PEGI (the pan-European age rating committee) has reviewed the game from Luminous Productions and Square Enix, and we have more information thanks to them.

The PEGI rating has been set to 18, so only adults can buy the game, which could slip to 2023 depending on when Final Fantasy XVI is released (we previously reported on this rumour in more detail). Why this rating? “This game has received a PEGI 18, which restricts availability to adults only and is not suitable for persons under 18 years of age. This rating has been given because it features strong suicide references and use of strong language.” Here’s a brief outline: “Action-adventure role-playing game in which a young woman who has lost everything is transported from New York to a magical realm. She must save the people of this beautiful but cruel land, find her true purpose and return home.”

The content-specific issues part reveals a grim point in the plot: “In one scene, a despairing woman stands on a ledge, while drinking alcohol, and considers whether the world would be better off without her. When she puts a foot over the ledge, she is saved by a mystical presence. Later in the game, the same character is goaded by a villainous character who tells her she should have taken her own life. However, she does not act upon this. This game also contains the use of strong language (‘f**k’), as well as milder terms.”

The rating description confirms in-game DLC purchases (microtransactions) and realistic violence: “This game offers players the opportunity to purchase in-game items, in downloadable content packs, which some parents or carers may want to be aware of. Parents, carers, or other responsible adults should check to see what is being offered before purchasing on behalf of a child. It should be noted that the game can still be played without purchasing such items. The game also includes scenes of realistic violence, including a woman being set upon by a group of thugs who punch and kick her and hold a gun to her head. There is also violence against fantasy characters, knocked backwards by attacks and bleeding yellow blood. The player’s character can order alcoholic drinks at a bar. The drinks affect the player’s statistics, but do so randomly with negative outcomes possible.”

Forspoken will launch on October 11 on PlayStation 5 and PC.

Source: WCCFTech