In the ever-shifting landscape of modern gaming, few titles have experienced a journey quite as tumultuous as Forspoken. Developed by Luminous Productions and published by Square Enix, the game arrived in early 2023 carrying the heavy burden of being a flagship PlayStation 5 exclusive. What followed was a launch defined by viral “cringe” clips, technical stumbles, and a critical reception that threatened to bury the IP before it could even find its footing.
However, distance and a series of substantial updates have revealed a different story. Looking back from 2025, Forspoken has transitioned from a punchline into a solid, mechanically rewarding action RPG that stands as one of the most unique traversal-focused experiences of its generation.
A Rocky Arrival
At launch, Forspoken was plagued by an identity crisis. The gaming public fixated on the dialogue between protagonist Frey Holland and her sentient bracelet, Cuff, labeling it as over-scripted “Marvel-style” banter. Technically, the game struggled too; despite being a current-gen showcase, it suffered from uneven lighting, murky textures in the capital city of Cipal, and performance dips that left players cold.
The narrative also faced scrutiny for its slow start. Players were forced through hours of restrictive tutorials in New York and Cipal before being allowed to experience the game’s greatest strength: the open world. This friction, combined with a $70 price tag, led to a “mixed” Metacritic score and a narrative of failure that dominated the headlines.
Patch 1.20 and Beyond
Square Enix and Luminous Productions didn’t abandon the title. Instead, they released a series of transformative updates—most notably Patch 1.20—that addressed the community’s loudest complaints. These updates introduced:
- Banter Customization: A slider allowed players to significantly reduce the frequency of Frey and Cuff’s dialogue, letting the atmosphere of Athia breathe.
- Technical Polishing: Lighting systems were overhauled, and the “fading” visual quality was stabilized, making the world look like the next-gen title it was always meant to be.
- Gameplay Fluidity: New movement mechanics, like mid-air jumps and “Cuff Crush” attacks, were added to make the already-stellar magic parkour even more seamless.
- Pacing Adjustments: The early-game transitions and “stilted” cutscenes were trimmed, allowing new players to reach the fun parts of the game much faster.
The true turning point for many critics was the story DLC, In Tanta We Trust. Serving as a prequel, it transports Frey back in time to the Purge of the Rheddig, 25 years before the main game. This expansion is frequently cited as the best content in the Forspoken ecosystem.
By narrowing the scope to a more linear, focused environment, the developers fixed the “bloat” issues of the base game’s open world. The chemistry between Frey and a younger Tanta Cinta provided the emotional depth the main story sometimes lacked. Furthermore, the DLC introduced cooperative combat mechanics where Frey and Cinta could perform devastating tandem spells, adding a layer of tactical complexity that made the magic system truly shine.
The Verdict Today
Today, Forspoken is best appreciated as a “mechanics-first” masterpiece. The elemental magic system—which allows you to swap between four distinct styles of combat on the fly—is deeper and more rewarding than almost any other mage-focused game on the market. Whether you are surfing across water with fire-based traversal or sniping enemies from a cliffside with earth magic, the sense of momentum is unparalleled.
While it may never fully shed the reputation of its launch, Forspoken has aged into a cult classic. For those who skipped it in 2023, it is now a polished, exhilarating adventure that rewards those willing to look past the memes and master the art of magical parkour.
