Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust Critic Reviews

Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust presents a cool spin on an already amazing combat system. This DLC is small in scope, but as a result is well worth the time investment. The story is nothing new, but with much sharper writing it holds a lot of promise for the teased sequel.

While Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust may be too little, too late for some, it showcases the developers’ potential as they grow in skill and familiarity with the world they created.

I think In Tanta We Trust’s biggest weakness is how short it is. Still, despite being only three hours or so in length, the DLC is a solid standalone adventure. It also ends by hinting at a future adventure for Frey and Cuff, which may or may not happen now due to Forspoken’s lackluster sales. It’s a shame, given how this DLC, in particular, highlights Forspoken’s inherent potential. While the DLC’s price isn’t high for its length, you still need to purchase Forspoken to play it. So, whether or not you want to double-dip into Forspoken with this add-on depends entirely on your enjoyment of the base game. Fans of Frey’s first adventure may find an excellent reason to return to Athia here, as In Tanta We Trust is a compelling prequel side-story to Forspoken.

Forspoken’s story DLC feels like an earnest attempt at addressing criticisms the game got when it was first released.

Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust is a fun return to Athia that allows us to experiment with new types of magic and interesting cooperative combat. However, it's very short, and its story could be a better addition to its extended mythology.

In Tanta We Trust is conceptually a bit odd. While it can be played as a stand alone game, it wouldn’t make sense to do so. On the other hand, players who have beaten Forspoken may not appreciate the pared down mechanics and small scope. There is a way to access the new content from the main game’s campaign, which probably makes the most sense, making it feel almost like a robust side mission. In any case, In Tanta We Trust is neither significantly better or worse than Forspoken, but very much of a piece with it.

Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust is essentially more Forspoken, for better or for worse. Its reduced scope helps in several ways, but the story feels too rushed to fit within the DLC's short length. Still, if you enjoyed the base game, the changes made here will keep the game fun and challenging for you.

Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust is a narratively enticing piece of DLC whose tiny explorable area and lackluster magic system might scare away those looking for a follow-up with a little more oomph. It’s also worth noting that the very end of the DLC sequel baits hard. And, while I’m not sure that Frey’s second journey will ever come to fruition (I’m very aware of everything that’s been going on), In Tanta We Trust, despite its flaws, did help me to look forward to that Forspoken follow-up… if and when it happens.

Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust is a strange and half-successful experiment. Stripped of the crafting and all the secondary activities that characterized the vast world of Athia, the DLC focuses everything on the narrative, revealing an apparently essential background in order to continue exploring Frey's adventure. Without detracting from the quality of the plot, which in its final stages manages to reserve even unsettling twists, the downloadable content basically acts as a glue between Forspoken and its possible sequel, which at this point could really be part of the plans for the future of Square Enix. If we greatly appreciated the changes made to the combat system and the great focus placed on the cooperation between the two protagonists, we declare ourselves dissatisfied with the overall longevity of the DLC, in our opinion not exactly suitable for the entrance ticket (€ 12.50). With good reason, the purchase of In Tanta We Trust is recommended only for those few who loved the main game and would like to continue digging into the ever-rich mythology of Athia.

In Tanta We Trust is a DLC better than the game it's based on, but that's more because it strips the Forspoken experience of its open world busywork than anything else. An expansion that focuses more on combat, the single open area is a condensed version of what the base title offers, turning it into a more tightly packed undertaking that gets you in amongst the action much faster. It's more Forspoken, but a better version of it.

Forspoken: In Tanta We Trust is a lacking experience that doesn’t provide enough substance on a gameplay, character, or story level to justify its existence. At most, I found some enjoyment in the new combat ideas and the dialogue between Frey and Cinta, yet their executions only reach a surface level. After the credits and accompanying conclusion, which also contains blatant sequel bait that will likely never be fulfilled, I wasn’t left feeling any more invested in the land of Athia than I previously was.