Chapter 4 of Forspoken is where the game really starts to spread its wings, with the wide-open world of Athia really starting to open up to the game's players. Between the lands surrounding Cipal and the new region Praenost, there's a ridiculous amount of side content to distract players from the main storyline, which itself packs in plenty of action.
Though Chapter 4 can be completed in under an hour if players remain entirely focused on their task, most will require about ninety minutes to reach their final destination. On the other hand, those who wish to complete every last bit of side content that becomes available to them in Chapter 4 of Forspoken should set aside three or four hours.
An Oath of Vengeance
When Chapter 4 of Forspoken begins, players will have another chance to explore Cipal. There are a bunch of new Events and Diversions available at this point for those who are inclined to explore. A word of warning, however, that anyone who does decide to complete everything that's on offer here will need a good hour before they're ready to leave the city. That's not including the time needed to complete the three additional Diversions that become available when Frey finally approaches the city gate either.
In terms of the main story, leaving Frey's temporary home at the beginning of the chapter will lead to a short conversation with Auden, after which, the two women will learn that Robian has wandered off and Frey will decide to help find him. Whenever they're ready, players should follow the quest marker to the Harkiska Grove area of the city, where they'll find Robian attempting to chop down the city's last Ballow tree.
Eventually, Auden will turn up and help Frey and the guard restraining Robian to talk the old man down. There'll be a short cutscene, with players prompted to head to the city's Archives shortly after it ends. The Archives are in the upper city and where players will first be introduced to Johedy: a grumpy archivist who just so happens to have served as a blacksmith for Tanta Sila before Sila was blighted by the break.
Johedy suggests that Frey takes a moment to read some of the books and scrolls that are scattered around the Archives to find out more about the Tantas, which is exactly what players should do next. There are four or five things to examine in total, so players will just need to keep poking around until they've found them all. They'll also get a chance to set some Spellcraft Challenges by interacting with the bookcase with the turquoise-colored gemstone at the top of it at the far end of the archives.
After learning more about the Tantas, a new Detour involving Robian becomes available. It's a fairly slow-paced one, forcing players to search for an item that he dropped earlier on in various parts of the city. Those who have ten minutes or so to spare can begin the Detour by heading over to Auden's home. Players who just want to get on with things though should head straight for the city gate, where they'll be greeted by another short cutscene involving some kids. Three new Detours will also unlock at this time to tempt players back into the relative safety of the city.
The Path to Praenost
Upon leaving the Cipal, the player's map will be updated to include a few new locations in Praenost. This includes Fort Praenost, the first quest marker for which is a little over 1km from the Frey's current location. Heading straight toward the quest marker will lead players straight past a bunch of points of interest, including several photo spots and a few Refuges. Players are free to interact with as much or as little as they see fit, though it's worth heading into the Refuges at the very least just to unlock them as fast-travel locations.
Assuming they're following the quest marker, players will be guided to a small settlement called Thane, where they'll need to defeat a large pack of Canis Dirus in order to gain access to a locked chest containing the Phool Sa necklace. They can then pass through the nearby mountains and a group of Varanus, which will lead them to an area overlooking Praenost. After snapping a picture at the nearby photo spot and heading inside the Guardian's Way Refuge, players can then resume their journey to the fort, with the next quest marker around 2km away.
This leg of the journey will once again take players past plenty of side content, including a few more abandoned settlements, some monuments, and another Locked Labyrinth. Once they've had their fill of adventure and are ready to get on with things, players should once again head toward the quest marker. This will lead them to an area named the Depths of Corruption, where they'll need to step out toward the strange blue substance in order to head down into the blighted land down below.
The Depths of Corruption
Although the enemies found down in the Depths of Corruption arguably hit a little harder and the scenery is a lot more foreboding, the area itself is not all that different from the ones players have already visited. There are once again plenty of side activities to keep players busy, though to reach them, players will first need to head through the stone gate of Fort Pranenost, which triggers a cutscene involving the Dragon that Fray encountered in Chapter 2.
After leaving the fort via the opposite entrance, players will be instructed to head for the ramparts of Praenost Castle, which is about 600 or so meters away. Once there, players will need to open the wooden doors, through which they'll find two Recreant Knights. Though this may seem like a slightly intimidating prospect at first, players should remember that they're likely a lot stronger than they were during the fight with the lone Recreant Knight at the end of Chapter 3, which ends up making this a relatively one-sided affair.
Providing players keep moving and target the knights' wings whenever they take flight, both can be dealt with pretty quickly. Using Surge Magic can speed up the process even more, particularly if players are able to line things up so that a single cast hits both enemies. With the two knights defeated, players can head through the nearby wooden doors, which will trigger yet another cutscene.
The Breakstorm
When players regain control, they'll find themselves in the middle of a Breakstorm. These special events can sometimes occur while down in the Depths of Corruption and will continuously drain Frey's health if she gets caught in the middle of one. Players will also get attacked by Nightmares, an incredibly powerful type of enemy that can really pack quite a punch. They do grant a fairly decent amount of XP, but it's arguably not worth engaging with them due to the risk of getting overwhelmed.
With all this in mind, players should use flow to get to the quest marker as quickly as possible, ignoring any Nightmares they may pass. For those who found the Mulberry Fount before heading into the ramparts, the Shimmy technique can be incredibly useful here, though players will be fine without it as long as they keep moving toward their goal.
Eventually, players will come to a point where they need to climb a steep cliff face, at the top of which they'll find a cave in which they can shelter. Once there, Frey and Cuff will discuss their current situation and Chapter 4 will come to an end. As usual, players will get a chance to save the game, after which, Might and Main, which is the name of the fifth chapter of Forspoken, will officially begin.
Forspoken is available now on PS5 and PC.