Even if Homer doesn’t make it to Athia, it is clear that the cat has already become one of the game’s most beloved characters. Gamers can rest assured that somehow, the cat will stay alive while Frey is on her magical quests. To see how it survives, fans will have to wait for Forspoken’s release in early 2023.
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What Happens to Homer?
In Forspoken, players are introduced to Frey Holland, a New Yorker with a rough past and a knack for sarcasm. She is magically transported to the land of Athia where she discovers she has magical powers. Although she wishes to find her way back home, the malevolent matriarchs known as the Tantas stand in her way. If she wishes to return to New York, she will have to master her magical abilities and defeat the matriarchs.
Although Frey is depicted as a loner in New York, trailers have shown that she does have one friend in the form of a fluffy white cat named Homer. The cat has a naturally grumpy face, but that doesn’t stop it from being absolutely adorable. Naturally, the cat has stolen the hearts of many gamers, but it has also left some wondering what happens to it while Frey is off slaying monsters in Athia. None of the trailers have shown Homer in Athia, which has caused some gamers to worry that the cat may be in New York, slowly starving as it waits for Frey’s return.
The official Twitter page for the upcoming game sent out a message assuring fans that Homer will be okay. The post doesn’t explain how, but it has gotten some gamers wondering whether the cat does make it to Athia. If so, it could open up some interesting gameplay mechanics.
How Homer Could Influence Gameplay
Though Forspoken is primarily an open-world action-adventure game, Homer’s inclusion could allow for some fun management mechanics to be thrown in, assuming Homer is around during Frey’s journey. Keeping Homer alive by occasionally feeding and taking care of it could be a nice break from the action of taking down the Tantas, and the cat could serve as a small reminder of home. From what has been shown, Athia is a harsh world, and Homer’s presence could be a way of ensuring that players have something soft and warm to turn to when things get dark.
Homer could also allow for the DualSense controller to be used in interesting ways. Games like Ghost of Tsushima have shown how haptic feedback can be used to simulate the feeling of a fox purring, while The Last of Us Part 1 used the feature to simulate the feeling of stroking a giraffe’s neck. Haptics could also be used when interacting with Homer, and a low vibration could let players know when the cat is pleased.
Forspoken has faced a few delays, and it is now slated to release in early January. This is good news for Square Enix fans, as it means they can expect Luminous Productions’ title in addition to two Final Fantasy games. However, with the games being announced so early, it wouldn’t be unexpected for Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth to experience delays. Regardless, it will be interesting to see how Homer is used once Forspoken debuts.
Forspoken is scheduled to release on January 24, 2023, on PC and PS5.
MORE: Forspoken Needs Good Story Arcs for its Supporting Characters
