Unknown 9: Awakening Reviews
Unknown 9: Awakening from developer Reflector Entertainment and publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment is a game more about what could have been rather than what turned out to be. With a better story that builds out the world, its characters, and more interesting enemies, the game would have been more of what it intended. It had the makings of a good fantasy/sci-fi action adventure but just didn’t make it there.
Unknown 9: Awakening is a generally solid action-adventure mystery let down by irritatingly repetitive combat encounters in the game's later half. The character dialogue and environmental exploration are a highlight, keeping me playing even when other aspects annoyed me.
All up, Unknown 9 Awakening is a competent title with some outdated and flawed designs, but with a larger universe and lore that is undeniably compelling. It’s well worth dealing with the rough edges if that idea excites you (especially at its reduced price tag!).
Despite some technical issues and a lacklustre final encounter, Unknown 9: Awakening brings a unique take on combat with an extremely well-acted plot that creates a story truly worth experiencing.
Unknown 9: Awakening is a thoroughly AA gaming experience. Like a lost gem from the Xbox 360 era, its charm and jank are intermingled in interesting ways, but its commitment to a unique cultural perspective and killer remixing of the stealth/combat loop elevate it above its slightly unpolished wrappings.
I really enjoyed Unknown 9: Awakening; I loved its pulpy globetrotting action tone and likable cast, and the combat and stealth were rather a lot of fun. The ability to remote control foes and turn them against their allies was a cool unique mechanic that, if anything, could have stood to be even more central to the gameplay. Despite some less-than-stellar boss fights and a somewhat shallow main villain, I had a very good time with Unknown 9: Awakening, and so might you. Hopefully it, and the rest of the Unknown 9 expanded universe, will find enough of an audience that we will see more of Haroona's story in the future.
For all of the ambitious transmedia gimmicks surrounding it, Reflector's first title fails to awaken any sustained interest due to shoddy execution.
The concept of a transmedia project, with Unknown 9: Awakening serving as an ideal entry point for new users, was intriguing. However, the video game ultimately falls short due to numerous issues. While the story provides a foundation for understanding the broader world of Unknown 9, its lack of creative flair and uninteresting characters.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Despite offering an original story and some interesting mechanics, Unknown 9: Awakening’s unpolished execution and derivative aspects keep it from fully realizing its ambitions.
You know, there are some games that you say, "I played this game, but why did I play it?"... Unknown 9: Awakening is exactly one of those games.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Capabilities of Reflector Entertainment do not match the grand scale of the idea.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Perhaps Unknown 9: Awakening will find fans. Not in me. A game to forget in the flurry of current launches.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Unknown 9 is generally an incomplete game. Its ideas may look attractive on paper, but in the end, there is no enthusiasm or effort to create an attractive and different video game. For a person who is very fond of adventure games, this game with its countless problems will quickly reveal its weakness and become boring. Unknown 9 falls far short of today's standards and in every respect is a worse example of its inspiration.
Review in Persian | Read full review
There's potential in Unknown 9: Awakening. The story and setting are fascinating, since so few games are set at the cusp of World War I. Haroona's powers add an enthralling wrinkle to the stealth and combat systems. The experience falls apart when you scrutinize some of these gameplay mechanics, and the bad bugs and mediocre presentation heavily reduce the game's potential. Give it a few patches, and maybe the title will end up being a guilty pleasure for those looking for a straightforward adventure game, but don't expect to uncover a hidden masterpiece.
If you enjoy linear action-adventure games, Unknown 9: Awakening is worth a try. The game has decent character development, and while its stealth system and melee combat don't quite meet current standards, creative ideas can be implemented through the main character's magical abilities. Unknown 9: Awakening could have offered a higher-quality experience with some better optimization of the mechanics, but in its current state, it can still entertain you quite well for about 8 hours.
Review in Persian | Read full review
I can't say that I didn't enjoy Unknown 9: Awakening. I liked some aspects of it, Haroona is a likeable character and the world manages to intrigue me. But mechanically and technologically, it's a game lost in time. It's as if someone suddenly discovered it in a drawer where it had been lying around since 2007. These days, action-adventure games like this are made better, funnier and more variable.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
In a dated way and with flaws in several aspects, Unknown 9: Awakening is a proposal delivered halfway and without much quality. There are positives to praise, such as the universe presenting and an interesting combat system, but the overall package is mediocre and below what it could be.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Unknown 9: Awakening combines a fascinating steampunk world, deep lore and unique mind-control controls. Yet the story lingers in predictability, while repetitive gameplay and technical problems disrupt experience. Despite a few strong moments, the game feels unbalanced and the potential is not fully realized.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
A below-average linear action-adventure that fails to deliver the full potential of its storyline due to an excessive focus on repetitive combat and numerous plot twists crammed into a short but tiresome campaign. Technically underwhelming and overpriced at launch.
Review in Unknown | Read full review
Unknown 9: Awakening boasts great combat and an ambitious story, but performance issues are too many to look past.