. Frey is one of the weakest parts of Forspoken. The facial expressions of the people in Athia are stilted and uncomfortable, which already creates a bit of a disconnect with the emotional core of Forspoken's story. However, it's not a world that the game is able to adequately convince the player of wanting to stay in and protect. It's an awkward workaround to the problem, however, and not one easy to pull off in the midst of a fight. and Forspoken never delivered a satisfying answer to the question. Frey zips through the environment with stylish flips and jumps, moving so quickly that she skids to a halt. Forspoken's story is one about belonging--finding a place you want to stay and a people you wish to protect. There, she bonds with a sentient brace she nicknames Cuff and then encounters a group of survivors living in the last city that's free from the effects of a dangerous miasma.

The final battle of Forspoken takes place in Cipal overrun by Susurrus' corrupted forces while its citizens take refuge. Fortunately, Frey won't be completely ...

But if his floating figure reminds you of Tanta Prav, then that’s a sign that he’s also vulnerable to Prav’s Magic so switch to her set and let loose your bolt magic while he’s fairly open in the air. He starts bringing a barrage of every attack - from warping in with melee strikes, to raising fiery columns that you might run into while trying to dodge his other attacks, and, of course, more of his beam blasts. When a third of his health has gone, Susurrus will also have a new attack in the mix where his four evil eyes spin around as he charges up a devastating beam attack focused targeting Frey. When a blinding light forms in front of him, it means he’s about to fire a massive beam blast at you, which you should either avoid with Skip or immediately heal with a draught. It’s time to parkour your way up the building so that you’re in range to let rip your attack spells. You will fight Susurrus in Chapter 12 of Forspoken after choosing to stay and fight at the end of Chapter 11 in Junoon. To reach Susurrus Murmuration, you’re going to need to take to the air as well with the help of a flying fire-breathing dragon. This is also a good time to speak to other characters you’ve met throughout the game, in particular the members of Cipal’s council who will also provide you with some useful items and materials. Of course, to make things less straightforward, Susurrus will also summon other corrupted enemies into the arena, so be sure to have your powerful crowd control spells to hand. Susurrus doesn’t appear to have any vulnerabilities or resistances in this form, so just hit him with the strongest magic you have. Be careful - he can also bind you with his birds, temporarily leaving you unable to move or use any attacks, which, again, can be avoided with Skip. Chapter 12 is set in Cipal where you will begin with taking on enemies summoned by Susurrus laying siege to the city.

Frey, voiced by Ella Balinska (who you might remember from the Charlie's Angels reboot or the Resident Evil Netflix series), is a streetwise orphan who is ...

Fans of open-world fantasy games may be able to forgive the flaws and have a good time, but we can't see Forspoken breaking through to the mainstream in the way that Luminous Productions and Square Enix will be hoping for. There are also a few interesting mysteries underpinning the whole thing, including the detailed backstory to Athia itself (which has been through a strange semi-apocalypse prior to Frey's arrival). You'll be whizzing along the ground, quickly climbing up walls and hurtling towards your next objective in style (until the game forces you into another cut scene and rips all the momentum out of itself). Although the dialogue is corny in terms of its content, you can really tell that the actors are trying their best to sell it, to make it sound like it's coming from a place of honesty within the characters. Hats off to Balinska and Cake for committing to the bit. (You could also argue that some of the humour got lost in translation, with developers Luminous Productions based in Japan.) While those games make you feel like a legend, however, this one makes you feel like you're constantly winging it and hoping for the best. Frey, voiced by Ella Balinska (who you might remember from the Charlie's Angels reboot or the Resident Evil Netflix series), is a streetwise orphan who is trying and failing to keep out of trouble with criminal gangs. It's more like you're just mashing buttons and hoping for the best, which doesn't make you look forward to the next battle. The game drops a reference nice and early to Alice in Wonderland, and we wouldn't be surprised if The Wizard of Oz was another inspiration for Forspoken story's set-up. This piece of 'sassy bling' is voiced by Jonathan Cake (Rebecca, Empire, Desperate Housewives) and it imbues Frey with magical powers right near the start of your adventure. The protagonist, Frey, is a modern New Yorker that gets 'vooshed' through a portal to the mystical land of Athia.

Fount of Blessing locations listed by ability: Leap; Shimmy; Burrow; Beacon; Soar; Rush; Fortify; Alb; Float; Spoof; Suppression; Diversify.

