Unknown 9: Awakening

44%
Game Brain Score Based on 31 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Unknown 9: Awakening Game Cover
Despite some technical issues and a lacklustre final encounter, Unknown 9: Awakening brings a unique take on combat with an extremely well-acted plot that creates a story truly worth experiencing.
Starting at $40.13Buy now
Get on Steam Get on Xbox Games Store

Unknown 9: Awakening is a game where you play as Haroona, a Quaestor with the ability to access a mysterious dimension called the Fold. Use your powers from the Fold to uncover hidden knowledge while avoiding the Ascendants, a faction that seeks to alter human history with the Fold's power. The Digital Deluxe Edition includes three cosmetic packs with unique skins and animations for Haroona and her journal.

Play Modes

Reviews

44%
Audience ScoreBased on 31 reviews
story16 positive mentions
optimization5 negative mentions
  • The game features an interesting story with some unique concepts and powers that can be enjoyable to explore.
  • Some players found the combat mechanics fun, particularly the ability to control enemies and use their powers against each other.
  • The graphics, while inconsistent, have moments of beauty, especially in the landscapes and set pieces.
  • The game suffers from significant performance issues, including stuttering and frame rate drops, even on high-end hardware.
  • Many players criticized the graphics and animations as outdated, comparing them to games from previous console generations.
  • The combat system is often described as clunky and unrefined, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience.
  • story31 mentions

    The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its interesting premise and character dynamics, while others criticize it for feeling underdeveloped and lacking depth. Although there are moments of witty writing and engaging character interactions, many feel the narrative is overshadowed by gameplay issues and glitches. Overall, while the story has potential, it may not meet the expectations of those seeking a compelling and polished narrative experience.

    • “The story's premise is that civilizations will always be destroyed, paving the way to their own destruction and the next civilization's rise.”
    • “Vincent and Reika symbolize a sort of good and evil dynamic, and there is great potential in this story.”
    • “The story and world building has some actual depth.”
    • “This game feels like a sum of Middle-earth: Shadow of War and The Last of Us, but as an early access edition with mediocre storytelling. I promise you, you are not here for that; late game is fun.”
    • “The story seems to have a fair amount of cut content and definitely feels like some upper office meddling occurred.”
    • “I pre-ordered this game thinking it had a lot of potential and could have been another Uncharted. However, there are zero puzzles in the game, it is glitchy on PC, and the storyline is a little lacking.”
  • gameplay22 mentions

    The gameplay is generally enjoyable, featuring a mix of stealth and action mechanics reminiscent of older titles, though it can become repetitive and clunky over time. While some players appreciate the fun core mechanics and story integration, others find the gameplay unsatisfying and lacking depth, particularly in comparison to more polished games like Dishonored. Overall, the game shows potential for improvement in future iterations, especially in refining its mechanics and enhancing the overall experience.

    • “Good gameplay, interesting story.”
    • “Getting to hop into an enemy's body and use their weapons to make up for me not having weapons is such a fun mechanic.”
    • “The gameplay puts heavy emphasis on stealth, combining supernatural abilities with melee-focused attacks just like Dishonored does.”
    • “Gameplay is fun but gets a bit repetitive towards the end.”
    • “Dishonored has fluent and more engaging gameplay, whereas Unknown 9 feels clunky and less meaningful.”
    • “The gameplay is nothing special either; it's too easy, unsatisfying, and unrewarding.”
  • graphics20 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely criticized for being outdated, often compared to those from the PS3 and Xbox 360 era, with many reviewers noting a lack of detail and poor character animations. While some players find moments of visual appeal, particularly in the art style, the overall impression is marred by technical issues and subpar optimization, even on high-end hardware. Consequently, the game's visuals fail to meet modern standards, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “The art style helps the game's graphics after the first chapter.”
    • “No glitches or bugs, nice visuals.”
    • “Despite the power of this card, the game does not fully utilize its capabilities, with unimpressive graphics, limited detail in the environments, and lackluster character designs.”
    • “The graphics look very, very dated.”
    • “The graphics are PS3/Xbox 360 era, and even then there are games with better graphics at that time than this game.”
    • “Unknown 9: Awakening feels visually outdated, even when running on a system equipped with an RTX 4090 graphics card.”
  • optimization8 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting smooth performance on mid-range PCs, while others experience significant stuttering and frame rate drops, even on high-end systems like the RTX 4090. These performance issues, particularly during loading and in visually intense moments, detract from the overall experience and immersion.

    • “I didn't experience performance issues on a mid-range PC.”
    • “Performance issues are probably SSD related.”
    • “Loading new regions results in significant stuttering.”
    • “The game has stuttering issues throughout, especially when flames or explosions are present.”
    • “Moreover, the game experiences frame rate drops, even at high graphical settings on a powerful system like one with an RTX 4090, indicating poor optimization.”
  • humor3 mentions

    Critics emphasize that humor is essential for engaging storytelling and relatable characters in action-adventure games. When gameplay falls short, a strong comedic element can enhance entertainment value, as seen with the enjoyable and amusing use of fold powers.

    • “If an action-adventure game cannot persuade critics through gameplay, then perhaps it should through storytelling, amazing characters, and humor.”
    • “The fold powers are quite fun and funny to use.”
  • music2 mentions

    The music in the game is highly praised for enhancing the overall experience without being intrusive, complementing the impressive voice acting. Players appreciate its ability to engage them, often keeping it on when they typically would turn it off.

    • “The voice actors are incredible, and I haven't even turned off the music, which is very rare for me.”
    • “The music adds to the experience without being overwhelming.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Overall, users report a stable experience with no glitches or bugs, complemented by appealing visuals.

    • “No glitches or bugs, nice visuals.”
    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes, providing a seamless experience.”
    • “I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it never lags or stutters.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect enjoyable initially due to the strategic discovery and application, but it eventually becomes tedious over time.

    • “It is fun to discover such strategies and to apply them, but it becomes tedious at some point.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and often detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
    • “I find myself repeating the same tasks over and over, which makes the game feel more like a chore than a fun experience.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players report a deep emotional engagement with the game, often becoming so absorbed in the experience that they neglect gameplay mechanics like the skill tree, indicating a strong narrative or immersive quality that resonates on a personal level.

  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game is hindered by unimpressive graphics and limited environmental detail, resulting in lackluster character designs that fail to fully utilize the potential of the game's mechanics.

    • “Despite the power of this card, the game does not fully utilize its capabilities, with unimpressive graphics, limited detail in the environments, and lackluster character designs.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the monetization strategy of the game feels reminiscent of past cash grab titles, suggesting a reliance on its association with a popular movie rather than offering substantial value or quality.

    • “The monetization in this game feels like a cash grab, reminiscent of those mediocre movie tie-in games from the past.”
    • “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
    • “The constant push for in-game purchases detracts from the overall experience, turning what could be a fun game into a money-making scheme.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

75% average critic score

Buy Unknown 9: Awakening

Videos

Similar Games