Forspoken Reveals Magic Combat

Square Enix and Luminous Productions released the second of their “Deep Dive” gameplay videos for action RPG Forspoken. The five-minute video focuses on the game’s combat system, which sees Frey using a wide variety of magic spells to defeat her foes. The game’s magic sees Frey using magical energy, which can transition into physical manifestations such as fire or rocks before dissipating back into energy and fading away.

There are multiple types of magic, each of which has its own set of attack, support, and movement spells. Frey begins with access to each magic type’s base spells, but can upgrade her magical arsenal using mana. Earth-based Purple Magic is one she uncovers early in the game. Its basic spell is Shot and can be charged up into more powerful attacks such as Burst Shot, which fires explosive rocks; Shield Shot, which generates a defensive barrier that explodes when released; and Scatter Shot, which fires a stream of rocks finished with a final high-impact projectile. Support skills from Purple Magic include Prime, which sets explosive traps; Screen, which creates a force field; and Tendril, which heals Frey based on how much damage it does from striking enemies.

Aiding Frey in combat is the sidekick on her arm, Cuff. Cuff will sometimes take hits for Frey, which reduces the damage she takes while opening up a counter-attack opportunity. Cuff will also let Frey scan the nearby area for points of interest and threats, as well as provide intelligence on enemy strengths and weaknesses.

Another type of magic is fire-based Red Magic. It includes strong defensive spells, but also grants Frey powerful melee attacks. Its basic attack, Slice, gives Frey a magical blade with additional charged attack options. Other types of magic Frey will gain access to include Blue and Green Magic. As Frey casts magic, she will charge up her Surge Magic, which lets her cast a special powerful spell that can wipe out multiple enemies at once. Frey can also unleash a Killer Blow on enemies that have been stunned on the ground.

Forspoken sees New York City resident Frey Holland transported to the world of Athia, where she learns she has mystical abilities. Athia previously flourished under the reign of its matriarchs, called Tantas, before it became afflicted by the Break, which has driven the Tantas to madness. Forspoken is set to release for PC and PlayStation 5 on January 24, 2023.