The Biggest Thing Fans Would Change About Forspoken
"Forspoken" released to mostly disappointing reviews from critics. While the parkour-inspired movement and magical combat have been highlighted as positive elements, reviewers have panned the game in general. These reviews haven't stopped gamers from picking it up and giving it a shot but many of these players are also finding the experience lacking. This has sparked debate online about what's wrong with "Forspoken" and what needs to be changed.
Like any online discussion, opinions are mixed and the game does have its defenders. Still, several negative elements tend to stand out to players. The general consensus is that "Fospoken falls short in several key areas that detract from the fun and keep the game from being anything other than average.
Like the critics, gamers mostly look beyond combat and movement and find problems elsewhere, from its setting to its narrative pacing. Here are the big things fans would like to see changed in "Forspoken."
An open but empty world
Open world games certainly are fun and popular, but a game can be too open. Many players are finding that in "Forspoken" the world simply feels empty. While there are lots of places to explore in Athia and moving across the landscape can be fun, some argue that there just isn't much to see along the way.
As far back as 2021, some gamers were commenting that the world as presented in previews looked boring with an uninspired color palette. It seems that these previews were accurate, and players wish that there was more to see and characters to talk to over the course of their journey.
"Forspoken" does have its defenders who note that it's hardly the first game to lack many NPCs to interact with and that there is a narrative reason for the world largely being empty. On the other hand, some argue that justifying the empty world doesn't make it any more interesting to explore. For the most part, fans would like to see Athia made more vibrant and wondrous.
Cringey dialogue
The world of Athia may not have many characters to talk to but, when the talking does start, things don't get much better. The writing of the game with both the story in general and dialogue in particular are receiving harsh criticism from players.
This conversation has been going on since the summer before the release of "Forspoken." A trailer in August had everyone saying that the dialogue was cringe-inducing and just plain bad. The launch of the game only cemented these feelings with critics taking issue with the game's writing and commenters on Twitter agreeing.
Once again, "Forespoken" has fans that excuse the dialogue, but most aren't so forgiving. For some, it's not just that the dialogue is cringey, it's that it's "lazy." They argue that the game lacks originality and feels generic.
Perhaps some of the dialogue would come across as charming instead of cringey if it was more original but, for whatever reason, Frey isn't winning over any fans with her quips as she battles monsters.
Poor lighting
Even when everyone's quiet, there are still problems with "Forspoken." Some fans are noting that, apart from being empty, the world doesn't look right. Once again, discussion began before release with fans commenting on trailers and the demo. Some felt that the lighting in the game was off in some way and were left wondering just what was causing it.
It seems that, as more games are beginning to use newer technology for lighting effects, "Forspoken" uses older tech. Some twitter users have noted the use of more limited technology and how it holds back the game but this doesn't fully explain the problem. It's also been noted that, in some ways, "Forspoken" looks worse than older games that use the same lighting technology. This leaves fans wondering why this game can't match the graphical quality of titles that came out several years ago.
Just why the development team couldn't nail the lighting seems to be an ongoing mystery, but, regardless of the cause, it's another thing fans wish could be changed.
Uneven pacing
Finally, fans are finding that, even when one focuses on the fun of the gameplay, pacing issues hold "Forspoken" back from greatness. Critics found that the game doesn't take as long to beat as was initially advertised, and a large part of the game feels like an extended tutorial. This leads to the game feeling like it's just getting going until it's almost over, making for a less exciting playthrough.
On Reddit, fans agree that the game is shorter than expected but, simultaneously, many are reporting that they're many hours in without having hit major milestones in the story. This supports the idea that the game can feel both too short and too long due to all the big moments being stacked up at the end.
All together, "Forspoken" appears to be a decent but still flawed game with more than a few things that could be changed for the better. Those that can look past these shortcomings may find a fun, if short, experience. Everyone else will likely be giving this one a pass.