Unavowed

91%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,244 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Unavowed Game Cover
Unavowed is a solid retro adventure game. The story is not always evenly paced, but it is compelling with plenty of twists and surprises. The gameplay is simple, and the parts all work together to make a coherent whole.
Starting at $4.02Buy now
Get on Steam Get on Apple Store

"Unavowed" is a single-player fantasy RPG with an engaging story, polished mechanics, and impressive visuals/soundtrack. As a demon's host, you must rebuild your life by joining the Unavowed, an organization fighting evil. The game features customizable protagonists, branching storylines, various companions, and four origin stories, offering compelling replayability.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

91%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,244 reviews
story1,359 positive mentions
grinding14 negative mentions
  • Engaging story with unexpected twists and well-developed characters.
  • Great voice acting and beautiful pixel art that enhances the atmosphere.
  • Multiple choices and character backgrounds add replayability and depth to the gameplay.
  • Puzzles are generally easy and may lack challenge for seasoned adventure game players.
  • Some dialogue can feel repetitive, and the pacing may suffer from excessive backtracking.
  • The main character is silent, which may detract from player immersion.
  • story3,015 mentions

    The story of "Unavowed" is widely praised for its engaging narrative, rich character development, and moral complexity, with many players appreciating the intertwining of personal backstories and choices that significantly impact the gameplay. The episodic structure allows for self-contained missions that contribute to an overarching plot, keeping players invested and eager to explore different outcomes through multiple playthroughs. While some critiques mention the simplicity of puzzles, the focus on storytelling and character interactions is seen as a strength, making it a standout title in the point-and-click genre.

    • “Top-notch story with morally complex choices, a rich atmosphere, and well-developed characters.”
    • “The story immediately got me.”
    • “The story is engaging and as you play through the game you really get to know each of the characters and you really care about them and become invested in your newfound role in the unavowed.”
    • “The story is a little weak.”
    • “The story twists and winds with these strange characters that come in and go out just as quickly, you don’t get much of a back story, you don’t connect with anyone or anything, they do have this thing in unavowed where after a mission you go back to their main base and you can just chitchat to some of the other characters, but it still wasn't enough for me, somehow i just didn't care about them or their end fate.”
    • “The overall story moves a little slower than say, the blackwell epiphany or technobabylon, but each mission has its moments which i found entertaining.”
  • graphics437 mentions

    The graphics of "Unavowed" are characterized by high-quality pixel art that effectively captures the game's dark, urban fantasy aesthetic, drawing on nostalgic influences from classic point-and-click adventures. While some players appreciate the charming retro style and detailed artwork, others note that the animations can feel underwhelming and the overall graphics may not be as advanced as modern titles. Nevertheless, the visuals are generally praised for their ability to enhance the storytelling and immersive atmosphere of the game.

    • “Gorgeous visuals, nice music, awesome voice acting, well written dialogues, inspiring humor and some clever gameplay mechanics complete a solid experience.”
    • “The pixel graphics are extremely nice, they are of very high quality and have a distinct look to them.”
    • “Compelling characters, wonderful worldbuilding, gorgeous visuals, and a story that had me hooked from start to finish.”
    • “The graphics leave a lot to be desired but overall a good game.”
    • “Graphics look horrible, they're low res and pixelated.”
    • “Sadly a consequence of the art style and possibly the engine, but it can be very jarring at times.”
  • gameplay383 mentions

    The gameplay of "Unavowed" is primarily a point-and-click adventure that emphasizes narrative and character interactions over complex puzzles, featuring a streamlined mechanic that allows players to hover over objects for descriptions. While the puzzles are generally straightforward and may lack challenge for seasoned players, the game compensates with a rich story, meaningful choices, and a unique party system where character selection influences gameplay dynamics. Overall, it offers a smooth and engaging experience, appealing to those who appreciate story-driven games with light puzzle elements.

    • “I also really like how the dialogue and gameplay shift depending on who you bring along on missions.”
    • “The gameplay keeps you focused on the story, giving you agency over the narrative, and a light element of challenge to engage you, without overtaking or blocking out the overall experience.”
    • “Unavowed is an enjoyable take on pulp urban fantasy that injects some of the trappings of modern RPGs and the Telltale branch of adventure games into the point-and-click formula by adding a roster of flexible companions that alters your puzzle/gameplay options alongside tangibly effective decision making at key moments.”
    • “The gameplay leaves much to be desired.”
    • “Most puzzles are mind-numbingly trivial; when I struggled, it was 90% because of the game mechanic.”
    • “If the gameplay didn't feel diluted, it would be an excellent game.”
  • music350 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, particularly its jazzy noir soundtrack that complements the urban setting and enhances the overall mood. Many reviewers praised the high-quality compositions, noting that the music effectively supports the narrative and character emotions, making it a standout feature of the game. Overall, the soundtrack is described as brilliant, evocative, and a significant contributor to the game's aesthetic success.

