Published by Bandai Namco and developed by Reflector Entertainment, Unknown 9: Awakening stars a familiar face, Anya Chalotra (of Yennifer fame). In Reflector Entertainment’s debut game, Chalotra provides the character likeness, motion capture, and voice for Haroona, a Quaestor born with the ability to venture into a mysterious dimension that overlaps our own, known only as the Fold. Seeking revenge for the murder of her mentor Haroona must learn to master her Umbric abilities and unlock hidden knowledge along the way, building her connection to the fold and increasing her power.
The central conflict in the game’s narrative adventure comes from the Ascendants, who are dedicated to harnessing the Fold to change human history in their favor. When Haroona faces these enemies, she must choose to see beyond revenge and save humanity instead as she travels the world to do so.
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There is a lot of lore to dissect when it comes to Unknown 9: Awakening’s marketing. I attended a hands-off session at Summer Game Fest, got a breakdown of the “story so far” right before my hands-on at PAX West, and took the time to read through the promotional site and the comic books I was given. But still, with so much lore and words that people may not understand, my one fear is that there won’t be a clear understanding of the universe that has been built. I’ve been able to piece it all together and mostly understand the concepts of the Fold, Quaestors, Ascendents, and the Leap Year Society. However, it has been a fairly large task.
When it comes to Unknown 9: Awakening’s story, outside of the narrative foundation I outlined above, I truly don’t know much. But as a 60-minute hands-on preview, the combat alone has sold me. Unknown 9: Awakening is choosing a bold path with a scripted podcast, books, and graphic novels all set to build the world of the game larger. I still don’t know if I fully grasp what’s been built just yet in terms of lore, but if the team can stick the landing of this transmedia approach to universe-building, Unknown 9 has serious potential.
That said, it is also clear that Reflector Entertainment has invested resources in understanding cultural expression enough to play with it in this science fiction-fantasy setting. Whether it is accents or architecture, the presentation of its characters and locations makes me want to dig in and learn more.
Having moved through a city and a jungle in my time with the game, I can tell there is a lot for adventure lovers to find, even if I’m not entirely sure how it fits together. Still, a core game loop is important to nail, and here, Unknown 9: Awakening had a fantastic showing. If interesting combat focusing on melee and magic is your thing, then this game is set to wow.
While playing, I was advised to attempt stealth. Since Haroona is ultimately a close-quarters fighter, she is easily overwhelmed by mobs of as little as four, especially when guns are involved. However, the longer I played, the bolder I got. It wasn’t always the right move, but the confidence I got from stepping into enemies, destroying their souls unnoticed, and then running in to finish it all with combos that felt sticky and push that had weight was unmatched. The longer I played as Haroona, the more fun I had and the more I wanted to see her skills after leveling up.
The excitement you feel as you’re jumping through people is only enhanced by the complexity of the enemy AI movement patterns. Throughout my time with the game, every chance I got to stealth took planning. The enemy movement feels as if it’s only ever aligned to allow you to move forward for seconds. The strategy involved in navigating the grasses and performing soul-crushing (literally) takedowns from behind is fun and layered.
Or, you could just Rambo it.
As the team in the room with me detailed, she will have the ability to step into multiple people before her Umbric energy is depleted and, in doing so, unlock new strategies. While I was being a bit of a Rambo in how I played, what was most fun was how important the entrance strategy became. Sure, I could run in, but I couldn’t run without a plan.
It was important to know where the interactive environment objects like explosion barrels were placed and whether or not there was enough cover for me to retreat to from the gunman on balconies. I was interacting with the environment in a way that made me think, and that’s the key to creating not just good combat but dynamic combat as well.
That said, most success comes from expertly planning when to stealth when to charge in, and ultimately, what the world can offer you regarding weapons and settings that you can interact with. All of this creates not only a fun experience but an immensely satisfying one. Every encounter took more than just running in and punching or just sneaking around. Truthfully, learning how to use Haroona’s powers allows you to also define your playstyle, particularly when it comes to balancing how and when you use your abilities to fight or just push the enemies away and run.
Through this combat, the graphical fidelity remains surprisingly intact in the PlayStation 5 version I played. Haroona always looks like Chalotra, a British-Indian actress whose acting has been solidified in fantasy through The Witcher. Her clothes move, her hair is refined, and she never breaks with her environment.
This all lends to capturing a fantastical effect when Haroona uses her Umbric powers to step, takedown, or find hidden objects. The game is half period piece, half fantasy, and it all works. From Haroona’s prominent dupatta to the layers she wears and the layered environments, there are a high number of details that you can’t help but appreciate. All of which are made even more intricate in the cinematic sequences.
As of now, it looks like Unknown 9: Awakening will also satisfy that globetrotting adventure itch. The game will take players from the sands of Mauritania and perilous Indian jungles to the gothic landscapes of 19th-century Portugal and more that hasn’t been shared yet.
Having been introduced to an American companion with the absolute opposite demeanor of Haroona, it’s also clear that this adventure isn’t going to be one that just relies on Choltra as Haroona. Instead, the chemistry between characters, humor, and balancing all of it against humanity’s ending circumstances is where the game’s charm has the potential to move into being something larger.
A period piece with a defined technological and supernatural twist, the game captures the aesthetic of old adventure films or, more importantly, the more recent films that have made audiences fall in love with the adventurer era of the world from the late 1890s to early 1900s (like The Mummy and Indiana Jones). That element probably stands out the most and offers a fascinating path for Haroona.
As a whole, Unknown 9: Awakening may still have some elements shrouded in mystery. Still, Reflector Entertainment’s debut game has me hooked for now with exciting, dynamic combat and the promise to take me globetrotting on an adventure. While I can’t know everything in an hour, I do know that Unknown 9: Awakening has shot up to one of my most anticipated games.
Unknown 9: Awakening releases October 17, 2024 on PC via Steam, PlayStation 4|5, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One.
