Back in late 2020 new Montreal-based studio Reflector Entertainment made a bit of splash when they revealed Unknown 9: Awakening at The Game Awards. The game’s reveal cinematic was very impressive, and next-gen consoles had just launched, so there was some hope that this was perhaps what we could expect from the new generation (sadly, not quite). Reflector also had ambitious plans for a full Unknown 9 multimedia universe with novels, comics, and more announced. Annnd then we didn’t really hear anything further about Unknown 9 for years, to the point many suspected it was vaporware.
Well, surprise! During the most recent Xbox Partner Preview showcase Unknown 9: Awakening resurfaced, with actual gameplay no less! Perhaps unsurprisingly, the game does not look as good as that reveal cinematic, but then, no game looks that good. Instead, Unknown 9 essentially looks like an indie Assassin’s Creed, with main character Haroona bringing unique magical “Umbric abilities” to the table. In practice that means you can attack from afar, shield yourself from bullets, and even take control of enemies. Check out the Unknown 9: Awakening trailer for yourself, below.
Again, looks very Assassin’s Creed, but hey, Ubisoft has left themselves wide open to somebody who actually wants to innovate with an AC-like game. Reflector are also apparently sticking with their plans to turn this thing into a multimedia franchise. Here’s a bit more information on how Unknown 9: Awakening will work in action…
“Haroona, portrayed by actress Anya Chalotra, is fierce, quick-witted, and wields powerful skills—what those in the Unknown 9 universe call Umbric abilities. By harnessing the Fold’s potent energy, Haroona manipulates people, objects, and weapons from any distance. At the flick of a wrist, she obliterates whatever stands in her path, and her capacity to shield oncoming fire is nothing short of impressive. But what makes her a uniquely formidable force is that she can step into any of her foes, leveraging their size, skill, and weaponry to defeat whoever she’s up against.
Our design and development teams zeroed in on this unique combination of skills, devising a set of gameplay mechanics that give you complete control of your combat strategy. The resulting experience lets you choose how you take down your enemies. Whether this means sticking to stealth mode, engaging in full combat, channelling the Fold’s energy to wield Umbric abilities, or using a combination of them all is up to you to decide.”
Unknown 9: Awakening is coming to PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, and PS5 this summer.