You’ll be passing through Shepherd’s Meadow, an area you will have previously passed when looking for the fount of blessing to unlock Fortify. This is not only another of Olas’s Magic, but the last of the magic abilities unlocked with a fount of blessing. The location of this fount is in Junoon in an area called Physic Garden. Head straight here and you’ll see the fount of blessing in front of you in an isolated space you can easily parkour up to. Once you reach the rocky cliffs at the far end, you’ll find a refuge in the very south but, unfortunately, you won’t find a route that can take you all the way up those cliffs to your destination. Note that if you do not look for the fount of blessing before you finish the chapter you will not have the chance to unlock it after you have completed Forspoken’s story. The fount is located in Avoalet to the west of the Water Garden in an area called The Windy Hills. Left of the castle entrance, you can hop down to rock platforms below to reach the lake. This ability’s fount of blessing can also be found in Visoria from Chapter 11, requiring a lengthy detour away from the story path. The Fount of Blessing can be found in Avoalet from Chapter 7, but off the main story path to the southwest in an area called Golden Hills. If you look to the right of the bridge, you’ll actually be able to see the fount (or rather the tree next to it) in the distance. Once you’ve gone down the valley, reaching the fount on the other side is fortunately quite direct as you’ll see sharp glowing rocks jutting out from the side of the hill you can use to zip up.

From streamlining busywork to getting Cuff to speak less, here are the settings that make it easier to get used to Forspoken, Square Enix's new action RPG.

(You can essentially unlock of these perks throughout normal gameplay.) But the setting to tweak is spell-switching slowdown. Come on, we all know it’s the one true indicator of telling you how far you are from your objective. (For reference, your carrying capacity starts at 100 slots per item.) And worst of all, to get this stuff, you have to stop and pick each item up. By default, on PS5 at least, this feature is activated, but you can deactivate it in the sound settings menu. (You’ll also see options to reduce the motion blur and, if you have a compatible display, to activate the 120 Hz mode.) Like many modern big-budget games, Forspoken allows you to prioritize either a sharper resolution or a higher frame rate at the expense of the other.

Frey Holland charges up a magical spell against a dark blue background in key art for Image: Luminous Productions/Square Enix. Forspoken, Square Enix's particle ...

Anything with a plus sign will give you experience, key if you find yourself getting your ass kicked in the current region. Every time you complete a challenge, you’ll gain a permanent increase to your magic stat, plus increase the power of the associated spell. Upward arrows reward a stat boost — similarly helpful, though you could just get the same bonus from a monument for half the effort. You can tell by the associated symbol on your map. You won’t get anything special for 100%-ing a particular region, either, so unless you’re a true completionist to the bone, it’s not worth ticking off every ticky box. Every cloak and necklace comes with a unique perk; once unlocked, you can then apply that perk to other cloaks or necklaces at crafting stations. When you have active spellcraft challenges, every time you make progress toward one, Forspoken will show you a pop-up detailing your progress toward all three challenges. All of the support spells — from the health-stealing tendril to the disperse mini-turret — are enormously helpful for early-game battles. Frustratingly, you can’t rotate the map in its default view. If you’re hopping on the train early (Forspoken is currently out for PlayStation 5 and PC), here are nine things you should know before starting. But most crucially, about a quarter of the way through the game, you’ll be able to access the spellcraft library, which allows you to select challenges that can improve your abilities. Pilgrim’s refuges are Forspoken’s way stations, small chapels that serve as places you can fast travel to and heal yourself at.

How to Craft in Forspoken, where to find more Crafting Materials and Crafting Benches explained · Crafting in Forspoken is how you can make and obtain boosts, ...

The easiest way to find crafting materials in Forspoken is to fill your inventory while you are out exploring. Simply hover over the item you want to make and the required materials will be listed at the bottom of the screen. Crafting Benches are not marked on any of the maps, so it's more of a case of you exploring a settlement and area to find some. To craft in Forspoken, you need to find a Crafting Bench or make a Camp. If you use Cuff to scan the area, any collectable materials or important crafting items will be highlighted for a short time. These have a purpose, and it's worth collecting them when you find them. Then proceed to craft items as you would do at a Crafting Bench. Select the item you want to make, and if you have enough materials, you can craft it. [Forspoken](https://www.eurogamer.net/games/forspoken) is a perilous task, so anything that you can take to make the journey easier is a good idea. Crafting in Forspoken is how you can make and obtain boosts, potions, and other useful items. You can still be attacked while sitting at a Camp, so be careful where you place it. Not to be confused with Campgrounds, a completely separate thing, Camps are small rest areas that Frey can create while out exploring the wild areas.

