Verdict

If you’re after an open world expertise that’s slightly totally different from Ubisoft’s regular output, Immortals Fenyx Rising is a vibrant journey value contemplating. 

Pros

An enormous, vibrant and lovely world to discover
Boasts a refreshing tackle Greek Mythology
Combat and exploration are rewardingly participating
Puzzle design is downright wonderful

Cons

Narrative is light-weight and underwhelming
Lacks problem, even on more durable problem settings

Key Specifications

Review Price: £49.99
Release Date: December 3, 2020
Platforms: PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S (model examined)
Genre: Action Adventure
Developer: Ubisoft Quebec

Immortals Fenyx Rising is essentially the most gleeful interpretation of Greek Mythology I’ve seen in gaming for years. It’s a vibrant, vibrant and sharp imaginative and prescient of a legendary world brimming with creativeness, and does all the pieces it might to make sure the participant is free to discover it nevertheless they see match. 
This enthusiastic interpretation of Zeus, Prometheus and all of their pantheon buddies is held again by a reasonably archaic open-world method, however the sheer act of current on this world is a joyous marvel, with every new discovery bringing recent satisfaction. Its huge and various setting, impactful fight and creative puzzle design assist Immortals Fenyx Rising fend off criticisms that might have sunk comparable outings within the style, leading to a welcome new IP from Ubisoft. 
While it’s removed from good, Ubisoft has crafted a stunning journey I fortunately embarked upon, standing in awe as every new area greeted me with an infinite vary of prospects. It’s merely unlucky that regardless of carrying its Breath of the Wild inspiration on its sleeve, Immortals Fenyx Rising by no means fairly reaches the heights of the greats it attracts from. In truth, it appears decided to regress into one thing way more predictable. 
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You play as Fenyx, a younger warrior who discovers that the complete Greek World has been conquered by Typhon, a lethal god decided to reshape this lovely realm in his personal picture. All human life has been turned to stone, together with those you like. This small inconvenience is motivation sufficient for Fenyx to embark on an epic quest to reunite the inhabitants of Mount Olympus and stage a comeback of literal godlike proportions. 
The narrative is weak with little or no substance, nevertheless it’s helped by the humorous addition of Zeus and Prometheus as narrators. This fumbling duo provides substance to the complete ordeal, describing Fenyx’s actions as they come upon monuments to the gods with observations each heartfelt and humorous. While they bugged me at first, I quickly grew in love with these idiotic goofballs as they cracked jokes about their family members whereas additionally providing profound historical past classes from the world of mythology. 
Without them, Immortals Fenyx Rising would really feel very lifeless, with their tone matching the saturated colors of Ancient Greece completely. Though be warned, the writing may be very blended, with many jokes failing to land as Ubisoft tries desperately to create one thing that appeals to everybody on a comedic stage. Thankfully the dialogue swings sufficient hits to be endearing, more often than not. 
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Once the plot is established, Fenyx embarks on a journey spanning a number of totally different areas every with their very own distinct gods, climate and landmarks to uncover. The core mission is straightforward, save these gods from their unlucky circumstances by uncovering their essence from vaults. These areas are fascinating excursions that really feel like fully-fledged dungeons full of intricate puzzles and difficult boss encounters. 
You’ll have to befriend the struggling pantheon earlier than they entrust you with such a process. However, they aren’t precisely in one of the best of moods. Aphrodite has been remodeled right into a stationary tree, whereas Ares is cursed to dwell out the remainder of his days as a ineffective hen. Typhon has remodeled these as soon as monolithic people into shadows of their former selves, ripped of the facility and confidence gods have lengthy been accustomed to. 
Situations reminiscent of these are sensible, forcing gods to acknowledge their very own insecurities in a method that may be surprisingly touching, even when they’re delivered with the subtlety of a jackhammer. Despite this, it’s clear Ubisoft desires to discover the Greek pantheon in a method it hasn’t earlier than, setting Immortals Fenyx Rising aside from Assassin’s Creed. 
I can’t blame them for this, since at first look the similarities are moderately damning. Even for those who noticed all the pieces Assassin’s Creed Odyssey has to supply with its interpretation of Ancient Greece, this new journey nonetheless has loads of surprises. Immortals Fenyx Rising attracts extra from Breath of the Wild than the rest, treating Nintendo’s masterpiece as a blueprint. 
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The act of exploring feels pulled straight from Breath of the Wild. Fenyx will clamber up cliffs and glide throughout the panorama and the world itself is populated by Vaults of Tartarus that are simply rebranded shrines full of puzzles and enemies to beat. There are horses to be tamed, enemy encampments to pillage and chests aplenty merely ready to be plundered. Ubisoft isn’t being delicate right here, and I can’t blame it. 
I discovered the perfect solution to uncover the world of Fenyx Rising was to activate minimal interface choices and come upon issues of my very own accord. Otherwise, it might grow to be an icon janitor very, in a short time. You will ascend towering statues upon waltzing into every new area, getting into a first-person view to scout out vaults and actions to be tackled. This creates a laundry checklist of duties that rapidly grows overwhelming, and tackling them one after the other kills the enjoyment that comes with exploration. 
