Forspoken is set for release in 2022 and it's arguably one of the most anticipated games coming to the PlayStation 5. The fantasy world being built looks stellar and it appears to be accompanied by some vibrant and kinetic mechanics. There's a lot to get excited about from this Square Enix release.
Some of the most intriguing aspects of the game include the team behind the potential hit, alongside the visuals that audiences have seen thus far, as well as the narrative which is being developed. It's plausible that fans have still only seen a mere hint of what else is to come from Forspoken and its land of monsters and magic.
An Emerging Studio
Although Square Enix might be one of the big names behind the project, the game is being developed by Luminous Productions, an emerging studio that was first launched in 2018. It already has one game to its name, with contributions to the largely successful Final Fantasy XV.
It's always exciting to see what a new studio can offer the video game world. The team is surely talented but their style has yet to truly be defined. Right now, the industry needs new heavy hitters capable of developing AAA titles and so does Sony if it's to continue to compete in the console war. Perhaps Luminous Productions can prove to be a solution.
The Luminous Engine
While the production house is certainly new, the engine being used is also one that has been developed by the studio. The Luminous Engine was designed throughout the creation of Final Fantasy XIII-2, with the notion that it would compliment next-gen systems incredibly well.
What's been seen of the engine thus far is definitely promising, but its limitations and capabilities have yet to be fully revealed. Every time newer technology is brought into the market, the opportunities for storytelling are drastically expanded. Perhaps Forspoken will be a bit of a hidden gem in a year full of PS5 releases because of the Luminous Engine.
Athia
The game was previously called Project Athia in its development, thanks to the vast and expansive world that was being developed using this state-of-the-art technology. Athia is the mythical land that the lead character finds herself in and it looks to be gorgeously designed.
Although it's pretty thin on the ground in terms of details to discover, that's sure to be changed as the launch date gets closer. An impressive structure that gives security to its people, sits in the center of Athia as a beacon of hope against outside threats. Exploring the fantasy land should be a lot of fun for audiences.
A Simple Premise
The backstory to the game definitely teases an interesting premise. With the lead character living the life of a regular New Yorker, she's sucked into a portal to Athia, a mythical land of fantastical proportions. She gets trapped there, with her mission finding the protagonist searching for a way back home.
It's such a simple idea but an effective one, as the lands outside of the secure castle getting overrun by monsters and magical demons. It's a story that the audience can easily understand though and sets up a perfect point of view character to go on the journey with.
The Visuals
The visuals for the game have been a little mixed thus far, but when the game is operating at its strongest the cinematics seen so far are simply breathtaking. Most of the highly anticipated PS5 games releasing in 2022 are boasting gorgeous graphics and Forspoken appears to be no different.
It's the depth of the environment that appears to be the most appealing to players, as at times the picture looks to be photorealistic. The stylized elements associated with the fantastical features are also imaginatively designed, with a strong range of lighting and color choices throughout.
Magic And Monsters
The selling points of Forspoken are those elements of magic and monsters that the trailers have teased so elegantly. Being able to battle against all manner of beasts, using an array of uniquely constructed powers, is definitely going to be fun to explore further.
The gameplay looks to be incredibly elegant, as the player launches themselves across the map, taking down monstrous creatures with magic that appears to be elementally inspired through a complex progression system. Hopefully, these factors are intertwined with every aspect of the game as they are the standout aspects currently.
Narrative Driven
The focus of the game is a story-based single-player campaign, which players from Reddit are predicting will be hugely narratively driven. It doesn't appear that there will be too many side quests but the majority of the action will take place across this linear path.
Of course, some open-world games will ensure that there are choices to be made, or additions like the Nemesis System personalize the experience for the player. For the most part, Forspoken is likely to be on rails story-wise, which means that fans will have a really satisfying character arc delivered to them.
Movement Systems
One of the other major factors associated with this game is the parkour-esque running and movement system that has been employed within gameplay. It appears that players can travel across the map at intense speeds, thanks to the magically enhanced travel options of the character.
Gliding, flying, floating, and jumping are all a part of this system and early footage has indicated that the game is hitting some genuine velocity with how quickly the audience can navigate this world. It's a unique option that should be satisfying to play with, alongside the DualSense controller.
Original Concept
The concept for Forspoken is entirely original, which is so refreshing in a world of sequels, spin-offs, and adaptations. A lot of the major titles launching in 2022 are based upon pre-existing material, like Marvel Comics, or the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, alongside PS4 follow-ups.
There seems to be a renewed focus on AAA titles bringing a new intellectual property to the market and Forspoken could inspire a brand new era of Athia based titles for fans to enjoy, if the original release is as successful as it has the potential to be.
PS5 Enhanced
The benefit of titles being released in the next year is that most of them have been designed with the PS5 in mind. For the most part, plenty of titles before 2022 have been optimized for PS4 and then upgraded for next-gen consoles after the initial release.
From the engine that's being used to some of the other design choices that the developers are making, everything is organized to play to the strengths of the console, both visually and in terms of the gameplay mechanics. That's definitely going to be noticeable in the final product.