Square Enix is known for plenty of successful RPG franchises, yet it's always looking to expand. In 2022, its subsidiary Luminous Productions will release Forspoken, an open-world action-RPG that could be the start of another franchise. In Forspoken, a young woman named Frey Holland is magically spirited away from Earth to an alternate dimension filled with dragons, monsters, and a league of magical matriarchs called the Tantas. Although she's unfamiliar to this world, it's up to Frey to overthrow the tyrannical Tantas with the help of her newfound magical powers.
So far, Frey's magic has been a crucial part of Forspoken's marketing. Every Forspoken trailer emphasizes the potent, flashy spells that Frey can weave. Whether she's summoning vines out of the ground to grapple with her foes or causing water to explode into huge shards of ice, Frey is always a force to be reckoned with. Notably, there's no sign of Frey wielding martial weapons in Forspoken; it's all about her magic. While this means Forspoken lacks a common action-RPG combat, it also means Luminous Productions is at liberty to create one of the most elaborate and satisfying Square Enix magic systems to date.
Frey Chooses Sorcery Over Swords
Fantasy action-RPGs almost always define themselves by a blend of martial and magical combat. Whether it be classical fantasy in The Witcher or the imposing Dark Souls franchise, most games allow players to use both weapons and spells, or to specialize in one of those departments. Forspoken, on the other hand, has no sign of swords, bows, or other weapons. In that way Forspoken arguably loses something, since many players like having the option of swinging a sword rather than managing resources to weave spells.
However, Forspoken seems to gain more in exchange for forfeiting melee combat. Because Frey is entirely reliant on magic, Luminous can put resources into perfecting her spells, rather than balancing the development of both martial and magical fighting styles. Forspoken is bound to make a much longer and more elaborate list of magical techniques than most action-RPGs have room for. Players may not have the option to pick up a physical axe, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Forspoken offer players a range of spells that imitate close-range fighting styles, as some gameplay footage shows Frey briefly conjuring a sword of arcane force, for example. If there are more spells like this, the lack of martial weapons isn't much of a loss after all.
Forspoken's Magical Identity
Forspoken's spells will undoubtedly go far beyond replicating melee weapons. There's clear signs that Forspoken rewards players for mixing different elemental magic, resulting in devastating combos that can clear out enemies. The emphasis on magic also inspires different approaches to customization and equipment in Forspoken. For instance, the pattern of paint on Frey's nails will apparently give her bonuses. Forspoken is also full of traversal spells that promise to make its open world snappy and exciting to navigate.
Physical weapons are great options in most action-RPGs, but by omitting them Luminous Productions has given itself a ton of space to build its own iconic magic system. Forspoken's brand is now inherently connected to its dramatic sorcery. Ultimately, Forspoken has a distinct identity from other recent action-RPGs, in large part because it focuses so heavily on the potential of magic. Square Enix has a long history of delivering compelling RPGs, and Forspoken aims to hold up that reputation, so hopefully spell slinging is as satisfying as it looks.
Forspoken releases for PC and PS5 on May 24, 2022.
