Sometimes it might feel like video games only come in one of two sizes: either the titles commonly known by the buzzword "AAA/Triple A"which refers to blockbuster games made with a gigantic team and a budget equal to the GDP of a small country, or a quirky little indie developed in someone’s garage. The reality is of course much more diverse. One of the categories that I like to explore from time to time could be described as follows: "AA/double A": Games with a larger team and budget than a small indie title, but with a style and gameplay clearly inspired by the biggest and best in the industry, and where the goal is simply to make an entertaining game, without technical ones to cross boundaries.
That’s why Unknown 9: Awakening piqued my interest when it debuted at this year’s Summer Game Fest. Here we are presented with a new IP from a new studio with a new story and characters, but with mechanics and settings that have an Uncharted feel. However, the concept is not limited to the field of games, as it is a new multimedia franchise that includes a podcast, comics, two novels, etc "more things to come"according to Bandai Namco’s official website. Certainly a promising selling point, but after spending several hours with Unknown 9: Awakening, I especially wish this game had a little more time in the oven, as the cracks and structural weaknesses are all too obvious.
The central part of the setting in Unknown 9: Awakening is a secret world order and a true story behind history as we know it. The ancient Sahin civilization disappeared thousands of years ago and all that remains of their legacy are ruins and stories about the Unknown 9, nine immortals who watch over the world. Fast forward to early 20th century India, where we meet young Haroona on her quest for revenge for her mentor, which plunges her into a power struggle between the occult order called the Leap Year Society and its splinter group Ascendants. Luckily, Haroona is far from helpless, as she is a Quaestor with the ability to enter the invisible world of the Herd to find hidden clues, sneak past her enemies, and combat those who pursue her.
The early 20th century pulp interpretation is a key part of the selling point that Unknown 9: Awakening delivers beautifully. The mix of exotic locations, hidden orders, lost civilizations and a shadow kingdom accessible to only a few is very well done. Add gunslingers, airships, over-the-top technology far ahead of its time, and old-school airplanes, and the adventure feeling is complete. If you’re like me and appreciate a good adventure about searching for lost treasures or ancient civilizations, you’ll probably enjoy this setting and story. The characters are also compelling and interesting, led by The Witcher actress Anya Chalotra as Haroona in her video game debut, a task she handles quite well. If the whole thing is accompanied by well-composed music that always creates an atmosphere, the result is a complete package that leaves a good first impression. In many ways, this is reminiscent of The Order: 1886 on PlayStation 4, a title that promised a lot with an interesting setting and plot, but whose execution fell short of expectations at the time.
Unfortunately, not everything is rosy when it comes to the game’s narrative, as there are also some strange cuts in scenes, which in turn lead to hasty transitions between each location. The scenes generally look incomplete, as if several shots were missing, or as if the developers didn’t have time to finish everything they had planned (a plausible theory, judging by the delays to the final release). The story in Unknown 9: Awakening is good enough, but with even tighter direction it could have been better, perhaps even amazing.
The feeling of a rushed and unfinished product is also perceived visually. Unknown 9: Awakening doesn’t try to push technical boundaries and is well-defined within the parameters of the Unreal Engine, but on PlayStation 5 it still has disappointingly low resolution and a lot of visual particle noise, making the game a lot less flattering than what could have been or should.
The game suffers from a wonky presentation, inconsistent frame rate and timing, and noticeable stutters in shader compilation certainly don’t help. Additionally, there’s no way to switch between quality and performance modes on consoles, meaning you’ll have to stick with 30 frames per second at best. Other issues that detract from the gaming experience include grainy animations of hair, beards, and force fields, as well as poor facial animations for most supporting characters, all of which result in the game not being as artistically deserving of its promising work brought to life. Unfortunately, the technical problems are not limited to the visual aspect, as you regularly expose yourself to bugs that, in the worst case, require you to restart the game.
In terms of game mechanics, “The Adventures of Haroona” initially seems like a typical linear adventure. You follow a clearly defined path, collecting collectibles along the way and occasionally coming across an area full of enemies that need to be taught a lesson. It certainly has the feel of an Uncharted game or other games inspired by the series like A Plague Tale: Requiem, but the difference lies in the creative and exciting stealth mechanics of Unknown 9: Awakening. Haroona’s skills as a Quaestor give her the ability to enter an enemy’s body and have them strike down her allies. As the game progresses, she can learn to jump from enemy to enemy, dealing great damage that can take out multiple gangsters at the same time. You also have other tools at your disposal to take out enemies without being seen, such as: B. detonating or sabotaging objects from a distance, becoming invisible, and performing a stealthy elimination from behind. It is highly recommended to use all of these tools as this is when the game is at its weakest point when you are discovered and have to fight with your fists. The combat mechanics are just clunky and imprecise, and an erratic aiming system certainly doesn’t help.
There’s a lot to appreciate in Unknown 9: Awakening. Airships, a hidden world history, secret orders, creative stealth mechanics and a beautiful shell with exotic locations in a slightly exaggerated version of the early 20th century are just some of the positive aspects of this game. If only the game had been given a little more time, a little bigger budget, and more polish, this could have easily been a real Double-A hit. Unfortunately, the gaming experience is also marred by poor combat, clunky direction, and various technical and visual issues. Still, it’s not hard to find a diamond in the rough here, and let’s hope that the Reflector developers have more options in the future after the debut, because there’s certainly a lot of potential here.
