Forspoken: Release date, gameplay… Everything you need to know about the stunning PS5 and PC, exclusive from the creators of Final Fantasy XV

Which video game studio developed the title?

When setting the groundwork for the next console — ie PS5 -, Sony and PlayStation have made an appointment for a small presentation. We are in June 2020, in the middle of E3 period, and, for Square Enix, it’s time to take the plunge and unlock new IPs (new intellectual property, i.e. new franchise) made by… Luminous Productions, one of its subsidiaries and not just any ! Ask yourself two seconds, this name must mean something to you. In a way, it’s tied to one of the great technical slaps in video games: Agni’s Philosophy, a technical demo that launched over ten years ago. But beyond that, Luminous Productions is also and most importantly a topsy-turvy Final Fantasy XV project. ! More than six years after the release of the fifteenth chapter of the FF saga, the studio is determined to show its progress and charm us, bewitching us with this new adventure. It is no coincidence that the adventures of Frey Holland bear such a name: the Athia project has progressed well, make way for Forspoken!

In what medium to explore the world of Athia?

We know that between PlayStation and Square Enix, it’s a rolling business! However, creating a new license is not an easy job, and it is always better if you can count on strong support in the industry. Unlike some of the publisher’s games, Forspoken will not be available on all platforms : a trend that’s becoming more pronounced, on the Japanese company side, as PlayStation players will have the advantage of finding the next episode of Final Fantasy before anyone else! As you can already understand, Forspoken is a console exclusive reserved for the latest Sony machines.. Seduced by the ability of PS5the developers want to make the title even more magical by tapping into its strengths — there will be two display modes : Quality and Performance — and it’s the features, especially those associated with DualSense, that make the experience unmatched. However, there is good news for gamers computer. Indeed, the latter will also be able to find the game in Square Enix’s open world on January 24th.. What hurt the most was Xbox players because this exclusivity, even though it was set as “temporary”, was extended! Two years is a waiting time that has haunted Microsoft’s console players since then titles will not arrive before January 2025 on this support.

For the heroine, Frey Holland, nothing foreshadowed that her favorite New York streets would lead to the vast land of Athia. Just as he shouldn’t expect to land a world with a strong medieval fantasy accent in the grip of internal conflict who pitted the people against their former kind-hearted matriarch, Tantas. To make matters worse in this tense climate, the universe of Athia, divided into four kingdoms, is plagued by a strange phenomenon, which is called the Mist, and by exploring it the heroine will learn more and maybe even find a way to get home. So, and contrary to his city life where Frey walked or took any form of public transportation, it is parkour that will mark its comings and goings in Athia’s open world universe. before giving him a more spectacular and magical dimension by doping with magic, the developers have studied this discipline for a long time in real life and rejected it eight different techniques. Thanks to this, Frey will be able to increase his speed tenfold, pick up impulses, reach places inaccessible at first glance, glide through water, fly from disproportionate heights… and even land softly! In short, great freedom of movementdespite some limitations that may seem frustrating, which would be a perfect match for the magical talent Frey discovered early on in the adventure.

What is the magical talent of the heroine, Frey Holland?

To be sure, young Frey Holland was capable of moving with speed and flexibility, but that wasn’t all! Apart from being open world, unspoken it is also a new representative of the game action-RPG and it promises us, quite literally, bewitching fights. By placing her hand on a magical bracelet named Krav, the young woman awakens her inner magical powers. Like parkour, magic comes in all kinds of colors (blue, green, red), themselves endowed with three distinct aspects: attack, defense, and support. Each type of magic is also important for advancing in the exploration of Athia as each of the four kingdoms is tied to one of them. Four colors, four types but a large number of techniques since we counted no less than a hundred spells to collectone way or another (story, exploration, missions), and to experiment to fully expand the gameplay possibilities and make devastating combinations besides the elemental weakness system: it’s up to you allow Frey to release the elementsthanks to his magic, to fight against the threat looming over Athia!

What to do in the Kingdom of Athia?

Between countless parkour techniques and a huge list of spells to recover from, there will be plenty to do! However, experience unspoken it doesn’t stop there because the developers have thought, in addition to the main plot, to include lots of content that will encourage you to explore each biome Here and there. Athia’s fantasy world is not only filled with dangerous creatures, they exist tons of activities to do ! Even though he was primarily looking for a way to return home, Frey would make use of his presence in his country to make that happen what a challengemake interesting detour and even cute meeting. Contrary to what one might think, Athia’s world, though abused by the Mist, is not empty: it is even punctuated. monument to activate to unleash his imprisoned magic, from a good source to improve Frey’s abilities, magic and battle challenges, old coins to exchange and many other things. Grown up now, ‘Frankly gain in volume thanks to unexpected verticality: sealed labyrinth, tough excursions that will repay you at the peak of their predicament. However, it is best to do so enjoy the world of Athia and its “relax” activities such as playing Partha in the tavern (which grants temporary stat bonuses) and photography sessions.

Is the first return as magical as the game?

In the JV column, we have the opportunity to share with you our impressions through preview articles. On the main line, unspoken announced fun to exploreespecially as it offers a hybrid formula between parkour and magic that leaves a lot of room for player experimentation. As for the fights, we also smile because the whole thing is engrossing the clashes are as impressive as they are exhilarating so long as we address the minor concern for legibility in the latter. Besides weight, unspoken also beautiful thanks to the performance of the Luminous Engine it offers vivid visual effects and graphics that are more than pleasing to the eye. Generally, the title looks promising even if we have to wait to discover all aspects before deciding definitively. However, if all of this has intrigued you, know that a demo is available and it will allow you to form your first opinion ahead of the title’s release, within a few days. Note that there are no microtransactions in this program, except additional paid contentand a prequel, titled “In Tanta We Trust”, will arrive within a few weeks of the game’s release.