Unknown 9 Awakening is one of those rare new IPs that, flaws and all, signals an impressive start for a potential franchise. Not that Unknown 9 Awakening is flawless—no game is, after all—but it definitely has a strong foundation.
This is the first release from Reflector Entertainment, published by Bandai Namco, and one of the most intriguing aspects is its approach to storytelling across multiple media. And by that, I don’t mean consoles; I mean that Unknown 9 Awakening has its story threaded across comics, a trilogy of novels, an audio drama podcast, two upcoming web series, and the platform Unknown 9: Nexus, which brings together all the characters, locations, and events across these media.
It’s ambitious, no doubt. After starting the comic series, the fantastic podcast Unknown 9: Out of Site, and the novel Unknown 9: Genesis, I’m excited to see how it all connects in this expansive, globe-spanning narrative.
Now, onto the game itself.
Story
Unknown 9 Awakening story is set long before the other entries in the Unknown 9 universe. You play as Haroona, a powerful young woman and disciple to her mentor, Reika. Her journey starts in a desert oasis scattered with ruins of a lost civilization, where she follows Reika on a mysterious mission. As they draw closer to their destination, Haroona learns about Reika’s former disciple, Vincent Lichter, who has since turned rogue. Tragedy soon follows when Haroona witnesses Reika’s death at Vincent’s hands, but she narrowly escapes.
The story picks up four years later, in 1912, as Haroona, now in northern India, is on a path of revenge, tracking down Vincent. Along the way, she meets Luther, a gun-slinging American who quickly becomes an ally, hiding her from enemy patrols and offering his support as she pursues her goal. Together, they manage to steal Vincent’s airship, The Morning Star, and learn that Haroona’s childhood village has been destroyed. Haroona retrieves a powerful amulet given to her by Reika, while Luther reveals his ties to the Leap Year Society, a secret organization long thought lost.
What follows is a journey with Luther and the Leap Year Society as they work to stop Vincent from freeing Seshin, a powerful being imprisoned in The Fold, a mysterious realm between worlds. Seshin was sealed away by the Unknown 9, a collective of entities known as the Sahin, who have maintained Earth’s cycles to avoid the fate of their fallen civilization.
I won’t delve further, as the game’s story is its strongest asset. What I can say is to be prepared for a narrative that hooks you in, connects you with Luther, and reveals lore that interweaves with the Unknown 9 universe. It’s filled with twists that keep things interesting. While not the best story in gaming, it’s refreshingly original in an era filled with recycled plots.
Gameplay
Gameplay is where Unknown 9 Awakening truly excels, largely thanks to the innovative use of The Fold. The Fold is akin to a mystical “upside-down” world, similar to Stranger Things’ alternate dimension, where time is fluid. For Haroona, a Quaester, The Fold provides abilities that help her on her journey, though many have become lost souls within its boundaries.
One way Haroona utilizes The Fold is to glimpse into this other realm, revealing enemies, environmental hazards, and collectibles. This is similar to the detective vision from the Batman: Arkham series, and it makes sense here, fitting seamlessly into the game’s mechanics. Haroona can also draw on The Fold during combat, utilizing an array of abilities unlocked through a skill tree that branches into Combat, Stealth, and Umbric Abilities. Skill points, accumulated through collecting anomalies, enhance her powers in several areas:
- Takedowns – Stealth moves that let you silently eliminate enemies; skills unlocked over time allow for takedowns of increasingly powerful foes.
- Crush – An ability to trigger environmental hazards, like fuel canisters, to explode and damage nearby enemies.
- Push and Pull – Handy for shoving foes near ledges (as you can imagine).
- Shroud – Grants temporary invisibility, ideal for blending stealth with takedowns.
- Stepping – Perhaps the most fun skill, letting you possess enemies briefly and use their abilities against other foes. Initially limited to one use per combat, the game eventually allows three steps. Stepping tokens can be replenished through stealth and head-on combat.
With this arsenal, the combat feels addictive, fluid, and genuinely enjoyable. It may take some practice, but it quickly becomes second nature. By the final chapters, when swarms of enemies come at you, it feels empowering to use every trick in Haroona’s book—luring enemies near ledges, triggering explosive distractions, vanishing into the Shroud, and finally stepping into one enemy after another. The sheer variety keeps combat fresh, a welcome relief from the repetitive grind some action games fall into. This is easily the game’s standout feature.
Graphics and Technical Hiccups
Unfortunately, Unknown 9 Awakening suffers significantly in the graphics department. Visually, it feels like a throwback to the PS3 era—jarring in 2024, to say the least. Textures often pop in and out or load slowly, which can be distracting, especially in cutscenes. Character models lack detail, and environments sometimes look bland. On the upside, the frame rate stayed steady, and I didn’t encounter any game-breaking bugs, though some glitches with NPCs occasionally required me to reload from the last checkpoint.
The lack of visual variety in enemy NPCs—both in appearance and voice—was another drawback, though eventually, I managed to ignore it. It’s a shame these visual elements drag down what is otherwise an immersive experience.
Writing, Voice Acting, and Music
While the story holds its own, it’s the dialogue and character interactions that shine. The writing is sharp, and the voice acting does it justice. Anya Chalotra, known for her role as Yennefer in The Witcher, is fantastic as Haroona, though the standouts for me were Luther and Vincent. The atmospheric music complements the story, adding depth to the game’s immersive quality.
Final Verdict
Unknown 9 Awakening is an ambitious game, extending beyond the traditional gaming narrative with its transmedia storytelling. The story is intriguing, the combat engaging, and the dialogue well-crafted, but the experience is marred by its visuals, which feel a decade out of date. Despite its flaws, this game lays a promising foundation for what could become an expansive and rewarding franchise. With that in mind, I’d rate Unknown 9 Awakening a 6 out of 10.
Unknown 9 Awakening is available now on Xbox Series S and X, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC. This review is based on an Xbox Series X playthrough.
Unknown 9 Awakening Trailer
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