In a year filled with big releases,Forspokenis a title many gamers are looking forward to. It features Frey, a New Yorker who, as an orphan, has experienced her fair share of hardships. She lives with a furry white cat, and she has learned to use humor and sarcasm as a coping mechanism. However, everything changes when she is yanked out of New York and thrown into the magical world of Athia.Forspokenchronicles Frey’s journey as she attempts to find her way back home while trying to survive in Athia, a realm ruled by powerful matriarchs called the Tantas.
AlthoughForspokenhas its own unique identitythat fuses fantasy and modern elements, trailers and screenshots have caused some gamers to compare it toFinal Fantasy 15. This is not a bad thing, though.Final Fantasy 15has many positive qualities, andForspokenhas the opportunity to improve in the areas whereFinal Fantasy 15went wrong.
RELATED:Forspoken: Frey’s Reaction to Dragons Should Be Fun to See
The Connection Between Forspoken and Final Fantasy 15
It is not unexpected that there are similarities betweenForspokenandFinal Fantasy 15since many people who worked onFinal Fantasy 15are part ofForspoken’s development team. Luminous Productions was formed in 2018 by developers who were working onFinal Fantasy 15, a game that went through a protracted development period. As the name might suggest, the studio exists to develop games using Square Enix’s in-house Luminous Engine.
This should not cause gamers to believe thatForspokenwill be a carbon copy ofFinal Fantasy 15, however. There are plenty of new names that have come aboard to lend their creative talents to the game. Notable writers include Amy Hennig of theUnchartedseries and Gary Whitta, who was a co-writer on the filmAfter Earth. Big-name composers are also on the team, including Garry Schyman of theBioShockseries and Bear McCreary, who produced music for 2018’sGod of War.
How Forspoken Can Improve on Final Fantasy 15
Final Fantasy 15is remembered for its heartwarming representation of friendship between Noctis and his buddies Gladiolus, Ignis, and Prompto. However, it is also criticized for many reasons, especially its open-world. AlthoughFinal Fantasy 15’s open worldis expansive and beautiful, huge swaths of it are empty, making it feel dead and boring. Furthermore, exploration is not rewarded much, which leaves much of the open-world wasted.
Final Fantasy 15was released in 2016, and gaming has advanced a lot since then. Plenty of games have improved on open worlds and demonstrated just how detailed and immersive they can get. This is seen in games such asRed Dead Redemption 2, which includes a startling amount of realism,Horizon Forbidden West’s sublimely beautiful environments, andDeath Stranding’s remarkably vast landscapes.
Forspokenhas the opportunity to learn fromFinal Fantasy 15’s mistakes regarding open world design while borrowing innovations made by modern open world games.Trailers have revealed that Athia is huge, and Frey will need magic to traverse its vast distances. Luminous Productions should ensure that this world is populated with enough activities to make it feel alive and dynamic. The developers can also make Athia feel alive through the inclusion of realistic weather patterns, foliage, wild animals, and interactive NPCs.
With a team of great writers and developers behind it,Forspokenwill likely, much likeFinal Fantasy 15, be a visual marvel with a memorable story. However,Forspokenis in the position to go right whereFinal Fantasy 15went wrong, and deliver an open-world that feels alive and fun to explore. Should Luminous Productions get this right,Forspokencould be one of the best releasesof 2022.
Forspokenis scheduled to release on June 19, 2025, on PC and PS5.
MORE:Final Fantasy 16 and Forspoken May Be Unintentional Rivals
