Initially announced in June of 2020 as Project Athia, Square Enix recently revealed this game’s true name, Forspoken. We currently have two trailers and some articles to work from in regards to what the game will actually be. However, we are still in the dark on many key details.
However, we still have our reasons to be excited, ten of which are listed below. Square Enix’s place as the king of triple A JRPGs was in question about five or ten years ago, but recent successes with games like Final Fantasy 7 Remake have renewed fans’ faith in the company.
10 2022 Release Date
As of now, Forspoken is slated for a 2022 release date. While we’d be happy to see it come out this year, it at least means JRPG fans already have something to look forward to next year. Given the instability of release dates, there is always the possibility of this slipping into 2023. If it does indeed stick to 2022, then Square can already look forward to a successful year. We wonder if 2022 will also see more Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy.
9 Ella Balinska
Square Enix is bringing in some star power for Forspoken. While not a household name, Ella Balinska is starring in the protagonist’s role for the upcoming project. Her biggest project so far has been starring in 2019’s Charlie’s Angels alongside Kristen Stewart, Elizabeth Banks, and Patrick Stewart.
The film does not have the warmest reviews, but it is a fun action comedy romp. At just 24 years old, the heights of Ella Balinska’s career are surely ahead of her, and maybe Forspoken will jettison her profile.
8 The Movement
The most recent trailer announces the new title as well as giving players a few words from star Ella Balinska. The end of the trailer shows a brief glimpse at gameplay. Specifically shown off is the fast movement. We see the main character zip and zoom across the terrain with ease. JRPGs usually do not make movement a priority, so seeing her jump and move around has us excited for gameplay possibilities.
7 Luminous Engine
Judging from the two trailers, the graphics are going to be incredible. Forspoken is running on the Luminous Engine, the same engine powering Final Fantasy 15. While the fifteenth numbered game polarized fans with gameplay and story, no one can deny the intensely beautiful graphical fidelity. With more time to work on the engine, there is no doubt Forspoken will also be one of the best-looking games on the PS5.
6 It Is A New Square IP
Square Enix has numerous franchises under its belt, including Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, and Dragon Quest. Newer IPs like Bravely Default and Octopath Traveler are great, but they are smaller projects. Forspoken is a new IP with triple-A production values, and this has us excited. We wonder if the company plans to make a new franchise out of this or if Forspoken is a one and done. If development goes on long enough, maybe they’ll just turn it into a mainline Final Fantasy.
5 It Is The Developers Of Final Fantasy 15
Luminous Productions is handling Forspoken. The development studio was founded in 2018 by developers who worked on Final Fantasy 15. Founder Hajime Tabata left the company in 2018 when it was also announced that future Final Fantasy 15 DLCs would be canceled. After some silence, it was announced the developer was working on this title. We hope the developer learned important lessons from Final Fantasy 15 and release Forspoken as a more complete package not reliant on DLCs and extended media.
4 People Like Square Enix Again
If Forspoken was announced ten years ago, many would be extremely skeptical of its quality. While games like Final Fantasy 13-2 and Lightning Returns are fine, they do not live up to the quality of Final Fantasy 10 or the first Kingdom Hearts.
As previously mentioned, games like Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Kingdom Hearts 3 along with smaller titles like Octopath Traveler have put the company back into gamers’ good graces. Let us not forget Final Fantasy 14’s success, either. With this good faith, people are ready for whatever the company has next.
3 Gary Whitta Is Writing
Gary Whitta is writing Forspoken. The writer’s career already spans more than a decade in both Hollywood and gaming. However, his name became more recognizable when he started hosting a talk show within Animal Crossing: New Horizons. His works in film include The Book of Eli and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story while his gaming credits have notable games like The Walking Dead and Halo 5. This gives us faith the story will be intriguing at the very least.
2 PS5 And PC Exclusive
Forspoken is currently slated for release only on PS5 and PC. Sony fans might be happy to have an exclusive Xbox players will not have, especially after Microsoft’s big win with the Bethesda partnership. However, more exciting is the prospect of leaving the prior generation behind. Seeing what the team can do while focusing purely on the cutting-edge technology without having to worry about working on the PS4 is an exciting enough prospect on its own.
1 Fish Out Of Water Story
While plot details regarding Forspoken are sparse, the plot appears to be about a woman from a modern world somehow ending up in a dark fantasy setting. Judging by her attire and shoes, she did not even have time to change before having to start running away from dragons. This is an exciting spin on the classic fantasy settings JRPGs so often explore. The character also drops a clear F-bomb in the trailer, so it is safe to assume the game is shooting for an M rating.
