The Axis Unseen review: Here be dragons

The Axis Unseen review: Here be dragons

As a seasoned gamer with a penchant for the dark and mysterious, I found myself utterly captivated by the enigmatic world of Formxis Unseen. The game is brimming with intricate details that bring its eerie atmosphere to life – from the ominous day/night cycle that plunges you into pitch-black darkness when night falls, to the dynamic weather systems that send a shiver down your spine. The music, too, is a masterful blend of haunting melodies and pulse-pounding metal, perfectly complementing each tense encounter with the game’s terrifying denizens.


In the game “The Axis Unseen,” my experience took an exciting turn when I discovered the fire arrows. Prior to this discovery, I had been exploring its world with limited success, managing to slay a few monsters only to be defeated by creatures like Bigfoot or Tree Golems, and most frustratingly, encountering an Elder Horned Beast that I couldn’t defeat. I didn’t know what it was called at the time, but I recognized it as a large, fearsome creature resembling a deer with a terrible temperament and antlers as big as a small tractor-trailer, which kept dealing heavy damage to me.

No matter what actions I took, nothing worked against the creature. I shot it with every arrow, stabbed it, and yelled at it, but it didn’t help. However, I had a plan B, as the creature was in my way. I’m known for being persistent, but this time was different due to the storm raging around us. I ran out of arrows and decided to head towards a distant tower, hoping to find something there to change the situation. At a small stone marked with symbols, I discovered fire arrows. Facing the Elder Horned Beast, I declared, “You pesky thing, I’m going to set you on fire!” Luckily, my aim was accurate. The creature stood there and burned as lightning flashed, rain poured down, and thunder shook the ground around us. It was a breathtaking sight, not just because of its beauty, but also because of the unique combination of events that made it happen – something that likely won’t ever occur again. If only I could have recorded or captured a screenshot of the moment. All I could do was watch in awe. And that’s when I realized The Axis Unseen truly embodied what I call a “Real Video Game ™.

The end is here, the end is beautiful

The Axis Unseen review: Here be dragons

The Abyss Untrodden – An Impressive Debut by Just Purkey Games

In simpler terms, The Axis Unseen appears as if someone merged a dark, heavy metal album cover with a video game setting. Scattered throughout the landscape are colossal skeletons, both human and monstrous, some lying in various positions – toppled over, leaning against rocks, trees, cliffs, or even each other. Others are frozen in eternal prayer poses. The ruins and shrines suggest previous inhabitants, while wooden statues, dedicated to unseen deities, add a mystical touch. The Axis Unseen is an expansive game, offering six distinct regions for exploration, such as a swamp and the Crimson Abyss, which I intend to develop into a summer retreat. Each region offers unique visual aesthetics and fearsome beasts to hunt down.

You’re off the edge of the map, mate. Here there be monsters

The Axis Unseen review: Here be dragons

In The Axis Unseen, fighting isn’t overly complicated – you begin with a bow, a knife, and a special arrow that can help you explore your surroundings and serve as a light source. However, what makes this game intriguing is the high tension throughout. At the beginning, you have limited resources, and you won’t truly understand the best way to defeat a monster until you’ve faced it. Your first encounter with Bigfoot is heart-pounding because chances are, you won’t be prepared for it, and if you succeed, there won’t be much margin for error.

As you progress through this game, you’ll discover and unlock new features such as additional arrows, unique arrow types with time-bending or wind-controlling abilities, magical spells for summoning rock pillars, among others. Your stats will also improve, making combat easier. You’ll gain a better understanding of enemy patterns and the game’s terrain. I won’t reveal the methods to defeat enemies as part of the fun lies in figuring it out yourself, but know that your strength doesn’t solely come from leveling up or acquiring new spells. Instead, you grow stronger by becoming a more skilled hunter. Remember, even the smallest creatures can be lethal if you’re careless, but with time, you learn the tricks of this deadly profession. Encounters that initially seemed daunting become less intimidating. So, while my first Bigfoot was terrifying, by encounter 40, I had him lit up brighter than the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, and he never came close to me.

