Immortals Fenyx Rising Review – A Breath of Wild Fresh Air

Immortals Fenyx Rising Review

The mythos of ancient Greece has been explored in many forms. From blockbuster films to epic video games, it seems that the general public can’t get enough of the infamous stories of Zeus and co. Jumping on to the bandwagon is Ubisoft’s Immortals Fenyx Rising with a unique spin on the Grecian world that will leave you under Aphrodite’s spell.

Escaping Zeus’ prison, the titan, Typhon is out for revenge. Having stolen Zeus’ lightning, he imprisoned the Gods and only one person can help bring peace back to the world: Fenyx. Although it’s a conventional premise, the delivery is phenomenal. Moving away from the po-faced titles that plague our consoles, the game is unapologetically humorous. The comedic narration by Zeus and Prometheus is a highlight of the game. Like a Grecian Odd Couple, they argue and bicker about stories of the past and events in the game giving the player a deeper understanding of the world and lore.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way, yes, Immortals Fenyx Rising is influenced by Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey but that’s not a bad thing. Ubisoft Quebec has developed on systems established in the aforementioned games and seamlessly integrated them into this epic adventure. Similar to the Shrines in BOTW, Immortals Fenix Rising has Vaults of Tartaros which are placed around the luscious environment. Developing on its peers, these dungeons are varied and larger making each time you discover a vault an absolute thrill. 

Greece is the Word

Exploring the vast environment is a joy and you are consistently rewarded for doing so. Secrets and armor lay atop mountains and in crevices around the beautiful world that could have been taken out of the fantastical mind of Terry Pratchett. Each of the seven stylized areas evokes the personality of a Greek God. Due to this, the enormity of the world is enhanced, beckoning the player to discover the many secrets hidden within. Stamina is key for exploration, especially when scaling large structures. Luckily, consumables can be used if Fenyx is looking tired when approaching the summit and can save him or her from falling to certain death.

Ongoing daily and weekly quests can be accessed in the Hall of Gods, the hub where you can upgrade many elements of the character. These offer in-game rewards and are a great way to unlock additional attributes. As well as this, extra vault challenges, community contests, and store updates will be regularly added ensuring that there are always activities to complete on the Golden Isle. With three DLC packs already announced, the future for the new IP looks promising.

Combat strays away from previous influences and is closer to that of a traditional hack and slash game. Light attacks diminish your foe’s health whilst heavy attacks can stagger enemies giving you the opportunity to unleash blistering combos or God-like special moves. Switching between your bow, sword, and ax is vital in order to defeat the range of enemies that you’ll encounter. When giant ogres attack, you’ll need to master the art of evasion. Perfectly timing your dodge or parry will slow down time, giving you a window to attack. General grunts are relatively easy to slaughter but cyclopses and minotaurs can be problematic and require a certain level of skill and patience.

Puzzles are at the core of the game and it’s at these points that Fenyx shines. Whether you are guiding orbs through elaborate mazes or working out how to ensure pressure plates have the right weight, Immortals Fenix Rising will keep you enthralled with its variety that encourages divergent thinking to find the solution. 

God or Monster?

Fenyx is customizable and he or she can be altered at any point in the game, giving you complete ownership of their appearance. During your adventure, you will come across gear that will give you attack or defense perks so you can modify your character to suit your play style. Harnessing the powers of the Gods, Fenyx will gain abilities during the adventure. Being able to control the flight path of arrows and using telekinesis to control distant objects will aid with the array of puzzles that you’ll encounter. As well as this, you can use the power of flight to traverse the environment or support you in tricky platforming sections that are scattered around the world.

Visually, the game is stunning. The cell-shaded-esque art style and high contrast color palette are refreshing. Gazing across the terrain at height is incredible and it’s here where the complexity of the world is accentuated. Adding to the Greek architecture is the subtle but apt score that captures the mythological mood and tone of the game perfectly. Character models are reminiscent of classic adventure games such as Beyond Good and Evil. The cartoon aesthetic may deter some gamers but I implore you to not overlook this gem. Even though some characters do look a little odd, their portrayal and implementation is excellent and harkens back to originators of the genre.

At first glance, it may seem like Immortals is a mish-mash of several games that came before but it’s from the ashes of these that Fenyx Rises. Oozing with charm, you’ll fall in love with the characterization and delivery of the narrative and want to explore every nook and cranny of the rich and diverse Grecian world. 

***PS5 code was provided by the publisher***