Unavowed

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.

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"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,615 reviews

story678 positive mentions

grinding7 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.

story
1,502 mentions
45 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The story of "Unavowed" is widely praised for its engaging narrative, rich character development, and moral complexity, drawing players into a supernatural detective adventure set in New York City. Reviewers highlight the game's unique structure, allowing players to choose their character's background and companions for each mission, which significantly impacts the story and puzzle-solving dynamics. While some critiques mention the simplicity of puzzles, the overall consensus is that the compelling storytelling and character interactions make for a memorable and replayable experience.
- “Top-notch story with morally complex choices, a rich atmosphere, and well-developed characters.”
- “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 clever and well-told, with twists and turns that I absolutely did not see coming.”
- “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.”
- “The overall story moves a little slower than say, the blackwell epiphany or technobabylon, but each mission has its moments which I found entertaining.”
graphics
217 mentions
51 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Unavowed" are characterized by high-quality pixel art that effectively captures the game's dark, urban fantasy aesthetic, with many reviewers praising the detailed artwork and atmospheric visuals. While some players noted the retro style may not appeal to everyone, the overall presentation, including the art and animations, is considered charming and well-executed, enhancing the immersive storytelling experience. Despite occasional critiques regarding animation fluidity and the simplicity of the graphics, the visuals are generally regarded as a strong aspect of the game, complementing its engaging narrative and voice acting.
- “The graphics are beautifully drawn.”
- “The pixel graphics are extremely nice, they are of very high quality and have a distinct look to them.”
- “Gorgeous visuals, nice music, awesome voice acting, well-written dialogues, inspiring humor, and some clever gameplay mechanics complete a solid experience.”
- “The graphics leave a lot to be desired, but overall it's a good game.”
- “Graphics look horrible; they're low-res and pixelated.”
- “The visuals could use more polishing, especially the animation.”
gameplay
190 mentions
24 % positive mentions
73 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Unavowed" is primarily a point-and-click adventure that emphasizes narrative and character interactions over complex puzzles, making it accessible yet somewhat simplistic. Players appreciate the unique mechanics, such as a party system that allows for different character abilities and choices that impact the story, though some find the puzzles to be straightforward and lacking in challenge. Overall, the game successfully blends engaging storytelling with light puzzle-solving, appealing to fans of narrative-driven experiences.
- “I really like the light hint you can get from companions for every puzzle; it's a mechanic that doesn't take you out of the game flow in case you get a little stuck.”
- “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 mechanics.”
- “Gameplay is fairly basic, so it's probably not for everyone.”
music
175 mentions
73 % positive mentions
26 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers praising its jazzy, noir-inspired soundtrack that perfectly complements the game's setting and tone. The voice acting is also highlighted as exceptional, contributing to the immersive experience alongside the well-crafted music. Overall, the soundtrack is described as beautiful and atmospheric, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “The dialogue is engaging, and the strong voice acting, soundtrack, and overall aesthetic perfectly complement the game’s tone.”
- “The soundtrack is very good, with a bit of a jazz-like tone to it which fits well with the NYC setting and the whole atmosphere of the game, definitely a huge benefit.”
- “The music underlines this dusky New York feeling, but also closely follows events of the game: at any given moment it works for either general mood, investigation process, or to show particular character's feelings at the moment.”
- “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.”
- “The music was somber and set the mood very well even if the mood was pretty one note.”
replayability
165 mentions
33 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
2 % negative 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 story and gameplay, making it a standout in the point-and-click genre, which typically lacks replay value. Overall, the combination of branching paths and character dynamics encourages multiple playthroughs, enhancing the game's longevity and engagement.
- “The character origin system is another great touch, adding extra flavor and replayability to the game.”
- “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 four endings I got were fun.”
- “The game has a degree of replayability (though probably only down the track, when you've forgotten how to solve some of the puzzles).”
- “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.”
atmosphere
83 mentions
69 % positive mentions
28 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its immersive and engaging qualities, enhanced by a combination of rich storytelling, well-developed characters, and a fitting soundtrack. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke a strong sense of place, often likening it to classic noir films and emphasizing its atmospheric pixel art and sound design. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as captivating, with many players expressing a desire for more time to explore its richly crafted world.
- “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 in my opinion), and a surprising amount of replayability.”
- “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).”
- “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.”
humor
48 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and subtlety, balancing dark themes with witty dialogue and entertaining character interactions. Players appreciate the well-written banter and the emotional depth that accompanies the humor, making for a rich and engaging experience. Overall, the game's humor is described as charming, mature, and capable of eliciting genuine laughter while enhancing the narrative.
- “Great story, lovable characters, funny dialogue!”
- “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.”
emotional
46 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with many reviewers noting its ability to create deep connections with well-developed characters and impactful storytelling. Players report experiencing a range of emotions, from joy to heartbreak, particularly through the game's nuanced writing and excellent voice acting. Overall, the game successfully combines humor, dark themes, and heartfelt moments, making it a memorable and emotionally engaging experience.
- “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.”
- “I just replayed the ending to see all the different endings and to finish up with the one that made me feel all happy and gooey inside for the characters I came to love!”
character development
28 mentions
46 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
11 % negative 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. The storytelling is described as immersive and well-written, contributing to a rich narrative experience that enhances player engagement. While some reviews note limitations in character customization and gameplay, the overall consensus is that the character development is a standout feature that elevates the game.
- “Incredible adventure/point-and-click game with an emphasis on great character development and storytelling.”
- “The story is very well written, and the character development is spot on.”
- “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.”
optimization
13 mentions
54 % positive mentions
23 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users experiencing performance issues such as stuttering dialogue and buggy achievements, particularly on older hardware. While the voice acting is widely praised for its emotional depth and quality, players have noted that performance can degrade in full-screen mode, suggesting that windowed mode may offer a better experience. Overall, the game's polish and voice performances are highlighted as strong points, despite the technical hiccups.
- “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).”
- “The voice acting is for the most part above average, with some excellent performances in the mix.”
- “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.”
grinding
7 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience. While some missions feature engaging puzzles that avoid repetition, others suffer from tedious dialogue choices and pixel hunting, which detracts from the enjoyment. The puzzle mechanics are often seen as unoriginal and can lead to frustrating brute-force solutions, making certain gameplay elements feel monotonous.
- “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.”
- “The puzzles are pretty tedious in spots, but that's kind of true for most point-and-click adventure games.”
- “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.”
stability
4 mentions
25 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with minor visual glitches and some bugs related to party achievements. Performance may be affected by environmental effects like 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.
- “Lastly, this game runs great on Linux with Proton, working out of the box and receiving a solid platinum rating on 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, the game audio freezes until you come back.”