Unknown 9 Awakening is a kind of uncommon new IPs that, flaws and all, indicators a powerful begin for a possible franchise. Not that Unknown 9 Awakening is flawless—no sport is, in spite of everything—but it surely positively has a robust basis.
That is the primary launch from Reflector Leisure, printed by Bandai Namco, and one of the crucial intriguing facets is its strategy to storytelling throughout a number of media. And by that, I don’t imply consoles; I imply that Unknown 9 Awakening has its story threaded throughout comics, a trilogy of novels, an audio drama podcast, two upcoming internet collection, and the platform Unknown 9: Nexus, which brings collectively all of the characters, areas, and occasions throughout these media.
It’s bold, little doubt. After beginning the comedian collection, the incredible podcast Unknown 9: Out of Web site, and the novel Unknown 9: Genesis, I’m excited to see the way it all connects on this expansive, globe-spanning narrative.
Now, onto the sport itself.
Story
Unknown 9 Awakening story is ready lengthy earlier than the opposite entries within the Unknown 9 universe. You play as Haroona, a strong younger lady and disciple to her mentor, Reika. Her journey begins in a desert oasis scattered with ruins of a misplaced civilization, the place she follows Reika on a mysterious mission. As they draw nearer to their vacation spot, Haroona learns about Reika’s former disciple, Vincent Lichter, who has since turned rogue. Tragedy quickly follows when Haroona witnesses Reika’s loss of life at Vincent’s palms, however she narrowly escapes.
The story picks up 4 years later, in 1912, as Haroona, now in northern India, is on a path of revenge, monitoring down Vincent. Alongside the best way, she meets Luther, a gun-slinging American who shortly turns into an ally, hiding her from enemy patrols and providing his assist as she pursues her objective. Collectively, they handle to steal Vincent’s airship, The Morning Star, and study that Haroona’s childhood village has been destroyed. Haroona retrieves a strong amulet given to her by Reika, whereas Luther reveals his ties to the Leap 12 months Society, a secret group lengthy thought misplaced.
What follows is a journey with Luther and the Leap 12 months Society as they work to cease Vincent from releasing Seshin, a strong being imprisoned in The Fold, a mysterious realm between worlds. Seshin was sealed away by the Unknown 9, a collective of entities generally known as the Sahin, who’ve maintained Earth’s cycles to keep away from the destiny of their fallen civilization.
I gained’t delve additional, as the sport’s story is its strongest asset. What I can say is to be ready for a story that hooks you in, connects you with Luther, and divulges lore that interweaves with the Unknown 9 universe. It’s crammed with twists that preserve issues fascinating. Whereas not the most effective story in gaming, it’s refreshingly authentic in an period crammed with recycled plots.
Gameplay
Gameplay is the place Unknown 9 Awakening actually excels, largely because of the revolutionary use of The Fold. The Fold is akin to a mystical “upside-down” world, much like Stranger Issues’ alternate dimension, the place time is fluid. For Haroona, a Quaester, The Fold offers talents that assist her on her journey, although many have grow to be misplaced souls inside its boundaries.
A method Haroona makes use of The Fold is to glimpse into this different realm, revealing enemies, environmental hazards, and collectibles. That is much like the detective imaginative and prescient from the Batman: Arkham collection, and it is smart right here, becoming seamlessly into the sport’s mechanics. Haroona may draw on The Fold throughout fight, using an array of talents unlocked by way of a talent tree that branches into Fight, Stealth, and Umbric Skills. Ability factors, gathered by way of gathering anomalies, improve her powers in a number of areas:
Takedowns – Stealth strikes that allow you to silently remove enemies; expertise unlocked over time enable for takedowns of more and more highly effective foes.
Crush – A capability to set off environmental hazards, like gasoline canisters, to blow up and harm close by enemies.
Push and Pull – Useful for shoving foes close to ledges (as you possibly can think about).
Shroud – Grants non permanent invisibility, splendid for mixing stealth with takedowns.
Stepping – Maybe probably the most enjoyable talent, letting you possess enemies briefly and use their talents in opposition to different foes. Initially restricted to 1 use per fight, the sport ultimately permits three steps. Stepping tokens may be replenished by way of stealth and head-on fight.
With this arsenal, the fight feels addictive, fluid, and genuinely pleasant. It might take some follow, but it surely shortly turns into second nature. By the ultimate chapters, when swarms of enemies come at you, it feels empowering to make use of each trick in Haroona’s guide—luring enemies close to ledges, triggering explosive distractions, vanishing into the Shroud, and at last getting into one enemy after one other. The sheer selection retains fight contemporary, a welcome aid from the repetitive grind some motion video games fall into. That is simply the sport’s standout characteristic.
Graphics and Technical Hiccups
Sadly, Unknown 9 Awakening suffers considerably within the graphics division. Visually, it seems like a throwback to the PS3 period—jarring in 2024, to say the least. Textures typically pop out and in or load slowly, which may be distracting, particularly in cutscenes. Character fashions lack element, and environments generally look bland. On the upside, the body price stayed regular, and I didn’t encounter any game-breaking bugs, although some glitches with NPCs often required me to reload from the final checkpoint.
The dearth of visible selection in enemy NPCs—each in look and voice—was one other downside, although ultimately, I managed to disregard it. It’s a disgrace these visible components drag down what’s in any other case an immersive expertise.
Writing, Voice Appearing, and Music
Whereas the story holds its personal, it’s the dialogue and character interactions that shine. The writing is sharp, and the voice appearing does it justice. Anya Chalotra, identified for her position as Yennefer in The Witcher, is incredible as Haroona, although the standouts for me have been Luther and Vincent. The atmospheric music enhances the story, including depth to the sport’s immersive high quality.
Ultimate Verdict
Unknown 9 Awakening is an bold sport, extending past the standard gaming narrative with its transmedia storytelling. The story is intriguing, the fight participating, and the dialogue well-crafted, however the expertise is marred by its visuals, which really feel a decade outdated. Regardless of its flaws, this sport lays a promising basis for what may grow to be an expansive and rewarding franchise. With that in thoughts, I’d price Unknown 9 Awakening a 6 out of 10.
Unknown 9 Awakening is on the market now on Xbox Sequence S and X, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC. This assessment relies on an Xbox Sequence X playthrough.
Unknown 9 Awakening Trailer
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