It appears that the first half of 2023 will be filled with big open-world games. Gamers can expect Hogwarts Legacy, which will take players to Hogwarts castle where they can learn magic and unravel mysteries, and they can also look forward to Bethesda's Starfield, which features an epic space adventure. As if this wasn't enough, gamers will also be getting Forspoken, a game filled with high-speed magical parkour, terrifying monsters, and a cute cat named Homer.
Forspoken stars Frey Holland, a New Yorker who is suddenly transported to the magical realm of Athia. All is not well in Athia, and Frey discovers that terrifying sorceresses called Tantas stand as obstacles on her path back home. Luminous Productions has revealed a bit about these villains, but there are still plenty of burning questions surrounding the Tantas.
The Tantas of Forspoken
After Frey is transported to Athia, she discovers that she can wield magic powers, and while this may be a jarring experience for her, she fortunately has Cuff the talking bangle to help her. Athia is a land that was once at peace but has since become corrupted by the Break, which is a mysterious force that turns everything it touches into a twisted version of itself. Additionally, Athia is being terrorized by the Tantas, who are powerful matriarchs that once benevolently ruled the land but have become cruel and destructive. The Tantas view Frey as an enemy, and she will have to defeat them if she wishes to return home.
As Luminous Productions has revealed, a lot of effort has gone into the striking designs of the Tantas. Each of the Tantas embodies a different virtue, and the colors associated with each of the Tantas have been carefully chosen to reflect the ways the virtues of the Tantas have become corrupted. The Tantas will serve as Forspoken's main villains, and Luminous Productions has revealed a bit about what players will be up against. Tanta Sila is the most powerful Tanta, and she is the Tanta of justice. She wears blue, and she once brought peace to Athia by administering justice fairly, but after becoming corrupt, her sense of justice has become twisted, and she has turned into a mad executioner.
There is also Tanta Prav, who is played by The Walking Dead’s Pollyanna McIntosh. Tanta Prav is the Tanta of strength, and in the past she used her strength for good, fighting on the frontlines to protect Athia from outside threats. However, she has since become corrupt, using her strength in merciless and malevolent ways. She wears silky red robes that billow and flow during combat, and watching her in action is both hypnotizing and exciting.
Plenty of Mysteries Still Surround the Tantas
Gamers have gotten a good glimpse of Tanta Prav and Tanta Sila, but there are still several Tantas that have yet to be revealed. It remains to be seen what virtues the rest of the Tantas are based on, and how these virtues are corrupted. It is also not yet clear what relationship the Tantas have to the Break, and why they are so intent on defeating Frey. Although Luminous Productions has stated that Frey will have to defeat the Tantas to find her way home, it is possible that despite being villains, the Tantas will be somewhat sympathetic, especially since they once epitomized appreciable virtues.
Gamers were originally supposed to play Forspoken in 2022, but after some delays, the game has been pushed to early 2023. While it does mean that gamers will have to wait a tad longer, it also gives developers time to polish Forspoken, and ensure that Athia serves as the perfect setting for a great adventure. With an experienced team handling the game's production, Forspoken has the potential to be a phenomenal game, provided it gets its open-world right and nails its intriguing Tantas.
Forspoken is scheduled to release on 24 January 2023 on PC and PS5.