Chapter 3 of Forspoken is where the game really starts to come into its own. After a slow start, players are eventually thrust into a wide-open world and given the freedom to explore it as they see fit. They'll also gain access to the game's crafting and upgrade systems during this chapter, allowing them to improve some of Frey's fancy new gear.
Those who take the shortest route to their goal should be able to complete the chapter in a little over one hour. However, as the critical path takes Forspoken players within a stone's throw of numerous pieces of side content, most will likely end up spending around ninety minutes on it; more, if they really go out of their way in search of adventure.
Jailbreak
Sadly, much like the previous chapter, the first half of Chapter 3 starts out incredibly slowly, with players needing to escape from jail. To do so, they should first examine the window above the bed and then take a look at the cell door. Just as it's starting to look as though Frey is going to have to use her magic to break free, Auden, the woman who stood up for Frey at her trial, will come to the door and agree to rescue her, which begins a long and arduous follow section.
Players will need to follow Auden from the top of the Tower of Binnoi to her home in the Cipal lower city, which will take about ten minutes in total. Though it is possible to get caught by the guards, players shouldn't really need to worry about this providing they stay close to Auden and stick to the shadows as advised. Eventually, they'll find themselves in Auden's home, where they'll need to examine the painting on the wall and the journal on the desk in order to progress the story.
Exploring Cipal
After agreeing to help Auden find her father's journals discussing the break, players should rest in the nearby bed. When Frey wakes up, she'll change into her fancy new outfit and players will be given a chance to explore the city. There are a few people with question marks above their heads who players can interact with for some easy XP, and players can also roll the Partha in the tavern beneath Auden's home for a temporary stat boost.
At this point, however, the only thing that's really worth doing is seeking out the cat to the north of the main quest marker. It's marked on the map with an icon that looks a little like the letter i and can be easily tracked by placing a marker. Following this cat will lead players to a Poppet: a special item that can be traded for special items a little later on in the game. It also counts as one of the game's many Detours, which effectively serve as Forspoken's side quests.
Once they're done exploring the city, players should make their way to the quest marker, which can be found in the most southerly part of the city. Unfortunately, the city gate is closed, but a familiar face shows up and agrees to help Frey in exchange for an apple. Players should follow Olevia to Finder's Keepers, where they'll then get a chance to play around with the game's crafting and upgrade systems. After they've done so, they can head to the nearby scaffolding and use it to leave Cipal.
Outside Cipal
After leaving the city, players should follow the path east. As they do so, they'll encounter a bunch of Breakzombies: humans that have been corrupted by the break. They're pretty easy to defeat, which bodes well, as there are an awful lot of them roaming the lands outside Cipal. Eventually, players will come to a location known as the Mulberry Fount, which looks a little like a hot spring. If players jump in, Frey will learn the Leap spell, which can then be used to climb over the nearby wall.
This is where things really start to open up, with players given a fair amount of freedom as to what they do next. After stopping at the Barren Plains Refuge to unlock a fast-travel location, they'll want to take a look at the map and use it to plan a route to their goal. Assuming they head straight toward the Xenos Guild, they'll pass by several mutants, a few points of interest, a Monument to Love, and Locked Labyrinth. If they explore more thoroughly though, there's plenty more to be found.
Forspoken's map is fairly typical for an action-adventure game, with more points of interest being added as players venture deeper into the unknown. With this in mind, players should check their map periodically to make sure that they don't miss anything.
As they near the Xenos Guild, players should be sure to enter the Eastern Cipal Refuge to rest up and unlock it as a fast-travel location, as this will allow them to return later on and mop up any side content that they didn't engage with on their first pass. They should then be ready to head inside the guild, where they'll need to make their way up the stairs to the top floor. As they do so, they should be sure to examine any books and chests that they happen to come across (Cuff Scans can help with this).
Once at the top, a cutscene will play out and players will be introduced to Robian. It turns out that Auden's father has been alive all this time, though to say that he's a little worse for wear would perhaps be a bit of an understatement. After the cutscene ends, players should head back outside, where they'll be confronted by a group of Errant Knights. It quickly becomes clear that these guys aren't messing around, so players should be ready for a fight.
How to Defeat the Errant Knights
Due to their large shields, attacking Errant Knights head-on isn't really an option, at least not until players have unlocked some of the game's most powerful spells. With this in mind, players will instead want to use flow to quickly get behind the enemies and then pelt them with spells until they're defeated. This strategy works well defensively too, as if players keep moving, they shouldn't need to worry too much about getting hit by the knights' ranged attacks.
Return to Cipal
After defeating two waves of Errant Knights, another cutscene will play out. When players next regain control of Frey, they'll find themselves in an area called The Blessed Plains, which is just outside Cipal. Heading into the city will progress the story, so those who aren't done exploring the area surrounding Cipal should turn back now. Even those who are may want to explore the area immediately behind Frey, as there's plenty of Mana dotted around here.
Whenever they're ready, players should head through the city gate, where they'll find Cipal in chaos. Following the marker toward the city square will reveal that Tanta Sila is threatening Auden for having helped Frey escape. As Cuff points out, Frey kind of owes it to her to step in, so players should follow the instructions given to them and sneak up behind Tanta Sila to rescue Auden. This triggers another cutscene and a fight against the Recreant Knight.
How to Defeat the Recreant Knight
To defeat the Recreant Knight, players should hit it with a barrage of spells, being sure to use Support Magic as often as they're able. Its attacks can be pretty brutal, though providing players use flow to dodge, this shouldn't be too much of an issue. After a while, the Recreant Knight will fly up into the air, at which point players will need to target one of its wings. Doing so will ground the enemy, allowing players to finish it off fairly easily with spells.
Once the Recreant Knight has been defeated, there'll be a few more cutscenes, in which the people of Cipal argue over whether Frey was to blame for what happened. They never really get a chance to come to a definitive conclusion though, as before they can, Frey swears to get revenge on Tanta Sila and chapter 3 is brought to an end. Players will get a chance to save here, after which the game's fourth chapter, What Must Be Done, will begin.
Forspoken is available now on PS5 and PC.