11 tips and tricks for playing FORSPOKEN

The world of Athia is a dangerous place. Don’t worry though - we have some tips and tricks to help you flow, flip and fight your way through the world with ease!
By Duncan Heaney
Tags: Forspoken

Take it from Frey Holland - being pulled into an entirely new world of magic and monsters can be disorienting experience.

That’s the challenge she - and you - face in FORSPOKEN, out now for PS5 and PC. Armed with a massive arsenal of magic powers and some pretty nifty parkour moves, you’ll explore a new world that positively overflows with mystery, secrets and, unfortunately, danger.

Don’t worry though - we’re here to help you get acclimatized. We’ve put together some simple tips and tricks for combat and the early game - read this and you’ll have all the knowledge you need to dominate Athia’s many challenges!

Stay on the move and switch things up!

Your parkour and combat magic work together, and the key to victory in battle is to use both.

Don’t just stand around like a statue in combat - use your innate agility to dance around the battlefield, get behind and to the side of enemies and avoid taking hits. Some spells also change up depending on your movement. For example, attacking while dodging with purple magic will launch a powerful shot that’s almost always a critical hit.

While leaping around, try to switch up your spells! The more you chain attack and support magic together, the better your ranking will be at the end of a fight. A better ranking means more EXP and improved loot drops.

So, remember: your foes will often be stronger than you… but you’re faster. Take advantage of this fact to run circles around them… literally!

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Lock onto enemies to keep track of them while dodging…

In combat, it can be helpful to focus your attacks on a single target so use the lock on (R3 on PS5) to center the camera on a particular foe. This means that you can constantly keep track of them, and keep attacks directed at them, even while flipping around the battlefield like a caffeine-fueled gymnast.

It’s particularly useful if there’s a tough enemy in the mix. Certain enemies hit hard, especially early on, so it’s wise to know what they’re up to at all times.

Bear in mind that you can’t activate lock-on while charging a spell, so be sure to do so before you launch an attack.

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…but know when not to use it.

While lock-on is useful, it won’t fit every scenario. Sometimes it’s better to leave it off, so you can keep track of the environment rather than a foe.

For example, the intimidating dragon that welcomes Frey to Athia can launch an unblockable fire attack that’s best avoided by cowering behind a wall. In this fight, it’s helpful to keep the camera free so you can find a place to hide when you see the fire in its belly begin to build.

In general, if you’re battling on challenging terrain - such as small platforms in an underground lake in a locked labyrinth, or the edge of a cliff, locking onto an enemy makes it all too easy to accidently wander into a disadvantageous position.

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Plan your approach to maximize your damage

When it comes to FORSPOKEN’s tougher combat encounters, only fools rush in. If you see a mob of powerful enemies ahead, it’s not wise to just charge in wildly flinging spells around. Frey’s agility means she can often get the drop on her foes and deliver massive damage before they’ve even noticed she’s there.

Use the environment and parkour to plan your approach so you can deliver some hits early in the fight. Where possible, try to approach enemies from behind our above - your attacks will typically be more effective than going in straight-on.

For example, if you need to clear a Fort, getting up onto the ramparts lets you survey the enemy, identify the biggest threats and hit them with some charged up attacks for lots of early damage.

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If you’re struggling to take down an enemy, back off!

The enemies in FORSPOKEN don’t just stand around and take it - they give as good as they get. The corrupted beasts you’ll face are powerful and aggressive and sometimes you may find yourself in over your head.

If you find yourself pumping spell after spell into a foe to little effect or find yourself swigging down healing draught after healing draught just to stay alive, it’s probably time to run away.

Perhaps your current strategy just isn’t working, or you need to level up a few times to buff up. Either way, it’s good to find some space to regroup - there’s no dishonor in retreat!

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Founts give you some of the coolest abilities

The world of Athia is full of things to do and find, from stat-boosting monuments to timed challenges, underground dungeons and more. The game gives you the freedom to do what you like when you like, but we’d urge you to prioritize taking a dip in a Fount ofBlessing when you find one.

These glowing pools imbue Frey with new powers - and many parkour upgrades are obtained this way. For example, a dip in an early Fount can unlock Shimmy, which lets Frey chain jumps to leap around the world at superfast speeds - all without burning stamina. Super useful, and super-fun!

Some of the coolest and useful upgrades can be found in Founts, so check the map, scan with Belfries, or look for glowing spots in the scenery. It’s always worth it.

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Remember to collect your loot when you’ve finished a battle

Many enemies drop valuable resources when defeated, so make sure you remember to collect it when the battle is done.

Because Frey’s so mobile, and combat’s so intense, it can be all-too easy to forget to claim your hard-won prize once the battle is won. So, when you take down that last enemy, use Cuff’s Scan ability (tap up on the d-pad on PS5) to highlight all that lovely loot and pick it up.

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Explore the town near Junoon Castle before resting in Chapter 2

When Frey is unceremoniously deposited in Athia, she finds herself in the Junoon region. It’s not long before she has unlocked some awesome powers and is parkouring her way towards the nearest landmark: the town around Junoon Castle.

The main quest marker will send you into the refuge, but before you head in, take some time to explore the town. There are quite a few chests and useful resources to be pocketed. Check on top of buildings and in the many nooks and crannies - Cuff’s scan ability is very useful for locating goodies.

Once you enter the refuge, you’ll set off an intense story sequence that will drive you away from the town, so unless you want to come back later, pick up what you need first.

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Explore every path in a Locked Labyrinth

One of my personal favorite activities in FORSPOKEN are the Locked Labyrinths - underground dungeons full of secrets to find and monsters to battle.

As you explore these dank and dangerous ruins, you’ll often have a choice of which path to take. The best rewards are often off the beaten path, so if you find yourself reaching the boss before exploring all available routes, go back and check them out before you leave.

You’ll typically find some awesome stuff - think massive clusters of mana, healing items, rare resources for crafting and upgrades and more.

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Spellcraft challenges can be turned in immediately

Early on in the adventure, you’ll unlock Spellcraft challenges. You can assign up to three at a time, and they task you with completing specific tasks with spells. For example, one may ask you to hit enemies from behind a certain number of times, while another may require you to take down a number of specific foes.

Completing these challenges lets you upgrade your spells, making them more effective and raising your power.

To activate these challenges, you must interact with a book at a refuge, in Cipal or in certain locations around the world. However, what you may not realize is that you can turn them in at any time. There’s no need to wait for a refuge to level up a power - the moment you complete a challenge, go to your Spells menu and upgrade the related ability. The sooner you do, the sooner you’ll see the benefits!

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Upgrade Zip ASAP

You gain the Zip ability some way into FORSPOKEN, and it’s a game-changer… literally!

This awesome ability lets Frey create a magical tether to pull herself towards ledges or enemies, fling herself into the air, swing on poles and more. It really opens up your traversal options - and more importantly, it’s really fun!

While you’re free to take on whatever Spellcraft challenges you like - the game’s all about giving you options after all - I urge you to take on the Zip Spellcraft challenge as soon as you can. When complete, it removes the stamina cost of using the ability completely, allowing you to fling yourself around the world with wild abandon.


FORSPOKEN is out now for PS5 and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store and the Microsoft Store:

We hope those tips are helpful as you get started. Really though, the best way to overcome Athia’s many dangers is through play and experimentation! It’s a game that encourages you to toy around with the many spells, explore the world at your own pace and develop your own strategies for success.

To share your own tips, or stay up to date with news about the game, be sure to follow FORSPOKEN on social media:

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