Summary
- Get a first impression Immortals of Aveum a new magical single player shooter coming July 20th
- Delve into what inspired the world of Aveum with Art Director Dave Bogan and Associate Art Director Julia Lichtblau
- Learn how Ascendant Studios draws on its Call of Duty background to create a compelling first-person combat system
The moment you step virtually into the vibrant, mysterious world of Aveum, everything feels new but utterly familiar at the same time. It looks like a landscape you’ve entered, the characters speak to you in a way that feels everyday, but this fantasy setting is nothing like the worlds you’ve experienced before. In a current preview we were allowed to take a first look at it Immortals of Aveumand chat with two of the game’s designers about the inspiration behind this magical new realm.
Immortals of Aveum is an upcoming single-player magical FPS set in the title land of Aveum. You take on the role of Jak, a battle mage who learns to harness the magic that flows through his world. As the unforeseen, Jak discovers his abilities later in life and Aveum’s mightiest kingdoms are at war. It’s up to Jak to unleash his power and work with the immortals to save Aveum from destruction.
what does Immortals of Aveum feeling unique at first sight is the combination of two things. First up is the studio’s backstory; Ascendant Studios is led by Bret Robbins, Creative Director of Empty room, and former creative director at Sledgehammer Games on several Call of Duty titles. This premium FPS theme shines through Immortals of Aveum‘s fight; It’s a first-person shooter, but the weapon you use is magical. We’ll go into that in a moment.
The second component is this Immortals of Aveum is inspired by a seemingly endless hodgepodge of magical realms, but it’s this dense blend of inspiration from countless places that sets it apart. Dave Bogan, Art Director at Ascendant Studios, tells us that the team has been working from the beginning to create a “new look” for fantasy.
Bogan cites a handful of creative influences he grew up with, including Dungeons and Dragons, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, and “cool Japanese robot cartoons” to name a few. The team starts by selecting several references from their own preferences – visual inspiration they want to bring to the game and examples of ideas they don’t want to include.
“It’s really about subconsciously taking inspiration and influence from all of these things and letting them come out in interesting forms and languages while keeping an eye on things that are out there and trying not to replicate anything,” he says .
That says Julia Lichtblau, Associate Art Director at Ascendant Studios Immortals of Aveum‘s unique atmosphere is created by the juxtaposition of old and new. Much of the world’s architecture is inspired by oppressive medieval fortresses, and villages ooze with the rustic, pastoral charm often seen in old Europe. This design is mixed with the presence of magic, allowing the denizens of Aveum to combine ancient environments with advanced craftsmanship.
“Magic is essentially their technology,” explains Lichtblau. “You can use it to break the rules of architectural design, so see tall, curved shapes and huge white skyscrapers that could have been built by advanced magic users of the time.” That dichotomy makes it feel a bit unexpected.”
This combination of the familiar and the futuristic goes beyond world design and seeps into character design, dialogue and language, giving the denizens of Aveum a unique advantage. Bogan points to Jak’s design, a motorcycle jacket cut that conveys sci-fi vibes with chain mail for a medieval fantasy flavor.
“Aveum always blends elements from different worlds and times that help make it feel otherworldly,” he adds.
Ascendant Studios’ background in Call of Duty shines through a lot Immortals of Aveum, but the team has chosen to embrace these elements rather than shy away from them. Robbins asks a simple but thought-provoking question in the preview: “What if instead of a helicopter you were fighting a dragon?”, and that mindset made it possible Immortals of Aveum feel familiar to FPS players, but also fresh and exciting for fantasy fans.
The shooting mechanic in Immortals of Aveum consists of three main types of magic. Jak harnesses his powers through his sigil and can fire Force (blue), Chaos (red), and Life (green) magic. Each of these types have different ranges and rates of fire, giving you the ability to mix them up depending on your playstyle. There are over 25 spells and 80 talents to unlock throughout the game, allowing for deep customization of combat for each brawl and fight.
Bogan explains that there are many direct correlations between the sigils and a normal FPS with weapons. The sigils all have crystals that allow the spells themselves to act like projectiles with different properties, similar to traditional weapons.
“It was important for people who play first-person shooters to feel the relationship and to understand, ‘Oh, that’s the kind of weapon I use for this or that,'” says Bogan. “But the visual design is a little off the rails, which is cool.”
Lichtblau adds that this framework means anyone who loves first-person shooters can jump into it Immortals of Aveumand says that the combat is “very easy to pick up and really satisfying to master”.
