It’s no secret that some of the dialogue choices inForspoken, especially in relation to protagonist Frey Holland, can come off as overwritten and trying too hard to sound cool. However, this exact type of characterization through dialogue might have better served thereception ofForspokenif the game had launched closer to the original Luminous Engine tech demoAgni’s Philosophythat influenced the final product.
The reception to this dialogue itself is a great showing for the ways that tastes have changed and the evolution of media in the mainstream from the early 2010s to now. Additionally, it should be noted that the “try-hard” dialogue fromForspokenbeing passed around online isn’t entirely indicative of the overall quality, nor is it the best or worst thing about how Frey Holland and Cuff speak.
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Frey’s “Whedon-esque” Dialogue
As seen through the trending Twitter topicssinceForspokenlaunched, the key criticism that has been thrown around is a comparison to the quippy, referential dialogue made popular by writers and directors like Joss Whedon. Though Whedon himself is a controversial figure now, his comical tone has been received positively in some of his Marvel films like 2012’sAvengers, with criticisms also being leveled at his style in more recent years. So, even with the comparisons, there may have been a time when Frey Holland’s dialogue might have not only been more acceptable with mainstream audiences, but seen as fresh and fun.
Unfortunately forForspoken, the current year of 2023 is a long way beyond the early 2010s when characters popping jokes in the middle of combat was a refreshing change from more classic action media. This has been the natural evolution of the cheesy 1980s post-kill one-liners from movies likeDie HardorCommando. However, as is the case with the evolution of writing directing and the presentation of media, being stuck with what is now an antiquated style has leftForspoken’s dialogueopen to heavy criticism.
Not All of Forspoken’s Dialogue is Made the Same
AsForspokenis still a fresh sight to new players, it can be easy for onlookers who haven’t given the game a try yet to see the handful of bad dialogue trending online and write the whole thing off. That being said, not all the dialogue is as bad as these few out of context moments would make the whole experience seem. Theinteractions between Frey and Cuffwhen simply wandering around the open field actually act as a set of strong examples for some more natural sounding dialogue.
On top of the interactions between Frey and Cuff, almost every conversation that the protagonist has with other characters is about as natural as it can be after the well of fish-out-of-water jokes runs dry. This does mean that theopening ofForspokenis front loaded with a lot of the more cringe dialogue, as Frey spends the first few hours alone or clashing with the antiquated citizens of Athia. So, while there are plenty of uncomfortably delivered and written lines for Twitter to laugh at, the characters quickly become more grounded as the experience continues.
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Frey Holland’s Worst Dialogue Clutch
One aspect of the dialogue that does stick out fromForspokenfrom start to finish, however, is Frey’s consistent use of foul language. The character is specifically fond of dropping F-bombs with increasing frequency the more dangerous the encounters get. That isn’t to say that adult language is completely unwelcome for thisFinal Fantasy-adjacent title. Instead, it is the use of this cursing as a crutch to just be an “easy joke” that weakens the overall presentation as a whole.
From a writing perspective, there’s nothing wrong with have acharacter like Frey Hollandwho curses and drops the occasional F-bomb in order to add some impact and personality to her voice. However, each time this type of language is used, it weakens the impact of each one. So, having Frey react to a giant dragon clawing at her with six expletives in a row means that whenever she needs to explode with emotion and let out a hot curse to emphasize her pain, or anger, or joy, the effect is weaker because it might as well be any other word.
Forspokenis available now for PC and PS5.
