Unknown 9: Awakening Review (PS5) | Push Square
Unknown 9: Awakening is the debut game from studio Reflector Entertainment but not the first entry into the Unknown universe; so far there are novels, comics, and even a dramatised podcast. Thankfully, Awakening is a standalone experience and so you don’t need to delve into any of the other cross-media releases to understand anything.
The opening scenes are a little heavy on lore, telling you all about the Unknown 9. They are said to be immortal beings who watch over humanity and throughout history have provided wisdom and power to a select few. Some regard the 9 as little more than folklore and superstition but a couple of rival groups aim to seek out the truth. The Leap Year Society wants to gain access to this knowledge in order to benefit all of humanity, whereas the Ascendants want to use it to advance society only in ways that they see fit. While it may seem like only a subtle difference, it leads to big differences in the ways they operate.
The main protagonist, Haroona, is an outsider to both of these groups. She’s what’s known as a Quaestor and has a strong connection to the Fold, a mystical realm which contains powerful energy as well as long-lost knowledge. Whilst we won’t spoil the hows and whys of the narrative, she’s basically on a mission of revenge and so it doesn’t take her long to get entangled with the various factions.
The story is well written even if it does sometimes get a little bogged down in its own lore. It helps that the performances by the main voice actors are all excellent. Particular praise has to go to the talented Anya Chalotra (of The Witcher fame) for her portrayal of Haroona. She does a great job of displaying the character’s vulnerable side whilst still being charismatic and fiery at the same time.
You’ll get to trek across the globe with levels taking place in a variety of environments such as bustling city streets, hot and sandy deserts, as well as lush forests. It’s a shame that there isn’t a dedicated photo mode as some of
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