20 Trailers So Bad They KILLED Video Games

Forspoken follows a New York-based teen called Frey, who finds herself being abruptly transported to the enchanted land of Athia.

Based on the first teaser, Square Enix's epic tale looked like it would deliver a gorgeous open-world to explore, filled with fantastical creatures, captivating characters, and fluid mechanics.

By the time the later trailers were released, most of the optimism towards Forspoken had been replaced with cynicism for one simple reason - Frey spoke. Not only was her dialogue very exposition-heavy, the lines were badly written and Frey's petulant behaviour didn't depict her in a sympathetic light. For this reason, potential consumers weren't sure they could play as an insufferable heroine who spouts lines, like "I kill jacked-up beasts".

In hindsight, this was a justified concern. Although Forspoken was let down by one-note combat and a surprisingly empty world, it was Frey's jargon-heavy monologues, incessant swearing, and immature attitude that rubbed people the wrong way the most.

To avoid the lacklustre sales, Square Enix could've made Frey mute. Sure, this decision wouldn't have turned Forspoken into a masterpiece, but it would've fixed the game's biggest gripe.