    • “The dialogue is engaging, and the strong voice acting, soundtrack, and overall aesthetic perfectly complement the game’s tone.”
    • “Unavowed's entire OST is brilliant, but that one composition made me sit, close my eyes, and pretend that I was standing at Gun Hill Road station having coffee of my own.”
    • “The soundtrack too is sublime and impressively varied, resulting in Unavowed being the most aesthetically accomplished game Wadjet have produced so far.”
    • “The soundtrack doesn't fit the scene in places.”
    • “Currently, when you switch to desktop, the game music turns into some short and very irritating music loop.”
    • “Music was... there?”
  • replayability333 mentions

    The game boasts impressive replayability, primarily due to its character origin system, multiple endings, and the ability to choose different companions for each mission, which significantly alters gameplay and puzzle solutions. Players appreciate the variety of choices that impact the narrative, making each playthrough feel unique. While some reviewers note that traditional point-and-click games often lack replay value, this title stands out for its engaging story and diverse gameplay options, encouraging multiple playthroughs.

    • “A fantastic point & click adventure game with a great cast (both in terms of characters and voice acting), well written and interesting plot/setting, soothing rainy atmosphere with fitting music, good artwork (the portraits during dialogue were especially well done), and a surprising amount of replayability.”
    • “The multiple endings, companions, and tough choices give immense replayability to this game.”
    • “The game encourages replay value through the choices and companion selection options mentioned above, and is short enough for this to be a realistic possibility.”
    • “Limited replay value, like most point and click games, though the 4 endings I got were fun.”
    • “The usual point-and-click cons do have some applications - once you know the solutions, the replay value does go down a bit... but in this case, not quite as fast as with most other adventure games, because you get to pick your party.”
    • “Since you can choose multiple backgrounds for your character and different parties for each mission, there is some degree of replayability, but since the puzzles tend to be simple and the episodic story doesn't change, the gain isn't huge.”
  • atmosphere169 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is consistently praised for its immersive quality, enhanced by stunning pixel art, a haunting soundtrack, and well-developed characters. Reviewers highlight the rich, noir-inspired setting that evokes a sense of mystery and emotional depth, making the narrative experience captivating. Despite some limitations in gameplay interactivity, the overall ambiance and storytelling effectively draw players into the game's world.

    • “The world is believable and dripping with atmosphere, the characters are extremely well written and the story is very gripping, complete with an actually genius plot twist that I don't want to spoil.”
    • “Unavowed has this constant eerie atmosphere that just drew me into its world, it reminded me of the old PS1/PC game Discworld Noir (showing my age a little here).”
    • “The art style is gorgeous, the music atmospheric, the voice acting top-notch, and the story itself is gripping.”
    • “Unavowed has this constant eerie atmosphere that just drew me into its world; it reminded me of the old PS1/PC game Discworld Noir (showing my age a little here).”
    • “Some of the animations look stiff, but the pixel art and character portraits look fantastic and give the game the spooky industrial neo-noir atmosphere it needs, alongside the music, which is a fittingly soft bluesy/jazzy soundtrack.”
    • “But it takes just 10 hours to complete this game; I wish I could experience its atmosphere longer.”
  • humor96 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and subtlety, balancing dark themes with light-hearted moments and witty dialogue. Players appreciate the well-developed characters and their entertaining banter, which often elicits genuine laughter while also providing emotional depth. Overall, the game successfully captures a charming and engaging atmosphere reminiscent of classic adventure titles, making it a standout experience in terms of humor.

    • “The humor in the game was spot on, as were the characters and their roles.”
    • “The characters are all very entertaining and there's a surprising amount of really funny humor that made me genuinely laugh out loud.”
    • “Furthermore, it is a great pleasure to listen to those party banters, which are quite hilarious and deeply touching.”
  • emotional92 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with many reviewers noting its ability to create deep connections with characters through well-crafted storytelling and impactful voice acting. Players report experiencing a range of emotions, from joy to heartbreak, particularly in relation to character arcs and moral dilemmas. While some felt the narrative occasionally struggled with pacing and character development, the overall consensus is that the game successfully delivers a rich, emotional experience that resonates long after playing.