Immortals of Aveum promises a unique new magical world to explore and a robust combat system that allows for a lot more freedom than your standard shooter, but Lightblue says it’s the game’s story that sets it apart from games of its kind.
“The way the characters are written, the way they interact with each other feels incredibly fresh,” says Lichtblau. “I have a hard time even picking a favorite because they’re all so nuanced, and I haven’t seen that in a long time.”
Immortals of Aveum is scheduled for release on Xbox Series X|S on July 20th. Pre-orders are now available from the Microsoft Store for Xbox.
Immortals by Aveum™
Electronic Arts
$69.99
$62.99
Pre-order* Immortals of Aveum™ and receive the Purified Arclight, a unique blue sigil that unleashes more power for Jak’s blue Strike spells and Shatter Fury spells! Immortals of Aveum is a single-player first-person magic shooter that tells the story of Jak who joins an elite order of battle mages to save a world on the brink of collapse. With legions of soldiers on both sides of Everwar, he must uncover the mysteries of Aveum’s troubled past if there is any hope of saving his future. Master three powers of magic and unleash spells with deadly skill in a game that defies FPS conventions. Be the Battlemage Join the Order of the Immortals, the champion protectors of Lucium, and become Jak, an elite Triarch Magnus. Master Your Magic Fast-paced, fluid, first-person, spell-based combat that’s easy to learn and satisfying to master, rewarding players for clever chained attacks and well-timed counters. Unleash your magic arsenal Unlock and upgrade over 25 spells and 80 talents. Discover, upgrade and craft hundreds of magical gear to synergize your playstyle across all three powers of magic. Save a world on the brink Jak and Lucium’s elite immortals must race to uncover the mysteries of Aveum’s past if there is any hope of saving his future. Immortals of Aveum is being developed by Ascendant Studios, an independent AAA team led by Dead Space™ and Call of Duty® Creative Director Bret Robbins, and published by EA Originals. *Conditions and restrictions apply. See https://www.ea.com/games/immortals-of-aveum/immortals-of-aveum/disclaimers for details.
Immortals by Aveum™ Deluxe Edition
Electronic Arts
$79.99
$71.99
Pre-order* Immortals of Aveum™ Deluxe Edition and receive the Ancient Relics of Aveum Pack, which includes: – Purified Arclight – a unique blue sigil that unleashes more power for Jak’s blue Strike spells and Shatter Fury spells! – Triarch’s Wrath – can be equipped as either Jak’s red, green or blue sigil and increases critical hit damage. – Ring of the Immortals – increases shred against all three colors of magic. – Ring of Rasharn – increases spell damage for all three colors of magic. – Aristeyan Ring – increases rage damage for all three colors of magic. – Bracer of the Colossal – gives increased armor and recovery of healing crystals. – Sky Island Gauntlet – increases armor and shield health while reducing dodge time. – Dresnyr Lens – increases spellbreak damage and increases the overall power of red spells. – Lucian Chain – increases the total power of blue magic and reduces the cooldown of whip control spells. – Vial of the Pentacade – increases the duration of limpet control spells and increases overall green magic power. Immortals of Aveum is a single-player first-person magic shooter that tells the story of Jak who joins an elite order of battle mages to save a world on the brink of collapse. With legions of soldiers on both sides of Everwar, he must uncover the mysteries of Aveum’s troubled past if there is any hope of saving his future. Master three powers of magic and unleash spells with deadly skill in a game that defies FPS conventions. Be the Battlemage Join the Order of the Immortals, the champion protectors of Lucium, and become Jak, an elite Triarch Magnus. Master Your Magic Fast-paced, fluid, first-person, spell-based combat that’s easy to learn and satisfying to master, rewarding players for clever chained attacks and well-timed counters. Unleash your magic arsenal Unlock and upgrade over 25 spells and 80 talents. Discover, upgrade and craft hundreds of magical gear to synergize your playstyle across all three powers of magic. Save a world on the brink Jak and Lucium’s elite immortals must race to uncover the mysteries of Aveum’s past if there is any hope of saving his future. Immortals of Aveum is being developed by Ascendant Studios, an independent AAA team led by Dead Space™ and Call of Duty® Creative Director Bret Robbins, and published by EA Originals. *Conditions and restrictions apply. See https://www.ea.com/games/immortals-of-aveum/immortals-of-aveum/disclaimers for details.
