As an avid gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I must admit that Unknown 9: Awakening has piqued my interest. The demo at PAX West 2024 offered a tantalizing glimpse into this sci-fi universe, and I was particularly impressed by the open-ended combat mechanics.
Over the last few years, Bandai Namco and Reflector Studios have been steadily growing the Unknown 9 sci-fi universe. This year, they immersed players in Unknown 9: Awakening, but it was only at PAX West 2024 that Shacknews got their first chance to play it. At long last, it was time for a hands-on experience with the game.
Hey there fellow gamers! If you didn’t catch our earlier sneak peek this year, Unknown 9: Awakening follows my journey as Haroona, a young woman on a mission for vengeance. My mentor was brutally killed by the Ascendants, and I possess the ability to tap into the powers of the Fold – though I’m still figuring out the full extent of my potential. Luckily, I’ll get plenty of chances to put those powers to use out in the field as I go up against hordes of Ascendant foes. Let the adventure begin!
At the PAX West demo, Haroona navigated a bustling port town filled with Ascendant guards. Her objective was to move stealthily past them and neutralize any resistance silently using her special skills. Utilizing her Step ability, she could temporarily control an enemy soldier, employing their weapons or unique moves to eliminate other adversaries. On occasion, she’d seize a guard’s firearm and fire upon their comrades. In other instances, there were flammable objects around, so Haroona would get a possessed enemy to shoot it, causing an explosion that took out nearby enemies.
Initially, Haroona encountered a more formidable opponent, a bigger adversary, but luckily, Step proved effective against him. This colossal foe possessed unique abilities that could be exploited, allowing players to deploy those abilities on any secondary enemies. However, Step’s effectiveness is short-lived and necessitates Step Tokens for activation, which can be replenished through successful stealth takedowns.
Haroona’s Umbric skills significantly enhance the strategic element in Unknown 9: Awakening’s stealth-based actions. Players can utilize Haroona’s Peek skill to survey the surroundings, identify potential threats, and devise a tactical approach for eliminating them. Her Shroud ability temporarily makes her invisible, allowing her to bypass or ambush patrolling enemies. In case she’s discovered, Haroona is proficient in melee combat and can employ Umbric skills such as Push, which pushes adversaries back, providing an opportunity for attack either by momentarily stunning them or forcing them into hazardous environments. Alternatively, the Pull ability can be used to bring down bothersome snipers from their high vantage points.
The way I experienced Unknown 9: Awakening left me with a sense that its combat system would be flexible and versatile. Players are given the freedom to tackle groups of enemies in any manner they prefer, thereby accommodating various playstyles. It was mentioned that Haroona may acquire more Fold abilities later in the game, but I didn’t get a chance to test them during the demo.
The last thing to note is that voice actress Anya Chalotra looks to be sinking her teeth into Unknown 9: Awakening’s lead role. Coming over from Netflix’s The Witcher, Chalotra carried herself off like a capable action hero in the brief time I had with the game and it’ll be interesting to measure her performance through the rest of the story.
9 Unknown is nearly set for release. You can expect it on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox by this coming Friday, specifically on October 18th.
As a thrilled gamer, I’ve had the exclusive opportunity to peek into the future with an early version of a PlayStation 5 game, showcased under lock and key at PAX West 2024. Please remember that the ultimate experience might still evolve from this sneak peek.
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2024-09-16 17:29