    • “Unavowed's writing is excellent, and that investment into the game really raises the emotional impact of events.”
    • “The storyline was incredibly touching and the background stories for some of the side characters actually brought tears to my eyes.”
    • “This game made me cry, made me laugh, made me think, made me think about the fairness of decisions, made me think of ethics and family.”
  • character development56 mentions

    The game is praised for its exceptional character development, with players highlighting the depth of the characters, moral dilemmas, and the quality of voice acting that enhances the storytelling experience. Many reviews note that the character arcs are well-crafted and contribute significantly to the immersive nature of the game, making it a standout in the point-and-click genre. While some mention limitations in character customization and locations, the overall consensus is that the character development is a major strength that elevates the gameplay.

    • “I think the main enjoyment for me was the character development and moral challenges the game presents.”
    • “But its deep character development and engrossing story arc does make it into a very immersive and satisfying experience.”
    • “Unavowed is a fun and thought-provoking game with excellent character development and an interesting storyline.”
    • “Relatively short, rather easy, a limited character development, only a handful of locations and the inventory is used only a few dozen times in the whole game.”
    • “The lack of character development and limited number of locations didn't bother me at the time, and it was only after completing the game that I wanted to go back and explore the world of Unavowed some more.”
    • “This is good for a start, but to keep you invested, there is a need for character development, and yup, it's there, conveyed through a combination of clever writing and good voice acting.”
  • optimization27 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users experiencing significant performance issues, particularly in full-screen mode, while others noted improvements when running in windowed mode. Additionally, there are reports of bugs related to party achievements and performance slowdowns due to environmental effects like persistent rain. Despite these issues, the overall polish and quality of the voice acting have been praised, contributing positively to the game's emotional impact.

    • “Wadjet Eye's best performance to date in terms of overall polish and quality.”
    • “The voice acting needs to be commended, as there's a lot of it for every character in the game, and most of it is very impressive (especially Eli - he deserves an award for his performance).”
    • “Topped off by excellent atmosphere, a tight script, and great performances, Unavowed might just be Wadjet Eye Games' best work.”
    • “Party-related achievements are definitely buggy, the never-ending rain slows the performance down a bit (my laptop is quite old, though), and seriously, the final decision is almost the same as that of Primordia.”
    • “Performance is uncannily bad even with a good discrete video card on full screen (running it in windowed mode seems to improve things).”
    • “Especially awkward when it chose to stutter on a few f-bombs (repeating it like a dozen times) with my kids in the room... normally I'd just quick skip the dialogue, but you can't do that while it's stuttering.”
  • grinding14 mentions

    Reviews indicate that while the game features a variety of puzzles and challenges that prevent repetition, certain aspects of grinding, particularly in dialogue choices and puzzle mechanics, can feel tedious and unengaging. The reliance on traditional "use x on y" solutions and pixel hunting detracts from the overall experience, making some players find the gameplay monotonous despite the visual appeal of pixel art.

    • “Except when you're making obvious choices about how to proceed, the dialogue choices don't seem to make any impact at all, which makes clicking through the dialogue tedious instead of engaging.”
    • “Sadly the puzzle mechanics and puzzle solving, minus a few hiccups, are nothing impressive or new besides the fact that pixel hunting is quite tedious and no one really likes it.”
    • “Pixel art can be fine but when you've used it for every single game, it just becomes tedious and boring looking.”
  • stability8 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with only minor visual glitches and some bugs related to party achievements. Performance may be affected by environmental effects like persistent rain, particularly on older hardware, but it runs exceptionally well on Linux with Proton. However, users have noted that alt-tabbing can cause audio issues until the game is re-focused.

    • “Lastly, this game runs great on Linux with Proton, working out of the box and with a solid platinum rating at ProtonDB.”
    • “Party-related achievements are definitely buggy, the never-ending rain slows the performance down a bit (my laptop is quite old, though), and seriously, the final decision is almost the same as that of Primordia.”
    • “If you alt+tab, game audio freezes until you come back.”
    • “A few weird visual glitches, but nothing major.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

85% average critic score

Buy Unavowed

Play time

6hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
3-11hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 14 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games