PLATFORM: PC, PS5, XBOX SERIES (REVIEWED) | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
By Chris Jackson
Immortals of Aveum is something of a rarity in modern gaming – a brand new from a newly-formed development team, it’s a resolutely single-player first-person shooter without the slightest hint of any tacked-on multiplayer modes, microtransactions or “live service” accoutrements. Fairly linear but with room for exploration, puzzle-solving and some light RPG elements along the way, IoA casts players as Jak, a young street thief who discovers that he has the ability to wield three types of magic powers. This leads him to joining an elite order of battlemages known as the Immortals, who are currently facing their biggest trial yet as they attempt to end the Everwar and restore order to the world.
Jak’s powers replace the usual weapons you’d normally find in an FPS but function in much the same way – blue magic fires pistol-like shots, while red magic doubles for a shotgun and green is your rapid-fire SMG. All three have additional spells linked to them, allowing Jak to zip through the air, pull enemies towards him or slow them down using sticky “limpets”, blast a wide-ranging force blast to knock enemies away from him, and more besides. Various sigils can be equipped, which pretty much double as alternate weapons, changing the properties of your attacks, and all of these powers can be upgraded to make them even more effective. All great fun to use, with flashy visuals and booming sound effects, the fast-paced combat often makes Immortals of Aveum feel a lot like the rebooted Doom but with magic instead of guns. Certainly not a bad thing at all!
Just as appreciated is Immortals‘ decision to opt for modern dialogue rather than the “hey nonny nonny” Olde Worlde English that is often found in games with fantasy settings. The humour is pitched at just the right level – not too wacky, zany or overbearing – and steers clear of the “non-stop quips” pitfall that other games have fallen into. Things do start off on a bit of a shaky note, with one or two characters you’ll be hoping to see the back of ASAP, but there’s a notable improvement within a couple of hours and by the end of the game’s 20-hours campaign you’re likely to feel quite attached to Jak and his pals. The gameplay throughout the last few chapters can be a bit of a slog though, pulling the old-school trick of throwing waves of high-level enemies at you all at once, and you’ll need to juggle between all three types of magic to handle the onslaught. The final couple of hours take a fairly serious amount of dedication, determination and digital dexterity to get through, but it’s not enough to really dampen the overall experience which on the whole is extremely enjoyable. If you’re a fan of action-packed single-player shooters like Doom, Mass Effect, Control or Guardians of the Galaxy, Immortals of Aveum absolutely deserves a place in your collection.