The trailer showcased impressive visuals and imaginative gameplay scenarios but it also raised many questions, and the hype leading up to release has remained ...

Based on the incredible media we've seen recently, a lot of extra work has been done there and I'm truly looking forwards to the next Square epic. It has its positive aspects for sure but some of the technical choices are truly baffling and that makes me sad. The point is that unlike a lot of bloated open world games, Forspoken can be mainlined pretty quickly but there's still plenty to do if you want to spend more time in Athia. Forspoken is like the polar opposite: early Final Fantasy 16 trailers were visually dated but it's continued to improve Comparatively, the Project Athia trailer looked fantastic but over time, the visual quality took a hit leading up to release and it's now a mixed bag. If you turn up the difficulty and engage with the side content, you can get a good 30-40 hours out of the game, dropping to around 16 to complete it just by focusing on the story. Then there's the forced dialogue sequences with Cuff - these fill the player in on details regarding the world and their relationship, which is great, but there's an issue - they often lock you in place as the dialogue plays out. Combined with the odd colour choices and the world feels weirdly flat as a result. Developed by Luminous Productions - including many of the same people that worked on Final Fantasy 15 - Forspoken is only the second game in 10 years to be powered by Luminous Engine. Now, to be clear, the actual ray traced shadows are of good quality and they are a nice addition to the game, but there are limitations which compromise the visual fidelity. The problem with Forspoken is that it's not good enough in most cases, especially when it comes to indirect lighting. Taking control of lead character Frey, equipped with her initially unwanted companion, Cuff, you'll explore the world of Athia, engaging with its countless characters and creatures as you'll begin to uncover the nature of this world and your connection to it. The demo was called Agni's Philosophy and it was our first taste of the Luminous Engine which would go on to power the gorgeous Final Fantasy 15.

Jumping into Forspoken? Here's a list of useful tips that you should keep in mind as you explore Athia.

It’s not worth staying and fighting unless you need to do so to find a point of interest or complete a Spellcraft Challenge. This can be done every once in a while, so be sure to check the map or surrounding area for marked partha to interact with--they're found in several spots across Athia, not just in the Cipal tavern. The Magic menu will also show you exactly where to find these hidden spells, so all you need to do is make the trip and jump in the fount. They’re often marked on your map along with other points of interest, so all you need to do is select them on the map and Cuff will show you the way. In our experience, they offer plenty of healing items, so, as long as you’re dealing enough damage, you should be able to outlast the waves of enemies on the way to the bosses. Complete the tasks to upgrade the spells. Like many open-world games, Forspoken has a fast travel system that requires you to unlock the locations you want to travel to. Open up the Magic menu and hold the Convert prompt over a spell to get that refund. Before you take control of Frey to venture out into the mythical world of Athia, there are a few details you should know about. Frey and the mysterious Cuff will speak to each other often, whether it be to exchange quips, discuss recent events, or just to fill the silence. Forspoken is a brand-new action RPG from Square Enix and Luminous Productions, and we've got plenty of tips and tricks for how to approach the early hours of your playthrough. You'll assume the role of Frey Holland, a struggling young New Yorker who gets transported to another world at a point when life gets tough for her.

Here's our guide on how to Fast Travel in Forspoken, how to unlock it, and we explain what Pilgrims Refuges are too.

If you head to the close-up map and hover over the icon in the middle of Cipal, you will be prompted to Fast Travel to it. Meanwhile, understanding [fast travel](https://www.eurogamer.net/how-to-fast-travel-in-forspoken-9305) and [clearing Monuments](https://www.eurogamer.net/how-to-clear-monuments-forspoken-9305) will also help you in Fray's journey across Athia. This is why we're going to show you how to Fast Travel in Forspoken, how to unlock it and we explain what Pilgrims Refuges are too. After clicking on it, use the prompted command for fast travel to go to that location. Now that you've found one, you need to activate it if you want to use Fast Travel. There's a lot for you to explore throughout the game, and Fast Travel is by far the easiest way to jump around between the different areas that you've discovered.

