Forspoken launches in spring 2022; new trailer at PlayStation showcase

Forspoken villain.jpg

Forspoken, the brand new IP by Luminous Productions (and formerly of Final Fantasy XV fame) is set to launch in spring of 2022. Formerly known as Project Athia, this new title debuting only on PlayStation 5 will see your protagonist, a young woman from our modern world named Frey, be isekai'd off to a dangerous fantasy land replete with dragons and demonic entities arguably as terrifying as anything you'd find at a New York City back alley.



From Square Enix themselves, here is the lowdown for Forspoken:

Frey is a directionless, gritty yet street smart young woman who has persevered despite her rough upbringing in New York City. And her life hasn’t really gotten any easier now that she’s about to turn 21. Things take a turn for the unexpected when she’s magically transported to Athia, a land where fantasies and nightmares are suddenly very real.

Playing as Frey, you’ll need to harness newly discovered magical abilities to battle the terrifying monsters that inhabit the land. To have a chance of returning home, she’ll also have to contend with the Tantas — destructive and twisted all-powerful matriarchs who have dominion over Athia.

As previously announced, Frey is performed by Ella Balinska, so I hope you enjoyed a longer look at her performance in the trailer. I’m excited to reveal more characters from Forspoken and some of the fantastic actors behind them too:

Jonathan Cake plays Frey’s companion “Cuff.” Cuff is a magical, sentient bracelet of uncertain origin who helps Frey navigate through the sprawling landscapes of Athia.

Janina Gavankar plays Tanta Sila, the strongest and most formidable Tanta in Athia. While she once protected Athia with her unparalleled prowess in battle, Tanta Sila is now a dictatorial despot who is mad with power.

Keala Settle plays Johedy, the hard-nosed archivist who provides Frey with guidance during her journey in Athia.

Monica Barbaro plays Auden, a kind and open-minded young woman who prioritizes the needs of others before her own. She is quick to accept Frey in Athia and sees more in her than Frey does in herself.

You may also be wondering about the music in the trailer—pretty amazing, right? I’m happy to announce that the track was composed by the legendary Bear McCreary, who you may know from God of War (2018) and The Walking Dead.

We’re so excited that Bear has joined the Forspoken team as he can bring the immersive world and all of its twisted beauty come to life by fusing contemporary electronic beats with a fantasy tone. But why stop at one legendary composer when you can work with two? In addition to Bear, the renowned Garry Schyman (BioShock) is also composing musical tracks for the game. So go ahead and set those expectations high — you’re going to be wowed.

Finally, I’m excited to announce some of the talented writers behind this game. They include Gary Whitta (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), Amy Hennig (Uncharted series), Allison Rymer, and Todd Stashwick. Together, they’ve worked to craft a beautiful story of Frey’s journey of self-discovery that I have no doubt you will enjoy.
 
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Linnaete

Linnaete

I'm really intrigued by this.
People focus on the isekai format, but I find that many popular fictional works in a loose sense follow this format, and I think this looks genuinely interesting as opposed to cringey. Too early to say for sure though.

I love that Frey's cat is called Homer, obviously. According to an official tweet, she is a she though. I wonder if there is any significance in the name. There was a parody epic poem circulating in antiquity called the Batrachomyomachia (The Battle of Frogs and Mice) which was attributed by some to Homer, and by others to various other poets. Sort of fitting to imagine that, while Frey was transported to Athia, Homer the Cat was transported through time to ancient Greece and composed a pseudo-Homer poem about the slaughter of tiny animals! Highly doubtful, of course, but this is the sort of source material a cat would enjoy.

'Cuff' is like Iron Man's Jarvis with an extreme dose of sass and I love it. I suspect there will be quite a bit of banter between Cuff and Frey, a bit like Mimir and Kratos in God of War, and so many other characters in action games these days.

Bear McCreary is a great choice for the soundtrack. The God of War (2018) soundtrack was very good, and this style fits the tone of Athia seen so far.
 
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