Unknown 9: Awakening – How a Great Concept Was Ruined by Repetitive Gameplay and Cringe-Worthy Transmedia

A Video Game Company Pushing the Boundaries of Innovation
Transmedia has been a buzzword for a while in the gaming industry. I get the idea—you publish podcasts, movies, and games, all with the potential to elevate each other. Unfortunately, few succeed in doing everything well, and it often ends up feeling lukewarm.

The same applies here. The web series that’s out there has only garnered a very small number of viewers, and I find it hard to see that changing. It has a very amateurish film feel that doesn’t really spark any interest. It’s a shame because there should be a solid foundation here. I react to the format and how everything is filmed. I’m sorry, but there are YouTubers filming themselves brewing coffee that feels more inspiring and engaging.

Considering they have access to an entire crew of people working on the game, you wonder how it could turn out this poorly. It’s actually embarrassing to see how a team with a title and backing from Bandai Namco couldn’t do better. But what do I know? Maybe they didn’t have the budget or ideas, and just thought, “Here, take my iPhone, go make a video, and let’s hope it goes viral.”

Unfortunately, even an Ica commercial is more inspiring and engaging than this. Where is Ica Stig when you need him?

And I wouldn’t be so harsh if the studio didn’t use words like “innovative,” “groundbreaking,” and “Relentless in our pursuit of crafting the most original storytelling experiences, our unique skill sets, perpetual support of one another, and total honesty are what we rely on to achieve our goals.”

I don’t know, but no, it didn’t go well, I think. In any case, there’s a podcast, a series, a web series, and the game. It’s hard to find exact numbers on how many have read the series or listened to the podcast, but the web series on YouTube isn’t a hit, and neither are the game sales. But let’s take a look at where we are and what it is.

Let’s move on to the game.

The game is set in northern India in 1912 and follows Haroona, a woman with the ability to step into an alternate dimension called The Fold. She opposes an organization called the Ascendants, who want to use The Fold to alter the course of history to their advantage.

Unknown 9: Awakening is a third-person action-adventure game. The player can choose to confront enemies in combat or avoid them using stealth skills. A central feature of the game is the ability to switch bodies by utilizing the main character’s supernatural powers, offering alternative ways to navigate through a level. She also possesses a range of psychic powers, called Umbric Abilities, which include invisibility and possession. Through clairvoyance, she can see enemies through obstacles and identify their positions on the map.

Behind the game are Alexandre Amancio and Guy Laliberté. Amancio previously worked as Creative Director on Assassin’s Creed Unity, and Guy is the founder of Cirque du Soleil, among other things. Unfortunately, it’s very clear how much of the Assassin’s Creed vibe is in the game, as well as how little understanding of game development and storytelling the two have managed to bring to the project.

The main character, Haroona, is played by Anya Chalotra, who also played Yennefer in The Witcher on Netflix, so this should be a slam dunk, but that’s not the case.

The whole thing becomes a linear journey where, at times, it feels like you’re doing something new, but you’re quickly locked into a single path. Even the so-called hidden paths aren’t really hidden—they’re just alternate routes to the end.

Unfortunately, this isn’t enough to maintain interest or create any significant engagement with the series.

It’s a shame because there’s a glimmer of a good story here, and there’s something promising, but it quickly fades with repetitive patterns and an overly obvious linear path to follow. There’s nothing to explore or tinker with—just a quick push forward.

DEVELOPER:
Reflector Entertainment Ltd.
PUBLISHER:
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.