There are places man was not meant to tread

The Axis Unseen review: Here be dragons

Effective resource allocation is crucial since you can only hold a limited number of arrows and magic spells. Losing some due to missed shots or forgotten landing spots is inevitable. Healing supplies are also scarce, and carelessness can lead to dangerous situations, not the friendly kind with extraterrestrial musicians.

In The Axis Unseen, immersion is the name of the game. Here, everything happens right before your eyes – from tracking my noise levels and magic reserves, to monitoring my bow’s energy and the glowing tattoos that alert me when enemies have caught sight of me. Checking my arrow count isn’t as straightforward, though; I need to physically pull out my quiver to see how many I have left. And don’t forget, monstrous creatures can sniff us out, so beware of giving off a delicious scent! Moving around isn’t without its consequences either – running will raise my heart rate audibly, and if it gets too high, I won’t be able to use magic. Overexert myself and I’ll run out of breath, unable to sprint. In this world, survival depends on smart decisions.

Alone in the dark

The Axis Unseen review: Here be dragons

As a gamer, I’m constantly trying to sneak past the monsters without getting caught in their trap. It’s not always simple; one wrong move could alert others. Running is noisy, so I have to be careful about where I step – there are plenty of rocks around, and they make quite a racket. Crouching helps, but it slows me down considerably. Still, the lure of exploration is strong because there’s always something intriguing hidden away, like mysterious journal entries or valuable loot. The journey itself is captivating. One time, I stumbled upon colossal skeletons leaning against a massive tower. I couldn’t help but wonder if I could scale those bones. To my delight, it turned out to be possible. Moments like that, where things feel intuitive and just work, are what make The Axis Unseen such an enjoyable game.

In addition to a day-night cycle, where darkness truly immerses you, there’s dynamic weather like the earlier-mentioned thunderstorm. The music is both atmospheric and heavy metal, depending on the situation, adding an extra layer of realism. Attention to detail is remarkable, from the controller vibrations that mimicked every lightning strike, footstep of monstrous creatures, and missed dodge, to the changes in The In-Between as you explore more areas, slay monsters, and collect items, which in turn add new statues, tables for storage, and visual representations of discovered areas. Once The Axis Unseen gains momentum, it does so in a captivating way, leaving me eager to revisit the game and uncover the hidden treasures I’ve yet to find.

Where we’re going, we won’t need eyes to see

The Axis Unseen review: Here be dragons

The game, The Axis Unseen, has some minor glitches. For instance, characters might run into walls or objects without moving, arrows may veer off course and fly into space during intense battles, and sometimes, you might fall through the environment while scaling rocks. One amusing glitch made my character’s shadow show for their arms and bow, but not their body. Another oddity was seeing a Tree Golem’s picture next to the Sasquatch in my journal, which was quite confusing at first. Loading pictures is also an issue sometimes. Monsters occasionally leap randomly into the air. The developer, Purkey Games, is aware of these issues and plans to fix most of them before the official launch of The Axis Unseen. Although these glitches were mostly amusing, they could be irritating during fights, and the arrow flying into space was particularly frustrating. What truly bothered me, however, was the game’s performance. Despite my hardware comfortably exceeding the game’s requirements, I struggled to maintain a steady 30 FPS until I lowered the settings to high. Even at medium settings, I couldn’t keep a stable 60 FPS, even at 1080p. This is unfortunate, especially for a game with such good graphics. The performance isn’t terrible enough to make the game unplayable, but it’s disappointing.

In The Axis Unseen, I anticipated finding a game that would suit me perfectly, and indeed it did. Not only was I able to embrace its environment without a map (eventually), but as someone with a poor sense of direction, this is quite an accomplishment. My primary desire was to delve into its world, battle new creatures, and discover hidden treasures. However, the tales I could weave while playing it are what truly captivated me. For instance, remember when I told you about my encounter with the Elder Horned Beast? Well, that’s just one of many such stories in The Axis Unseen.

As a dedicated fan, I’ve had the privilege of receiving an early digital PC version of the game, “The Axis Unseen,” which is set to launch on October 22nd, 2024.

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2024-10-11 18:28