Forspoken is a fantasy fish-out-of-water tale that follows protagonist Frey into the world of Athia, where she must use a unique combination of magic and parkour to help save the land from an event called The Break. Although Square Enix has previously delayed the title - and Forspoken will no longer have a 2022 release as originally planned - the game is set to release early next year, and looks to be worth the wait. Screen Rant attended a special hands-on preview for the game which covered a handful of in-game missions.
The demo playthrough for Forspoken took place mid-game, so not all plot elements are entirely clear at this time. However, some things are known for certain: Frey has been transported to the fantasy open-world of Athia, which has been marred by an event called The Break that has corrupted its inhabitants and spread evil across the land. A found piece of paper found in the demo called "Tales of the Tantas" discusses how the "spires of stone" across Athia could one day help save it, hinting that they may play a part in the story. Tantas are a type of religious leader, with a character named Tanta Prav who seems to be an antagonist.
While the dialogue between Frey and her cuff in a recent Forspoken trailer received some criticism, the interactions between Frey and the cuff in-game manage to fit in with the world and its story much more naturally. Although it's not 100% explained, the sentient cuff appears to be a source for Frey's powers and is part of the reason she was brought to Athia from New York. Casual, sarcastic banter between the two is a frequent occurrence, with the pair exchanging running commentary as well as the cuff occasionally offering helpful hints.
One of the most standout parts of Forspoken is its parkour traversal system, which allows Frey to quickly and seamlessly navigate throughout Athia so long as she has the stamina. Parkour lets Frey travel at fast speeds and automatically mount over smaller obstacles with ease, and this smooth, speedy transport sets Forspoken apart from other open-world titles. It's incredibly useful in combat and well, and players can parkour and cast attacks at the same time to create fun synergy. These abilities also grow over time - one of the demo's tasks involved visiting the Rosewood Fount, where players are able to upgrade their parkour ability and acquire a special jump that allows them to more easily scale steep slopes.
Forspoken utilizes two different kinds of magic: attack magic and support magic. Both have a huge amount of different moves to choose from, with support magic offering abilities like rings of fire where Frey has increased attack damage inside and sentient swords that attack enemies, and attack magic with things like flaming spears that explode on impact and rapid-fire projectiles. The intricate magic system of Forspoken has a huge amount of unlocks for players to earn over time with different elemental themed types of magic players can switch between, and players will also learn special moves from winning boss fights.
Outside of achieving the objectives of the main storyline, there seem to be a good amount of ways for players to spend their free time in the open-world of Forspoken. Players can find refuges throughout the world where they can discover more about the Athia's lore, as well as sleep and craft. Crafting can be used for useful items like healing potions or to upgrade Frey's cloaks, which each offer her unique abilities like damage resistance. There are also Spellcraft Challenges, which task players with achievements like striking enemies from behind a certain number of times, rewarding players with increased spell strength for their known magic moves.
The world of Forspoken is visually stunning, with lush nature environments and a slew of different creatures that are a wonderful combination of fantastical and creepy. The three types of enemies encountered in the demo were Breakzombies, human-like corrupted beings that are a shell of their former shelf, Breakbeasts, which are fierce animals, and Tanta's Underlings, which are incredibly powerful enforcers for Tanta Prav. The demo also featured a bonus challenge of defeating a large, mutant alligator-like creature, and mutants may be a recurring element of Athia.
Forspoken is a fast-paced, brilliantly chaotic ride that combines fluid movement mechanics with all the magic players could want out of a game. The way Forspoken weaves its magical parkour with an intriguing fantasy story has created an incredibly unique experience in a world that compels players to explore. Players will have a myriad of different ways they can strategize against enemies through different types of magic and movement and a fun, fantasy mystery to unravel when Forspoken releases early next year.
Forspoken will release on January 24 for PS5 and PC. Screen Rant attended a special hand-on event for the purpose of this preview.