Unknown 9: Awakening Review | Gaming News

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Unknown 9: Awakening is a fresh new title with large portions set in India.

Haroona has abilities that some may consider unnatural. (Image Credit: Bandai Namco).

New Delhi: On 18 October, Bandai Namco is releasing Unknown 9: Awakening, a cinematic action-adventure title starring the UK actress Anya Chalotra, famous for playing Yennefer in The Witcher series on Netflix. Gamers in India are sure to be excited by the title which has large portions set in the cities and jungles of eastern India. The story takes place in an alternate history setting where humanity has been guided over the centuries by the Unknown 9, mysterious entities who were the Egyptian Ennead, and had a role to play in the ancient civilisations of Babylon and Atlantis.

The maps are linear, but well-designed. (Image Credit: In-game screenshot captured on PC).

These same nine entities were the advisors of King Ashoka in Indian history, and guided the warmongering king towards a more peaceful path. These Unknown 9 entities were responsible for advancements in human technologies that were ahead of their time, and at the same time preserve human knowledge. In this universe, the Quaestors are seekers of arcane knowledge, uncovering the truth behind supposedly paranormal associations. The universe is permeated by a shadow dimension known as the Fold, that a select few can dive into when needed.

Unknown 9: Awakening draws you in further the more you play

Unknown 9: Awakening is one of those games that draw you in the more you play. The gameplay is spread across many rich and detailed areas. As a gamer from India, it is just an incredible rush to see exquisitely detailed urban environments that we are familiar with. There is a city in West Bengal, replete with barking dogs and lazing citizens, as well as a temple with sculptures of vanars and carvings of Lord Ganesha. Adding to the immersion is top-notch sound design, that just makes it feel like a living, breathing world.

The environments have spectacular lighting. (Image Credit: In-game screenshot on PC).

This is not an open-world title, and both the maps and the gameplay is pretty linear. However, the verticality is used in a brilliant way in the maps, so that the old dungeon clearing trick of always taking turns in the same direction does not work. In fact, very frequently the paths diverge before meeting again. Every time you venture down branch from the main path, you are likely to be rewarded with a unique item to pickup, an opportunity to sabotage the enemies, or upgrade your Umbric abilities.

You get to explore a city in West Bengal, complete with local lingo. (Image Credit: In-game screenshot on PC).

Haroona, the heroine of the game who jumps, climbs and dashes through the diverse environments, working against the machinations of the secret society known as the Ascendents, has a number of superpowers that she can tap into. This includes peeking ahead into the Fold, that highlights enemies, machines and pickups, disappearing for short periods of time, pushing away or pulling enemies closer, and area damage effects. There is a mechanic called stepping that allows Haroona to control an enemy and make their friends, or explosives in the area. It is possible to set up complex chain reactions through multiple steps, to unleash chaos and confusion among your enemies, which is always fun.

Unknown 9: Awakening is a polished AAA title

We are used to experiencing bugs while playing titles before launch, and were genuinely surprised to discover that Unknown 9: Awakening has no bugs that we encountered at least. This is an incredibly polished game, with great production values. The gameplay is fast and fun, with a great control scheme. A controller is recommended for this title, and we found ourselves playing with the unlikely combination of controller and mouse. This allowed us far more precision when aiming with the weapons. While there are energy maces and guns in the title, Haroona herself depends on her umbric abilities, and does not pick up the weapons of enemies.

Gamers can choose to attack directly or sneakily takedown the enemies, which was more satisfying for us. (Image Credit: In-game screenshot on PC).

The animations are all motion captured, and there is real acting in the beautifully directed cut scenes, which keeps you engrossed in the title. Throughout the game, users can upgrade Haroona with skills according to their play style. It is possible to focus more on combat, or more on stealth, which increases the umbric powers in that department. The skill tree is not overly complex, and there is a totally new way to play unlocked with every upgrade in the skill tree, as against merely making your existing abilities more powerful. The skill tree provides a lot of flexibility in how you want to play.

Haroona can tap into the fold to plan an attack strategy. (Image Credit: In-game screenshot on PC).

Haroona can tap into the fold and see through obstacles to plan an attack strategy. (Image Credit: In-game screenshot on PC).

There are some portions that are predictable though. If you run into tall grass, you just know that you have to duck to hide, and that there are enemies around. The gameplay is split between exploration and combat, with boss battles at regular intervals. Reflector Entertainment has done a great job of a simple control scheme that just works intuitively. The same button is used for jumping, climbing and dodging for example, depending on the context. This works well because there are no situations which require more than one of these actions at any given time. Despite the predictability of the maps, the game still manages to be extremely fun and engaging.

You get to steal an airship! (Image Credit: In-game screenshot on PC).

The game also has a retro aesthetic, and seems to be set some time before the 1990s, before the advent of mobile phones. Peppered throughout the game are old-school gadgets and devices, including binoculars, cameras, and radios. There is also a magnificent airship called the Morning Star that you get to steal. Haroona uses a walkie-talkie to detect trackers in one level. These elements add charm to the title, and particularly gamers from India will discover many familiar surprises peppered around the map that provide instant doses of nostalgia.

Unknown 9: Awakening is an entry point into a larger narrative universe

The best part about Unknown 9: Awakening is just the ambition and the scale of the project. This is a lore-rich game, but the lore extends well beyond the game itself, which is just one portion of the ‘narrative universe’, different aspects of the same story explored in a range of formats. The tapestry of stories is incredibly unique and brings in fresh ideas. We particularly like the Unknown 9 podcast, called Out of Sight, which is a bit like the X-files, but more like the old-timey radio shows such as Dimension X or Lights Out. The podcast is available on Spotify, and the Unknown 9 website.

A series of interesting companions help you on your adventures. (Image Credit: In-game screenshot on PC).

There is also a series of comic books called Unknown 9: Torment, as well as a stand-alone comic book called Unknown 9: Echoes, specifically exploring the backstory of Haroona, that provides a bit of additional information of the events that occurred years before the videogame. Then there is the Unknown 9: Genesis trilogy of novels written by Layton Green, who is the author of the Dominick Grey series and The Blackwood Saga. The recommended order of consumption is the game, the podcast, the novel trilogy and then the comic books, but we alternated between the game and the podcast and the comics, and had no problems in how we understood the story. A pair of web series known as Unknown 9: The Passage, and Unknown 9: The Taylor Files are on the way, along with Unknown 9: Nexus that allows users to track their progress across the Unknown 9 narrative universe. There is just a lot of story to consume here.

It’s great to have an AAA title set in India. (Image Credit: In-game screenshot captured on PC).

Throughout the game, Haroona encounters many companions and enemies, and works with the Leap Year Society, with the Ascendents being the antagonists. These characters are common among the other properties in the shared narrative universe, and one of the most rewarding aspects of the entire multimedia experience is to integrate together the different pieces of the puzzle to build a picture of the whole story. There is quite a bit to dive into, and for anyone who enjoys a story-rich single player adventure, Unknown: 9 Awakening is an easy recommendation.