You’ll come upon distractions usually sufficient that solely marking foremost quests in your show is completely doable, leaving different duties as wonders to be tackled everytime you see match. It’s weird that Ubisoft has taken all the pieces from Breath of the Wild besides the enjoyment that comes from experimenting with its world by yourself phrases, studying how its numerous techniques work together and impression upon its surroundings. By comparability, Fenyx Rising feels tamely predictable. 
Each positively huge landmass is full of the identical assortment of actions which supply the identical rewards and identical predictable gameplay patterns, though just a few stand out. Constellation challenges are wonderful puzzles which process you with gathering fluorescent orbs from throughout the world to position into a particular sample. These orbs are obtained by finishing puzzles of their very own earlier than slotting them into the broader image. 
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Moments like these are great, with all of Fenyx Rising’s mechanics intertwining to check your expertise in some wonderful methods. Vaults of Tartarus supply comparable moments of ingenuity, even surpassing Breath of the Wild within the intelligent methods they mix fight, platforming and fast pondering. At occasions the digital camera and stamina system can really feel like obstacles to having fun with them to their fullest, however such annoyances are small grievances I got here to accommodate. 
Completing Vaults and Constellations will reward you with Zeus Lightning which can be utilized to reinforce your general stamina. Weapons, well being, armour and numerous different traits will also be upgraded with assets naturally gathered all through your journey, though you might want to go to a central hub space to commit them. 
This feels a bit intrusive, as do the animations which play each single time you improve one thing. It’s one more try by Immortals to be humorous, nevertheless it merely comes throughout as obnoxious. Hermes additionally hangs out within the hub space, appearing as a storefront the place you’ll be able to spend forex earned by finishing day by day and weekly challenges. I fully forgot about these for a lot of the recreation, renewing them on the 20-hour mark and being greeted with an avalanche of goodies. 
Systems like this are symbiotic of the open-world design Ubisoft has fostered for over a decade now, which holds again the daring steps ahead Immortals Fenyx Rising is making an attempt to make. It arguably undermines a few of its higher moments, making its world really feel synthetic and bloated with useless facet content material no matter how participating it could be. 
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Combat feels just like Assassin’s Creed. You assault with two totally different weapons utilizing the shoulder buttons, whereas an assortment of expertise could be executed by holding a set off and urgent the face buttons. How usually you should utilize such talents are dictated by your stamina, which restores quick sufficient that it’s simple to beat most encounters by spamming them to your coronary heart’s content material. 
I’d suggest enjoying on exhausting in order for you even a modest problem, since those that keep true to their upgrades will likely be overpowered lengthy earlier than the story ends. Certain boss encounters supply extra profound layers of technique, as do wraiths which seem in every area at random, interrupting exploration with a bout of fight that truthfully felt intrusive to how I needed to play. Luckily, they are often dispatched fairly swiftly. 
Simplicity apart, fight is a quick and frantic affair with loads of accessibility for individuals who don’t fancy a frightening problem. Enemies react to every assault with enough impression, flying throughout the display screen as soon as the ultimate strike lands. Fenyx is deliriously quick too, able to dodging assault and leaping into the air to ship a combination of sword slashes and hammer strikes. The small window of gradual movement that arrives with every good dodge makes you are feeling like a real warrior, with all method of legendary creatures able to do battle. 
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The tone and ambiance of Immortals Fenyx Rising is considered one of its most interesting qualities. It feels so whimsical, tackling Greek Mythology with a way of mischievous enjoyable with out ever undermining the creativity of its pantheon and the numerous tales that outline it. Hearing about every new character was a pleasure, and seeing how Ubisoft determined to interpret their look and persona. 
I additionally love how unapologetically queer this imaginative and prescient of the mythos is, unafraid of expressing how the Greek world wasn’t certain by the constraints of gender and sexuality. Zeus will natter on about previous flings with women and men throughout the pantheon, whereas additionally making nuanced observations about gender identification and the liberty of 1’s self with Prometheus by his facet. It’s each true to the literature it attracts upon and inclusive within the context of our trendy world, and I hope extra video games take this method transferring ahead. 
Verdict – Should you purchase Immortals Fenyx Rising 
If you’re after an open world expertise that’s slightly totally different from Ubisoft’s regular output, Immortals Fenyx Rising is a vibrant journey value contemplating. 
Using Breath of the Wild as its blueprint, this can be a legendary journey with plentiful appeal and sufficient distinct concepts of its personal to face out. It’s a disgrace that the lacklustre narrative and archaic method to the style holds it again from true greatness.
Despite such shortcomings, this gorgeously refreshing tackle Greek Mythology is full of creativity throughout its impactful fight, participating puzzle design and lovable forged of characters. As a brand new franchise, I can solely see it rising stronger within the years to come back.