Forspoken is officially out today and if you haven’t seen many reviews, that’s because Square Enix didn’t send many out to publications in order to prevent mass negativity surrounding the game. Forspoken has been in the news since its initial announcement back in 2020. At first, the game was positively received by fans thanks to its impressive visuals and what was then, a breathtaking open-world. However, as time went by, Forspoken has turned into a downgraded mess of cliche writing and bland visuals.
The few select media outlets that received codes were able to publish reviews yesterday after a two-week embargo. Sadly, the Forspoken reviews don’t seem great. There are an odd 9/10 here and there but the majority of review scores are sitting at under 5/10.
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Many reviews complain about the game’s poor writing and empty open-world. Most of them say that Forspoken has an impressive traversal and combat system. Apart from that, there’s really nothing else to enjoy.
At the time of writing, Forspoken is sitting on 69% on OpenCritic and 68% on Meteoritic. We have compiled a handful of reviews for you to check out if you’re on the fence about the game. I don’t know if Square Enix will send out launch-day review codes so you’ll unlikely see a review on the site.
Gaming Nexus – 9/10
Forspoken is absolutely fantastic. With all the spells you can unlock, the gear you can upgrade, the fights, the bosses, and a storyline that rivals the best video game stories, this isn’t a return to form for SquareEnix, it’s a testament that they still got it, and will have it for a very, very long time. Read the full review.
RPG Fan – 80
Forspoken is a far better and more compelling game than I had feared, but it also doesn’t reach the heights I dreamt of. There is a lot of fun to be had exploring Athia and the main quest keeps things interesting even when you get bored with the open-world checklist. But at the same time I can’t help but be disappointed with how safe Forspoken plays the open world, and I am unlikely to go back to clear out all of those rote points of interest. And I also can’t deny there are some eyebrow-raising moments as to how the writers chose to portray a black woman like Frey, despite personally liking her quite a bit when viewed through the lens of having finished the game. There is a lot of diversity in the cast too, in a way we don’t usually get from big-budget RPGs. I am not sure how many steps forward versus how many steps back Forspoken takes, but there are steps taken forward. In the end, I recommend Forspoken to anyone who loves Final Fantasy XV or Ubisoft-style open worlds and especially anyone who has a thing for character mobility. Yet, the game has a certain charm that I believe makes it worth giving a try to anyone. – Read the full review.
TheGamer – 70
Despite its flaws, I enjoyed my time with Forspoken. While the narrative is janky at times, the premise is compelling and the world of Athia is exceedingly well-built. The movement is where the game shines, making exploration a joy instead of a chore. The postgame is also surprisingly competent when it comes to dealing with the implications of the main story’s twists and turns, a rarity for open-world games. I didn’t know what to expect when I started playing Forspoken but I came out feeling satisfied. Read the full review.
LevelUp – 65
To say that Forspoken is a disappointment may seem harsh, but it’s also not something that’s far from the truth. It’s not that Luminous Productions made a bad game, they just put out one that isn’t particularly good either. It will be a run-of-the-mill release that will earn some fans for its strengths, but will fail to transcend. Read the full review.
GameSpot 5/10
Forspoken is visually stimulating and a musical delight, but boring combat, poor characterization, and loose movement mechanics make for a mediocre experience. Read the full review.
Hardcore Gamer – 40
Where Forspoken should’ve been a striking and appealing fresh start for Luminous Productions, the end result sadly is a game not only bland and unpolished, but deprived of a reason to care for its unfolding mystery. A bevvy of technical inconsistencies, lackluster open world design and most disappointing of all, a handful of systems with genuine enjoyment at times that don’t see their potential fully realized. Read the full review.