Forspoken

Forspoken is the definition of a mediocre game. Far better than the previous live service hot garbage Square Enix has been pushing lately, such as Marvel's Avengers, but that's not saying much. $70 is laughably overpriced for a mostly bland and wasteful experience that offers little beyond whatever your definition of a mediocre game is.

The main character, Frey Holland, is poorly written and just really irritating. Her personality is essentially what you'd expect from a real life whiny teenage girl. Whiny, rude, stuck-up, and immature, it's especially repugnant if you know what she's dealing with in her hometown, New York. She literally mocks her companion Cuff for zero reason. But she constantly tries to crack these really unfunny jokes while swearing, during both the cutscenes and gameplay. It's as if the writers couldn't figure out how to make a character funny and likable that isn't Eric Cartman or Deadpool. For a 21 year old, she acts like a 12 year old. She looks like one, too. Some people have said she's why silent protagonists in games are better, I personally have to disagree with that. I prefer protagonists in games that talk, it gives them personality. Making them mute makes them self inserts and bland characters. I would just make Frey actually act like a 21 year old.

It's not the voice actresses fault, it's the horrendous writing. I'm all in for a witty and less serious story, but here, it just doesn't work. Also, the game loves to have it so you activate a cutscene after walking every so thirty feet, and it's especially irritating when they've could've just cut the gameplay and made clumped the cutscenes together for one large cutscene. I mainly play most games for the story, but I don't want a cutscene to be interrupted by gameplay and vice versa.

This is a game that could've been delayed for another year or so. It desperately could use some rework. The combat is fine, gameplay is also pretty solid, but man, the story and writing kills the entire experience. This game is wasted potential. Because the gameplay is sadly the only saving grace here, and I feel most of the development time went into that.

I feel critics were a bit too nice on this game, this game is definitely a 4/10. I wouldn't recommend this to a gamer even if it was only a dollar.

My brother in christ...70 dollars for this piece of sht is unbelievable... I'll try to be brief

Graphics:

• Massive graphic downgrade from the demo, feels like a scam...

• It demands a ridiculous ammount of things and storage to run, at best, like a PS3 game.

• The cities design is just embarrasing. Without spoilers, they introduce a city that is the equivalent of modern Athens, and it looks like a bunch of sticks

Gameplay:

• Repetitive mechanics

• IT LAGS all the fkn time!!!!!! If there are like 10 enemies it will be a lag storm.

• NPC are just dumb and void. They don't say anything, just one or two lines over and over again.

• Massive map... that is empty, has nothing to do. No interest points. Just an annoying empty field.

• Open world doesn't work. It doesn't let you explore, respawns you in the last checkpoint if you go "too far".

Main character and story:

• The most insufferable main character... This is supposed to be a dark story... But whatever deepness they planned goes down the drain with the lame ironic comments of the protagonist, at all times. In the most serious moments, there's always the most unfunny joke to be made, that avoids the player to be immersed in the story. This, along with the annoying bracelet voice, makes it impossible to take the story seriously.

I don't know what everyone is complaining about. The graphics and colours are extremely impressive, highly visual and explosive.

The combat, although different to other games, is immersive, unique, captivating and requires quick thinking. The map traversal is engaging.

The array of skills is also impressive. I'm about 30 hours in and clear every zone I'm in.

The main city is a bit lack lustre but in all honesty, I don't really want to spend much time there beyond what is necessary. The point of the game is to be out and about not confined to a city.

The interaction between the main character and 'cuff' could be improved and is somewhat limited and repetitive.

PS5. 120Hz. Ray tracing enabled.

First off, I just want to make a straight statement to kick off this review: DO NOT JUDGE THIS GAME BASED ON THE DEMO.

Whoever gave the green light to release the demo with all the spells and skills leveled, needs to reevaluate their decision making skills. There is A LOT to this game and it instantly will overburden the casual player.

Now on with the review: -------------------------

I can guarantee you that Forespoken rates higher than a four (4). I have been playing video games for about 31 years and this is nowhere near as low as a four. However, there are some issues, which are mainly in the controls. The most frustrating part is Faye's parkour abilities. It seemed like they were "out of pace" with the rest of the controls. It's quite clunky at first, but once you learn to manage it, it isn't as crippling as it seems. Every game has it's flaws.

For what the game lacks in easy maneuvering, it makes up for with incredible story telling and unique urban science fiction/fantasy. It is definitely new to the RPG spectrum of genres, that's for sure. The story is very impactful and emotional. Faye (the main character just had the sh******* cards dealt to her in life) is a strong character with a very realistic background, which is where the games independence of other RPGs comes into play. The story brings you from a troubled woman's urban New York City street thug lifestyle, and throwing her into a fantasy world, where the two realities couldn't be anymore coincided. It also contributes to Faye's character and makes her stand out not only to the player, but to the NPCs in the story as well. The contrast just made Faye's whole experience awkward and scary, which is also the sense you get as the player.

The scenery could've been done better, but it wasn't bad. The landscape you experience as Faye (with lack of better words) is downright weird, which fits the game in a positive way. The monsters you face up against are altered creatures of the land. I cannot explain this any further without delving into spoilers of the story.

Despite a few setbacks, it is DEFINITELY NOT in a low four rating range. I rated it an eight. This is because there's so many ways to level Faye. It's not just her magic you're strengthening. In order to level her, the game makes you explore the fantasy world that Faye was put into. Leveling could be anything from visiting a monument, reading a book, or collecting magic puddles scattered across the world. This system is very complex, but SquareEnix did a tremendous job implementing it into the game, while still being player-friendly. It might seem like a lot to take in at first sight, but truth be told, it is NOT. Another reason is the unique setting and story of Forespoken. It is truly one of a kind.

The games overall originality, while at the same time playing with new concepts is definitely an icebreaker to a potential series if successful enough. They did a rather good job, especially on the story. I wouldn't mind seeing a sequel.

If I had to explain this games gameplay style in "lamer's terms," I would describe it as The Witcher 3, Final Fantasy, and Alice In Wonderland in a love triangle, which resulted in the birth of Forespoken. Then Forespoken was discovered as a NYC dumpster baby. This sounds insane, but it's actually meant to be positive.

I would recommend players give it a shot. Keep in mind that the games story comes on slow, so the more you progress the more the game will open up.

**I can guarantee that demo costed some people to wane interest from the game.

8/10.

Forspoken shines as a fun and frenetic action-adventure, tailouring its fast load times to fit its superb magical parkour (arguably my favourite traversal mechanics I've experienced in any game as of now). 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.