Forspoken Reviews
Forspoken fails to impress in several ways. Almost every good aspect of the game has a negative flip side. Though Forspoken isn't a bad game, the problems it does have hold it back from being great. All in all, Forspoken is just okay.
I’ll come back here and rate the game once I’ve finished the last chapter. However, I’m not convinced that it’s going to become any more magical and entertaining than it is now. It’s a shame, because the game starts from a good place: A new fantasy IP with a take-no-prisoners female protagonist. And I can tell that a lot of the people who worked on the game were sincerely trying. But I can also tell that several others very much were not.
Forspoken is visually stimulating and a musical delight, but boring combat, poor characterization, and loose movement mechanics make for a mediocre experience.
"Barring a few rare setpieces, Forspoken seems to prefer to tell rather than show"
There's a lot I can't get over with Square Enix, but the fact that they made such a big investment in a new brand was a big deal for me. If only Forspoken could have taken the opportunity given by Square Enix much better. At least we still have Final Fantasy XVI on the horizon, right?
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Once hailed as a symbol of Sony's external partnerships, Forspoken has buckled under the weight of expectations, transforming from an unintended herald of technique to a rather standard exclusive. Frey's adventure is unlikely to be remembered for its emotional impact, above-average performance, or game design, as Luminous Production's title is as conventional and predictable as can be. Based mainly on its well-crafted combat system, the game features an uneven progression, set in an exciting and rich world but terribly monotonous in its variety. A pleasant game to play, but terribly harmless, and given the many upcoming productions in 2023, it's unlikely to be remembered at the year's end.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Forspoken is an average RPG that fails to stand out in a crowded genre and the sort of game you’ve probably seen before – from its stereotypical fish-out-of-water fantasy story to its giant open-world map full of optional repetitive tasks.
Forspoken is both ambitious, yet incredibly flawed. It pairs hammy dialogue and some poor pacing with a world I want to explore. Forspoken is a game tied between two worlds - losing out by never quite understanding either.
Foespoken is a game that, at its core, tries to be a fast-paced action adventure in a magical and fantasy world. On the surface, it succeeds at this task, but at the same time, it insists on giving a fragmented experience of its gameplay. The game is very unpolished in terms of characterization and storytelling, and along with basic technical problems such as crude dialogues or unrealistic world-building, it becomes an experience that is more like an out-of-tune instrument.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Forspoken feels like an unfinished game with a lot of untapped potential. It looked like an indie game that came out that way due to budget constraints when it could have been so much better.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Deep underneath, there's plenty of interesting lore and directions a potential sequel could go if Square Enix were to make one. However, for the 12-14 hours I played, making my way through the core missions and a handful of additional content, the combat kept me engaged amidst moments of the story, making me want to nod off.
It’s a good game to play, just not a great game and that’s a shame.
It is apparent that Forspoken has potential. There are highs and lows but it seems like the latter is more obvious. Unfortunately, despite the fact that a demo was released in December to solicit feedback from players, the game has not improved. Despite the ample amount of delay, the game has failed to deliver the quality that we expect from a large publisher like Square Enix. Yes, it is playable, but if you can ignore the flaws and focus solely on the unique blend of story and great traverse mechanic, it will make your time in Athia worthwhile.
Forspoken delivers one of the emptiest and shallowest worlds in recent open world games. The game suffers from ample Level design issues, disappointing story and repetitive missions and objectives. That being said, traversing the map is fun, loading time is incredible and diversity of Spells is impressive. at the end of the game, Forspoken is a mediocre game that could entertain you for some hours.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Into the Frey.
All these fragments of Forspoken collide in messy ways that reveal the lack of depth or even synergy across the whole thing. Forspoken is, if anything, a compelling enough first draft at something that I think can be greater. Maybe next time around the puzzle pieces will actually fit and I'll be able to see the game it could've been. But as it stands right now, a more explicit direction could've prevented the thorough roasting everyone seems keen to deliver.
Serviceable action combat can't salvage a disappointing narrative and tedious open world.
World exploration in Forspoken can bring you some real joy, and same could be said about the combat system. And yet the writing, weird visual presentation, and overall direction can really bring the whole experience down.
Review in Russian |
Forspoken should and could have been a better game than it actually is. Its strengths lie in its core gameplay, which is fast, fluid, and great fun at its best. However, unnecessary open world clutter hampers exploration, and the combat system only begins to hit its stride hours into the adventure. If you can push through a poorly paced story, packed with desperately dull characters, then you might find enjoyment in Frey's fantastical abilities, which undoubtedly steal the show both in and out of battle. It's not quite the disaster that the memes would have you believe, but it's certainly not the PS5 showpiece that was once promised, either.
Forspoken was once one of the big reveals for the PS5 in 2020, but aside from using the SSD for open world magical parkour and the ultra quick fast travel, it is difficult to really see how it takes advantage of the latest console generation. The world of Athia looks good, and the combat full of flashy magic, but there's no major side quests to divert from repetitive activities and a predictable main story.