Here's everything you need to know about Cloaks, Necklaces, and Nails in Forspoken, including how to upgrade them.

If you want to upgrade a piece of gear that has full upgrade slots, you'll need to remove one of the existing upgrades and add your new one in. Hover over a design and the list of materials you need for it will appear to the left of the screen. To upgrade your gear in Forspoken, you need to visit a Crafting Bench or set up a Camp. Then, you should see the stats for that piece of gear alter in line with the upgrade. A description of the design and what it does will appear on the right. When you are on your 'Gear' screen, select the 'Necklace' option on the right. Open the 'Nails' menu and you will see a screen like this: This is the same menu you use to equip Cloaks. This is important to pay attention to if you want to boost specific parts of Frey's abilities and strength. Necklaces are another item of gear that can be equipped to Frey to boost certain stats and abilities. After this, you'll have unlocked 'Cloaks' which is one of the three types of gear you can collect. Here, we're going to explain what Gear is, how to upgrade all types of it, and where you can find more.

You may have already heard that several outlets haven't had review code for Forspoken, Squeenix's magical parkour isekai game that's out today and that some ...

It's a "make of this what you will" situation, but I'll be honest and say, as I pointed out in my [Callisto Protocol review](https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-callisto-protocol-review), it's never been a good sign before now, and I wouldn't be shocked if it turns out to have performance problems on PC. It's a bit fiddly, and I wonder what the controls will be like with a keyboard, but it started to get fun when I got the hang of the controls and switching on the fly to suit the enemies I was up against. There's more than one reason a game might not have review code in time for launch, and it doesn't mean the game will be bad. Maybe in the full game I'll find cities full of people, and, like, Frey will mention Starbucks and someone will say, "A stag of the sky?" My impression from the demo is that it's aaaaallright and I would like to play more - which, in fairness, is not the impression I'd want to get if I'd pre-ordered the deluxe edition for £90.

This RPG fantasy game is almost great — but a lack of worldbuilding leaves it feeling less than magical.

And due to Forspoken’s lack of interesting NPCs to interact with, there’s very little variety in who you get to talk to besides the ever-chipper Cuff. For players, who will need to shell out almost £60 to buy Forspoken, it’s frustrating: a missed opportunity for a game that could almost be great. This is especially true when pitted against the various resistances of the monsters she fights, which run the gamut from easier to tough as heck. Due to her bond with the aforementioned magical bracelet (nicknamed ‘Cuff’), Frey can do magic, and she starts out with two or three earth-based major spells under her command — these can be upgraded through their skill trees, and players can unlock more attacks as Frey levels up. And that’s before you get to the Locked Labyrinths — ie. And the plot?

The protagonist, Frey, has the entire continent of Athia to explore, with ferocious foes to defeat, tons of spells to collect and upgrade, and plenty of things ...

Once you've unlocked Cuff Search, you should be aware that you can use this ability in the midst of battle to analyze your enemies. To use them for Fast Travel, simply select them in from the map menu and take on their challenge - you can quit from the confirmation menu immediately after teleporting there. There are three places you can spend your Old Coins, which are obtained from the plethora of locked chests that require you to solve sliding panel puzzles to open. Explore this area to find the Curiosity Shop and the Curio Collector inside - he offers some very interesting items in exchange for Old Coins. To find him, you'll need to head to the southern tip of Inner Visoria, which borders Tanta's Demesne and Academy Hills. While the earlier regions tend to be on the easier side of things, there are certain challenges that are best saved for later: For the best quality of life changes, make sure you have Automatic Item Gathering enabled and Item Visibility set to Enhanced Visibility in the Accessibility Settings tab. These are optional, long-term challenges that you can take on three-at-a-time to improve your individual spells. While the UI sort of hints at it, Frey is not limited to her initial set of Frey's Magic for the entire game - in fact, 'Frey's Magic' is only one of four different sets of spells, each of them corresponding to a different element. If you explore the Settings menu, you'll find a great roster of options that will let you personalize your game experience exactly how you want it. If you only want to make the game a little easier, turn on Automatic Support Spell-Switching and Automatically Use Healing Items. Getting to grips with Forspoken can take a while, especially as the game drip-feeds you new abilities gradually.