A couple of weeks ago, the opportunity to try out a couple of missions Unknown 9: Awakening during the Bandai Namco Latam Showcase and learn a little more about this ambitious project that, although it is not so unknown, has taken many people who were not familiar with Unknown 9 by surprise.
This game, which is part of an extensive transmedia universe, combines elements of mystery, action and supernatural powers. In this preview, we discover how it plays, what we can expect from its protagonist Haroona, and how her special abilities make combat interesting.
A transmedia universe full of mystery
It is worth talking a little about the universe that this title belongs to and that is that Unknown 9: Awakening It is the first chapter of a ambitious franchise transmedia that promises to expand across various media, such as books, podcasts, and graphic novels. Since its reveal at Gamescom 2020, this project has generated moderate expectations and even though 4 years have passed since that first announcement, the game finally saw the light of day.
¿Who is Haroona and what are Umbric abilities??
The story follows Haroona, played, or rather, in the image and performance of Anya Chalotra (Yennefer in The Witcher from Netflix), who possesses special abilities related to a dimension called “The Fold” (or The Fold). As quaestorHaroona can manipulate this energy to control enemies, turn invisible, and perform strategic attacks. These skills, called Umbricoffer the player the chance to decide between focusing on stealth or more direct combat. In our experience, stealth was always our first and most satisfactory option. A skill allows, for example, to possess an enemy and have it “killed” by destroying something in the environment or by attacking another.
Quite familiar gameplay for adventure game fans
The game is set in the fictional Indian-inspired city of Chamiri, where Haroona seeks revenge after the death of her mentor. Throughout this search, the player encounters detailed urban settings and a narrative very much like an adventure game, although with a dark tone.
The movement through the scenarios, which include not only urban areas but also jungles, is quite familiar and reminds us of other adventure games where we will also advance with a partner who serves as support, but also to expand the plot. These mechanics and the constant interaction remind us of games like Uncharted.
However, the real star of hands-on It was the versatility of Umbric skills. Being able to control enemies and move between dimensions puts a fresh spin on the typical hand-to-hand combat or stealth mechanics we’ve seen in other games like Dishonored.
In particular, the battles against the Ascendants gave us the opportunity to test the balance between stealth and more direct confrontations. At the end of the session, we encountered a confrontation against one of the leaders of the Ascendants, which forced us to use everything we learned during the preview.
Although graphically it is not the most impressive title, Unknown 9: Awakening It can be seen in the missions we tried with a varied level design and quite interesting gameplay. The settings, while not visually impressive, allow for constant interaction with the environment, increasing the chances of completing a mission.
Skill progression
One of the key elements that we cannot overlook is the game’s progression system. Haroona features a skill tree that allows players to upgrade their Umbric powers throughout the adventure. This not only helps customize the playstyle, but also adds depth to the gameplay, allowing players to unlock new abilities and increase their effectiveness in combat.
In the missions we played, we felt how Haroona’s skills were being refined, and how each improvement offered new ways to overcome enemies, however we found something that can be controversial and that is that to unlock skills we must explore the “points” of skill they were exploring.
Do you have to watch a series or read a book to enjoy it?
Although Unknown 9: Awakening is part of a somewhat extensive transmedia universe, It is not necessary to consume the additional content to enjoy the game as the people at Bandai Namco told us. While these materials provide broader context and enrich the experience, the game is designed to be understood and enjoyed on its own.
What platforms can we play it on?
Unknown 9: Awakening will reach PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One y PC. Its release is scheduled for October 18, 2024.
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