In Tanta We Trust is a rare example of DLC that’s better than the game it’s based on, but that doesn’t mean you should rush out and buy Forcepoken for PS5 to play it. This optional expansion is better than the original campaign purely because you don’t have to fiddle with the burden of open-world experiences like vast lands and boring side activities. It’s a streamlined, tightly packed endeavor that proves to be consistently enjoyable, if somewhat too short.
Although the DLC is described as taking place after the events of the main game, most of the story actually serves as a prequel. Protagonist Frey Holland travels back in time to the Purge of Redig, the war that ravaged Attia and drove Tantus insane. The twist is that Frey finds himself in someone else’s body and brings along Tanta Cinta, who will do whatever it takes to save the city.
It’s a fairly basic premise, and the expansion can be completed in under two and a half hours, leaving little time for many twists and additional bets to set up. In the base game he has one open area roughly the same size as one region, but otherwise it’s linear routes and encounters. That’s not a bad thing in and of itself, but there’s hardly enough time to really step into a new location and understand what it’s all about before the DLC ends. Worse, you can’t go back to that big zone. If you miss something regarding gear or lore, you’ll have to start another playthrough.
However, this condensed structure also has its advantages. Spend less time wandering the hinterlands and more time encountering combat. Frey immediately unleashes a whole new set of powers that work in tandem with Tanta Cinta’s skills. It’s like the ability tree from the original game on steroids. Once you meet her, she’ll always be by your side, combining her melee and ranged powers to deal massive damage and lethal blows.
Charge your spear using your basic attack. This can be exchanged for other attacks and thrown at enemies. You will then be prompted with a button to activate Tantacinta’s abilities, allowing him to unleash a wide range of attacks that can take out most enemies in one hit. Within a single encounter, this move can be charged up to 2 more levels, each dealing additional damage over a wider area. At the most powerful, literally in seconds he can kill 10 or more opponents. It’s incredibly satisfying, turning a large group of combatants into a compelling opportunity rather than an escape.
None of the base game Frey’s powers carry over, so this is the combat loop you have to work through. Abilities unlocked over the course of three chapters provide the variety you need to keep things fresh. As the epitome of the Forcepoken combat experience, it all works very well.
Although relatively small compared to the main game, In Tanta We Trust offers one open area that is visually pleasing and fun to traverse. Crystals erupt from the ground around a giant tree, and the city surrounds it. You can dash everywhere, and a new crossing option that works like a whip lets you traverse chasms and expanses of land quickly.
There is a bit of open-world busywork (collectibles and character upgrades) that strays from the main road, but not a tiring amount. To see all the DLC has to offer, you might add another half hour to your 2.5 hours of play time.
But what this expansion inevitably does is that this is ultimately more of a force spoke. That means more jokes (a new option at least lets you turn off ambient dialogue), more chaotic graphics, and more one-note characters. By this point, you probably already know if you can relate to Frey and Cuff’s humor.
Conclusion
In Tanta We Trust is a better DLC than the original game, but more than anything because it removes the experience of busy working in Forcepoken’s open world. A more combat-focused expansion, Single Open Area is a condensed version of what the base title has to offer, turning it into a tighter-packed piece that gets you into the action faster. This is more Forspoken, but an improved version.
