Square Enix has quite a few projects to juggle in 2022, butForspokenmanages to stand out from the crowd. It may be an RPG, like many of Square Enix’s games, but it has a wholly unique identity thanks to its use of magic.Forspokenfans can look forward to a combat system that’s all about using Frey Holland’s spells creatively, weaving basic damage spells and Frey’s mobility together with potent buffs and explosive techniques that reshape the battlefield. Not only does the system look mechanically satisfying, but Luminous Productions has clearly worked hard to makeForspoken’s magic visually breathtaking too.
When using Frey’s magic, players will find themselves using natural elements like water and fire, as well as simply pelting enemies with pure arcane force. The result is thatForspoken’s combat is a whirlwind of colors. The magic particle effects that Luminous Productions has created are impressively detailed, and lend a great sense of immersion to combat, but there’s also a serious risk of clutter.Forspokenmagic deserves to be beautiful, but it needs to be practical too, or else players won’t be able to keep track of their enemies. The worth ofForspoken’s combat may be measured by how much particle effects get in the way.
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The Impact of Forspoken’s Visuals
Luminous' attention to detail when crafting the visuals ofForspokenis a great thing. Not only doesthe landscape ofForspokenlook impressive, but Luminous is clearly eager to push the PS5’s rendering capabilities to its limit while designing Frey’s magic. The combination of highly realistic natural elements and curious strands and shards of magical energy add up to highly layered visuals for Frey’s magic.Forspoken’s combat looks like it’ll be very visually rewarding to master, since players will essentially find themselves painting the battlefield by filling the screen with abilities. The sense of power that these visuals create will likely be pretty immersive too.
The potential density of particle effects could be an issue, however. If players find themselves fighting in narrow areas or close quarters, then the screen is bound to be a little too full of abilities. Huge groups of highly detailed spell effects could essentially blindForspokenplayers, especially since many effects seem to linger well after the spell is cast. It would be awfully frustrating to losesome ofForspoken’s biggest fightsdue to low visibility caused by Frey’s own powers. Luminous Productions needs to verify that Frey’s skills aren’t so detailed that they end up being a distraction.
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Balancing Forspoken’s Visual Design
Ideally,the final version ofForspokenwill have particle effects that make magic both beautiful and practical. Since magic is the core of the game’s concept, its presentation is everything. If magic inForspokendoesn’t have a good reputation due to cluttered visuals, then the rest of the game will really have to fight to make up for it. Instead of risking that, Luminous Productions would be wise to keep magic’s visuals in check so thatForspokenplayers can appreciate the game’s details without losing the ability to engage with the big picture effectively.
It certainly isn’t a bad thing that Frey’s magic powers are so flashy.Forspoken’s locations seem to prefer natural, muted colors overall, so Frey’s magic should serve as a nice contrast to the world around her. Still, there needs to be a sense of balance in order for magic to pay off. A variety of recentForspokentrailers have shown the game’s visuals off in great detail, and they seem to lean towards elaborate detail, but there’s stillplenty of time forForspokento simplify, since Luminous has decided to take a few more months to finish the game. Fans will just have to wait and see howForspokendiffers from the trailers once it’s finished.
Forspokenreleases June 22, 2025 for PC and PS5.
